The British Plutarch

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T H B

BRITISH PLUTARCH,

CONTAINING

THE LIVES

O F T H £

Moft Eminent Statesmen, Patriots, Di*
VINES, Warriors, Philosophers, Poets,
and Artists, of Great -Britain' and Ire-
land, from the Accellion of Henry VIII. to
the prefent Time. Including, a Compendious
View of the Hiftory ^t' tngland during that
Period.

IN - EIGHT V O L U M E S-

V O L.

THE T H I R D E D I T I O N,

Rcvifed, correfled, and confiderably enlarged,
by the Addition of New Lives.

LONDON:

Prwited for CHARLES DlLLYj in the J>oultiy.
M DCC xc !•

'I

PREFACE..

TH E utility of biographical compilations,
the important knowledge to be derived
from them, and the agreeable entertainment of
which they are productive, are fo generally
acknowledged in the literary world, that -it i%
unnepeffary to make many obfervations upon
that ful^jeft. Works of this .kind afford great
pleafure to the inquifitive miiad, and have a
natural tendency both to improve the under-

ftandirig, and to amend the hearts It has beea

J,

remarked, that^ ' Virtue, when abftradlcdly con-
* fidered, makes but a faint impreffion on the

* human

vi PREFACE-

* human mind ; but when it is, as it were, fub-

* ftantiated by being exhibited in real characters,

* then every generous breaft takes fire, our fenfe

* of ingenuity is touched, and we are not only
^ prompted, but encouraged to excel. We

* are infpired with refolution, and roufed. from

* that lethargy and ina^ivc ftate into which the
-^ generality of mankind are funk/ It has alfo

been juftly obferved, that by having ' before
' our eyes the principles of men of honour and.
^ probit}^, enforced by example, we may be
^ animated to fix upon fome great model to be^
' the rule of our conduct, ; and, at the fame^
'.time, we fliall pay the only tribute in our
' power to the memory of their public and pri-

* vate virtues/

As the general advantages of biographical
works are apparent, fo it is alfo manifeft, that
every intelligent Engliihman muft be defirous
of being acquainted with the lives, adtions, and
charafters, of the moil diftinguilhed pcrfons

whom

PRE FA C E. va^

whom his own country has. produced. The-
prefent work contains the lives of' the moft,
eminent perfons who- have appeared in this-
country,, from the acceiiion of king Henry VIIL^
to the prefent timci In the difpofition of the
work, the chronological order has been chiefly
attended to-; and as the lives of particular per-
fons often derive confiderable light from ant
attention to the hiftory of the times in- which,
they lived, a brief view is- occafionally given i
.of: the hiftory of England, during the period
eomprehendcd in our work. This has in*
duced us, that hiftorical, events might be the,-
better connected, in fuch of the volumes wherein -
it was. found expedient, to feparate men in.
public ftations from thofe of a more private*
characfter, and to give accounts of the- latter in.u
fiipplements to thofe volumes* -

In. the brief view of hiftorical tranfadionS'
comprehended in this work, in the First.
volume is comprifed an account of the Refor*

matibn

vm PREFACE.

mation- which commenced in the reign of Henry
VIIL. of the- eftablilhment of the church of
England under Edward VI. -and of the relapfe
of the kingdom to Popery, during the (hort
reign^of Mary I. '

The Secon^d volume takes in the whole of
that fplendid period when Elizabeth fat upon
the throne, an^ age remarkably produdive of
great, menj and in which the wealth, commerce,
^nd profpcrity of England were greatly advanced .
The Third openswith the Union of the crowns'
of England and Scotland, in the perfon of
James I. and ends with the death of Charles L
The Fourth extends from the interregnum -to
the abdication of James 11. The Fifth com-
mences with the Revolution ; and, together with
the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth volumes,

contains a brief view of the public tranfadtions,
and lives of the moft eminent perfons, from

rhat great event to the prefent period.

In

PREFACE. xi

In this Third Edition of owr Work, the whole
has been revifed, and many errors which occurred
in the preceding ed[it ion have been corredted^^
The work has alfo been extended from fix.
volumes to eight ; and twenty-feven new lives
have been added. The new lives are thofe of
Bilhop -Atte^bury, Sir Richard Stekle,
Daniel De Foe, BifliopHoADLY, Dr. Young,
Samuel Richardson, Dr. L'ardnei^, Wil-
liam Hogarth, Dr. Jortin,' Thomas G^ay,
David Hume, William Shenstone, Bifliop
Newton, Dr. Akenside, William Pitt,
Earl of Chatham, Dr. Johnson, Laurence
Sterne, David Garrick, Dr. S^iollett,
Charles Churchill, Lord Clive, Samuel
Foote, Captain Cook,s Oliver Goldsmith,
Sir, William Blackstone, Jonas Hanway,
. and Bifllop Lowth. This edition^ has alfo
been improved by, the addition of a copious
Index,

CON-

THE

BRITISH PLUTARCH.

The life of

JOHN GOLET, D. D.

DEArt OF St. PAUL'S.
[A. D. 1466, to 151O.]

IN the various degrees of kindred foerit, which
endear the memories of iUuftrious men ta
lateft pofterity, furely that which, lays a
foundation for the improvement of the' hvrman
mindy through a long fucceffion of ages, by pro-
viding for the education of youth, defervedly
holds a very hi^h- rank. The reader therefore
will not be difpleafcd, tliat the chronological
order of time, which we have engaged to follow
accurately throughout this work, requires us to
give tlic firft place, in oiir extenfive field of emu*
lative fame, to the memoirs of the pious fou«dar
ofSt. Paur^fchooL .
^Voi.i. B Tim

2 JOHNCOLET,

This excellent divine was the eldeft (on and
heir of Sir Henry Colct, citizen and mercer, who,
, on the acceffion of Henry VII. to the throne, had
theiionour of knighthood conferred on him, for
his attachment to that Prince, after the death of
Richard HI. HewasHkewifctwiceeleftcd,by his
fellow citizens, to the dignity of chief magiftratel

John Colet was born at Londoo; in the year
'1406; and in 1483 he was fent to Magdakn
College, Oxford, where after purfjiingthe mfud
^ftudics, at tlie expiration of fevcn years, lie took
his degree of mailer of arts, wiife diftinguiftied re*
putation : for at jthis time all the works of Cicero
were as familiar to him as his epiftles ; neither was
he a ftranger to Plato and Plotinus, whom he di-
ligently perufed and compared, tl^ one as a com*
jncnt on the other. But luch was the infelicity of
thofe;times, that the Greek language was not
only -neglefted in our fchools and univcrfitics, but
the love» and encouragement of it, was looked up-
on as herefy ; in reference to. which barbarous
opinion, Erafmus quotes a proverb, " Cave a
GroEcis, ne iias hereticus, Beware of Greek,
left you become a heretic.** So that Colet was
obliged to read the above-mentioned authors in
their Latin tfanflations, tiU in his more advanced
years he became acquainted with the great ori-
ginals.

' When Colet took his degrees in arts at Oxford^
he had acompetenteftate to fupport him as agentlc-
man, and fufficient interc^ft to recommend him at
cOtirt He had the advantage of a tall and graceful
perfon : and the defignof his being* a courtier
niight perhaps' have been conceived by his father,
who had been ufed to gaiety and fplcndour in the
public offices in the City, and had gained a very
particular intereft with the king. But the pious
^uthy determined by his now r^igious difpofition^
*7 was

DEAN OF St. PAUL'S, 3

wa« refolvcd to jentetintoholy orders, and renounce
the temptations of a courtly life. As a farther en-
couragement to our young divine, in 1485 he
was prcfented to the valuable reftory of Denning*
ton in Suffolk, by Sir William Knevet, a near
relation of his mother, which living he held to' the
day of his death -, and in 1490 he was alfo pre*
fented by his own father to the living of Thryn-
ning, in the county of Huntingdon, whichhere-
figned in 1493, when be was admitted pre-
bendary of Botevant in the church of York,
upon the refignation of the famous Chriftopher
Urfwicke. He was alfo made prebendary of Good-
eafter in the church of St. Martin Le Grand,
which he refigned the a6th of January 1503,
having been admitted the year before to the pre*
bend of Durnesford in the church of Sarum^

Thefe preferments, beftowed on fo young a
man, may fccm a little extraordinary. But we
muft confider that it was conformable to the prac-
tice of the Romilh church ; for Mr. Colet being
then an Acolyte, Hbkh is one of their feven ec-
clefiaftical orders, he was duly qualified to hold
them.

Mr. Colet*s ample income now ^br^ei him,
the means of gratifying an inclinatiouy which he
bad long indulged, ofvifiting foreign countries, in
order to complete his fludies in the learned lan-
guages, to read the antient Greek fatliers, and to
cultivate an aequaintance aild friendfhip with men
of letters. With this intent, he quitted Oxford
in the year 1 493, and palling over to the continent,
ftudied divinity both in Italy and FrancQ, where he
met with fcveral other Englifh ftudents, who went
abroad to attain the Greek tongue ; for the pafGan
for that language^ and the purer writers in tlic
l^tin, was aow grown very prevalent all over.
Europe, and no wbSre more tban in England, from
-whence numbers of the yauth, and many advanced
Ba i«

4 JOHN CO LET,

in Jife, continually went ont in qucft of them :
becaufc, though fevcral volumes of the works of
the bcft authors lay dormant in our colleges and
monafteries, the monks, who knew that ignorance
was their chief fupport, could by 'no means be
prevailed on to communicate them.

Charles VIII. ft vied the offabli and the courteous^ '
at this time fat upoii the throne of France, and
patronizing the fciences Paris became the feat of
learning, and a place of general refort for men pf
eminence in every pVofeffion, In this city, there-
fore, Mr. Colet took up his firft refidence ; and
foon became acquainted with Robert Gaguinus,
the French hiftorian, whb had been in England on
an embafly from Charles to Henry VII. This
gentleman infpircd him with an ardent deiire to be
recommended to Erafmus, a fpecimen of whofe
great genius, and ikill in the Latin tongue, he
had fhewn him, in a complimentary letter upon'
the publication of his Hiftory of France. Here
likewife he formed an intimacy with the celebrated
Budaeus, who making honourable mention of our
young divine in the couvfe of his oorrefpondencc
with Erafmus, laid the foundation of the future
friendfliip which fubfifted between them.

From Paris, Mr. Colet went to Italy, where his
acquaintance with'men eminent for their learning
became flill more univerfal, efpeciaily at Rome*
In this city, the famous grammarian William
Lilly firft fell und.er his obfervation, who had
learnt the Greek at Rhodes, and was improving
Iiimfelf in Latin under John Sulpitius and Pom-
ponius Sabinus.

In ItaFy he alio met with two more of his coun-
trymen, Grocyn aud Linacre, who were perfeft-
ing themfelves in tht knowledge of the Greek
tongue, under Demetrius, Politianus, and Her-
molaus Barbarus. At Padua, he likewife culti-
vated

DEAN OF St. P^AUIj'S. s

vated an acquaintance with the learned William
Latimer, who reiidcd for fome time in that \inv%
veriity, with a view of increafing his knowledge
in Greek literature*

Colet remained about foar years abroad, return-
ing home in 1497 : but upon this occalion. It is
faid, he had much difficulty to refift his defire ol
appearing at court, where he could fhew the ac-
complilhments he had acquired in the world to the
beft advantage. I ndeed, he was endowed with fOmc
natural propenfities, whkh were better adapted to
a public life, than to the confinement of a coSege*
He had a high fpirit, impatient of the leaft injury
and affront. By the fame bent of nature he was
^Ifo addicted to la\€ and luxury ; andwas inclined
to an air of freedom and plea/antry« But he firft
conq\}ered, and then commanded himfelf, by fo
farfubje£ling his paflfions to reafonand philofophy,
that he could bear a reproof, even from his own
fcrvants. He reftrainedhis dillpofittonto effeminate
iodulgencies, by a conttnual abftin^Uce, a ilrid:
fobriety, clofe apjplication, ferious thinking, and
;rcligrou8 converration; and thus lie preferved
himfelf from the poJlutiotii of the world. But
whenever, opportunities offered, cither of jefting
with facetious perfons, or talking familiarly with
•the female fcx, or of appearing at feafts and en \
(ertainments, nature was fure to break forth ; foi
•which reafon, he very feldom affociated with lay-
men, and generally forebore all public places.
If, however, neceffity brought him to fuch places^
he fingled out fome learned perfbn from the refty
with whom he difcourfed in Latin, to avoid tjie
profane difcourfe of the table ; and, in the mean
time, he would eat of butone difh, and take.hut one
or, two draughts of beer, for thciiioft part refrain-
ing from wine. ** I'here never was (fays Eraf-
xbus) a laorc flowing wit ; and, for that reafon,
B 3 he

6 JOHN COLE r,

he delighted in the like fociety ; but even them
'he chofe fuch difcourfes as favoured moft of reli-
gion ; and it is a proof of his great good-nature,
that he was a palfionate lover of little children,
whofe innocence he admired of all things.*'.

The firft thing Colet did, after his return home,
was to be ordained deacon, and, (hortly after,
prieft. His father and mother then lived at Lon-
don, with whom he refided a few months, and
then retired to Oxford. It being the cuftom at
tha^time for men of diftinguifhed abilities in the
uritverfity to fet up voluntary leftures, Mr. Colet»
though he had neither taken nor defired any degree
in divinity, read public leftures, without ftipend or
reward, by way of expofition of the epiftles of St.
Paul. The novelty of thefe exercifes occafioned
crowded audiences, a^nd admiration of the lecturer
jncreafed and continued them. There was not a
4o£lor in divinity or law, or any other dignitary of
the church, who neglected to hear Colet, or with-
held from him the applaufe that he deferved. The
bigots only, and thofe whofe intereft it was to keep
up the old ignorance and fuperftition, treated hiB
difcourfes as thofe of a heretic and fcfaifinatic, be«
caufe he openly avowed the neceffity of a refor-
mation.

Things were in this pofture at Oxford,' when
Erafmus, who had been for fome time at Paris, as
tutor to the lord Montjoy, was prevailed on by that
nobleman to come over to England ; and having
a recommendation to Richard Charnock, of the
college of St. Mary the Virgin, he went direftly
to that univerfity, where he was received and ac-
commodated in the moft friendly and hofpitable
•manner ^ and at this time, and in this place, it
waa,' that the intimate friendihip between our
Divine and Erafmus commenced.

Charnocky

I>EAlJ OF St. PAUL'S- f

Charnock, to whom Erafmus had been recom-
mended, was alfo an intimate acquaintance of
Colet's J to whom he had no fooncr mentioned the
name of his gucft, than we find him impatient to ^
recommend himlclf to fo Excellent a perfon ; for
not waitingan opportunity to fee Erafmus, he ira*
medrately wrote him, from his own chamber, an
elegant and polite epiftle, which (hewed the writer
to be a fcholar, a traveller, and a gentleman ;
concloding with thefe words, ** I congratulate
your arrival in this ifland, and wifli our country
may be as pleafant to yooy as I know, you,
by your great learning, muft be ufeful to usi
I ami fir, and fhall always be, devoted to one
whom I believe to be the moft learned and the beft
of men.'- ' Erafmus direftly returned him an an-
fwery equally polite and fpirited, and faid, " If
he could find any thing cdmmendable in himfelf^
he fhould be proud of being commended by fuch a
worthy perfon, to whofe judgement he allowed fo
great weight, that his filent efteem alone had hten
preferable to all the applaufes of a theatre at Rome.
.*' Your country of England," adds he, ** is moft
pleafant to me upon many accounts, particularly
m this, that it abounds with thofe bleffings» with«
out which nothing would relilh with me, men of
admirable learning, among whom no one will re»
pine that I reckon you the chief.'* He then
praifcs the flyle of l^s letters, as eafy, fmooth,
unaiFe£led, flowing from a rich vein, as water from
a clear fountain, every part like itielf ; open,
plain, modeft, having nothing in it rough, turbid,
or intricate ; fo that he could fee the image of his •
foul in wha^ he wrote*

This epiftolary correlpondence, joined to the

recommendations of Budatus, ended in the ftrifteft -

intimacy imaginable, which continued to the end

of their lives. They ftudiedto improve each otlier^

B 4 and

t JC^V C O L E T,

and ififtio£k mankind : afid though tliey ibmetiaies
differed in 0[Hi>ion upon theological points, this
did not produce the leaft lU temper or coohiefs be*
tween diem. On the contrary, in 1499, Erafn)us
mnd bis admired friend firft held their conferences
upon Our Uefled Sayiour's rekflances and fears be-
fore his laft paffion. Colet could not approve of
the common opinion of divines, that Chrift, up-
,on a profped of his agonies, fhrunkfrom them in
his human naturfe. Erafmus maintained the opi-
nion of the fchoolmen ; but Colct had the advan-
tage of the beft meaning, and of the greateft
courage, in departing from the common fentiments
of the fchool/l^ and the church in that credulous
«ge. Krafmils concludes his epifUe concerning thi»
difpute, tnthe moft friendly and refpeSful manner^
caHing himfelf a rafh man, and a raw fpldier^ for
entering the lifts withfuch an experienced geners^
as Colet : appearing pleafed at hts confutation,
Colet telling him» *' When, like two flints, we
Ai:e ftriking oo^ another, if any fpark of light flies
oxAj let us eagerly ci^tch at it ; we feek not for our
own opinion* but for truth, which, in this mutual
c6nflia, aaay be extorted as flreout offteel." CSolet
atfo freely cxprefled to Erafmus his great diflike of
that new theology, which was unhappily broiight
into the church by the modern fchoolmen, and
was, in effeft, nothing but the art of trifling and
wrangling. He told him, he had fet himfelf againfl:
thofe fcholaiflic divines, and would, ifpofliblc,
reftore the theological ftudies that were founded
upon the fcriptures, and the primitive fathers.
He faid it was upon this view, that he had pub*
lickly expounded the epiiUes of St. Paul, and
fliould be glad of a partner in that labour of fearch*
ing the fcriptures.

When Erafmus left England, Colet ft ill con*
tinued 9A Oifiocd) where he went on with hts ufual

cxpoiition

QKpoGtton of tl>e apoftolical epiftles i though at
this time the fcriptures were little attended to by
the generality of the clergy, fcarccly any thing:
being regarded but Tchoiaftic divinity, in i504„
by^he perfuafion of his friends, he took the d^*T
grce of doftof of ^divinity ; but his thaughts were
entirely bent on the deftrudion of that idol of
ignwa'rtce, the cobweb divinity of the fchools ;:
aiming to exalt the Icriptores and Jefus Chrift
in itfi toota. For this rcafon the fchoolmcu
always looked upon Colet with a jealous eye»-
He frequently engaged them, always vanquifhed
l^emt anid never convinced them. He continued^
howevei?, incoajundion withhis friend Eraftnus,
greatly to promote the Reformation, by attacking
tcry luccefsfully the Scotifts and the Thomift^,
%ho had divided the Chriftiatv world betwe^a
tliem; and alio by difcovering the Ihameful
abufes of monafteries, aod houfes called religious,.
^od pointing out the CAnls which attended »m-
pofing celibacy on the clergy.

Mr. Colet, while he wafi abroad, liad been-
ittade aptebendaryinthechurchof York, and had
tieen laftalled by ptoxy in 1494 ; but farther pro-
xliotiott was tar be the reward of his conspicuous-
merit ; for H^ry VII. who loved to confer unex
ped:ed favours,, and efteemed Cdlet as an eminent
divitie^ and excellent preacher, divcfted of ambi
tion, judged hira on this account the more wor-
thy of preferment; and; in 1505,' made him deam
^ St« Paul's, without his folicitation, ,or know-
ledge.. And iiidfeed this excellent man, as if he*
\9d been called only to the labours, not to the:
dignity of his oflrce,.reftoi'ed the decayed difcipline:
of his cathedral churchy, and brought in^ what was^
a^.new pFafticc there, preaching himfeif upon Sun
<|ays ; and he called to his affiftance other learned
diivines, particularly Qrocyn and; Sowle^ wboitt
he appointed t& read divinity le£fcures; upon, all

y

lo JOHN COLE T,

folethn feftiVals. He would not take a defultory
text out of the gofpel or epiftle for the day, but
chofe a fixed and large fubjeft, which he profccut-
td in feveral fuccefiivc difconrfes, till he went
through the whole. He had alws^s a full audi-
tory, among whom were the chief magiftrates of
the city. Nor was he only a free and conftant
preacher of the gofpel in his own cathedral,
but at court, and in many other churches, where
his fermons were much frequented, becaufe the^
ftrift difcipline of his life regularly correfponded
with the integrity of his doArine.

Till this time, there was fcarcely fo much as a
Latin Teilament in any catliedral church in Eng*-
land. Inltcad of the Gofpel of Chrift^ the gofpel
of Nicodemus was affixed to a pillar in the nave of
the metropolitan church of Canterbury. But the
method that dean Colet took of expounding the
' fcriptures began to raife in' the nation an enquiry
after diofe oracles of God ; and that he was more
than half a Proteftant, appears from his condemn-,
ing auricular' confeffion/ purgatory, and the
daily celebration of the mafs. He would have all
divine fervice performed in a ferious and folemn
manner : he was delighted with the apoftolical .
epiflles ; but more afieded with the admirable
words of our Saviour in the Gpfpels, which he fe-
Ic&ed under proper heads, ftnd intended to write
a book upon them. - .

♦^^ Erafinus has tranfmitted the following relation^
of the dean's manner of living, as ah example to
pollcrity : " The dean's table, (in the time of
his prcdeceflbr) under the name of hofpitality,
had favoured too much of pomp and luxury, which'
he cohtrafted to a more frugal and temperate way
of entertainment. It had been his cuftom, for
many years, to eat only one meal a day, tliat of
dumer ; fo that he always had the evening to him*

felt

DEAN or St. PAUL'S. ti

fclf. When he dined in private with his own &mi-
ly, behadnfually fome ftrapgcrs for his guefls; but
fewybecaufehisproviiioh was frugal,tliough genteel.
The fittings were (hort, and fuch as pleafcd only
the learned ahd' good. After grace before meatt
ibme boy, who had a good voice, read diftinAlys
chapter out of one of St. Paul's Epiftles, or out
of the Proverbs of Solomon. When theehapterwaf
ended the dean would mention fome particular part
of it, frotif which he would frame a fubjeft for
converfation, and aik his companions their fenfe of
its meaning : btjt he f(t adapted hi« manner to their
difpofitions, that he caafed even thcfe grave fub^
jefts neither to tine their patience^ nor to give any
other didalte. Towards the end of the repaft, he
generally ftartcd another fubjeft ofdtfcourfe; and
riien difmiflcd his gueftsy profited* both in mind
and body from thofe viffits whicH riiey paid him.
The converfation of his-particular friends gave him*
infinite delight, which* he would fomctitnes pro*
tra£t till far in the evening*; but thei» difcourie
was either on religion or leamingv Hfc was curi-
ous in the choice of his company ; ttiereforcj if he
could not have fuch as were agreeable, Itccaufed a
fervant to read to him out of the fcriptures.- la:
his excurfions, fays Erafmus, he would fometimes"
snake me one of his company, and then no man
was more eafy and pleafarit. He always carried a
book with'him, and feafoned his converfation with
religion. He had an averfion to all indecent- or
improper difcourfe ; loved to be' neat and clean^in*
his apparel, furniture^ entertainment, books, and?
whatever belonged to hi njb; yet he defprfcd all ftatc '
and magnificence. Though it was t!lerrat:uftom'
for the higher clergy to appear in purple, his habit'
was only black. ' His upper garment was of plaia
woollen cloth,: which in cold weather was lined'
with fiir* ' WlKiUfver he rece&tsd by church pre-*
B 6 fenntats

t» JOHNCOLET,

ferments was delivered to his fteward, to be laid
out in family occaiions, or hofpitality : and all
that arofe from his large paternal eilate was ap*
propriated to pious and charitable ufes."

Notwithftaiiding the dean's holy life, he could
not cfcape the cenfure of an heretic ; for liavinga
great tendernefs and compai&on for the honeft peo-
ple who fufFered as Lollards, he had the courage
to interpofe for one of them witli tlie king, who
granted him his life and liberty. This a£k of hu-^
manity expofed him to perfecution from the biOiop
of London (a rigid Scotiil, and a virulent perfecu-
tor of the new fed), who accufed the dean of
herefy, and prefented articles againft him to the
archbiihop of Canterbury. But Warham well
knew the worth and integrity of Colet : and there-
fore defended and patronized him ; nor would he
give him the trouble of putting in any format
anfwer. * It is alfo faid, that the bifiiop would have
made the dean a heretic for tranflating tlie Pater
Nofter into Engliih, if the archbi(hop had not
ftood upr in his defence.

But the troubles and perfecutions which Coiet
underwent only ferved to increafe his charity and
devotion. He had a plentiful eilate, without any
near relations ; and he was refolved to confecrate
the whole property of it to fome permanent bene*
hdion in his life time, as William of Wykeham.
had done at Wfachefter in the reign of Edward
in. 1 he dean thomght that it would promote-
the reftoration and improvement of letters, to
provide a grammar- fchool, for the inflru£^ion of
youth in the Latin and Greek languages. He ap«
prehended that this wouM be kying the befl foun-
dation ibr academical ftudies, particularly ihofeof
divinity ; and conceived, that, in being tl^ fbon^-
der of one fuch grammar- fchool, he (houldbe the
reitorer of the two univerfities y and X^ndofi being
^. S the

DEANor St. FAUfS. tj

tbr pbce of his nativity, he d^med It moft W0rtli;f
of his intended beneficence : but the beft accotint
of this inftitution is given by Erafmus, who fays^
** He laid out a gteat part of his inheritance irt
building St* Paul's fchool, whkh'is ^magniikent
fabrick, dedicated to the child Jefus. Two dwel-^
Jing-houfes were added for the two matters, td
whom ample faJaries arc allotted. The fchool Is ^
divided into fourapattments : tlie boys have thei# '
diftind forms one above another ; and every form
holds fixteen. Tl>c wife founder faw, that the
greateft hopes and happinefs of commonwealths
were in the training up of children to good letters
and true religion ; for which noWe purpofe he laid
out an itdiH^nfe fum, and would admit no perfoii
to bear a Hu^re in the expence.'*

Thefounderhas not clogged this noble (crmnstrj
wkh atiy ftatute that might prevent it from being
generaliy trfeful to the world. Children born m
any part of the kiogdom, even foreigners of all
nations and countries, are capacitated to take part
of its privileges. Tfie wiidom of the founder is
a](b very apparent, in giving liberty to declare the
&nfe of his ttatutes in general, and to alter of
^rre£t, add or diminilh, as fhould be thoiught
proper or convenient, in future timcs^ for the
better government of the fchooL

Thefe ftatutes were drawn up by the deanhrrtu*
ffelf, in Engliih ; but with fuch a grave and pioti^
ftrain^ that rhey fcem to have httn written by one
who was not of the communion of the Romifli-
churchy la the prologue he fays, tha-t •* defirinj
skotiiyng morethanne education and bringing uppe
children in good nianners, and literature,* in the
yere of our Lorde a m. fyve hundred an<> twelfe,,
he bylded a fcoje the eftendc of Paulk churche, of
CL 11 1, to be taught fre in the fame. And ordiained
there a snaiAery and a fur maifier^ and a chapelyn^-

wUb

f4 JOHN CO LE Tr

vvith fafficient and perpetual ftipendes ever to en«
d\ire ; and fet patrones and defenders, governours
and rulers of that fame fcole, the moft honeft and
fiitbful fellowlhipepf the mercers of London/*^

As dean Colet had been the pious founder of
this fchooU fo he alfo laboured to be the perpetual
teacher and inftru£lor of the fcholars, by drawing
up fome rudiments of grammar, with an abridg*
ment of the principles of religion, and publidieid
them for the flanding ufe of Paul's fchooi. It
was called Paul's Accidence, and dedicated ta
William Lilly, the firft mafter, in a (hort elegant
Latin cpiftle, dated the firft of Auguft, 15^3. Ir^
this introduQion to grammar, the dean prefcribed
ibme excellent rules for the admiilion andisontinu-
ance of boys in his fchool, which wereito be read
over to the parents, when they firft brought their
children, for their aftent to them, as the expritfsr
terms and conditions of expeding any benefit oi
educacion there. The «lean alfo prevailed on Eraf-
mus to translate from tlie Engliih the inftitution o£
a Chriftian man into Latin ^erfe^ briefly and plain--
ly, for the eafy apprebenfion and n>emory of the^
boys ; which was to be the fchool-catecbifm j with*
many otlier good eflays, both in poetry and profe*.
towards direding and fecuring the principles and-
morals of his fcholars f and Erafmus upon thist
occafion dedicated to him his two books ^^ De
copia verborum ac rerum/' to form tUt ftyle, and'
help the invention of young fchoiars, commending
his piety and judgement ki thus confulting and
promotmg the good of his country.

The troubles i.i which the dean had involved*
bimfelf by his zeal for the holy fcriptures, and his.
attempts to produce a reformation in the lives of
the clergy, in the reign of Henry VIK did aotr
diminiih his fortitude and public fpirit in that of
bis fucceflbr : for we have^a remarkable inftance on.

record

DEANof St. PAULA'S. 1$

record of his manly freedom and intrepidity, and*
of the high degree of efleepn in which he ftood
with Kcnry VII T. any oppofition to whofe inclina*
tions was generally fatal. When that monarch
was preparing for war againft France* doftor Colet
was appointed to preach before him at court ;
which he did, and in general terms inveighed fo
ftrongly againft the impiety of going to* war, tliat
it was thought the preacher would have teen fent
to prifon, or perhaps more feverely puniftied. But*
the king fent for Colet, and y^z$ at fo much pains
to convince him of the neceffity of the war he was
entering upon, that the dean, in a fecond feriiaon
upon the fame Iubje£l, preached up the lawfulnefs,
the piety, and expediency of war for thcfervice of
our country. This fermon pleafed the king fo
much, that he gave the dean thanks^ and, ever
after, his countenance; faying to his noblesiwho
attended him, *' Well, let every one chufehisiowa
doftor, bdl this (hall be mine." HisMajefty tbca
took a glafs of wine, and drank very gracioufly tc
the preacher's health, whom he difmiffed with all
the marks of affeftion, and proii^ifed him any £^
vour he (hould afk for himfelf or friends.
. Belides his dignities and preferment already
mentioned, doftoj Colet was alfo reftorofthc'
fi-atemity or gild of *Jefus in St. Paul's church
(for which he procured new ftatutes) ; one of the
chaplains and preachers in ordinary to king Henry
Vlll. ; and, iif Erafmus is not mifbaken, of his
privy council. When he was about iifty years of
ages ^e grew fo weary of the world, that hCt
formed a deiign to fequefier himfelf in fome
monafiery, and there pafs the remainder of his days
in peace .and folitude ; but, as he had many ob-
jeftions to the manner in. which thofc eflablifh-
ments were conducted, he built a convenient
houfe^ within the precinCl of 4be charter*-houfe»

nea«

|6 jr O H N C O L E T/

Ulcsbt the palace of Slwenc in Surrey, where he in-
tended to retire in his old age, wheh unable to dif-
charge the duties of his funftion. But death pre-
vented him } for having been feized by that dread*
fol and epidemical dife^e called the fweating fick-
nefs, at two feveral times, he relapfed into it a thirds
which threw him into a confuoiption, and carried •
bim(^iF, on the i6th of September, iSi9» in A\t
fifty- third year of his age. One of his phyficians
judged his difeafe to be Uic dropfy : but no extraor-
dinary fymptoms speared upon opening his body,,
only th^t the capillary veil^ls of the Uver had fome
puftulary eruptions. His corpfe was carried frcmi
Sh^ene to London, and, by the care of his aged
mother, it t»as biwicd in the catljedral church, of
St. Paul's, wkh ar^ humble monument, and only
tfai& inlcription, deiigned by himfelf, Jo, CO'^
hurrpk' However, the company of mercers, being
willing to fbew how much they valued him, erefi:-
ed another to bis memory with his effigies ; but
that being deftroyed by the great fire, all that nowr
xemains is, the defcription which Sir William*
Dugdale gives us of it, ia his'tiiftpry of St. Paul>.
cathedral.

He wrote feveral things, but only the follow-
iag were publifhed, before and after his death.
1. Oraih bakita a dsRore Joamu CoUt, decano fan^t
Pauti^ aa elerum in convocatione^ ennc 15.II. This
was printed in '4to. by Richanl Pynfon, and Dr.--
£mght has feprinted it, in the appendix to his*
life of Colet, togc^r witli an old Englifh tranf*
jtAon of it, fuppMed to have been made by the^
dean himfelfl tt-^rontaias a very manly, fenfible,.
and fpirited attack upon the corfupti^ns of the-
church and clergy of that age. 2.. Rudiments
GrammaiiceSf l^c. called Paulas Accidence: this:
tittle manual, with fome alterations, an(t great
additions, xuxw fovm* the fyntax. ia Liliy's com-

DEAN OF St. PAUL'S, 27

mon grammar* 3. Monition to a god'y life. 4.
Daily devotions^ or the chrijiian^s morniitg and even"
ing/ficrffice^ Some itianufcript commentaries oa
St. Paul, and on the apoftolical epiftles, were
found in an obfcure corner of his ftudy, but writ-
ten in an illegible character, fo that they were
totally ufelefs. In all probability, they were
only notes, from which he read his public Icfturcs
at Oxford.

The perfon of dean Colet, as defcribcd by Eraf-
mus, was tall and comely, and he was blelfed with
an eafy, polite addrefs, which gave a grace to every
thing he faid or did. His learning was uncom-
mon for the age he lived in, his piety cxemplarVt
'"and bis public fpirit as a preachcf unprecedented i
but his faiutary reproof of vice in high ftations
• was conveyed infuchftrong arguments, untinftur-
^ with pride or morofenefs, that it procured him
advancement even under the reign of a moft arbi-
t(ary prince, who put many of his jfubjefts to
^cath withont mercy, for preiuwiing to arraign his
conduft. In a word^ dean Colet was one of the
brighteft ornaments of this country, and of the
age in which he lived ; and muft be remembered
with gratitude, as one of the chief inftruments in
the hands of Providence, for bringing about , the
refbrniation of tiiefe kingdoms from Popei^y ; his
bo],d difcour&s from the pulpit on the abufes which
hsid crept into the church, and the fcandalov^
Jives of the clergy, having opened the eyes of the
nation ; and this happy itnpulfe to found a femi-
nary of learning for youth, having given birth to
that aftonilbing iticreafe of thofe charitable foun-
dations, ^hich tobk place, within thirty years
I>efore diat important and memorable event;

Among the eminent perfons who have been
educated at St. Paul's fchool, were the following::
John Lelandi William Camden, John Milton»

Dr.

i8 JOHNCOLET.

Dr* Richard Cumberland, l)i(hop of Peter-
borough, and Dr. Arthur Afhiey Sykes* John
Churchill, afterwards the great duke of Marl-
borough, was alfo a fcholar at St. Paul's fchool :
but he probably did not remain there a fufficient
time to make any coniiderable proficiency in daf-
fical literature.

♦^ifr* Authorities. Lifi of Erafmuu Si9graphia
Britan. artickj CoitT i and Dr. Knighc^i lite of
Colet.

TheLiPBof
CARDINAL WOLSEY^

[A.D. I47I* to »S30.J

THoMAi WoLSEY^ afterwards the famous
cardinal, affords us, in his life, one of the
moft extraordinary examples to be met with in
hiftory of the Viciffitudes^of human events ; who,
•being but the fon of a butcher in the town of ^p-
fwich in Suffolk, was, from that mean beginning,,
raifed to tlie btgheft ftations both in church and
ftate; but, like an idol, fet up by Fortune, merely
to ihew her power, was again* in an tnilant, turn-
l>led froixi all his greatnefs ; and reduced even to a
more wretched condition than that from which he

waa

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 19

was originally taken* 'Tis? true, indeed, he en-
joyed t|]^ advantage of a liberal education; for we
- find, that his father obferving in him an uncom-
mon aptnefs to learn, fent him early to the gram-
mar fchool ; from whence, by means of his
parents, who were people of fome property, and
other good friends, he was removed to and main-
tained at Magdalen College, Oxford. Here he
made fo extraordinary a^'progrefs, that he took
the degree of batchelor of arts when he was only
fifteen years of age ; in confcquence of which he
was called, The boy batchelor. He was then ad-
mitted to a feJlowfhip in the fame college i and in
the end nominated mader of Magdalen fchool,
where the fons of the then iharquis of Dorfet
wert placed for their education.

This was a fortunate circumftance to the new,
preceptor; for the marauis, fending for his fons,
on. the lucceeding Chriumas, to pafs the holidays
at his country-feat, invited the mafter to accom-
pany them ; and he was highly pleafcd with Wol-
fey's converfation, who, to his univerfal kaow*
ledge, added a moft infinuating addrefs. The
marquis alfo found the young gentlemen fo niuch
improved for the Ihort time they had been under
his care, that he determined' to reward fuch merit
and diligence with fome diftinguifhed mark of ap-
probation : and accordingly a benefice in his lord^
lhip!s gift falling vacant during the recefs, he be^
(lowed it on Wolfey> which was his firft ecclefiii^
ailical preferment. This was the reftory of
Lyraington in Somerfetfhire, to which he was
inftituted in 1500, being then in the 29lh year of
his age, and burfar of Magdalen College.

Wolfey quitted the univerfity, to take pofleC-
fion of his living ; but an accident happened very
foon after, which made his new fituation very
difagreeablc to him* He was of a free and focia*

bio

flto T H E L 1 F E* O F

ble difJ>ofition, while he was.feeking his advance-
mcnt in the world ; and therefore, lived ypon the
moftfree and friendly terms with his parifhioners,
and the neighbouring gentlemen. By fome of
thefe he was drawn to a fair at an adjacent towny
where it is faid, that being intoxicated with liquor,
he occasioned a difturbance : upon which Sir
Araias Pawlet, a juftice of the peace, who had
already taken a diilike to him, fet him in the
ftocks.

This indignity, fo difhonouraWe to a clergy-
man, Wolfey had it not in his power to refent at
tlietime; but he neither forgot nor forgave it ;
for when he came to be lord high chancellor of
£ng^andy he fent for Sir Am.ias to London, and
Iharply reprimanded him for his former indecent
and difrefpe6tfiil behaviour towards a. clergy man,
and a perfon t^ whom, as a paftor, heowed'obe*-
dien^e« He alfo ordered him, on no account, to
.prefume to quit the capital, without a licence
iirft obtained : in con&quence of which prohibi-
tiony that gentleman continued in the Middle
Temple no kfs than fix years ; though he tn*
deavoured by many little a^s of adulation and
iubmiffion, to foften the chancellor's anger.

But to return to the thread of i>ur narrative*
This mortifying accident gave Wolfey a diftafte
to Lymington ; and the death of his patron, the
marquis of Dorfet, which happened Ihortly after,
finally determined him to leave it. The next fitu-
ation we find him in, is, that of chaplain to Dr. .
Dean, . archbifhop of Canterbury; a ftation ta
which, the author of the Britifli Antiquities is
inclinable to think, Wolfey recommended him*
felf by his own affiduity, rather than by the in-
tereft of others. Here he grew greatly in iavour
with the archbifliop, and by bis means the namfe
of Wolfey was for the firft time moationed ^t the

tourt

CARDINAL WOL5EY, u

court of Rome; the Pope, at thc^rchbifliop's re-
queft, grantiQg his chaplain a difpenfation to hold
two benefices. However, this was the greateft
advantage Wojfey reaped from his connexion
with Df* Dean, who died in 1503 ; fo that he was
again obliged to look out for another patron.

A man of true genius, and proportionable in-
duilry, is feldom difappointed in any views on
which he employs the whole ftrength of his un-
derftanding. Wolfey found in himfelf a particular
inclination to a court life ; and, from feveraL of
his expreflions, it (hould feem as if he had been
poflcflled with a notion of the grandeur, which
awaited him in that fphere ; for he ufed to fay,
** If he could but fet one foot in the court, he
*i^ would foon introduce his whole body." With
this view he ftudioufly attached himfelf to perfons
in power ; and having, during his rcfidence in the
weft of England, contiafied an acquaintance with
Sir John Nephant, who, at the time of archbi-
fliop Dean's death, was trcafurer of Calais, iand a
great favourite of Henry VII. he thought he could
not do better than offer his fervice to him ; and
Sir Jbhn being about this time on his departure
for Calais appointed him to be his chaplain, and
took him over to France, as one of his femily.
In this fituation, Wolfey fo effeftually infinuated
himfelf into the good graces of his new mafter,
that Sir ' John committed to his care the entire
charge and management of his office ; in the ad-
iBiniftration of which he gave fuch fatisfaAion,
not only to the treafurer, bat to all perfons wha
bad any bufinefs to tranfad: with him, that when
Sir John obtained leave, to refign, on account of
his great age, and returned to England, he re«
commended Wolfey irtfi^ch ftrong terms to the
king, that he put him upon the lift of Royal
Chaplains.

' Thus

tk% T H E L I F E O F

Thus Wolfcy at lift caft anchor in his defired
-port-; and he did not fcruple to fay, that there
iwrcre no advantages^ however great, which he did
not cxpeft in confequcnce of that event. But
as he knew that a bare fettlement at court was
not fu(Ecient -to fecure a man's future fortune,
without a peculiar intereft among the courtiers, he
enquired out tbofe who were mbft acceptable to
the king ; and paid bis devoirs with fuch fuccefs
to Fox, bifhop of Winchcfter, and Sir Thomas
Lovel, the then reigning favourites, that they foon
recommended him to the king, to perform afecret
fcrvice, which gave him a fair opportunity to dif-
f)lay his great political abilities, which was the ba*
iis of his future promotions.

In the year 1508, the king having refolved to
«nter into a fecret negotiation with the emperor
Maximilian, who then refided at Bruges in Flan-
ders, in order to fettle fome poiats previous to his
intended marriage with Margaret, duchefs dowa-
•ger of Savoy, the emperor's only daughter ; it put
him upon enquiring for a proper perfon to entruft
with this private embaffy, and Wolfey was no
fooner mentioned by Fox and Lovel, as one ex-
cellently qualified to perform the fervice Henry re-
quired, than the king commanded him immediate*
ly to be fent for.* After fome private difcourfe,
being fxiliy fatisfied of his capacity, Wolfey 'sdif-
patches were ordered ; and on the Sunday follow-
ing, at four o'clock in the afternoon, he fet for-
lyard from Richmond^ at which place Henry VII.
then kept his court.

But how was Henry furprizcd, in lefs than three
days after, to fee Wolfey prcfent himfclf before
him ! Suppoiing that he had protraded his depar-
ture, he at firft began to reprove him for the dila-
tory execution of his orders ; but Wolfey in-
formed him (as was really the cafe, through

many

4i

CARDINAL WOLSEY, 25

nany favourable clrcifcumftanccs which concur*
red in expediting his journey)," that he was juft
returned from bnagcs, and had fucccfsfully fettled
the negotiation with which he was charged.
*• Aye !" faid the king ; ** but, on fecond thoughts
** I found foniewhat had been omitted in your
** inftrufiions, and I fent a meflenger after
^* you,, with fuller powers/* To which Wolfey
replied, ** That he had indeed met the meflenger
•** on the road in his return, and received the
powers his majefly mentioned ; but having,
durjng his ilay at the imperial court, precon-
*** ceivcd the purport of them, and the clofecon-
'** ne£iion that bufinefs bore with bis niajefty's.
** fervice, he had prefumcd, on his own authority,
** to reftify what he confidered as a raiftakein his
•** com'miflion, and humbly imploj«d pardon for
'*^ daring to exceed it,*^'
. Henry wasfo well pleafed with t*hi« expedient,
and ftill more fo with the fuccefs of the negotia-
tion, that he thanked him:; declared in' council,
rhe was a marl fit to be intrulled with the manage-
ment of.affairs of importance ; -and rewarded him
with the deanery of Lincoln^ and the prebends
of Walton Brinhold and Stow. Thefc pre*
ferments enabled iiim to refign the living of Ly-
i^ington ; and, to complete his good fortune, his
graceful and eloquent relation of the particulars
of his late embafly, before the council, attrafted
the notice of the Prince of Wales, who grew
very fond of his company.

In J509, Henry VII. died, and was fucceeded
%y his fon Henry VIII. who at his acceilion was
only eighteen years of age. A more favourable
event could not poffiWy have happened for Wolfey ;
his firm friend Fox bifliop of Winchefter, having
now a motive of intcreft as well as afFeAion to
induce him to forward his promotion. The in-
fluence

24 T H E L 1 F E O y

ilucnce which Fox had maintained in the cabinet,
durrng the late reign, gave way to the afcehdancy
acquired over the young King by the earl of Sur*
rey : the crafty prelate introduced Wolfcy to a
great familiarity wkh his new inafter, in the double
view of oppofing his rival, and of fupportlng his
intereft in the cabinet by afling under him. In
conftquence of this plan, in the firllyear of the
reign of Henry VIIL Wojfey was appointed the
king's almoner, and upon the coftviaion of Sir
Richard Empfon, one of the corrupt Judges in the
late reign, the king gave him that rapacious mi«
nifter^s houfe, near his own palace of Bridewell, in
Fleet ftreet, with feveral lands and tenements ap-
pertaing to the forfeiwod eftate. The following
year, 1510, he was admitted of the king's privy
council, made reporter of the proceedings in the
ftar-chamber, canon of Windfor, and regifter of
the order ot the garter. Thus firmly feated, he
fbon convinced his patron, that he had raiftaken
his charafter; for he totally fupplanted botk
Surrey and Fox, in the king's favour.

It may now be neceflary to trace the means by
which Wolfcy gained the entire confidence of his
royal raafter, and the fole management of public
affairs. " The young king, who had been kept
vmder much rcftraint by his father, was now great-
ly difpoffed, fays Cavendifh, to give a lo.ofe to
pleafure, and to follow his princely appetite and
defire. His old and faithful counfeilors would,
however, occafiorially advife him to attend mortf
to the public concerns of the nation, and to the .
duties of his regal charafter '; but the almoner took
upon him to difcharge the king of the burthen of
fuch -weighty and troublefome bufinefs, putting
him in comfort, that he Ihould need not to fpare
any time of his pleafure, for any bufinefs that
ihould happen in the council^ fo long'as he Ihould *

be

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 25

be there; who having his grace's authority, and
by his commandment, doubted not to ieeall thing?
well and fufficiently perfefted, making his grace
privy firft of all fuch matters, before he would
proceed to the accomplifhment of thefamc, whofe
mind and pleafure he would follow to the ut-
termoft : wherewitli the king was wonderfujly
pleafed."'

In the year 15 13, Wolfey gave fuch a ftriking
proof of his extenfive capacity in the management
of flate-affairs, even in the military department,
that Henry from that time placed an unlimited
confidence in his new minifter. A war with
France having been refolved upon in council,
the king determined to invade that kingdom in
perfon, and committed to Wolfey the care of fur-
niihing and providing the formidable fleet and
army employed upon that occafion ; and Wolfey,
though the ta(k to him was new, and to any one
muft have been difficult, took it upon him withouj:
repining, to fhew that he would not fcruple his
fovercign's commands in any thing.

Henry was carneflly folicited by Pope Julius II»
to enter into this war againft Lewis XII. of France,
the Pope's avowed enemy, and it is fhrewdly con*
jeftured that Wolfey advi&d it, as a means of re-
commending himfeif to th^-court of Rome; and
Henry the more readily confented, as he had in
view the old claims ©f the kings of England to the
crown of France. Thcdiligenceand difpatch there-
fore with which the preparations for tliis expedi-
tion were completed, fo highly pleafed the king,
that he gave Wolfey the deanery of Hereford, ai^
made him chancellor of the order of the garter.

Henry arrived it Calais on the 30th of June
15139 accompanied by the principal officers of hi^
ccuit, and his favourite Wolfey. The grea^eft
part of his array had landed befojre him, and wee

Vol. 1% C Joying

ft6 THE LIFE OF

laying fiege to Tcroucnne, a town (ituated on the
frontiers of Picardy. The king foon joined them ;
and during the fiege the emperor Maximilian
arrived in the Englifli camp, with a confiderable
reinforcement, entered into Henry's fervice, wear-
ing the crofs of St. George, and leceived one
hundred crowns daily for his pay. Soon after, the
Englifli fell in with a convoy of provifions and
ammunition for the ufe of the befieged ; and thefc
being attacked, a general engagement enfued,
when the French were totally defeated by Henry
and the emperor. The confternation of the French
- was fb great, that tliey fled with the utmoft pre-
cipitation ; and the cavalry making more ufe of
their fpurs, than of their fwords, this engagement
was called. The battle of the fpurs, Terouennc fur-
rendered in confequence of this viftory ; Henry
entered it in triumph, and delivered it up to Maxi-
milian, who ordered the walls to be razed to the
foundation, that the dominions of his grandfon
Charles of Auftria might not be expofed to in-
fults from the garrifon of this fortrefs.

Henry then laid fiege to Tournay, which capitu-
lated in a few 'days ; and the bifhop refufing to
take the oath of allegiance to the Englifli fovereign,
the bifliopric was giveri by the king to Wolliy,
who held itfi^^e years ; and when the city was re-
ftored to France, he obtained an annual penfioa
from the French king, in lieu of the bilhopric.

Soon after the furrender of Tournay, Henry
ccnclndcd a new treaty with' the emperor^, whicU
was ratified at Lifle. He then embarked forferig--
land, where he arrived in OftobcJr, after a mofl;
glorious campaign ; and in the following ' year
Wolfey was promoted firft to the fee of Lincpln,
and then to the archbiihopric of York,' on the
death of Cardinal Bainbrldge.

MucK

C A R D I N A L ;W O L S E Y. ty

Much about this time, the duke of Norfolk,
finding the exchequer almoll exhaufted, was glad
to refign his office of treafurer, and retire from
court. Fox, bifhop of Wi^icbefter, partly over-
come by years and infirmities, and partly difgufted
at the afcendancy acquired by Wolfey,. likewife
withdrew himfelf entirely to the care of his dio-
cefe. The duke of Suffolk alfohad taken ofience,
that the king,* by the fevourite's perfuaiion, had
refufed to pay a debt which he had contraftedr
during his abode in France ; and he thenceforth
affefted to live in privacy. Thefc incidents left
Wolfey without a rival, and his power over the
king became abfolute ; though, when Fox,. before
his retirement, warned Henry " not to fuffirr the
'* fervant to be greater than his mafter," that
prince replied, "That he knew well how to re-
** tain all his fubjefts in obedience.'*

But it was a mafter-ftroke of policy in our art-
ful prelate, that, while he fecretly direfted all pub-
lic councils, he ftill pretended a blind fubmiffion
to the royal will; by that means concealing from
hh fpvereign, whofe imperious temper would
otherwife have ill-brooked a direftor, the abfolute
power he was gaining over him. And Henry, in
nothing more violent than his attachments while
they lafted, thought he could never fufficiently
reward a man fo entirely devoted to his pleafure
and fervice. In confequence of this, Wolfey
held atone timefuch a multitude of preferments,
as no churchman befidcs himfelf was ever en-
dowed with. He was e^^cn fuffered to unite
with the fee of York the bifhoprics of Durham
and Winchefter, with the rich abbey of St. Al*
ban's ; and now the Pope obferving the daily
progrcfs he made in the king's favour, and that
ill faft he governed the nation, being dcfircus of
engaging fo powerful a m miller in the intereft
C a of

ffi THELIFEOF

of tbe apoftolk: fee, to compile his exaltation at
once, created him a cardinal in I5i5» under tlie
title of Cardinal of St. Cecile, beyond the Tyber.
The grandeur which Wolfey afiiimed tdpon
€tiis new acquifition of dignity is hardly to be
paralleled* The fplendor of his equipage, and
coftUnefs of his apparel, exceeds all dcfcription.
He cauf^^d his cardinal's hat to be borne aloft by a
perfon of rank ; and, when he came to the king*s
chapel, would permit it to be laid on no place
but the altar. A prieft, the talleft and moft
cbmely he could find, carried before him a pillar
of filver, on the top of which was placed a crofs ;
but not content with this parade, to which he
thought himfelf entitled as cardinal, he provided
another prieft of equal ftature and beauty, who
marched along, bearing the crofs of York, even in
the diocefe of Canterbury ; contrary to the ancient
rule and agreement between thofe rival metropo*
litans. 1 he people indeed made merry with the
Gardinal's oftentation upon' this occafion ; and
faid they were now fenfible, that one crofs alone
was notfufiicient for tbe expiation of his oflepces.
Put Warham, chancellor, and archbilhop of
Canterbury, having frequently remonftrated
againft this aiFront to no purpofe, chofe rather to
retire from public employment, than wage an un-
equal contett with the haughty cardinal. He re-
iigned his office of chancellor therefore, and tht
fealswere immediately intrufted to Wolfey ; who,
upon this new promotion, added to his former
parade four footmen carrying gilt pole-axes, a
gentleman to carry the great feal before him, and
an additional train of attendants, who rode on
horfe-back ; but the chancellor himfelf wis
mounted' upon a mule, caparifoned with crimfon
velvet. In this ftate he rcfoited. every Sunday

, CARDINAL WOLSET. 9f

•o the court at Green wicb> from York-houlcg
now Whitehall.

The cardinal, while be was only ^moner to.
the king, had rendered himfelf extremely unpb^
pular by his fentenc^s in the fiar-chamber, a
inoft arbitrary and imconllitutional court, wlierr
he preCded, and gave every thing as his matter
would have it, without any refpe^ to the juftico
4|£the caufe. But now that he was lord high
cnancellor of England, he made full amends, by
difcharging that gieat office witli as penetrating a
judgment, and as enlarged a knowledge of law and
equity, as any of his predeceffors or fucceflbrs-f

But Wolfey, to iiicreafe his power over the
clergy, as well as the laity, fought for farther ec»
cteiiailical promotion, and in this, as inevery thing
clfe, he foon fucceeded. Cardinal Campeggior
had been fent as a legate into England^ in order
to procure a tythe from the clergy, for enabling
the Pope to oppofe the piogrcfs of the Turks, a
danger which was real and formidable to all
Chrillehdom, but had been fo often made ufc of
as a pretence to ferve the intererted purpofes of
the court of Rome, that it had loft all influence
on the minds of the people. The clergy there^-
forc refufed to comply with Leo's demand;
Campeggio therefore was recalled in 1516; and
tlie king defired of the pope, that Wolfey, who
had been joined in this commiilion, might alone
be invcfted with the legantine power, together
With the right of vifiting all the clergy and mo-
nafteries -^ and even with fufpending the whole
Jaws of the church during a twelvem^'inth.

This additional honour was no fooner obtained,
than Wolfey made a ftill greater difplay of pomp
and magnificence. Oh foTemn feaft-days he was
not contented without faying mafs after the man**
aei of thcL Pope himfelf : he had not only bilhops
C. ^ ani-

30 THE. LIFEOF

and abbots to ferve him, but even engaged the
firft nobility to give him watpr and a towel ;- and
Warham the primate having wrote him a letter,
v/here he fubfcribedhimfelf, *' Your loving bro-
** ther,** Wolfey complained of his prefumption,
in challenging fuch an equality. Upon War-
ham's being told however of the offence he had
given, he made light of it, faying, ** Know ye
not that this man is drunk with too much power ij*
But Wolfey .carried the matter much farther than
vain pomp and oftentation. He ercfted an of-
fice, which he called the legantine court; in
which, as lord Herbert fays, he exercifed a moft
odius and tyrannical jurifdiftion ; and he rendered
itftiil more obnoxious, by appointing one John
Allen to be the judge, a man of fcandalous life,
whom he himfelf, as chaneellor, had condemned
for perjury. This wretch committed all forts of
rapine and extortion : for, making an enquiry
into the life of every body, no offence cfcaped
Genfure and punifhment, unlefs privately bought
off; in which people found two advantages ; one,
that it coft lefs ; tlie other, that it exempted them
from fhame. Thus, as the rules of confcience
are in many cafes of greater extent than thofe of
law, he found means of (tarching into their moft
feciet concerns; befides, under this colour, he
arrogated a power to call in queftion the execu-
tors of wills, and the like.. He fummoned alfo
all religious perfons (of what degree foe ver) be-
fore him ; who, calling themfelves at his feet,
were grievoufly reproached, and terrified with ex-
pulfion, tiU they had compounded ; befidea
which, all fpiritual livmgs which fell were con-
ferred on his creatures.

No one dared carry to the kingahy complaint
againft thefeufurpatipns of Wolfey, till Warhim
ventured to do it« Henry profeffcd his ignorance

' ' of

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 31

uf the wliofe matter : " A man (faid he) is notfo
** blind any where as in his own houfe. But do-
^* you go ta Wolfey, and tell him, if any thing
** be amifs, that he amend it." A reproof of this
kind was not likely to be minded, and in efFeft
only ferved to augment Wolfcy's enmity to War-
ham, whom he had never loved fince the difpute
about ereAing his crofles. However, one London
having profecuted the legatees judge in a court of
law, and convifted him of malverfation and ini-
quity, the clamour at laft reached the king's ears,
who rebuked the cardinal fo lliarply, that from that
time he became, if not better, more wary than
before.

The cardinal was now building himfelf a very
^magnificent palace at Hampton Court, whither
fometimes he retired, as well to mark the progrefs
of the work, as to procure a fliort recefs from the
fatigues of his bufinefs ; which at that time was
very great, confidering that, over and above what
immediately related to his archbifhopric, his ie-
gantinc charafter, and his place of chancolJor, he
had all the affairs of the nation on his hands ; yet
the public tranquillity was fo welleftablilhed, and
the general adminiftration of juftice, through his
means, fo exaft, that eafe and plenty blelfed the
land, in a manner unknown for many preceding
reigns. . This happy difpofition at home Jed
Henry, in the year 1520, to give way to tlie
folicitations of Francis the Firft, king of France,
and he cbnlented to an interview with that mo-
narch, which was to be between Guienne and
Ardres ; the kings, by mutual confent, commit-
ting the regulation of the ceremonial to the car-
dinal's difcretion.

The occafion of this interview was the death

of Maximilian, which happened the preceding

year j and the kings of France and Spain, being.

C 4 com'>

31 THELIFEOF

competitors for the imperial throne, feparatdy
paid their court to Wolfey, to engage his mafter
in their intereft ; and the politic Wolfey encour**
aged both, receiving froiii them very rich ptefents
andpenlions. Thefe rivals were Francis I* and
the Ktmous Charles V. who was elefted emperor ;
and who, having other grounds for a rupture with
Francis, came over to England privately, after
his ele£lion, bytlie cardinal's connivance, tp
divert Henry from this famous interview. Charley
met the king at Dover ; \>\xt all he could obtain
was a promife from Henry, that nothing Ihould
be traufafted between him and the king of France
prejudicial to his intereft. The cardinal was now
carelled and flattered by moft of the powers of
Europe : the fenate of Venice in particular ad-
dieffed him in a letter, in which they felicitated
him on the fortunate condudtof an event that re-
quired the moftconfummate prudence ; the Pope
too gave him ver^' flrong tcftimonies of his ap-
probarion, granting him a yearly penfion of aoco
ducats, andconftitiuinghim perpetual adminillra-
tor of the bilhopric of Bajadox.

By thefeextenfivefubfidiesfrom foreign courts,
and the unlimited munificence of his own fove-
reign, who was continually loading him with fpi-
ritual and temporal monopolies, Wolfey's income-
is reported to have fallen little Ihort of the re-
venues of the crown of England. This was a
circumftance fufScient to raife the ambition of a
man, naturally fo afpiring as the cardinal^ to any
height..

Upon the death of Pope Leo X. 1520, he
thought of nothing lefs than beingpoflefledof St.
Peter's chair ; and immediately difpatchedafecre-
tary with proper inftruftions to Rome; at the
fame time writing to the emperor, and the king
of f raixcCfc \a affurQ them, that, if he. w^ elefted

(upreme

CAHrDTNAE WOEffET. 33,

fiiprcme Pontiff, they fhould meet with fuch
friendly and equitable treatment as they could ex-
peft from no other quarter. The former of thefc
princes, indeed, was bound by promifes which ^
he had repeatedly given him, to affift Wolfcy in^
procuring the papacy; but, before the meflenger
arrived at Rome, the eledtion was over, and>
Adrian, bifhop of Tortofa, who had been the
«mperor*s tutor, was chofen; though Wolfey,,
«pon different fcrutinies, had nine, twelve, an<JL
nineteen voices.

He was, probably, chagrined at tlie behaviour
of Charles V. who had openly violated his word^
with him ; yet fmothering his refentment for the^
prefent, when tlie emperor made a f&cond vifit
to England (partly to appeafe him, whom he fear-
ed to have offended), the cardinal very readily ac-
cepted bis excufes ; and on Adrian's death, which«
happened fome years after, he applied again for
Charleses intereft, which was pofitively engaged to*
him for the next vacancy : but though this appli--
cation was backed by a recommendatory letter un-
der Henry's own hand, and Wolfey, knowing,
the power of gold, in the conclave, had taken>
care to work fufficiently with that engine; his-
hopes, however, of the pontificate were a fecond^
time rendered abortive, .chiefly owing to his
alienee, and his reliance on the emperor, who*
never intended ho fhould be Pope, though he had
fettled an annual penlion upon him, and at dii!br«*-
ont^imes treated him with. the utmoft complaifance
and diilinAion, ftyling him, in hit letters^^ *^'ouxr
moil dear and fpecial friendw"

In the year 152 1^ in an aflembly-of prel^es'and?
elergy, held at Yoric-houfe, the doArincs^of Lu-
Aer were condemned : forty-two of his errors were*
enumerated; and cardinal Wolfey publifh«l the
pppe's bull againU Luther, and ordered all pcrfons,.

C 5:. •*»

34 THELIFEOF

©n pain of excommunication, to bring in all the
books of Luther in their hands. But thoiigh
Wolfcy was thus concerned in caufing the doc-
trines of Luther to be condemned, it appears by
an article of his impeachment, that he was no
perfecutor of heretics ; for he is accufed of te-
miflhefs on that head, by means of which Lutheia-
iiifm had gained ground.

The pride and ollcntation of the cardinal^ to-
gether with his unbounded power, had raifed him
many powerful enemies, efpecially amongft the.
nobility,, whom he afFcfted to treat with arrogance
and contempt. This behaviour was openly refent-
ed by Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham, th&
only courtier who ventured to oppofe'him, Wol-
fey therefore refolved to facrifice this great man,
whofe difcontent he apprehended might have fomc;
cfFeft upon the king. The duke of Buckingham,
was one of the greateft fubjefts of the kingdom,,
highly in favour with the people, and in pofieffion-
of a poft which gave him a power of controuling
the aft ions- even of the fovereign. He was here-
ditary high conflable of England, an office whichi
was abolilhed at liis death, and perhaps was one-
caufe of hafleningit: for Henry had often ex-
.preffed his jealoufy of Buckingham's official au-
thority. Indeed, the ceremonial obferved by the-
high conftabJe at the coronation had been very
difguflful to this arbitrary prince^ It was cufto-
mary for the conftable to receive a fword from;
eur kings^ which holding in his hand, he prp»^
Bounced aloud,. **^With this fword, 1 will de-
fend thee againft alh thine enemies, if thou go*'
vernefl according to law; and, with thiS: fword,
1 and the people of England will depofe thee, if
thou breakefl thy coronation oath." The duke-
having let fall fome imprudent expreffions in pri-^
\ate company, tliat, if the king fliould die without^

iffiie.

CARDINAI4 WOLSEY/ 55-

Ifldie, he would lay claim to the crown, as the dc*
Icendantof Anne of Gloucefter, grand-daughter to-
Edward III. in which cafe he would punifh Wol-
fey according to bis dements ; the cardinal by his
foies obtained farther intelligence, from the duke's
domeftics, of his correfponding with one Hopkins,
a monk and pretended prophet, who had given him
hopes of fucceeding Xo the crown. This indifcre-
tion, combining with the nature of his office, and:
his public difapprobation of the favourite, revived
Henry's fufpicions, and prevented him from dif-
covering that tlie duke was a devoted victim to the
cardinal's refentment. Wolfey having collefted
materials for an impeachment, and deprived the
duke of his two principal friends, the earl of Nor-
thumberland his father-in-law, whom he had com-
mitted to the Tower, on a flight pretext, and the
earl of Surry his fon- in-law, whom he had fent
governor to Ireland ; he caufed him to be arretted,,
and accufed of high treafony of which being con-»-
vifted by a very thin and partial houfe of peers^
he was beheaded on the 1 3th of May. From thi^-
moment Wolfey loft the little remaining credit he
had with the people of England, who openly libel-
led himfor this aft of tyrannic cruelty. The em-
peror, upon hearing of the duke's ^death, faid,-.
*♦ that the butcher's dog liad worried the fairefl
hart in England,"

. At this period, the emperor and the French be-
ing at variance made Henry the umpire to decide
their quarrel. Upon this occafion, the king
fent Wolfey in quality of mediator, in his name,
and vefled with full power to treat with the pleni-
potentiaries of the contending princes at Calais.
The conferences were opened on the4th of Auguft ;;
but Wolfey countenanced the emperor in fuchun-
xeafonable demands, that the French rainifters re-
jefted them ; and Wolfey then paid a vlfit to the
fmperor at Bruges,, where ha wa& received with all
C6 tB#

3ft THELIFEOP

the honours due to royalty, and concluded an of*
ferifive alliance, in his maftcr's name, with the em-
peror againft France. Henry by this treaty pro-
mifed to invade France, the following fummer,
with 4o,ccio men, and betrothed to the emperor
theprincefs Mary, his only child. If any thing
could have difgraced tht cardinal at this time, this
extravagant alliance muft have effefted it ; being
not only contrary to the true interefts of the king-
dom, but having a tendency to render it dependant
on the emperor, by his marrying the heirefs of the
crown. War was declared againft France in 1522,
and this fhameful treaty proved in tlie end one
caufc of the cardinal's difgrace : for, in order to '
maintain the incidental charges of the war, the
king by the advice of Wolfey exafted a general
loan from his fubjefts, amounting to one tenth of
the effefts of the laity, and one fourth of thofe of
the clergy ; which, fays Rapin, excited general
clamours againft the cardinal throughout the king-
dom ; but, on the tax being more gently levied than
it was at firft intended, the ftorm blew over for the
prefent ; though another event occafioned fome
fruitlefs complaints againft him.

Among other branches of erudition, he founded
tke firft Gr*ek profeffbrfliip at Oxford, but, not
thinking that a lufficient mark of his eftcem, in the
year 1 525 he determined to build a college, as a
iafting monument of his Zealand gratitude towards
the fenlinary in which he had received his educa*
ti^>B ; and, having obtained the royal aflcnt to com-
mence his proje^ed foundation^ the firft ftone of
that magnificent ftrufture, then called Cardinal,
but now Chrift'a College, Oxford, was laid, with
a fuperfcription in honour of the founder ; &e
cardinal at the fame time btitlding a grammar
frhooj at Ipfwich, the place of his nativity, to qua-
lify young fcholars for admittance to it. But in
the profecutiQn.of tlielc Ichemi^ he ftruck upon «

dangerous

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 37

Bangerous rock ; for, having raifed his college on
the fckc of a priory, diflblved and given him by
the king for that purpofe, he alfo procured autho-
rity to fupprcfs fevcral monaftcries in different
parts of the kiHgdom, in order to fupport his new
ibcicty. Indeed, the pope's bulls, which were fent
over to confirm thefe grants, had often been a fane*
tion for committing much greater offences : how-
ever, his feizing upon the revenues of religious
houfes w^ looked upon as facrilege ; and the king
for the firft time openly approving the difcontent
of the people againfthim, feveral fatires were pub-
Kihed reflcdUng on Wolfey's conduft. But it
does not appear that he thought it worth his while
to enquire after any of the authors, notwith-
fbnding Skelton, the poet laureat, was fo appre*
henfive on account of fomefcurrilous verfes ofiiis »
writing, that he took refuge in the fanftuary, to
avoid the cardinal's refentment.

Wolfcy, however, about this time, had gained
afrefh afcendancy over his fovc reign by a fecret tie,
. known only to a very few perfons about the court.
In the courfe of this year, a young lady w^ in-
troduced at the Englifh court, the daughter of Sir
Thomas Bolcyn, or Bullen ; who having been for-
merly in the fervicc of the queen of France, Henry's
fifter, was received by queen Catherine as one of her
maids of honour. It is faid, that the king no fooner
law her, than he was ftruck with her beauty ; how-
ever, his paflion lay concealed for fome time, and
was firft difcovcred by the following accident.

The cardinal's revenue, and manner of living,
in all refpcfts, equalled the ftate of a fovereign'
prince. His houlhold confifted of eight hundred
perfons:, many of whom were knights and gentle-
men, and even fome of the nobility fixed their
children in his family, as a place of education,
fuffering them to bear offices as his domeftics..
Among thefe was the carl of Northumberiand,

WlK)f€

38 T H E L I F E O F

whofe fon, the lord Percy, frequently attending
the cardinal to court, had diere an opportunity of
xonverfing with the ladies : and he addrefled Mrs..
Boleyn, in particular, withfo much perfuafive elo-
quence, that in the end he gained her afFeftionSy
and they were privately affianced to each other.
Yet was not their amour conduced fo fecretly but
it came to the king's' ears. The violence of his.
temper immediately broke out ; he ordered Wolfey
to fend for the earl of Northumberland ; and the
young nobleman being feverely rebuked by his fa^
therfortheindifcretion he had been guilty of, the
affair ended in a formal dilTolution of the contraft^
the marriage of Lord Percy to a daughter of the
earl of Shrewlbury's, and the difiniffion of Anne
Boleyn fromcourt to her relations in the country..
But the impetuofity of the king's paffion daily in- .
creafing, he could not long bear her out of his.
fight ; Ihe was therefore recalled from her banifh*
ment ; but, prior to that event, a remarkable cir-
. cumflance happened, which gave rife to the fubfe^
quent proceedings in relation to the divorce,, and;
ivas another caufe of Wolfey's difgrace.

In the year 1.527, ambaffadors came from France^
in order to conclude, feveial treaties betwen -Hen-
ry, who had abandoned the emperor's party, and.
the French king ; one of which was,, that Fran-
cis, or his fon the Duke of Orleans, fhould
cfpoufe the princefs Mary, Henry's only daughter ;-
tlie commiffioners met feveral times,, and adjufled
aU points to mutual fatisfaftion ; but rn proceeds
ing upon this article fomc difpute arofe. Th»/
Bimop of Tarboe, one of the French king's plenii-
potentiaries, faid,. ^ he could not help laaving fomc,
*' doubts about the princefs Mary's legitimacy, oiv
** account of her being the daughter of queen
*' Catherine, who had formerly been married tOs
*^' prince Arthur r" and, in Ihort, he gave broad
hints, that, the king had. comsiitted an unlawful
6 ai^

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 3^

»ft in marrying his brother's widow. Whether
this obje£tion was ftarted by previous agreement,
in order to ferVc the king's fecret purpofcs, we
cannot fay : however, it. is certain he made a han-
dle of it, to excufe his fubfequent proceedings ;.
aiid from this time openly avowing his afFeftions
to Anne Boleyn, the courtiers worfhiped her as die
fifing fun, through whofe influence alone tlie
royal favour was to be raifed and cultivated.

Wolfey could not be blind to tlie progrefs this^
fair favourite was making in his matter's heart ;.
though in all probability he at firft thought ther
king meant namore than to have an intrigue with
her, with refpeft to which kind of intercourfe, it
is well known, his eminency entertained not the
moft evangelical notions. He bowed with the
crowd therefore, and left nothing untried that
might engage the- new miftrefs to his intereft ; but,
when he found by fome words his Majefty let fall,.,
tkat not being able ta obtain the favours he
fought from her on any othec terras^ than thofe of
wedlock,, he was detepmined at all events to gra*
tify his paflion ; there was no argument poffible?
to divert the king from his iotention, that the
cardinal did not ufe; nay, he often repeated his.
prayers and intreaties on his knees* But his zeal,
was far from being pleafing to Henry, who could:
hot bear any thing like reftraint : and this oppofi*
t-ionto her advancement may alfo account for the-
ill will Anne Boleyn. aftcrwards^bore the cardinal :
^ough, upon her fecond appearance in the royal
femily, fhe for fome time carried it veiiy fairly to-
wards him ; and wrote him fe vera J kind and r^*
IpeSful letters,, which axe yet to be> feeU undec
her own hand.

It is not to be wondered at, that the- €ardina^s^
fccret enemies at court ihould embrace fo favour-
al^le an opportunity as this appeared, to undermine
ai maa whom, they durft not openly attack i for it

was

40 THELIFEOF

was dangerous meddling with Henry, where hit
prepoffeffions were to be removed. They pitched
lapon Anne Boleyn, therefore, (whofe averfion to
Wolfey they were not unacquainted ,with) as the
prQpereft engine to work with : and an occaiioa
^ offering Ihortly after, to remove the minifter at a
* diftance from the king, they took care to improve
that advantage as the moft neceflary meafure for
promoting th6 fuccefs of their dcfigns. This year
the wars in Italy had been carried to great extre-
mity. The city of Rome was facked by German
foldiers ; and Clement VII. was aftually in cap-
tivity to the emperor. Both Henry and his pre-
mier exprefled great uneafinefs at this difafter ; and
the cardinal having diflinguifhed himfclf in ieveral
embaflies to foreign princes, his foes in the coun-
cil propofed that he ftiould be fent ambaflador at
the prefent critical junfture, in order to induce
the court of France to mediate for the pope's re-
leafe, Francis I* having made his peace with the
emperor, as well as to fettle fome other matters
more immediately relative to the ftate of the na-
tion.

Whether Wolfey was aware of the plot laid
againft him, is not certain. He had undoubtedly
an eager defire to ferve the Roman pontiff; and
perhaps thought himfelf too firmly riveted in his
matter's efteem, to be (haken by the, cabals of a
ia£tion. Be this as it may, on the nth of July
Jie left London, with a numerous and fplendid re-
tinue ; the furniture of the mule on which he
himfelf rode being richly embroidered with bits
and ftirrups of maffy gold. But to give a cir—
cumftantial account of this tranfaftion would af-
. ford very little entertainment to the reader, who
may find it at liarge in all our Englifh hiftories :
we fhall only obfcrve therefore, that the cardinal
ftt this time concluded a moft advaiitageous treaty
with France; that he was entertained on the

continent

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 41

>i

continent widi a magnificence hardly to be paral^
leled .; and that, having ftaid on his embady about
two months, he returned home, where, in fjpight
of the endeavours of his enemies in his ablence,
he was received by the king with the warmeft
marks of efteem and approbation.

After this embafly, the king's attachment to
him feemed \o increafc ; for, befides acknowledg-
ing the great fervice the cardinal had done in that
affair, in a letter under the royal hand and feal,
he was pleafedjto appoint a public thankfgiving on
the occafion, going hinlfelf with his queen, and
great numbers of the nobility and gentry, to St.
Paul's church ; and afterwards in grand proceffion
to dine with the cardinaL It was in confequence
of this embafly alfo that he beftowed on 'Wol-
Tey the rich bilhopric of Winchefter ; and upon
the ficknefs of Clement Vll. the legate en*
deavouring a third time for the triple crown, he
recommended him fo ftrenuoufly, that there is
hardly any doubt to be made of the king's ferious
inclination to raifc him to the popedom ; and,
had not bis holinefs unexpeftedly recovered, it
is highly probable that the cardinal of York
would at this time have enjoyed the obje£t of his
wifhes*

In the fame year that Wolfey went into France,
and not many weeks after his return, the French
king fcnt ambafladors to Heiuy, in order to ra-
tify the treaties made between the two crowns.
On this occafion, Wolfcy took iipon him to re-
gulate the reception given to the foreigners ; and
certainly, if we may credit the report of Caven-
diih, who was an eye-witnefs to all that paded
daring thetr ftay in England, thefe ambafladors
were entertained with a cofi TUkd fumptuoufnefs
tttterly unknown to modem times r ban<|uets,
balls, tounuuuents^ diftinguiihed every day ; and»

as.

42 T H E L I F E O F

as It was one of the laft efforts of his mmiftcrM
fplendor, we fhalJ infert the particulars of one of
the magnificent and fumptuous entertainments
given by the cardinal at Hampton court to thefe
ambaffadors of Francis I. ** The cardinal hav-
•* ing commanded his purveyors to fpare no ex-
** pence or pains, the appointed day being come,
** the (Company aflembled about noon, from which
*' time, till that of fupper, they hunted in one of
•• the king's parks, within three miles of Hamp-
** ton ; on their returjjt . which was not till eve-
•* ning, every perfon yi$m conveyed to a different
*' apartment, each being furniflicd with fire and
** wine, and no lefs than two hundred and eighty
**.beds in the whole, where they ftayed till
** they were fummoned to the banqueting rooms.
** Thefe were all fet out in a very fplendid
** manner, being hung with cloth of gold and
*• filver, and having rich luftres defcending from
*' the cieKngs, with large fconces of filver, gilt,
** and filled with wax lights, which were fixed a-
" gainfl the walls. But the prefcnce chamber
•* exceeded all the reftj where was fixed a fump-
** tuous canopy, under which was the table placed
** by itfelfforthe cardinal j here were the great
** bouffets and fide-boards loaded with gold and fU-
** ver plate, which caft fuch a brightnefs by the
** refJeftion of the tapers, as was quite afbonilhing 5
** here alfo the gentlemen ot the cardinal's
*' houfhold, richly dreffcd, waited to ferve, and
" all things thus prepared, the trumpets being
*• founded, the guefls came in to fupper ; which
" confifted of fuch abundance, .both of different
** meats and cookery, as fuprized the French am*
*^ bafladors, who were focnarmed with thefplen-
** dor of what they faw,' and the fweetnefs of the
** mufk they heard splaying on every fide of theto^
5^ that they fbemed wrapt in h^venly p^radife. ..
"'..** Novr

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 43

•* Now all this time the cardinal was abfent;
** but on the appearance of the fccond courfe,
** he fuddenly came in among them booted and
** fpurred. All the company attempted to rife :
** but his eminency defiring they would keep their
•* places, he fat down at his own table in his
** riding drefs, as he was, and grew as merry and
•* agreeable as he ever had been known in his life.
•' This fecond courfe (Cavendilh obferves) muft
** have been the fineft thing the Frenchmen ever
** faw ; but the rareft curiofity in it (adds he) at
•* which they all wondered, and indeed waswor*
** thy of wonder, was a caftle with images in the
** fame, like St. Paul's church, for the model of
** it, where were bcafts, birds, fowls, perfonages
" moft excellently made, fome fighting with
** fwords, fome with guns, others with crofs-
•* bows, fome dancing with ladies, fome on horfc-
•• back with compleat armour, jufting with long
** and (harp fpears, and many other ftrange de-
** vices, which I cannot defcribe, Amongft all I
•* noted, there was a chefs board, made of fpice-
<* plate, with men of the fame, and of good pfo-
** portion. And becaufethc Frenchmen are very
** expert at that fport, my lord cardinal gave that
** fame tq^a French gentleman, commanding that
** there (fiould be made a good cafe to convey the
•* fame into his country,

" Then the cardinal called for a great gold cup
** filled with wine ; and pulling off his cap, faid,
** ' I drink a health to the king my fovereign, and
** next unto the king your matter. And when he
" . had taken a hearty draught, he defired the prin-
** cipal ambaifador to pledge him*' And fo all the
** lords pledged the health in order. Thus was
** the flight fpent in great harmony and good hu-
** mour, till many of the company were obliged
** to be led to their beds ; and the' next day hav-»

" ing

44 THELIFEOF

«* ing ftayed to dine with the cardinal, the am-
•• foafiadors departed towards Windfor, where
** they were treated, before their going into their
^* own country, in a manner flill xn<Mre magnifi-
•« cent, by the king.'*

Bat nothing more plainly Ihews the good
terms on which Wolfey flood with his mj^fter^
after his laft return from France, than the fre-
quent vifits Henry paid him at his palace at
Hampton-court; which in the year 1528 was
completely finifhed, and elegantly furnifhcd. His
majefty was greatly taken borii'with the fituation
and beauty of the edifice : upon this Wolfey very.
^enerouHy made him aprefent of it ; and the king,
highly pieafed with the gift, gave him in return ,
bis royal palace of Richmond.

Thus wehavecondufled Wolfey from his bitth
to the utmoft fummit of his fortune : we muft
now follow him again down the hill, in which,
as it generally happens, his progrefs was much
more rapid than in going up, even expeditious as
was hisafcent

** Queen Catherine's years adding to her tern*
•* per, which was naturally grave, made her now'
** oecome more diftaftefiil than ever to king Hen-
** ry ; his paffion for Anne Boleyn too, who, find-
*' ing the love he had for her, 'managed her at-
f* traftions with the utmoft art of coquetry, was
** greatly augmented ; fo that fluftuating between
" the thoughts of a miftrefs and a wife, Henry
** was fo entangled) thatt rather than be difiip*
** pointed of the one, he rcfolved to rid himfelf ot
•* the other.*' Cardinal Wolfey faw it was itt
vain to put this notion out of his head ; not car-
ing therefore to engage too far in fo weighty a bu*
finef^ alone, he, with the king,'s permiiSon, bjr
his own legantine authority, iffued writs to fum-
mon all the biflicms, with ^le moft learned men of

both

CARDINAL WOLSET. 4^

bodi Dniverfities, to confult on his tnajefty's cafe*
But thefe couiifellors thinking die point too nide
lor them to determine, in the end, the pope waY
applied to, ^ho, in compliance with the king's
requeft, fent cardinal Campeggio into Englandf
that he might, in conjonAipnwith Wolfey, fit in
judgment, and decide whether Henry^s roarriagte
with Catherine was lawful or not. But, iirft, the
king called an afTembly of all the great men in the
kingdom^ both fpiritual and temporal, befides
others of inferior degree, and made them a fpeech,
iti which he endeavoured to account for and ex*
cufe the proceedings he was going upon, laying
the greateft firefs upon confcience, and the dread*
fill horrors of mind he had fufl«red ever fince thd
French - ambailadors had queftioned the lady
Mary's legitimacy, which made him fear that a
marriage with his brother's reli£t was by divine
law prohibite<]. However, he faid, he fubmitted
iDvery thing to the wifdom of the pope's legates, who
were authorized by his holinefs to determine this
important caufe ; and the meafures he was already
determined to take- being thus artfully prepared,
the k^;antine court was opened on the 21ft of
June following.

But the circumfiances of this famous trial are
well known. The queen being a woman of
rdblute mind, protefted ag^iinft the legates, as in-
competent judges ; flie ap^aled to the king for her
conjugal fidelity ; went out of court, and would
siever return to it more. The legates went on ac-
cording to the forms of -law, though the queen
appeal^ from them to the pope, and excepted both
to the place, to the judges, and to her Iaw3rers»
The king would not fufFer the caufe to be removed
to Rome, and Campeggio left England. Bat thefe
incidencs happened in a regular feries; and many
attempts were made to bring the qwen to an eafy

compliance

46 THELIFEOF

compliance with his majefty's pleafarc, though in
v;^in. Hence it followed, that the public was di-
vided ; fome pitied Henry, but more had com-
paffion for Catherine : and as Wolfey had now
brought himfelf, by his pride, into univerfal
odium with the people, while the abettors of the
divorce charged all the difficulties laid in its way
to his artifice, the partizans on the other fide
were as unanimous in condemning him, for
prompting his mailer to fo iniquitous a piece of
violence. But- of this laft charge the cardinal
fully cleared himfelf, by calling on king Henry,
in open court, to witnefs to his innocence ; when
the king declared, he had always advifed him
againft it, which indeed he might do with a
fafe confcience ; and for that reafon he wai jealous
of Wolfey's being a fecret agent in the protraftion
of the caufe ; for which he configned him to de-
ftruftion.

Indeed, it was apparent, on the breaking up of
the court, that Wolfey had nothing favourable to
€xpe£l from that quarter ; for the duke of Suffolk,
by the king's direftion, coming towards the bench
where Wolfey and Campeggio fat, faid, with a
haughty tone and furious countenance, ** It was
never thus in England till we had cardinals among
us.'* To which cardinal Wolfey foberly replied ;
" Sir, of all men in this realm, you have thcleaft
caufe to difpraife cardinals ; for if I, poor cardinal,
had not been, you fhould not at this prefent have
had a head upon your (houWers ;" alluding to the
duke's marriage with the king's filter, which at
firft gr^tly incenfcd Henry.

On the removal of his caufe to Rome, the
king, was not only enraged, but afflifted : and
HalJ, Stow, Rapin, and Burnet, affirm, that he
refolved on a progrcfs into the country, thereby
to difpel his melancholy. For that ejid he fet

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 47

out, attended by his royal retinue ; and coming
.to Grafton in Northamptonfhire, he was there at-
tended by Wolfey and Campeggio, the latter of
whom came to take his leave before he returned
into Italy. This was on a Sunday ; and there
were many wagers laid among the courtiers, that
the king would not fpeak to cardinal Wolfey,
But here his foes were difappointed ; the king
not only fpoke to him, but received him with a
fmiling countenance : and havijig talked to him
fome time afide at tlie window, he faid, ** Go to
your dinner, ar^d take my lord cardinal to keep
you company, and after dinner I will talk with
you farther." With which words Henry retired
to dine with Anne Boleyn, who was with him in
his progrcfs ; and the cardinals fat down at a table
prepared in the prefence-chamber for them, and
other lords. There is fomething curious in the
account which Cavendifli give* us, from one of
the perfons, who waited at table, of the king and
his miftrefs's difcourfe at dinner. It referred ta
Wolfey I and Aone Boleyn being as angry as fhe
durft at the king's gracious behaviour to him, fhe
faid, *^ Sir, is it not a marvellous thing, to fee
into what great debt and danger he hath brought
you with all your fubjefl;s ?" How fo? replied the
king, *' Forfooth, f^id fhe, there is not a man in
all your whole realm of England to whom he hath
not indebted you«" Which words fhe fpoke, be-
caufe the king Had .fornierly, through the cardi-
nal's. advice, raifed mou^y.on tljic people by way
of loan, which had been a very unpopular mea-
fure ; ' but the king exculpated his minifter, by
faying, '* Well, well, for that matter there was
liQ blame in him ; for I know it better than you,
or any elfe." ♦' Nay, but (cried the lady) ben
fides that, what exploits hath he wrought in fe-
verai parts of. this, reaini ! X^^^^q is never a no-
bleman,

4« THE L I FE O F

bleman, but, if he had done as much as he hafh
done, were well worthy to lofe his head ; nay, if
my lord of Norfolk, my lord of Suffolk, or my
father, had done much lefs, they (hould have loft
their heads ere this." •* Then I perceive (faid
the king) you arc none of my lord cardinal's ,
friends." •• Why, Sir, (anfwered fhe) I have no
caufe, nor any that love you ; no more hath your
grace, if you did well coniider his indired and
unlawful doings/* During this converfation in
the king's chamber, the cardinal was not treated
with much kfs afperity by the duke of Norfolk
without ; fo that every hand appeared ready to
pull down a falling favourite, though the king
confultcd with him four hours that fame evening,
which vexed many ; but, at night, when the car-
.dinal's fcrvants came to prepare a lodging for him,
* tliey were told there was no room t fo that his
cminency was obliged to lie at the houfe of one
Mr. Empfton, at fome diftance in the country ;
and in the morning, when he came to court (tho*
he had his majefty's command to attend him over
night) he found the king juft ready to mount his
horfe, who, without taking any farther notice,
coldly ordered him to confult with the lords of
the council. This was contrived by Anne Boleyn,
who rode out with the king ; and, m order to pre-
Tent his majefty's return before the cardinal went
away, Ihe took care to provide an entertainment
for him at Hanwell-paik*

The king had no looncr lefl WoJfey in this ab-
rupt manner, dian the cardinal fiiw his profperity
was at an end ; but he was too wife to expoK
himfelf to the raillery of the courtiers, by appcai<*
ing humbled, or terrified at his approaching dif«-
grace. Immediately after dinner ne fet out with
his colleague for London, from whence, in a feW'
days, Campeggio took his journey to Rome» But
a a re-

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 49

« Import prevftiling, that in hts baggage he had
concealed, and was carrying off, a confiderahh
treafure belongfi^g to cardinal Wolfey, the cuftom*
lioufe officers, by the king's order, ftopt him at
Dover, and made fo thorough a fearch, that die
kgate complained of the infult oiiered to his cha«
€aAer, though to no other purpofe dian to re« *-
^oeive a rebuke from the king, for daring to aflame
any charader in his dominions, without bis par^
ticular licence ; fo that the Italian prelate was glad
to get off unmokfted at any rate. As for Wolley,
though he had the king's commiffion for ading as
legate in England, that was afterwards brought
againft him, among a number of other crimes,
very little better founded ; and fuch was the king's
eagernefs to begin with him, that he had fcarceiy
patience to wait till Campeggio fet fail.

It was now term-time, and Woifey, on the
-firft day, went to the court of chancery, in bis
ufual ftate, but after that never fat there more*
On the i8thof Oftober 1529, the dukes of Nor-
folk and Su^^olk came to his houfe at Weftmin*
fter, and in the king's name demanded the great
leal : at the fame time letting him know, that
lie Ihould immediately depart to his feat at Eflier*
However, he told their lordfhips, that he held the
place of chancellor by l^atent for life ; and that, as
he had. received the feal from his majcfty's own
•Iiands, into thofe alone he would deliver it.
The noblemen were extremely offended at this re-
fufal, but the chancellor was pofitive : but, the
^ukes conyng again the next day, with a peremp-
tory command to t^ie cardinal, to obey his ma-
jefly without the leaft demur, be at laft con-^
ientcd ; though not without fome tart reflexions
on the condud of the two dukes, who, with good
grounds, were (ufpefted to hare tiie chief hand
in his niia*

Vot. I D T&c

go THE L I F E O F

The fetal bufincfs being thus commenced, the
cardinal proceeded with great coohiefs arid fub-
oi^ilion. He called all his officers before him, apd
liad an immediate inventory taken of every thing
iie was worth ; and the feveral moveables being
brought out and Tet in a great gallery and the
chambec adjoining, he left them all for th^ king.
Indeed bis trcafury refcmbled that of an Eaftcrn
monarch, Jrath^r than an European fubjeft ; for,
in the firft place, there were fet in tlie gallery fc*
veral tables, on wliich were piled an infinite va-
riety of rich ftufFs, with cloths and filks of all co-
lours and manufadures ; there were a thoufand
pieces of Holland ; and all the hangings of his
great rooms were gold and filver arras ; with the
moft munificent robes, and coats that lie had
bought for 'the ufe of his two, colleges at Oxfoxd
and Ipfwich, But thefe were trifles to what was
to be feen in his chambers : there were fet very
large tables, wholly covered 'with plate, a great
part of which was folid gold, all the reft of his
goods and furniture bearing an equal. proportion ;
lo that it is not improbable tliat his known opu-
lence was no fmall inducement to the perfecution
againft him. All things thus fettled, he prepared
to witharaw. to Eflier ; hut juft as he was going,
jSir William Gafcoigne, his trcafurer, came up,
and told him, it was rumoured abroad, that he
M^s to go dircdly to the Tower : to which the
cardinal replied, with fome diflatisfaftion at Sir
William's credulity, and unkindncfs, in telling
-him every light ftory ; ** that he had . done no-
*' thing to deferve imprifonment,. but, having
-** received all he poffeflfed of the kingj it was but
•' reafonable that he Ihoukl return it p liina
** again.'*

He then took boat, having with Jiim moil of liis
fervants, with fome furniture and provifions, and

di-

CARDINAL WOLSEY. s^

. direfted his cooirfe towards Putney. Upon this
occafion, the Thames was crowded with fpeftators
on both fides, and a vaft number of boats ap-
peared on the river, in hopes of feeing the cardi-
nal carried to the Tower ; and it is almoft in-
credible to tell what joy the common peojple ex-
prefled on that occafion, who in proiperity fol-
lowed him with applaufc and bleffings. Being
landed at Putney, he immediately mounted his
mule, his fervants and attendants being on horfe-
back ; but he was fcarcely got to the foot of the
hill, on the other fide of the town, when he was
overtaken by Sir John Norris, one of the gen-
tlemen of the bed-chamber, who difmounted his
liorfe, and faluting his eminence in his majcfty's
name, told him " he was fent exprefs to affure
*' him, that he was as much in the king's favour
**- as ever : that this difgrace was only to ferve a
•* turn, and jfleafe fome fort of people ; bidding
•^ him be of good courage, for, as his majefty
** "was able, fo be was willing, to make up all his
** loffes.'* The cardinal, being furpri zed at this
joyful news, direftly got off his mule, and falling
upon his knees' in the dirty highway, he be-
trayed an extravagance of tranfport, at the ap-
pearance of returning toYavour, quite unbecoming
a man. He pulled off his hat, praifed the king's
goodnefs, and ernbraced Sir John Norris over and
over ; after which, being again mounted, and
riding towards Eftier, as they converfed on the
way, Norris pnlled out a gold ring, fet with a
very rich ftone, which he prefented to the cardinal
in the king's name, in token of his recovered
friendship; and Wolfey, in return, taking a gold
crofs from about his neck, in which a piece of the
Holy Crofs (as it v/as faid) was inclofed, be-
llowed it on Sir John, as a perpetual remem-
brance* of his fervice. Then, bethinking him-
D 2 fclf

Sa T H E L I F E O ff

fclf of what would bt acceptable to the king, he
fcnt him his fool, Patch, whom fix of his talleft
yeomen were fcarcely able to condudl, fo great a
reluftance he had to :part with his old mailer :
but with this prefent.thc king appeared very much
pleafed. *

But after all thefe great promifes from the king,
it appears that nothing was meant by them ; for
tlie cardinal no fooner reached his retreat, than hft
was intirely negleAed, being fuffered to continue
there three weeks, without either beds, table-
cloths, or difhes to cat his meat upon ; neither
had he money to buy any ; fo that he muft in-
fallibly have periftied, had it not been for the fup-
plies the country people fent to him. In thef©
lad circumftances his fecretary one day told him,
that he ought in confcience to confider him and
bis other fervants, who had never forfook him
in weal or woe. " Alas ! Thomas,;* faid the car*
dinal, ** you know I have nothing to give you
*' nor them ; which makes me bothaihamed and
** forry.'* After which, by his fecretary 's ad*
vice, borrowing fome money of his chaplains^
;nany of whom he had preferred to great bene-
fices, he had all' his fervants called up before him,
and beheld them for fome time with great ten-
dernefs, whilft his filence, and the tears that ran
down his cheeks, teftified his inward afBi£tion.
At length, perceiving his fervants alfo weep very
plentifully, he made them a mofV moving fpeech^
in which he lamented that he had not done fo
much for them, in his profperity, as he might
have done ; though heexcufed himfelf by the great
promptnefs that there might be in people, to fay,
there was no olHce would efcape tlie rapacity of
the cardinal. He then deplored his preicnt fitu-
ation, which had left him nothing but the bare
cloaths upon his back^ fothat he was without any

means

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 53

imeans of acknowledging their fervices : however,
he thanked them all heartil^y and, giving them their
wages and his bieffing, told them they had better
provide for Aemfelv^cs. After this, moft of his
fervants left him, except Cavendifh, who flayed
abobt his pierfon ; and Cromwell, who .went to
£<ondon, to take care of his affairs there.

It was now that the cardinal began to find out,
in fpite of fpccious pretences, how little, in reality,
the king was his friend ; for, from the rigorous
proceedings commenced againft him at law, it was
apparent, that his majefly refolvcd to have him at
his mercy,, upon the ftatutc of premunire, though
it appeared to everyone, that to let this law loo fe
upon him would be the greatefl injuilice, in as
xnpch as he was authorized by the king to execute
Bis legantine commiflion : yet, at the importunity
of leveral lords of die council, he declined plead-
ing to the information exhibited againft him, and
th«e«r hkafslf entirely on the king's mercy, who,
fie faid, ^* had a conference to judge and under*
ftand how far he merited punifhment for the mat-
ter alleged againft him ;? then judgement was
figned. However, he received alTurances from
Henry, that he would not proceed to the utmoft
rigour of the law, and, foon after, he had part of
his goods given to^him; and obtained a prote£lion
from the king.; but ftill diligent enquiry was
making after all his eftates and efFcfts, and when-
ever any were found, they were immediately con*
iifcated toWs^majefty^s ufe.

It feems a hard matter to reconcile the different
parts of Henry's behaviour in difcarding his mirti-
Rer. He found he w^s no longer his creature, per-
Maps, and tlierefore he ceafed to be his favourite :
'and yet he feems to have been afhamed^of the part
Be was aftihg againft a man whom he once fo
Mghlyiavoured^ by Jetting him down widi a feerh-
D 3 ing

54 T H E L I F E : O F ■ -

ing rcluftancc, and qualifying every ftep he fell
with fome aft of pretended tendernefs and com-
paffion. Thus in the parliament which was called
on the third of November, after Wolfey's dif-
grace, when the lords exhibited four and forty
articles of impeachment againft him, and the bill
(through the management of the cardinal's fecre-
rary) was rejcfted in the lower houfe, the king
exprefled great fatisfaftion at it ; and indeed all
the articles were built on fo weak, and many of
them upon fo unjuft, a foundation, that lord
Herbert fays, no minifler was ever difplaced with
lefs to allege againft him. In fome of thefe ar-
ticles, it was made a capital offence to have done
feveral things which he did by the king's exprcfs
command^ and under his licence ; while others
carried an air of ridiculoufnefs andabfurdity : and
even thofe which bore the beft face contained, at
the utmoft, but trifles, and errors rather than
crimes. But though this ill-fupported charge f^Ji
to the ground; nay, though the king, in one of
his relenting fits, granted him the moft ample
pardon for all crimes which he might be fuppofed
to have committed againft the crown that ever
king granted to a fubjeft, the cardinal's ill for-
tune ftill continued to purfue him with accumu-
lated rage ; not would hi« hard-hearted mafter be
fatisfied, while he had any thing lefti tliat it was
poflible to wring from him.
. Henry infifted upon his figning a refignation of
York-houfe, and he was obliged to do it. He
alfo forced him to make over, by deed of gift, the
revenues of the bifhoprick of Winchefter, and^
after all, would not fo much as pay his debts, nor
allow him fufficient to fubfift upon 5 fo that,' with
one vexatitin or other, Wolfey was at length quite
harrafled out, and fell dangeroufly ill of a violent
fever. But the cardinal's indifpofition was ho

fooner

CAttDiNAL wolst;y. gg:

foontT mentioned at court, than the king ex-
prefled the greateft concern and uneafinefs. Hof
declared he would not lofe him for tWs:::ty thou-
fand pounds ; ordered one of his own pnyficians-
to attend him ; and, being told that nothing was
(o likely to promote a recovery as fome mark of
favour from the royal hand, he not only fent him*
a ring with his own pidlure in it, from himfelf,
but made Anne Boleyn take the gold etwee from^
her fide, land, with many obliging expreflions,
entreated the cardinal's acceptance of it, as a to-
ken of her efteem and afFeftion- Yet Wolfey
was no fooner up again, than the profpeft grew
as gloomy as ever : the king diflblved both his
colleges^ though in the humbleft and moft carnefb
manner he befo«ght him tofpare them : and the
cardinal having, in his profpenty, at a great ex*
pence, built himfelf a tomb, which was not
finiflicd at the timfc"of his fall, his majefty fcized
that alfos nor would he be prevailed on to re-
.ftore it,, though his old favourite begged it of himt
in the moving term of a^burying place, which^
** on account of his great heavinefs, he faid, he
♦* was foon likely to want.*' However, the king^
was not fo inflexible to all his requefts ; for the
cardinal reprefenting about this time, that the ai©
of Efher was very prejudicial to his conftitution^
he was immediately permitted to remove to Rich-
mond, and a fum of tnoney was ifTued from tho"
Treafury, to make his circumftance§ a little more
eafy.

His removal to Richmond made his enemies
very uneafy. They difliked fuch a proximity to the
•court, and were in continual fear, left Henry
Ihould relapfe info his former attachment, and,
one time or other, call hisdifcarded minifler again
into favour. In thefc thoughts, they determined
to move him to a greater diftance i and conlider-
D 4 »ng.

|6 THELIFEOF

iiig his province in the North a» the proper^fl'
place for bis future refidenccy they found no great
difficulty in procuring an order from Henry for
his imniediately repairing thither, Tlie poor car-»
dinal would fain have retired no farther than Win-
chefter» but no place but Yorkfliire would do ;
and on his being a little tardy to fct out, on ac-
count of money which he waited for, and becaufe
there was no exaft time fixed for his journey, the
duke of Norfolk one day meeting bis fecretary
Cromwell, faid to him, " Go, tell thy mafter,?
** that unkfs he quickly removes towards the
** North, I will tear him to pieces with ray teeth ;'^
wliicli being repeated to the cardinal, *' Then,'*'
cried he, " it is time for me to be going ;" an4
accoxxiijlgly he left Richmond in a few days afteri
taking the road for his archiepifcopal feat at
Cawood.

Nafoonerwas he^arrived and fettled in this
place, thai^ he gave himfelf up, entirely to devpt^n
and his paftoral charge, daily diftributing to tho^
poor, and keeping ag hofpitable table ibr all
comers. His cuftom was, to vifit all the Httl^t
parifhr churches round about, in which one of his
chaplains generally preached ; and fometimes hj9
coiidefcended to dine at an honeft farmar's houfe^
where he wasconftantly furrouoded with a great
number of indigent people, whom he cotiverfed
with, and relieved. Fiiidihg his palace alfo. very
much out of repair, he at one time engaged above
three hundred workmen and labourers in fitting it
up : but fuch was the malignity of his enemies at
court, that they interpreted this to his difadvan*-
tage, Cromwell writing to him jn one of bis letters*
from Londop, ** Some there be that do allege^
" your grace keeps too great a houfe and family,
** and that you are continually building ' for the
** love of God,. therefore> have refpeft,. wd refr^jji.'*

CTAK'^DTNAL' WOI.SEY. sT

In' confequcnce of this admonition, the cardinal
Began to contrafthis manner of living : but hit
enemies, who were refolved on his^ deftruflion,
foon found fomething elfe to lay hold of in the
. great preparations which,^ contrary to his warmed
intreaties, and in fome meafure without his
knowledge, the dcfan and chapter of his cathedral
church were making for his folen>n inftallation ;
infomucb,! thatfopa week before the day fixed for
that ceremony, people from all parts of the king-
dom crowded out ofcuriofity to the city of York,
But now an accident happened, which fhewcd,
that this great man waJ the ilive of fuperftition.
** On A II Saints day, the cardinal being at dinner
with his chaplains^ doftor Auguftihe, a phyiiciaHf
cloathed with a very heavy velvet gown, in rifing
itp^ulhed againtt the cardinal's iilver croft, placed
at the corner of the table, which fell fo heavy up«»
on the head of doftor Bonner, that the blood came
trickling down. Uppn this the cardinal ]mmedi««
ately retired to his chamber,* and fhaking his head,
faid, ** Malum omen '/'which he afterwards inter-
preted to Cavendiih'Upon his death -bed, telling
him, that '' the crols reprefentedhis perfon ; doAor
Auguftine, who threw it down, his enemy, and
an informer ; and the chaplain being wounded
imported, that his power was at an end, and death
would quickly eafue.V But when the earl of
Northumberland awd Sir Walter WaMh arrived at
Cawood to arreft the cardinal, his words were con-
fidered byweak men as a pro|f>hecy, though inv
fiSa they amounted to no more than the well-
gfounded apprehenfions of a fallen ;ftatefman..-
The earl and Sir Walter were attended by a body
of horfe, which plainly befpoke their commiffioHi
Alighting at the cardinal's gate, they went im*
mediately into the hall, and demanded the keys
from the porter : but the man, aftoniihed at this
P 5 rcq^ucfti

j8 T H E L I F F O p.

requefty rcfufed to deliver them witliout his ma**
fter'-s order. To prevent any farther difturbance^
therefore, they contented^ themfelves with taking
an oaiii from hi©, ** That no perfon fliould go out
•* or come in till he received farther orders.**
The .cardinal all this yrhile remained ignorant of
what pail^d below, care being taken that no one
Ihould go up to. inform him : however, at laft,
one of the iervants found means to flip by, and
told his eminency that the earl of Northumberland
was in the hall. Wolfcy, being then at dinner,
J^ook this for a friendly vifit from his old pupil,
3ind immediately rofe from table, and went down
fiairs to meet the earL He exprefled his concern
that he had not given him notice of the vifit, that
he might have given him a better reception ; ^nd
Uking him by the hand led him to his apartment,
. tl)c earl's gentleman following, where taking the
cardinal afide to a window, while they were in
converfation, Northumberland faid, "My lord,
V I arreft you for high treafon." Upon this the
eardinal demanded to fee his authority; but the
earl refufing to Ibew his commiffion, Wolfcv
replied, ** I will not then lubmit to your arreft/*
However, Sir Walter Wallh coming up during
the debate, whom the cardinal knew, and repeat-
" jng what the carl had before faid, he very readily
furrendered himfelf.

. -Being now in cuftody, Saturday was fpent in
^king up fomb of his efFe£ts, and preparing
let his journey ; but, as. fopn a& the country
people were in/ormed of what the earl and Wallh
had been doing, they furrounded the palace,' ex-
preiling the deepeft concern, for he had always
been the proteftor and friend of the poor ; which
g^Uire Northumberland and the knight no little rni-^
talincfst

On

CARDINAL WOt^EY. S9

' On Stinday, the firft of November, early in the
morning, he proceeded on his journey towards
London* As foon as he came oi:it of his gate> tho
people with great lamentation expreflcd their coi*-
cern, and followed him for feveral miks, till the
cardinal defired tliem to depart^ and be patient ;,
for that he feared not his enemies j biKentirfry
fiibmitted to thewiU of Heaven.^ 1 he firft night
he lodged at Pomfrct Abbey • the next night, with
the Black.Friars at Doncafter ; and the uight fol-
lowing, at. Sheffield' Park, wliere-. he remained
eighteen days.. Here he was kindly entertained
by the earl of Shrewfbury, and hada great refpeft
fbewn hijn by the neighbouring gentlemen, who
flocked in to vifit him^ But being one day at din-
ner, he was taken very ill- with a?fudden coldnefs
athis ftomacB -, whTchapprchsending to be an op-
preiSon occafioncd by wind, he immediately fentf
to an apothecary for fome medicine to expel it,
a»d>thi« gave irioi cafe for the prefent. But if he
vms not then poifoned, as fome people imagined,
either by himfelf or others, it appears that « this
diforder; from whatever it originated, was the
caufe of his death ; for he was in fo languifhing a
condition when Sir William Kingfton, the lieu-
tenant of the Tower, came to the earl of Shrewl-
btiry's, to take him into cuftody, and attend him to
London, thar he was hardly able to walk acrofs the
chamber. This crrcumftance too of being4>ut into
the hands o£ the lieutenant of the. Tower gave a •
great (bock to his weakened frame.; for when the •
earl of Shrewfbury ordered Cavendilhto tell him
of Kingfton's arrival in the tenderefl manner,
that he might take it quietly, and without appre-
Keniion, the cardinal clapped^ his hands on his
tiiigh, and gave a great figh,. faying,. *^ I now fee-
**^wluit is preparing for me,.'* Which cxj^-effion-
D 6 fcems

60 THE LIFE OP

feems to deftroy the idea of his having pot*
fon^ himfelf; as it imported a dread of public
executioa« Hawever» ill and weak as he was* he
left the carl of Shrewibury's the following mom*
ingy and by gentle progrefs reached another feat
t>f his lordmip's that night.

Thus he continued diree daystnaking Ihortjour*
nies, by flow progrefs, till on the third at night
he arrived at Lekefter Abbey. Here the abbot and
the whole convent caine out to meet htm» receiv-*
ing him in the court with great reverence and re*
fpe£i ;' but the cardinal only fa4d» ^* Father Abbot,.
** I am come to lay my bones amotigyou;'' and
riding ftill on his mule, till he. came to the ftairs>
of his chamber^ he with much difficulty was
helped up and put to bed.

'I his was oh Saturday, the a5th of November^
and on the Monday following his illnefs was to
fi^ increafed, that it was the general opinion of
all his attendants he could not live long* Oor
Tuefday morning early, Sir William Kingftoa
went into his room, and aiked him how he had
rcfted.. The cardmal devoutly anfwcrcd, *• I only
wait the pleafure of Heaven to render my poor fouL
into tha hands of my Creator.** After this, being
about the ^pacc of an hour at confeffion, King«^
ftoii came to him a fecond time ; and thea WoIip
fey, finding his diilblution very nigh, ** I pray you-
*' (faid he) have me heartily recommended to his
•* royal majcfty, and befecch him on my behalf
** to call to bis remembrande all matters that have:
** paflcd between us from the beginning, efpc-
* * cially with regard to his buiinefs with the queen ;
" and then will he know in his confcience, whe-
*• tber I ha:ive offended him. He is a. prince of
** a moll royal carriage, an<l hath a princely
^* hearty and^ rather thaiThlaLe will mifs or wan^

4« a^y

CARDINAL WOLSEY. 6*

•* kny part of his will, ht will endanger the one half
** of, bis kingdom. Idoaflureyou, that 1 have
** oftcin kneeled before him> lometimes three
*' hours together^ to perfuadc him from his will
^' and appeute» but ceuld ndt prevail*. Had I
'^ but ferved God as diligently as 1 liave ferved the
" king, he would not have given me over in my
** grey hairs : but this is the juft reward that I muft
** receive for xosf indulgent pains and ftudy, not
•' regarding my fcrvioe to God, but only to my
" prince.. Therefore, let me advife you, if you-
•* be one of the privy-council, as by your wifdont.
** you are fit, take care whait you put into the
^ king's head ; for you can never put it out
** again." Adding, after a very fevere warning,
againft the Lutherans, *' Mr. Kingfton, farewell;.
*' I wifh all things may have good fucccfs ; my
" time draweth on faft." Having uttered thefe-
words, his fpeech failed him ; and> he died about
eight o'clock, the guards being called in to fee
him expire. Such was the end, on the 29th of
November, 1530, of. this famous prelate and=
flatefman. After his death he was laid in an oakea«
coffin, with his. face uncovered, that every one
might be permitted to view him ;* and, early in the-
morning on St. Andrew's da]r« he was buried iiu
the middle of one of the Abbey chapels*

The cardinal was, as to his pcrfon^. tall and^
comely, and very graceful in his aic and manner i.
But he had a blemifh in one of his eyes,, with a.
ifiew to bide which defeft, he was always painted-
in profile..

In his minifterial charafter he difplayed emi-
nent abilities ; and it is certain,, that during his
adminiftration he rendered England forrnidablo*
to all the powers of Europe. But it is as evident^
that in his foreign, negotiations he was often' in^
fluencedby his own private vie ws^

ft T H E L r F E OP

It has been^urged, as a ftrong prefamption it»
Wolfey's favour, that the Jattcr part of Henry's
reign was more criminal than that in which he
governed: ** but it may be doubted, fays Lord
Herbert, whether the impreffions he gave did not
occafion divers iiTcgularities which were obferved'
to follow: for he had made it a rute to fubmit*
implicitly to the king's pldafure, and had taught
him that pernicious doftrine, that no law had the
force to ^urb his prerogative, which increafed*
Henry's arbitrary difpofition."

In pro^rity, Wolfcy was proud, arrogant; and'
Itiughty ; in- adveVfity, mean, abjeft, and coward-
ly. His vices were of that caft which moft dif*
grace the facred charafter of a prelate* At the
iame time bis virtue* were of the public kind ; for
he greatly promoted and encouraged literature ; he.
patronized and cultivated the polite and ufcful arts -;
and he was, in genfral,^a liberal friend to the poor. .

Upoli the whole, he was a very great, but^far
ftom agood man.

*#* Juthoritus. Life of Wolfdy by. Sir Wil-
Ham Cavendifli, his gentleman • ufher ; British .
Biography, vol. II. Fiddes's life of WoHey»,
Lord Herbert's life of Henry VIII. Rapiu's audi
Hume's hiftories ofJEng^land.

Thb

SIR, THOMAS MORE. 6z
The life op

S I R T HO M A S M O R E.

[A. p. 1480, to 1535.]

THOSE authors, who are fond of recording
wonders, tell us, that tlie birth of this great
man was preceded by feveral ft range dreams
which his mother had during het pregnancy, por-
tending his future fortune ; but, without paying:
any regard to the legends of fuperftition, it may
-be affirmed, that his childhood aSbrded the moft
lively hopes of what his maturer years accom«
p]i(hcd. Of this we have a teftimony in the be-
haviour of cardinal Morton, archbifhop of Can-
terbury,, and lord Chancellor of England ; for
young Thomas More, being, according to the.
cuftom of thofe times, put into bis family for
education, his grace would often fay to the nobi-
lity who dined with him ; '* This boy who waits
^Z' at the table, whofoever lives to fee it, will
•' prove a marvellous man.'* -But not to dwelL
too long upon trifles : according to the beft ac-
counts, this excellent man was born in the year
1480, in Milk-ftreet,^ London; his father. Sir
Johii More, being then a gentleman of eftablifhed
reputation in the law, in which profeflion he af-
terwards brought up his, fon. He fent him to
Oxford in 1497, where he remained two years,
anU then removed to New-Inn, London ; and it
appears that Mr. More^ on his firft entrance on.
bufinefs, acquired great reputation at the bar;
though, taking an early diftafte to that way of life,
7 he

«4 THELIFEOF

ht fuddcnly retired to the Charterrhoufe, wlicrc^
giving hi mfelf up entirely to devotion, he remaiaedl
feciuded from the world no left than four years.

At this time, he had a flrong inclination, not--
^nly to take orders « but the vow of a Francifcan ;
but his father pcrfifting in his defign of makings
hira a lawyer, his filiai fuhmiiHon overcame his
fiiclination to the ecclefiaftical ftate. Another
motive might be his gay and lively temper, and-
an amorous inclination, hardly to be fubdued by
Ae ^ufteritles he pra£Hfed ; on which account^
dean Colet, his intimate friend and confedbr, ad-
vifed him to marry ; and accordingly he accepted
Ml invitation from Mr. Colt, of Newhall, to re--
fide fome time at Iris houfe This gentleman had-
three daughters^ and, in the coufe of his vifit,.
Mr. More took a liking to the fecond: but it i$^
l^markable, that on being urged bv the father to^
make choice of one of them for a wife, he
elpoufed the eldeft, merely for being fucn, that it.
might be no vexation or difgrace to her to be
palled by.. Upon his marriage witji this lady,
who lived with him. about fcvcn years,, he took a
houfe in BuckJerfbury, and began once again to
praftife the lawr But what greatly contributed ^
to raife his reputation was thia : Mr. More was
not full two-and-twcnty years of age, when be-
ing clefted member of the parliament, called by
Henry VII. in 1503* to demand a fubiidy, and^
nine fifteenths, for the marriage of his eldeft"
daughter, he had an immediate opportunity of.
difplaying his talents in the houfe. Fhe ma-
jority w«re againft this demand s but many of
the members, being afraid of the king's difplea- •
fure, made no oppofitioR: upon which our young '
lawyer got up, and argued with fuch ftrength and!
clearnei^ againft fo arbitrary an impoiition, thathis ;
xaajefty^s demaud'was^ iii the end^ rejected.. Mr^

Tyler,

SIR THOlvrAS MORE. 65

Tyler, one of the privy-council, who was pre-
fent when the fpeech was made, went immediately
to the king, and told him, that a beardlefs boy
had difappointed all his purpofe. A prince, tyran-
nical, and ayaricious like Henry, could not fait
to be much incenfed ;. and we are not to wonder
that he (hould be determined to be revenged on
the perfon who had prefumed to oppofe the fa-^
Yourite meafure of his reign, that of getting mo-
ney. However, as our patriot had only performed
his duty, for which the king could not call him to
account, he meanly revenged himfelf on Sir John,
his father, whom he ordered to be imprifoned in
the Tower till he had paid a fine of ah hundred
pounds. But young More, having received in-
formation from his friend Mr. Whitford, chap-
lain to Fox, bidiop of Winchcfter, .that the
court were laying fnarcs to enfnare him in hi*
praftice as a lawyer, thought^j^t prudoit to decline
;he profeffion, and lived retired till the king's deaths
This retirement, h<>wever, was of no^'real dif*
jKlvantage to him, as he employed his time in im-
proving himfelf in hiftory, mathematics, and the
belies lettres ; fo that when he emerged again from
cbfcurity,^ fcarcely any caufe of importance was
tried, in which both parties did not, attempt ta
retain him ; but he never would defend a bad caufe,.
for any fee whatever. His fir ft preferment was ia
the city, being made judge of the SherifPs court
in 15 10; and before hewas aftually engaged ia
the government fervice, he was twice appointed,
by the confent of Henry VIll. at the fuit of tha
Englifh ragrcliants, theiragent, in fome_caufeab€*
iween them and the foreign merchants of the-
Si»eUyard, in which he acquittied himfelf with
fuch diftinguilhed honour, that cardinal Woliey
lyas very folicitous to engage More in his majefty's
fcmce. But he was {q averfe to change the con-
dition

66 • THE L I F EOF

dition of an independent man, for that of a coup-
tier, that the minifter could not prevail ; and the
king, for the prefent, was pleafed to admit ofhii
excufes. It happened, however, fome time after^
that a great fhip of the pope's arriving at South-
ampton, the king claimed it as a forfeiture, upori
which the legate demanded a trial, with council
for his holinefs, learned in the laws of the king-
dom ; and, as his majefty was himfelf a great ci-
vilian, he alfo deiired it might be heard in fome-
public place, in the royal prelence. Henry acceded
to all this, and Mr. More was chofen council on
the fide of the pope ; whofe caufe.he pleaded with
fo much learning and fuccefs, that the forfeiture
which thecFOwn claimed was immediately reftor-
cd, and the conduft of the lawyer unrvcrfally ad-
mired and applauded. Indeed, it brought fo great
an addition to his fame^. that the king, would no
longer be ij^^ced-fay any intrcaty to difpenfe with.
bis fervice, and having, no better place at that
time vacant, he made him mafler of the requefts ;
"Conferred on him the honour of knighthood fooii
after ; appointed liim one of his privy-council; and
admitted him to the greateft perfonal familiarity.

it was a cuftom with the king, fays the author
of the Britifli Antiquities, after he had performed
his devotions upon holydays, to fend for Sir
Thomas More into his cipiet, and there confer
with him about aftronomy, geometry, divinity,
and other parts of learning, as well as affairs of flate.
Upon other occafions the king would carry hirrr
in the night upon the leads, at the top of the
palace, to be inflrufted in the variety, courfe, and
motions of the heavenly bodies. But this was not
the only ufe the king made of his new fervant.
He foon found, that he was a man of a chearful
difpofition, and had a great fund of wit and hu.-
mour : and, therefore^ his majefty would frequently

order

SIR THOMAS MORE. 67

erder him to be fent for, to make him and tl^c
queen merry at fupper. When Sir Thomas per-
ceived that they were fo much entertained with his
converfation, that he could not once in a month
get leave to fpend an evening with his wife and
children, whom he loved, nor be abient from court
,two days together, without being fent for by the
king, he grew very uneafy at this reftraint of his
liberty ; and fo beginning, by little and little, to
difufe himfelf from his former mirth, and lomewhat
to diflemble his natural temper, he was not fo or-
dinarily called for upon thefe occafions of merri-
ment. The treafurer of the Exchequer dying in
1520, the king, without any folicitation, confer-
red this office oil Sir Thomas More ; ajid within
three years after, a parlia^ient being fummoned,
in order to raife money for a war with France, he
was elefted fpeaker of the Houfe of Commons.

During the feffions, cardinal Wolfey was rauch
ofFended with the members of the Houfe of Com-
XDons, bccaufe nothing was ftid or done there, but
immediately it was blown abroad, in. every ale-
houfe : on the other hand, the members had an
undoubted right, as they thought, to repeat to
their friends without doors what had palled within*
It happened, however, that a confiderahle fubfidy
liaving been demanded by tiie king, which WoJfey
apprehended would meet with great oppofition m
the lower houfe, he was determined "to be prefent
when the motion fhould be made, in order to pre-
vent its being rejefted. The houfe being apprifed
of his refolution, it was a great while under de-
bate, whetlier it was beft to receive him with a
few of his lords 6nly, or with his whole train.
T he major part of the houfe inclined to the firft :
i3pon which the fpeaker got u"^, and faid, *' Gen-
tlemen, forafmuch as my lord cardinal hath, not
longfince, laid to our charge die lightnefs of our

tongues^

€» THE LIFE OF

tongues, it fhall not, in my judgement, 6c araiJ5«
to receive him with all his people ; that fo, if he
blame us hereafter for things Ipoken out of the-
houfe, \vc may lay it upon thofe that his grace (halt
Bring with him.'* The humour of the fpeaker'a
motion being approved, the cardinal was received
accordingly. But having fhewn, in a folema
fpeech, how neceflary it was for the king's affairs^
that the fubfidies moved for Ihould be granted, and
finding that no member made any anfwer, nor
ihewed the leaft inclination to comply with what
he alkedj he quite loft bis temper ; and with great
indignation laid, " Gentlemen, unlefs it be the
manner of your houfe, to exprefs your minds in
liich cafes by your fpeaker, here is, without doubt^
a furprizing obftinate filencc." He then required*
the fpeaker to give him an anfwer to the dc^mand
which he had made in the king's name. Upon
which Sir Thomas, with great reverence, excufed
their filence, as being abafhed at iheprefenceof fo
wcaitea a perltmage;, He-then proceeded to ihexr;
** that it was not agreeable to the antient liberty of
the houfe, to make an anfwer to his majefty's mef-
fages by any other perfon,how great foever, than
fome of their own members ;" and intheconclu-
fion, he told his eminence,. ** 1 hat though, as
fpeaker, he was the voice of the commons ; yet'
except every one of them could put their feveraF
judgements in his head, he atone, in, fo weighty a>
matter, was not able to make a fufBcient anfwer. '**
The cardinal taking offence at the fpeaker for this,
cvafive reply, fuddenly rofeupand departed : per-
haps his difpleafure was greater, becaufe he knew
that Sir, Thomas More had feconded the motion
when it was firft made : but though that fpirited
patriot thought the fubfidy abfolutely neceflary for
carrying on:thc war, he made adiftindtion between
the r^Ubnabte demands of the king^and the info--^

' . IqnccLx

'Sm THOMAS MORE, 6f

fence of his mipifter; and therefore played off
^his farce againft him.

f n confequence of this, however^ being a fcvf
Mdays after in Wolfey^s gallery at Whitehall, his
eminence compls^ined vehemently of the ill tre^t-
.ment he gave him ; and reproaching him for his
ingratitude, laid, " Would to God you bad been
at Rome when I made you fpeaker !** To whick
Sir 1 homas replied, " Your grace not offended, fe
would 1 too, for then I fhouldbavefeenanantient
and feraous city, which 1 liave longdefirod to vifit/*
And then, to divert him from his ill humour, he
began to command the cardinal's gallery, and
iaid, thathe liked it better than his other at Hamp*
ton-court. But though he thus put an end to his
^"eproaches, he did not cool his refentmcnt : for
afterwards, when the parliament broke up, Wolfey
perfuaded the king to name him ambai!ador to
Spain, purely with a viev^ of doing him a difcour-
tefy, by fending him into a country which he
lenew wcfuld be difagreeable to him. However
when his majefty mentioned his defign to Sir
Thomas, the knight took the liberty to remonftrate
fo ftrongly, yet fo modeftly againft it, on account
of the climate, that, with a candour and conde-
fcenfion not ufual to him, Henry was pleafed to
admit of his.arguments ; afluring him withal, th^
his meaning was not to hurt, but to do him good ;
and therefore he would thmk of fome other perfon
-for the embairy, and employ him another way^
Accordingly Aipon the death of Sir Jl. Wingfield,
in the year j ^^8, Sir Thomas More was appointed
•chancellor of the duchy of Lancafter, and at the
fame time admitted into fuch an high degree of
iavour with the king, that his majefty would
fometimes com^, without giving him any notice,
to his houfe at Chelfea, in order to enjoy liis con^
ver&tion \moxk common affaixs^

^ Be

70 THELIFEOF

He one day made Sir Thomas an unexpefted
vifitof this ibrt to dinnier, and having walked
with him in his garden for an hour, with his arnv..
about his neck, it was fuch a demonftration of
kindnefs and familiarity, that the king being gone, .
Mr. Roper, one of Sir Thomas's fons-in-Jaw,
could not help obferving to him, "How happy
he muft be, to have his prince diflingui(h him in
fo particular a manner." - To which Sir Thomas
replied, '* I thank our Lord, fon Roper, I find his
grace to be my very good matter indeed, and I
believe that he does as much favour me at prefent
as any fubjeft within this reahn ; but yet I may
tell thee, fon, I have no caufe to be proud of it ;
for if my head would win him a caftle in France
(with which kingdom Henry was then at war) it
would not feil to be ftruck off my fhoulders.*'

It was obferved of Sir Thomas More, that the
ignorant and the proud, even in thehighefl ftation,
were thofe people whom he refpefted the lead ;
but, on the other hand, he was a patron and a
friend to every man of letters, and held almofl a
continual correfpondence with ail the literati in
Europe. Among foreigners, Erafmus appears to
have had the greateft fhare in his love and confi-
dence ; and aftei: a feries of mutual letters, ex-
prefBng their efleem for each other, that great
man made a voyage to England, on purpofe to
>€njoy the pleafure of his converfation.

A ftory is told of their firft coming together^
Which would hardly deferve to be recorded, if it
were not related of two fuch eminent 4nen. The
perfon who condufted Erafmus to London, it
ieems, had fo contrived, that Sir Thomas and he
fiiould mc^t, without knowing it, at the lord-
mayor's table, in thofe days open at all times to
men of learning and eminence ; when a difpute
arifing at dinner, £i:afmus, in order to difplay his

learning,

-SIR THOMAS MORE. ft

Jeaming, endeavoured to defend the wrong fide of
the queftion ; but he was fo fharply oppofed by Sir
Thomas, that finding he had to do with an abler
man than he ever before met with, he faid, in
Liatin, with fome vehemence, " You arc either
-More, or nobody/* Towhich Sir Thomas replied,
in the fame language, with great vivacity, ** You
arc either E.rafmus, or the devil/* Upon this ec-
clairciflement, the friends immediately embraced ;
and afterwards, through the means of Sir Thomas,
Erafnrus was much carefled by the greateft men in
the nation.

It is remarkable, that of all the fervants and
favourites of Henry VIII. he never treated any
With fo much tendcrnefs and good-humour, as Sir
n homas More. 1 he anfwer which he made the
king on his defiring his judgemei^t with regard to
his marriage with queen Catherine does honour to
his momory. Clark and Tonftal, bifhops of Bath
and Durliani, with others of the privy- council,
having been ordered to confult with him, ** To
be plain with your grace," faid Sir Thomas,
*' neither my lord of Durham, nor ray lord of
Bath, nor myfelf, nor any of yourprivy-counciJ,
being ail your fervants, and greatly indebted to
yourgoodnefs, are in my judgenient proper coun-
iellors Tor your grace upon this point ; but, if you
plcafe to underftand the very truth, you may have
luch counfellors who, neither for refpeft of their
own worldly profit, nor for fear of your princely
authority, will deceive you ;'* and then he named
Jerome, Auftin, and feveral other antient fathers,
proauqing the opinions he had collefted out of
them. Notwithftanding the king did not approve
of whathatl paflfed. Sir Thomas always ufed fuch
difcretion in his coverfation with his majefty on
ihiis fubjeft, that, felf- willed as Henry was, he did
fiot take it ill of him, and foon after, intending to

proceed

72 THELIFEOP

■proceed no farther in his divorpe, he appointed Sir
Thomas, in 1520, together with Tonftalbiflxop
of Durham, his friend, ambafTadors to negotiate a
peace between the Emperor, Henry, and the King
of France. A peace was accordingly concluded at .
Carabray ; and Sir Thomas procured fo much
greater advantages -to the kingdom than were
thought poffible, that, for his eminent fervices,
the king, upon the difgracc of Wolfey, gave Sit
Thomas the great feal, on the 25th of Oftober^

5529-

Upon Ms entrance Into the office of chancellor,
a furprizing change was feen by every body : for
notwithftanding Wolfey's great abilities, yet,
fuch was his pride, that he would fcarcely look
upon ahy of the common rank, and it was diffi-
cult to be admitted into his prefence, without
bribing his officers and lervants ; whereas a man
now prelided in the Court of Chancery, who, th^
meaner his fuitors were, the more attentively
would he hear the bufinefs, and the more readiby
difpatch it. It is faid, that oneof his (bns-in-law^
Mr. Dauncy, found fault with him once, betweea
jeft and earneft, for this extraordinary conde«-
Icenfion; adding, ** You are fo ready to hear every
^* man, poor as well as rich, that there is n6
** getting any thing under you ; whereas, were
** you othcrwife, fome for friendfliip, fom^ fdr
/* kindred, and fome for profit, would gladly have
•* my intereft to bring them to you. I know 1
** fhould do them wrong if 1 took any thing from
** them, becaufe they might as readily prefer theit
■* fuits to you themfelves ; but this, though I
•* think it very commendable in you, yet to me,
** who am your fon, I find it not profitable.**
** You fay well, fon,*' cried the chancellor, ♦* I
am glad you are of a confcience fo fcrupulous, but
lliere are many other ways ^at I may do^ood t)»
* « , your«»

SIR THOMAS MORE, 73

yourfelf, and pleafure your friends ; and this be
aifured of, upon my faith, that if the parties wiU
call for juftice at my hands, then, though it were
my father, whom I love fo dearly, flood on one
fide, and the de^il, whom I hate fo extremely,
flood on the other, thecaufe being good, the devil
fhould have it." But as an indubitable proof that
Sir Thomas More would not deviate from juftice
in the fmallefl matter, for any confideration, the
reader may take the following inflance. Another
of his fons-in-law, Mr. Heron, having i caufe
depending, was advifed to put it into arbitration ;
but he, prefuming on his father's favour, and not
agreeing to this propofal, the chancellor, upon
hearing the caufe, made a decree direftly against
him. No fubpoena was iflued, no order granted,
but what he faw ; and having prefiJed in the court
of chancery about two years, fuch was his a[>{)liT
cation to bufinefs, that on a caufe being finiflied,
and his calling for the next that was to be heard,
he was anfwered, there was not one caufe more;
depending ; which he ordered immediately to be
let down on record.

When Sir Thomas More was lord chancellor,
his father. Sir John, was one of the oldefl jud.e;e3.
in tlie Kini.'s Bench ; and it was a very unufail
5ght in Weflminfter-Hall, to fee two fuch great
feats filled by a father and fon at the fame time^
There was another, however, ftijl more fur-
prifing; for, if the court of Ifing's-Bench was.
fitting, when the chancellor came into the HallV
be went iirft into that court, and there kneeling
^own, in the fight of every body, aflced his fa-
ther's bleffing :, and when they happened to meet
together at the reading? i 1 Lincoln's Inn, he al-
ways offered the prece('en:e to his father, though,*
on account of his ion's high dignity, Sir John as
conftajitly waved it.

Vol. I. E Thougk

"Tif THELIFEOF

Though living much at court, a chearful man'
and a man of bnfinefs, yet it appears that Sir
. Thomas More had a different fenfe of religion
upon his mind, from what courtiers and men of
tufinefs generally have. \Vc are told, in parti-
cular, that it was his<:onftant cuftom, bcfideshis
private prayers, to read the Pfalms and Litanv
with his wife and children in a morning ; and
every night to go with his whole family into the
chapel, and there devoutly read the Pfalms and
Colleft* with them. 'But becaufe lie chafe fome*
times to retire, e\'en from his family, andfequefter
liimfclf from the world, he built, .at fome diftance
from his maniion houfe, a gallery, library, and
chapel, where, as on other days, he fpent fomc
time in ftudy and devotion : fo on Fridays .he
continued there the whole day, employing it in
fuclv exercifes as he tliought might beft improve
liis mind in religious matters. The ^eat offices
which be heW, and which he always executed with
a fplendor fuitable to their dignity, obliged him to
keep many fervants ; but he never ftffered any of
them to be idle, that they might not acquire a habit
of floth, and to keep them from gaming, and other

Erufligatc courfes, of which idlenefs is the foufce,
.et nott however, the reader imagine from hence, .
that he was a four and fplenetic philofopher. On
the contrary, he was the farthcft from it in the
world ; and, in his hours of relaxation from bu*
iinefs, delighted in mufic, and other chafle amufe-
. ments. He was alfo a loyer of tlic polite arts, of
which we have an inftgince in his patronage of Hans
Holbein, the famous portrait-painter, who being
recommended to him by letter from Erafmus, the
chancellor kept him in his houfe till he had painted
the portraits of all his family. He then took oc-
cafion to fhew his pieces to the king ; when Henry'
was fo ftruck with the refemblances, that he afted

Sir

SIR THOMAS MORE. 75

Sir Thomas, if fuch an artift w^s alive, and to be
procured for money ? J"© which the generous pa-
tron repHed, by producing Holbein, who was im-
mediately taken into the king's fervice, in whict
,he died of the plague, in 1 554.

But having proceeded thus far in a panegyric,
.which truth and juftiot demanded of us, we muft
,fiow take the other fide of the queflion, and con-
fcfs, that, while Sir Thomas was adorned with ^
the gentleil manners, and the pureft integrity^ h«
ihewed, upon many occafions, a culpable averfion
to what he judged to be herefy ; which can only be
^Kcufed upon the principles of confcience, and his
general good charafter. In defence of the Romifli
iaith he wrote fevcral virulent books, in oppofition
to the propagators of the principles of the Reform-
Atibn ; which aft of zeal was fo acceptable to the
Englifli clergy, that, heing ailembled in full con*
vocation, they unanimoufly agreed to make him a
prefent of four or five thoufand pounds (equal to
thirty at this day) as a vecompence for his holy
labours. The fame being raifed by a general con^
tribution among them, three bilhops were deputed
to waituponhim in the name o/the whole body,
to tender their warmeft acknowledgements for the
fervice he had done the church ; and to intreat his
acceptance of the teftimony (lie offered of her gra-
titude. But what was the anfvyer of this great man
to thefe reverend fathers ? It would be an injury
to give it in any other words than his own. ** It
** is no fmall comfort to me," faid he, " that
** fuch wife and learned men fo well accepted of
^* my works ; but I never will receive any reward
-•* for thejn, but at the hand of God :'* and when
the bilhops, on finding he would npt by any
means touch the money, defired leave to prefent
it to his fiimily, ** Not fo, indeed, my lords;'*
replied he : *• I had rather fee it all c;^ into, the
E a . Thames

,76 T H E L I F E O F

Thames than that I, or any of mine, Ihould hav«
. a- penny of it ; for though your lordlhips offer is
very friendly and honourable to me, yet, I fet fo
much by my pleafure, and fo little by my profit,
that, in good faich, I would not, for a much
larger fum, have loft the reft of fo many nights,
as \va» fpcnt upon thefe writings ; and yet I wiftr,
upon condition that all herefics were fupprefled,
that all my books were burnt, and my labour
tntirely loft." 1 he prelates then faw that it
was in vain to urge him any farther ; fo with
much reluftance they carried the gold back^
and reftored, to their much aftonilhed brethren^
the fum which every individual had contributed.
It has been afferted by many hiftorians, that
Henry gave the great feal to Sir Thomas More,
purely with a view of engaging the opinion of a
man fo eminent for piety an'd learning, in favour of
-his divorce from queen Catherine ; for he thought,
after beftowing on him fuch a poft. Sir Thomas
could not with decency refufe it. But if thefc
w^eie really the king's fentiments, he knew very-
little of the perfon he had to deal with, and in the
end found himfeU miftaken. Sir Thomas always
vowed, that be thought the marriage lawful in the
figlitof God, fince ithad once received the fanftion
of the /^poftolic council ; for, though he.ftood
the tbremoft among thofc who were for aboiilhing
the illegal jurifdiftion which the popes exercifed
in England, he was far from wifhing a total rup*
ture with the fee of Rome, which he plainly pcr^
ceived was unavoidable, according to the meafures
that king Henry was then purfuing. All thefe
things confidered, Sir I'homas, knowing he muft
be engaged in the conteft, one way or other, on ac-
count of hrs office, by which means he muft either
offend his conference, or difoblige the king, n<ver
ceal'ed .olic.ting his great and in kimate. friend th^

d«ke
6

SIR THOMAS^ MORE. 77

4uke of Norfolk to intercede with his majeftyi-
tjhat' he .might deliver up the feal, for which,
tlirough.niany infinnities of body, he faid he was
no longer fit ; and being prefled fo often by him
tp tliis purpofe, the duke at length applied to the
King, and obtaiped permiffion that the chancellor
naight refign. ' But when he waited on Henry for!
that purpofe, the monarch> notwithftanding wliat
he: called Sir Thomas's obftinacy, with regard to
his great affair, exprefled much unwillingnefs to
part with fo ufcful a fervant; and,^ giving hinx
many thanks and commendations for his exGelleni
execution of a moft important truft, afliired him^,
^that, in any requeft he Ihould have occafion to.
make, which concerned eitl^er his interjeft or hisr
honour, he (hould always find the crown _ ready
tpaffift him. . I

. As Sir Thomas More had fuftained the office o£^
lord high chancellor, for above two years and a,
half, with the ,\itmoft wifdom and integrity, fohe;
retired from it with an unparalleled greatnels of
niind , not being able to defray the ucccffary ex^
p^ences of his private family, when he had divefted
himfelf of that employment. About the time of his
refignation, died Sir John More, his fether, iiV
a'verv advanced age, whom he often vifi ted and
comforted, in his illncfs, and to whom he ex-
prefled the moft filial affedlion in his lall mo-
ments. T his was an event, however, which brought
him a very dnconfiderable increafc of fortune, be-.
caufe thegreateft part of hisfather's eftate was fettled "
tipon bis fecond wife, who out-lived Sir Tho-\
ix;^ many years. . When he had delivered up the .
gfeat feal, he wrote an apology for himfelf, in which-
he declared to the publick, that all the revenues and^
penfions he had by his father, his wife, or his own
purchafe, exceptthe manors given him by the king,
il^d not amount to the value of fifty pounds a year^
E 3 Strang^'

7* THELIfEOF

-Strange it will appear in this age, that a privy
counfellor, who had filled fo many great ofSces'
for above twenty years, and had been all his life
a frugal man, Ihould not have been able to puy«
chafe an hundred pounds per annum. But fuch
was this excellent man's charity, and fuch bis
contempt of money, that in all that time he
made no provifion for himfelf, or family.-

The day after he quitted the chancellorfhip,
which his own family knew nothing of, he went
as ufual to Ghelfea Church, with his wife and'
daughter, and after mafs was over (it being cuf-
tomary for one of his gentlemen to go to his lady,
to tell her the chancellor was gone out of church) -
he went himfelf to the pew-door, and making
her a low bow, faid, ** Madam, my Lord is'
gone.'* But (he, knowing his humour, took
v^ry little notice of this : however, as they were
walking bo^e, he told her how matters really
ftood ; and ihe, finding he was in earneft, and^
being a woi Idly-minded woman, cried, in her ac*^"
cuilomed ^nanner*, ** Tilly vally, what will yoii
do, Mr. More ? Will you fit and makegoflings hi'
the coals ? Would to God Iwere a man, and you-
(hould quickly fee what I would do ! I would not
he fo foolifh to be ruled, where I might rule. ^'"'
To which Sir Thomas replied, *' By my faith,
wife, I believe you fpeak truth, for 1 never yet!
fou^id you willing to bejuled ;*' and then finding
fi^ult with her drefs, he changed the difcourfe.

The firft thing he fet about, after the furrendef
of his oifice, was^ to provide places ft>r all his gen-,'
tlemen and fervants among the nobility and bi^
Ihops, that they might not be fiifFerers through-
him. This being done to his fatisfaAion, he*
next, being no longer able to bear their expences
as he ufed to do, difpofed of his married chil-
dreu ii^ their pwa hpufes,^ l.qflcuing his faixiilyby ♦

4e-^

SIR THOMAS MORE. 79r

degrees, till' he could get it wilhin the bounds of
his fmall income, making, at the utmoft, but a*
little above one hundred pounds a year. Nor
had he, after his debts were paid,, an hundred
pounds in gold and filver upon earth, his chaiu«
and a few rings excepted.

Sir Thomas now refolved never to engage agaiiv
in public bufinefs. He gave himfelf up-to a do-
meftic life, in a retired manner, at his houfc ar
Chelfea ; but as he was well acquainted with, the
inconftant and cruel temper of the king, he ex-
pefted to be treated with rigour, and therefore he
prepared himfelf to meet with fortitude whatevcp
evils or fufferings might befal him.

The Coronation of Anne Boleyn being fixed for
the 31ft of May, 1533, Sir Thomas More was in-
vited to be prefent at the ceremony ; but this he
declined,' as he ftiil retained his opinion as to thc-
illegality of the king's divorce from queen Ca--
therine. This refufal exafperated the kin^ lo-
muchy that in the enfuing parliament a bill wa»
brought into the houfe of lords, attainting him>.
with feveral others, for countenancing and en-
couraging Elizabeth Barton, a pretended pro—
phetefs, llyled, ** The Holy Maid of Kent." '

This woman affirmed, that Hie had revelations-
from God, to give the king warning of his wicked*
life, and the abufe of the authority committed to
him. In a journey to the Nuns of Sion, Ihe called
on Sir Thomas More, and declaring her pretended;
revelations to him, he was brought in, by the king's
direftion, as an accomplice with her. He juftifiedi
himfelf, however, as to all the intercourfe he hadt
with her, in feveral letters to fecretary Cromwell ;
in which he faid, he was convinced Ihe was the
moft falfe diflembling hypocrite that had ever bceaj
known. But this availed him nothing, the king
being highly incenfed againit him ; and when Siff
£ 4 Thomas ^

So THE LIFE O F

Thomas defired to be admitted into the Houfe of
Commons, to make his own defence againft the
bill, liis majcily would not confent to it, but af-
tigned a committee of the council to hear him.
But the thief point intended was to prevail on
him, by fair words or threatenings, to give apr.b-
lick aiTent to the king's meafure ; to which pur-
pofe the lord chancellor Audley made a great pa-
rade- of his raajefty's extraordinary love and favour
to Sir Thomas. But the worthy knight, not. to

' be fhaken, after affuring the committee of the juft
icnfehe had of the king's goodnefs to him, told
them, *' That he had hoped he fhould never have
heard any more of that bufinefs^, fince he had, from
the beginning, informed his majcfty of his fenti-
ments with regard to it; and the king accepted them
not ungracioufly, promiiing, that he (hould never

. be molefted farther about it. However, he had
found nothing, fince thefirft agitation of the mat-
ter, to perfuade him to change his mind ; if he hadi
it wouki haA^c given him a great deal of pleafure.**
TheYi the lords proceeded to threaten him, telling
him, it was his majefty's commands they fhould
inform htrti, that he Was the moft ungrateful and
traiterous fubjeft in the world; adding, that he
had been the means of his majefty's publifhing a
book, in which he had put a fword in the pope's
hand to fight againft himfelf. This was Henry's
Jitmous book againft Luther ; but Sir Thomas
clearing himfelf of this charge alfo, and pretetting
he had always found fault with thofe parts of the
l?ook which were calculated to raife the power of
the pope, and that he had objefted againft them
to his majefty, the lords, not being able to make
any reply to his vindication, broke up the com-
mittee. Mr. Roper, feeing Sir Thomas ex-;
tremefy chearful at his return, alked him if his
fiaime was fltuck out of the bill of attainder, that'
- ■ be

SI R. T H 0-M.A.S* .M O R E. 8^

lie w^8 in Aich good fpirits. " I had forgotten
•* that,*' faid the knight ; *' but, if you would
f* k«ow the reafon of my* mirth, it is, that Ihave
*' given the devil fo foul a fkll to-day ; and gone-
V lb far with thefe lords, that, without great Ihamd-
^^ indeed, 1 can never go back.'*

As thedvike oif Norfolk, and fecretary CromwellJ.
had a. high efteem for Sir Thomas, they ufed their •
utm9fl; efforts to dilfuade the king from proceed-
ing on the bill of attainder; affuring him, that
^hey found the upper houfe were fully determined
to hear him in his own defence, before they would!
pafs it ; and, if his name were not ftruck out; it
was much to be apprehended, that the bill would:
Be rejeftedl But the king Was too haughty to fub*
mit to a fiibjeft, with whom he had entered the^
Efts, and too vrndiftivein his temper to forgive a^
nian who had been his favourite, and yet had dared:
to offend him i After talking, therefore, in a very,
high ftrain, he faid, that he would be prefenr
himfelf in the houfe when the bill (hould pafs ;,
thinking, no doubt, that the parUamentftood fo'
much in awe of him, that the lords would not-
then dare to rejeft it. The committee of the coun»-
cil,. however, differed from him ; and finding that:
uothing elfe would moderate the obftinacy and'
veheniencc with which he purfued this point, they^
fell on their knees,, and befought him to forbear ;)
telling him, *' That if it (hould be carried againfl^
him, in his own prefence, as they believed it would*
be. It would encourage his fubjefts to defpife him,,
and be a difhonour to him alfo all over Europe.
They did not doubt but they (hould be able to-
find out fomething elfe againft Sir Thomas,,
wherein they might fferve his majcfty with foracj
fuccefs; but in this affair of the Nun he was ^
univerfally accounted fo. innocent, that the world-
tliought hiitt-worthicr of praife, than of reproof.'"
■ ^ Ei W-ithA

: U THELIFEOP •

With thefe fuggeftions, cfpecially that of finditiy
fomething clfc againft him, they at laft fubducd
the king's obftinacy j and the name of Sir Tho-
mas More was ftnack out of the bill.

But it being now publicly knoilhi^ that he Was
as much, out of favour with the king, as he had
been in his good graces before, accufations poured
in againft him from every quarter ; and then it
was, that he found the peculiar advantage of hi$
innocence and integrity. For, if he had not al-
ways afted with the bigheft probity, fo that, in
all the offices which he went through he kept
bimfelf clear of every fort of corruption, the moft
trivkil matter would have been laid to his, charge,
in order to crufh him. Of this we have an in-
flance in the cafe of one Paniell, who complained,,
that he had made a decree againft him in the Court
of Chancery, at the fuit of Vaughan his adverfaryV
for which he had received (Vaughan being con^
fined ^t home with the gout)^ from the hands of
his wife, a great gilt cup, as a bribe. Upon thia
accufation, be was brought before the council, by
the king's dircdlion ; and beiiig charged by tlie
witncfs with the faft, he readily owned, that as
that cup was brought to him for a new-year*s»
gift, long after the decree was made, he had not
refufed to take it.

Sir Thomas Boleyn, now lord Wiltlhire, fa-
ther to the new queen, who profccuted the fuit
againft him, and v/bo hated him for not confenting;
to the king s marriage with her, wa-s tranfported
with joy to hear him own it, and haftily cried out^
*' Lo ! my lords, did I not tell you, that you
*' Ihould find the matter true?" Sir Thomas
More then defired, that as they had with indul-
gence heard him tell one part of the talc, fo they
would vouchfafe to hear the other raind this being
granted, he declared, *^ TEat'thoiigh, after much

fQ-

SIR THOMAS MORE- 8j

folicitation, he had indeed received the cap, and
it was long after the decree was made, yet he had-
ordered his butler to fill it immediately with' wine,
of :07hich he direftly drank to Mrs. Vaughan ;
and, when fhe bad pledged him in it, then as
freely as her hufband had given it to him, even fo^
freely he gave the famf to her again, to prefent
unto her hufband for his new-year's-gift; and
which fhe received, and carried back again, though •
with fome reluftance." The truth of this, the
woman herfelf, and others then prefent, dcpofed
before the council, to the great confufion of the
lord Wiltfhire, and to the difappointment of all.-
his other enemies*

Other accufations, equally groundlefs, were
brouglit againfl him, which lerved only the more,
fully to demonftrate his innocence and integrity.
But in. a parliament, which was called in 1534,
among many other afts which tended to abrogate
. the papal power, there was one to declare the,
king's marriage with Catherine againft the law of
God, confirming the fentence againft it, notwith-
ftanding any difpenfation to the contrary ; and.
eftablilhing the fucceffion to the crown of England ^
in the ifTue of his majefly's prefent marriage with »
queen Anne. There wasa claufe in thisaS, that
if any perfon fhould divulge any thing to the
{lander of this marriage, or of the ifTue begotten >
in it, or, being required to fwear to maintain the
contents of this aft, refufe it, they Ihould be ad^
judged guilty of mifprifion of treafon, and fuffer
accordingly : and, before the two houfes broke
up, that tbey might fet a good example to the
king's other fubjefts, all the members took the
oath relating to the fucceffion ; after which, conK-i
miffioners were fent all over the kingdom^ to ad-
minifter it to the people of every rank and dcnoi—
minatioa»

£ 6 la

»f T H E L I F E O F

In a (hort time after the brcaking-tip of the
parliament, there was a committee of the ca-
binet-council at Lambeth, confiftiug of the arch—
bilhop,. the lord-chancellor Audlcy, and fccrctary
Cromwell ; where feveral ecclefiaftlcs, but no
other layman, befides Sir Thomas More, were
cited to appear, and take the oath. Sir Thomas.
being firft called, and the oath tendered; to him
under the great feal, be deiired to fee the aA of
fucceflion which enjoined it ; and this being alfo.
ftewed him, he faid, *' That he WQuld blame-
neither thofe who had made the aft, nor thofc-
who had taken the oath ; but, for his own part,,
though, he was willing to fwear to the fucceffioa
if\ a form of his own* drawing, yet the oath which
T^as offered was fo worded, tliat his confcience '
ii€voited againft it, and he could not take it witb
fafcty to his foul." He offered, however, to fwear-
to the fucceflionof the ^rown in the iflue of the-
king's prcfent marriage ; becaiife he thought the
parliament had a riglit to determine that matter..
Mr. fecretary Cromwell^ who tenderly favouredi
him> and who knew tiie confequence of this de-
bate, when he perceived that Sir Thomas couldi
not be prevailed on to take the oath as it was.ten-
dfered,wfaw tliat his ruin would become inevitable;,
andi in his great a^ixiety, protefted with aaoatli,.
^^ That he had rather his- only ion. IhouJd have loiir
his head, .than that Sir Thomas More Ihould have-
refufed to fwear to the fucceflion :" and the con^
forence ending in this. manner, he was. committed?
to the cuftody of the- abbot of Weftrainfter for
four days- ; during which^ the king and his coun-
cil deliberated, what courfe it wars boft to take.-
with-hinii Several methods^ were propofed, but:
Henry would liften to none of them ; and, in the
and^ Sir Thomas. McJre. was committed prifoner.
ta the. Tower,, and indifted on the flatute*.

Hi&i

SIR THOMA-S MaRE. gy

His misfortune; made ib little impreflion upom
bis fpirits, that he retained his ufual -mirth. The-
lieutenant of the Tower had been formerly under
fbme obligation to him, and therefore apologized*
to him, that he could not accommodate him as he
wiihed, without incurring the king's difpleafure :
to which he replied^ ** Mafter lieutenant^ when^-
e.ver I find fault with, the entertainment you pro-
vide for me, do you turnmeout of door«»" When
Sir Thomas had been confined about a month, his '
favourite daughter was allowed to vifit him, and
afterwards his wife. As Ihe had not the magna-
nimity, and prol^bly not ib good & heart a& her
hulband, fhe remonflrated witk much^ petulince^
** Tilathe, who had been always reputed fo wife a^
man, fhould now fo play the fool, as to. be conr
tent to be Ihut up iaa clofe filthy prifon with rats,
and mice^ when he might enjoy his liberty and.
the king's favour, if he would but do as all the.
biihopd and other learned meahad done : and as-
he had a good houfe to live in, his library, his gal*
lery, his garden, and all other neceilaries hand*
fi^me about him, where he might enjoy himfelf \
with his- wife and cliildren, fhe could not conceive
what he meant by tarrying fo quietly in this im^
prifonnieut.'* Hfe heard her very patiently, and.
tlien aflced her in his facetious manner,. *' Whe-
ther that houfe was not as nigh to heaven a3<his.
own ?" which Ihe relenting, he added very fe-
rioVifly, '* That ha faw no great caufe for fo.
much joy in his houfe^ and. the things about it,
which would fo foon forgetits mafter, that, ifhe,
were under groutid but feven years, and. came to.
it again, he fliould find thofe in it who would,
bid him begone,, and tell him it was none of his*.
BefideS, his ftay in it was fo uncertain, that as he
would be but a bad merchant, who would put
lumfelf in danger to lofe eternity,, for a thoufand.
• , years;.

86 THELIFEOF

, years ; fo how much more, if he were not fare to
enjoy it one day to an end ?*'

Sir Thomas had now been a prifoner in tlie
Tower above a year, and the king had tried eveiy
expedient to procure his approbation of his di«
vorce, and fecond marriage; that be might avail
himfelf of the example of a man fo famous for
his wifdonx; learning, and religion, but in vain.
The knight had efpoufed the caufc of queen Ca-
therine, upon a principle of confcience, and
therefore he always withftood Henry upon that
point with a iirmnefs becoming his chara£Ver,
The affair of the king*s fupremacy was no lefs a
matter of confcience to him than the other ; but,
as the ftatute which ena£ted it had made it trea-
fon to write or fpeak againfl it, he obferved a
filence in this refpcft, conformable to the law ;
but he refufed to acknowledge it with an oath :
wherefore the king, being determined to get rid
of a man who had given him fo much trouble,
and of whofe virtues and popularity he ftood in
awe, gave orders that Sir Thomas More fhould
be brought to his trial.

In confequence of this, on a day appointed,
he was conveyed in a boat from the Tower to *
Weftminfter-hall. So long an imprifonment had
much impaired his ftrength ; he went, therefore,
leaning on his ftafF from the waterfidc ; butthough
his countenance cari led the marks of weaknefs and
infirmity, it had the fame air of chearfulnefs,
which always fat upon it in the days of his
profperity. He was tried by the lord chancellor,
and a committee of the lords, with fome of tho
judges, at the bar of the King*s-Bench. When,
the attorney-general had gone through the charge
againfl him in the indidment, in the moll viru-
lent manner, the lord chancellor faid to hini, in
which be was feconded by the duke of Norfblk,

SIR THOMAS MORE. 87

*' You fee now, how grievoufly yon have of-
fended his majefty; neverthelefs, he is fo mer-^.
cifal, that, if you will but leave your obftinacy,
and change your opinion, we hope you may yet
obtain pardon of his highnefs for what is paft.** '
To this he replied with great refolution, ** That
te had much caufe to thank thefe noble lotds for
this courtefy ; but he befought Almighty God,
that^ through his grace, he might continue in
the mind,, he was then in, unto death.*' After
this, he went through bis defence upon every part
qf the indiftment with great ftrength of argu-
jiient, powerful eloquence, and an aftonifhing
prefence of mind.

The principal evidence againft him was Mr.
Rich, the folicitor-general, who being called and
fworn, depofed, that when he was fent, fome time
tsefore, to fetch Sir Thomas More's books and
papers from the Tower, at the end of a conver-.
fation with him, upon the king's fupremacy, on
Mr. Rich's owning, on a cafe put by him, that
rio parliament could maUe a law that God Ihould
not be God, Sir Thomas replied, *VNo more
can the parliament make the king fupreme head
of the church." When the folicitor-general had
given this evidence to the court on oath, the pri-
foner, under a great furprife at the malice and
falftiood of it, faid, *' If 1 were a man, my lords,
that did not regard an oath, 1 needed not, at this
time, and in this place, as it is well known to you
all, {land as an accufed perfon ; and, if this oath,
}dv. Rich, which you have taken, be true, then I

fr^y, that I may never fee God in the face ; which
would not fay, were it otherwife, to gain the
whole world.** Uponwhich^ the folicitor not be-
ing able to prove histeftimonyby witheffes, though
he attempted it, tliat allegation dropped.

But,

8» THE LIFE OF

But, unhappily for Sir Thomas, he lived in the
days of Henry VIII. whofe will was a law.ta
judges, as well as juries • notwithftanding, there-,
fbre, the evidence againft him proved notorioufly.
.falfe ; yetthejury,,to their eternal reproach, founi^
him guilty. They had no fooner brought in tlieir
verdifl, than the lord- chancellor Audley, ifs tha
mouth of the court, began immediately to pro-
nounce the fentence ; but the prifoner Hopped him
fliort with tliis modcft rebuke : ** My lord, when
I was towards tlie law, the manner in fuch cafes-
was, to alk the prifoner, before fentence, whether
lie could give any reafon why judgment Ihould.
not proceed againft hini ?" Upon this, the chancel-
lor had tlie grace to ftay, and aflced Sir Thomas*
what he was able to allege. But if a jury could>
not be moved by what he had faid in defending,
liimfelf againft the charge in this indiftment, there,
could be little hope, that judges would be influ-
enced to wave their fentence by what he Ihould
fky againft the matter of tlie indiftment itfelf.
However, whether the exceptions he made, were
too ftrong to be anfwered ; or whether the chani-
cellor began at this time to feel fome little com^-
punftion, or had reafon to be afraid of the po-^
pular clamour, if he took the condemnation of the
prifoner entirely upon hinifelf ; after Sir Thomas
had done fpeaking^ he turned to the lord-chief-
juftice, and afked him his opiaion openly before,
the court, as to the validity of the indiftment,.
notwithftanding the exceptions of the prifoner..
The anfwer of the chief juftice, whofe name was-
Fitz- James, is fomewhat remarkable : *' My lords
«li, by St. Gillian, I muft needs confefs, that if
the aft of parliament be not unlawful, then in my
confcience the indiftment is not infufEcient.'*
Upon this equivocal exprcflion, the lord-chancel--
lor faid to the reft, **l-o, my lords ; lb, you heai^

what.

SIR THOMAS MORE 89=

what my lord-chief- jufticc faith ;" and, without
waiting for any reply, proceeded to pafs fentcncc,
** That Sir Thomas More Ihould be carried back
to the Tower of London, and from thence be
drawn on a hurdle through the city to Tyburn,
there to be hanged till he was half dead ; after
that, cut down, yet alive, his private parts cut off,
his belly ripped, his bowels burnt, his four quar-
ters fet up over the four gates of the city, and his
head upon Londoiv bridge.'*
" This Ihocking fentence filled the eyes of many
with tears, and their hearts with horror. Then the
court telling Sir Thomas, that, if he had any thing
farther to fay, they were ready to hear him, he
ftood up, and addreffed hirafelf to the court, in a
manner that (hews him to. have been a primitive
Chriftian and true philofopher, however he might
be blinded hi other refpefts by Romifli fuperfti-
tion. ** I have nothing," faid he, ** farther to fay,
my lords, but that like as the blefled apoftle St.
Paul was prefent, and confcnted to the death of
Stephen, and kept their cloaths who ftoned him
to death, and yet be they now both twain holy
faints in heaven, and (half continue there friends
for ever ; fo I verily trull, and (hall therefore riglit
heartily pray, that thotJgh your lordfhips have'
now been judges on earth to my condemnation,
we may yet hereafter all meet together in heaven,^
to our everlafting falvation : and fo I pray God
preferve you all, and efpecially my fovereign lord
the king, and fend him fiaithful counfellors/'

Having taken his leave of the court in this noble
manner, he was conduded from the b?.r to the
Tower, with the axe carried before him in the
ilfual manner after condemnation. But, when he
came to the Tower-wharf, his favourite daughter,
Mrs. Margaret Roper, thir>king this would be the
laft opportunity .fhe fhouldeveF have, wais waiting-

thore

90 THELIFEOF

there to fee him. As foon as he appeared, (he burft
through the throng and guard, which furrounded
him, and having received his blefling upon her
knees, Ihe embraced him eagerly before tliem all,
amidft a flood of tears, and a thoufand kiffes of
tendernefs and afFeAion. Her heart being ready
to break with grief, the only words that flic could
utter, were, ** My father, oh my father !*' If
any thing could have (haken'his fortitude, it mud
have beecn this : but he only tool^ her up in his
arms, and told her^ *^ That whatfoever he (hould
** fuffer, tho' he was innocent, yet it was not
•* without the will of God, to whofc blefled plea-
•* fure flie fliould conform her owo will ; that flio
** knew well enough all the fccrets of his heart,.
** and that flie muft be patient for her lofs.'* Upon
this (he parted from him ; but fcarcely was (he
turned aiide, before her paflions of grief and love
became irrcfiftible, and fhe again fu^denly broke
through the crowd, ran eagerly upon him the fe-
cond time, took him round the neck, and kung
upon him with her embraces, ready to die with;
forrow. 1 his was rather too much for man to
bear; and though he did not fpeak a word, yet
the tears flowed down his checks in great abund-
ance, till flie took her laft embrace, and left him.
After he had lain a few days under fentence of
death, preparing his mind, by prayer and medita*
tion, for tlie ftroke which was to follow ; one of
the creatures of the king made him a viiit, with
an intent to perfuade him, if poflible, to comply
with bis majefly's will, and to change his mind.
Sir TUiomas, wearied at laft with his nonfenfe and
importunity, in order to get rid of him, told him,
** That he had changed it;" which words were
no fooner out of his mouth, than the courtier,
pluming himfelfupontbe merit he fliould have in
Dringing Sir Thpmas More to the point which his

maiefty

SIR THOMAS MORE, 91

msyefty wiihcdy and fo man^ others had tried in*
Vain, went in great hafte and joy to inform the;
king. Henry, howerer; was not without appre*
henfions of a miiiake :. be ordered the meflenger
of the news, therefore, to return immediately to
the Tower, to know in what particulars the pri-
foner had changed his mind ; - when he had the.
ifKortification not only to be rebuked for his im*
pertinent officioufnefS) in telling his' majefty every
word Sir Thomas had faid, even in jeft ; but alfe-
to learn that he had changed his mind no other-.
wife than this, ** That whereas he intended to be
fhared, that he might appear to the people as he
wals wont to do before his imprifonment, he was
now;, fully refolved that his beard Ihould fhare the
fame fatd with his head.'* In confideration that
he had borne the highcft office in the kingdom,
his fentence of being drawn, hangcid, and quar-»
tereJ, was, by the king's favour, changed into
beheading ; and when he was informed of it, he
faidy with his ufual mirth, " God forbid the king
flipuld ufe any more fuch mercy to' any of my
friends ! and God preferve my pofterity from fuch
favours!"

On the 5th of July, 1535, Sir Thomas Pope,
his intimate friend, came tq him from the king,
very early in the morning, to acquaint him that he
,was to be executed that day at nine o'clock, and
therefore that he muft immediately prepare himfelf
for death. However, if his majefty intended to
ihock or affright him by this Ihort warning, he
loft his aim fo entirely, that the prifoner faid to
Sir Thomas Pope, " i moft heartily thank you for
yoiar good tidings ; I have been much bound to the
king's highnefs for the benefitof his honours that
be hath moft bountifully beftowed upon me, yet.
r am more bound to his gtace, I do affure you,
fox jputting me here, where I have had convenient

timft

92 ' T)ftE LIFE OF ■ ^

time and fpace to have* remembrance of my end j:
and (fo help me God!) mofVof alM am bound
unto him, that it hath pleaftd-his majcfty £» Ihortly
to rid me out of tlie ihiferiesof this wretched
world*" His friend then told him, that his ma-
jefty's pleafurc'ifarther was, that he (hould notufe
many words at his execution : to which Sir
Thomas anfwered, *' You do well, Mr. Pope, to
give me warning of the king's pleafure herein, for
otheiwife I had propofed, at that time, to have
fpoken fomewhat, but no matter wherewith his -
grace, or any others, fhould have^caiifcJto be of*
fended: howbeit, whatfoever I intended, I am
ready to conform myfelf obediently to his highr-
nefs's command ; and I befeech you, good Mr.
Pope,' to be a means to his majefty, that my
daughter Margaret may be at my burial." Being
told that the king had already confented that his
wife, and children, and any.of hisfriends,'inight
have the liberty to be prefent at it, he added, *• O
•how much beholden then am I to his grace, that
unto my poor burial vouchfafes to have fuch graci^
ous confideration !" Sir Thomas Pope having
thus difcliarged his commiflion bad his friend,
adieu, with many tearsi ^^^ with much commiifera-
tion ; but the prifoner deiired him to be comforted .
wi|:h the profpeft of eternal blife, in. which >they7
fhould live and love together ; and to give him an;
impreffion of the eafe and quret of his own mind,t
he took his urinal in his hand, and calling his :
water, faid witli his ufual mirth, ** I fee no danr'
ger but'that this man might live longer, if it had
pleafed the king." ^ ..

As fopn as Sir Thomas Pope had left him, lie?
drefled himfelf in thebeft cloaths he had, that his
appearance might exprefs the eafe and complacency
which he felt within. The lieutenant of the Tower
•bje^ting to this gencrofity to his executioner^ who :

was

SIR, THOMAS MORE. ^

was'to have !ai^ ctoafhs, Sii* Thomas afFured him^
^' if it was doth of gold, he Ihould think it well
:beitowed on. him who was to do him fo lingular ^
benefit.'* Btit the licutenaat, who was his friend,
^preiled him Very much to change his drefs ; and
-Sir.Thonias^ being very unwilling to deny him fo
/mall a gratification, put on a gown of frize ; and,
-of the little, moaey that he had left, feiit an angel
ito the executioner, as a token of his good will. .
: >And now the fatal hour being come, about nine
o'clock he was brought out of the Tower, carry^
ing a red crofs in his h^nd, and often lifting up
-his eyesito. heaven. A wotpa{i meeting him with
^ cup>of M^ne, he refufed it, faying, ** Chrift at
his paflion drank no wine, but gall and vinegar/*
Ai^other woman ednle crying, and demanded fome
papers Ihe faid fhe had left in his hands when he
was lord chancellor ; to whom he faid, ** Good
woman, have patience but for an hour, and the
king will rid me of the carcf I have for thofe pa-
pers, and every thing elfe.'* Another woman toU
lowed him, crying, he had done her much wrong
•when h6 was lord- chancellor ; to whom he faid,
" I. very well remember the caufe, and if I were to
decide it now, I fliould make the fame decree.'*
When he came to the fcafFold, it feemed ready to
fall; whereupon he faid, merrily, to the lieutan^
ant, *' Pray, Sir, fee me fafe up ; and as to my
coming down, let me fliift for myfelf." He then
defired the people to pray for him, to bear witnefs
that he died in the faith of the catholic church, a
faithful fervant to God and the king. He re-
peated the mifrere pfalm kneeling, with much
devotion ; and the executioner alking him for-
givenefs, he kilTed him, and faid, " Fluck up thy
Ipirits, m:tn, and be not afraid to do thine office ;
my neck is very Ihort, take heed therefore thou
ftrike not awry, for faving thine honefty/' Lay-
ing

44 T H E L I F E, &C* ^

ing his hedd upon the block, he bad the executioner
ftay till he had put his beard afide, for that had
committed no trealbn. At one blow of the axe
his head was then fevered from his body. ,

Such was the tragical end of Sir Thomas More»
whofe great accomplilhments rendered him an or-
nament to his country, and who for his integrity,
his fortitude, his incorruptible fpirit, and gene-
rous contempt of riches and external honour^, was
'^qual to the moft celebrated charaders of ancient
Greece or Rome.

His perfon was of the middle fiature, and well
proportioned, his complexion fair, and his coTin«
tenance chearful, exprefling the temper 'of hi<
mind. Jf».

His Utopia is his moft celebrated work ; but
he alfo wrote the hiftory of king Richard the
Third, which has been publiflied both in Latin
and Englifh. He wrote many other pieces ; but
they are now little known, being chiefly in dc*
fence of the Roman catliolic religion.

*^* jfutherities. Life of Sir Thomas More, by
Mr. Roper, in the Mufeum, Harleian MSS.
>f o. 7030. Hoddefdon's life of More. Dr. War-
ner*s ditto. Biog. Britan. Britilh Biography
vol. IL Jortin's life of Erafinus.

The

Bishop FISHER, ^f

m >m . ■ « ■ I ■ . . ■ .... ■ _ ■ ■ ' »■■ - - ■

\

The Life of

JOHN FISHER^

BISHOP of ROCHESTER*
[A.D. 1459, to 1535.]

THE memoirs of this illuftrious prelate are
fo clofely conneded wirh thole of Sir
Thomas More, that the omiffion of fome account
of a fcUow-fufferer in the fame caufe would not
only create a chafm in the hiftorical events of the
reign-of Henry VHl. but might miflead the reader
into an opinion, that Sir Thomas was the fole
viftim to the king's difappointment and rage
on the contefted points of his divorce and fu-
premacy. -

John Fisher was the fon of a merchant of
Beverly, in Yorkfhire, where he w^s born in the
year 1459 ; and his father dying while he was very
young, the care of his education devolved to his
mother, who being informed of the difpofition he
difcovered for learning, while under the tuition of
a prieft of the collegiate church of Beverly, refolved
to bring him up to the church, and with this view
fenthim to the univerfity of Cambridge in 1484*
In 1 49 1, he was admitted mafter of arts ; and in
1495 was appointed one of the proftors of the
univerfity, and clefted hiafter of Michacl-houfe,
a the

96 JOHN F 1 S H E R^

i '

the college in which he had been educated. In
1501, he went through his public excrcifes for the
degree of dodor in divinity with Tuch uncommon
credit^ that his reputation was thereby con(ider»-
bly increafed, and he was honoured with the of-
fice of vice-chancellor of the univerfity.

At this time, prince Arthur, the eldeft fon of
Henry VII. was living; and prince Henry (after
wards Henry VIII. )t being defigned for an eccte-
fiaftic, was put under the tuition of Dr. Fifh^,
who by this favourable opportunity was introduced
to Margaret, the famous Countefs of Richmond,
and mother of Henry VII. a lady eminent for her
piety, her exemplary virtues, and her literary ta-
lents. The countefs foon difcerncd the great merit
of Dr. Filher, and in confequence appointed him
^o be her chaplain and confeiTor, in which ftation
he fo entirely gained her efteem, that in all her
worldly as well as fpiritual concerns (he afted
under his advice and direftion. The univerfity
of Cambridge foon reaped the benefit of her confir
denceinhim; for in 1502, by Fifher's recommen-
dation, the countefs founded two perpetual divi-
nity leftures, one at Oxford, and theotherat Cam-
bridge. Of the latter Dr. t ifher was appointed the
firft divinity piofeffbr. In 1504, he was promoted
to the fee of Rochefter; and it is greatly to his
honour, that, though it was the lead valuable of
any of the bifhoprics at that time, he never would
change it for a better.

On the igth of June, 1509, death deprived the
good prelate of his and the public's royal benefac-
trefs, whofe numerous afts of liberality, all cal-
culated to ferve the caufe of piety and literature,
have tranfmitted her memory to the prefent gene-
ration. Amongft many others, her foundations
of Chiift's and St. John's colleges in Cambridge
are lading monuments of her well directed n^uni*

fi^cence.

BwHo? of ROCHESTER. 97

licence. She lived to fee the firft pcr&fted in
15089 and the latter \vas completed under the pi«
ous care of the bilhop of Rochefler in 1 5 1 6« This
illuftrious lady, who by her birth, and her mar-
riage with the earl of Richmond, was related to
thirty kings and queens witliin tlie fourtli degree
of blood or af&nity, often declared, that <* oa
condition the princes of Chriftcndom wojild com*
bine themfelves, and m^rch againft their common
enemy the Turks, flie would moft willingly attend
them, and be their laundrefs in the camp.**

The bifliopof Rochefter, in 1512, was nomi-»
nated to attend the lateraa council at Rome, as it
lippears by the archives of St. John's College ; but
it is nioft probable, that the infpeftion of the two
Seminaries of learning founded by the countefs of
Richmond prevented the journey, even after he
had obtained letters pf recommendation to th^
moil eminicjnt men in Italy ; though fotne have
afTigned this event to a difgufi taken by cardinal
Wolfey to our pious prelate, who at this time
openly exclaimed againft the cardinal's pomp
and haughtinefs, at a fynod of bifhops. Fifher,
however, continued in favour witli the king till
1527, which it is not likely he would have done,
if Wolfey had marked him out as a dangerous
enemy.

In that year the king qu^flioned Fiflier con-
cerning the validity of his marriage with queen
Catherine ; and the bifliop, with his ufiial free--
dom and integrity, declared it to be legal in tlie
fight of God and man, from which opinion he
never would depart; and fuch was the fame of
his learning and probity in foreign countries, that
Henry found himfelf more embarrafled by the de-
ference paid to the bilhop's decifion, than ev^n by
the. procraftinations of the court of Rome. He,
therefore, now began to withdraw bis favour from

Vol. I. F , his

98 J O H N FI S H E%

his old preceptor^ and moft probably to meditate
his deftru&ion. r

(Jn the firft occafion that offered, the courtiers,
as ufual, began the quarrel for their mafter.' In
the parliament, which met Npvember 3, 1529, a
motion was made in the houfe of lords, for fup-
preffing the leffer monafteries, which the bifhop
^ pppofed with much warmth, when the duke of
iNJorfolk very tartly reproved him, faying, ** My
lord of Rochefter, many of thefe words might
have been well fpared : but it is often feen, that
the greateft clerks are not always the wifeftmen."
To which Fifher fepUed, ** My lord, I do hot re-
member any fools in my time, that have proved
great clerks/*

But another circumftance 'created the bidiop
many enemies, which was hi^ violent zeal againft
l-uther and his followers ; for, not content with
preaching againft this reformer, he wrote a vin-
dication of king Henry's book, entitled, An afi
Jertion of the fpuen facraments againft Martin
'Luther ; which had been fairly refuted by Luther ;
but for which the pope liad given the king the
title of *• Defender of the Faith •/' ** A title,'*
fays Mr. Horace Walpole, ** which, by a lingu-
lar felicity in tlie wording of it, fuited Htnry
equally well, when he burned Papifts or Pro-
tcftants, — it fuited each of his daughters Mary
and Elizabeth,— it fitted the martyr Charles, and
the profligate Charles, — the Romifli James, and
\he Ualvinift William, — and at laft feemed pecu*»
iiarly adapted to the weak head of high-church
Anne."

The bifhop likewife, in conjunfVion with Sir
Th-mias Mare, feized ail the books of Luther-
anifm, as well as thofe containing any of the^
d6£i:rincs of the Wickiiffites or Lollards, and
pinilihcd thofc in his dioccfe who followed the ~
* errors,

BwHOP of ROCHESTER: 9f

errdrs, &$• he called then], of thofe arch^herctics
WicklifF and Luther.

' la 1 5 JO,' he was twice in very imminent hazard
of his lite. One Richard Roufe camp into the
kitchen, and, while the bifbop's cook went out
to fetch him fome drink, took that opportunity to
put poifon into the gruel, which was preparing
for the family dinner, fortunately for the bilhop,
he was indifpofed and did not eat of the mefs ; but
of fcventeen perfons who partook of it, two dicd^-
and the reft were never reftored to perfeft heahh.
Upon thisoccafion, an ait of parliament was made,
which declared poifoning. to be high treafon, and
adjudged the offender to be boiled to death. And
that fevere puniihment was accordingly infliftcd
upon Roufe in Smithfield ; but the aft. was afterT "
wards repealed. The other danger which the
bifliop efcaped proceeded from a cannon tullet,
which, being (not from the other fide of the
Thames, pierced through his houfe at Lambeth
Marlh, and came very near his ftudy, where he
ufed to fpend the greater part of his time. Upon
which, apprehending there was a defign againft
his life, he retired to Kochefter.

In the year 15J1, vihcn the queftion of giving
the king the title of Supreme Head of the Church
was agitat^ in the. convocation, the bilhop op^

J)ofed it in the ftrongeft terms ; and, when ,hc
bund it likely to pafs, he moted for an* amend-
ment, by adding thefe words> ^' In fo far as is
lawf^jl by the law of Chrift /' and thefe word^
being accordingly annexed by the votes of a noa-r
jority, -Henry was highly exafperated againft
Fifher, and from this time, bis agents fought ail
opportunities to ruin. him. The biftiop top foon
gave them an opportunity ; for he was on^ of the
,many deluded perfons who gave credit to thp
pretended trances and holy infpiraMOixs of the
F 2 'Maid

40a J O H N F 1 8 H E R,

Maid of Kent. Amongft other things, flie pro-
' pheiicd, diat if riie king perfifted in the divorce^
and .married another wife, he would not long fur-
vive it. The bifliop, Who warmly efpoufed the
caufe of queen Catherine, confented to an inter*
xourfe with her : upon which fecretary Cromwell,
who was his firiend, apprifed him of his dangner^,
advifcd him to defift from his imprudent encour*
' agement of this impofture, and to write to the king
acknowledging his &uk, and iaiploring his par*
don ; but, infteadt>f this, the bimop avowed his
belief of the piety and integrity of the Maid of
Kent. Cromwell renewed his remonftancea
againft his condud in afecond letter; and tol<l
|>Tm, that, if he was brought to trial, he would
certainly be found guilty of mifprifion of treafon.
The bimop was accordingly afcerwards.tried, and
with five others found- guilty of having concealed
from the king the fpeeches Elizabeth Barton had
made relative to his majefty/ He was condemned
to forfeit his goods and chattels to the king, and
to be imprifoned during his pleafure ; but he
•was relcafed, on paying a fine of 300/. As for
the Maid of Kent, fhe and the monks her ac*
complices were executed at Tyburn, where flic
eonfefled her impoHures, and a carnal intimacy
with the monks, who, Ihefaid, had impofedupoiil
her ignorancew

' During the fame icffion of parliament, in which
thofe who had countenanced this woman were at*
tainted, the a£t was pafled annulling the king's
lAarriage with Catherine, and confirming his
marriage with Anne Boleyn; and an oath was taken,
by both houfes, of allegiance to the heirs of the
king's, body by his moft dear and entirely beloved
laWraiwife queen Anne begotten, and to be.be-
gotten, ^c* Infiead of taking this oath, the
bifhop withdrew to his houfc at Rochefler^ wberp

in

Bishop of ROCHESTER- ^ lO^

In about four. days he received orders from, the
archbiihop of Canterbury to attend him anchtlie
other commiffioners, who were ai^thorifed toad-
miniftcr the oath at Lambeth. He appeared to
the fummons, butj after confidering the oath five
days, abfolutcly rcfufcd to take it, and was there^
upon committed to the Tower oi\ the 26tli of
April, 1534.

The general concern expreflcd by perfpns of the
£rft rank in the kingdom^ . for the imprifonment
of * this worthy prelate, induced the principal
members of the king's. council to yifit him in tlie
Tower, and to ufe their utmoft endeavours to re-
concile him to the oatb> but in vain. All that
they could obtain from him was, that he would
fwear allegiance to the king» and to thefucceiSpni
but not to the illegality of the marriage with queen
Catherine. In this tcfolution, Fiflicr, and his ilr .
iuftrious £;ilow>prifoner Sir Thomas More, re*
mained inflexible r at the iame time keeping up a .
friendly correfpondence by letters, animating each
other to perfevere in obeying what they adjudged to
ht the law of God^ in preference to the king's
will and pleafure. ArcHbifhop Cranmer was the
only man in the. council who declared it as his
opinion, that it would be prudent to accept their
conceiltons with refpe£t to the fucceffion, without
troubling them onthe other points y for fo great
an opinion had the archbiihop of their influence,
that, in his letter to Cromwell upon this occafion^
he writes, •* if they once fwear to the fucceiliont
it will quiet the kingdom^ for they acknowledging
it, all other perfons will acquiefce and fi^bmit to
their judgments*" But the king, who made it a
rule to (hew no mercy to thofe who oppofed hh
arbitrary will, as foon as the parliament met in
November 1554* took care to have him attainted
for refuiing the oath required by tlie a£t of fucr
F 3 ccffion^

102 J O H N F 1 S H E R,

ceflioh, and his blfhoprick was declared void from
Yhe 2d of January, 1535. During his confine-
itient, he was treated very unkindly by the king's
exprefs orders, being hardly allowed the neceffiiries
of life. It is highly probable, the tyrant expeSed,
that ill ufage, combining with old age, would
feavc taken him off in the courfe of a year's ioi-
prifonment, and have fpared him ti^^e Ihame of
putting to death his venerable tutor. But the
vigour of his conftitution furmounting all hard-
ships, the royal barbarian was obliged to have re-
courfe to the meaneft of all ftratagems to accom-
plifh his deilruftion, which he had vowed from
the inftant he received the news that pope
Paul III. in confideration of his eminent piety,
his learning, his liberality to tlie univerfity of
Cambridge, and his ikithfal attachment to his re-
ligion, had created him a cardinal, by the title of
Cardinal Pri^ftof St. Vitalis. This event happened
in^ May ; arid Henry was fo exafperated, tliat he
llriftly prohibited bringing the hat into his domi-
nions, -which was thereupon Itopt at Calais ; at
the fame time, Cromwell was fcnt to the Tower,
to found the bifliop upon this fubjeft, and to
difcover it he had foljcited this new honour.
JFifher, who was totally ignorant of what had
palled, upon having this queftion putby Crom-
well, '* My lord of Rochefter, what would you fay,
if the pope Ihould fend you a cardinal's hat ; woutd
you accept ii ?'* immediately made the following
modeft- and artlcfs reply, " Sir, I know myfelf to
be fo far unvvorthy of any fuch dignity, that I
think of nothing lefs ; but if any fuch thing ihould
happen, affure yourfelf I (bould improve that fa-
vour to the beft advantage that I could, in affift-c
ing the holy catholic church of Chrift, and in
that rtfpcft I would receive it upon my knees."
When this anfwer was reported to Henry, he ex-
J * . claimed

BisHOF of R O CH E S T E R. loj

claimtd with great vehemence, ** Yea, is he fo
Infly ? Well, let the pope fend him a hat when he
will, mother of God ! he (hall wear it on his
ihoulders then, for 1 will leave him never a head
to fet it on." The fnare was now laid to deftroy
the unfortunate biOiop : the folicitor Rich was
ient to the Tower from the king, to draw him into
diicourfe upon the fubje£b of the fupremacy. He
accordingly reprefented to Fifher, that the king,^
for the better fatisfaftion of his own confcieiice,
had fent him privately to know his opinion con«
cerning it ; aflnriug him, at the fame time, in tlie
name of his royal mailer, that no peril of trouble
fhould enfue from declaring his free fentiments.
On this afliirance, the bifhop declared to Rith,
that the. title was unlawful, and that the kin^
could not take it, without endangering his foul.
Inconfequence of this declaration, lie was brought
to trial; and it was produced, in evidence againft
him by Rich, that he had denied that the kiiig
was fuprcrae head, on earth, of the church of
England : this was afhrraed to be high trcafon. It
was in vain, that the bilhop related the confiden-
tial manner in which Rich came to him ; and that
he pleaded his right to give his advice when com-
manded in the name of the king ; very juftly ob-
ferving, that the ftatutc mentioned malicionjjy de-
nying, which could by no means be conflrued to
affeft him- All his arguments were loft upon
a court and jury, a£king under the influence of a
mercilefs tymnt. Sentence of death was -pafled
upon him on the 17 th of June, in* the ufual form ;
but, by warrant from the king, it was changed to
decapitation. '

After his condemnation, his tehaviour was con;-

fiftent with the great charafter that he had always

maintained. It was pious, rcfolute, and chearful,

neither repining at the manifeft injuftice of his*

F 4 fentcnce,^

L

104 B I S H O P F I S H E K.

fcntcncc, nor courting applaafe by exulting at
the approach of the crown of martyrdom. On
the 2 2d of June, the lieutenaht of the Tower
informed him, at five in the morning, that ht
was to fuiFer tliat day ; and it is remarkable, that^
after thanking the officer for his intelligence, he
flept very found for two hours : after which he
rofe with unufual ncatncfs, obferving to his fer*
rant, that it was his marriage day/and calmly rt^
ligned himfelf to his hard fate. He was fo ex«
trcmely weak, that the warders of the Tower were
obliged to carry him in a chair to the fcafibld on
Tower-hill, were he was beheaded, and the next
day his head was fixed upon London-bridge.

Thus fell, in the 77* year of his age, this
moft eminent prelate ; whofe tragical death left a
foul blot on the judicial proceedings of this king*"
dom. He his reprefented to us, with refpefl; to his
perfon, as a very tall, comely, robuft man, but
greatly emaciated in the decline of life. His cha-
rafter has been already given ; but theteftimony of
Erafmus is too confiderable to be omitted ; hfe
fays of him, that " he was a man of the higheft
integrity, of profound learning, incredible fwcct*-
nefs of temper, and uncommon greatncfs of foiil.**

He was the author of feverkl theological and
controverfial trafts in Latin and Englifh, of no
repute in the prefent times ; but his opinion of the
king's marriage, in a letter to T. Wolfey, printed
in the collefltioiiof records at the end of the fecond
volume of Collier's Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, merits
the notice of the curious.

♦^* Authorities Biog. Britan. Bailey's life
of Fifher. Walpole's catalogue of royal and
noble Authors, Burnet's hiflory of the Reforma-
tion, l^c.

The

EARL of ESSEX^ 105

The Life of
THOMAS CROMWELL^

E A R L OF E S S E X. '

[A. D. 1498, to 1540J]

THE Pcrfians have a feblc written by one of
their moft cdebrated poets, in which the
pine tree, and the cotton flirub, are brought to-
gether, difpnting the pre-eminence. The tree
claims it on accotint of its height and upright
pofition, and reileAs on the cotton (hmb, as con*
tempttble, on^account of its diminuttvenefs. But
the Hirub gets the better in tiie argument, in con«
fideration of its valuable produce ; thereby con-
veying this moral : ** That men are not to be
cftcemed according to their birth, or appearance,
but according to the excellence of their qualities ;
and a$, in the former of thefe lights, the memora- '
ble peribn we are about to treat of will be held
among the meaneft ; fo, in the latter, where aftions
alone are confidered^ he will undoubtedly be rated
among the moft exalted of our Englifli worthies.
Thomas Cromwell was the fon of ablackfmith,
and bom at Putney, in the county of Surrey,
about the year 1498 ; in which place he received
all the education he ever had, being taught to read ^
and write at the parifh fchool ; where he acouired
Latin enough to underftand his Creed and Pater-
nofter.- It appears, however, that, in his latter
days, his fafHier turned brewer ; and that, upoa
F 5 Us

I

ie6 CROMWELL, r

his mother's being left a widow, {he married a
fecond hufband, who was a (beerman in Lon*
don ; but this pcrfbn's name is no where recorded,"
neither is there any certainty as to th^ Chriftian
name of Cromwell's own father^ .

It cannot be fuppofed, that the fon of fuch pa*
rents could have a very confiderable inheritance ; ^
aad, indeed, it is morally certain that Cromwell
derived nothing from his, befides a robuft and
healthful conftituition. However, as he grew up^
finding in himfelf agreat propenfity to travelling,,
he went into foreign countries ; and, if we may
credit Mr. Lloyd, author of the Britifh Worthies^
was retained as a clerkor fecretary to the Englifb .
faftory at Antwerp. But that office being too great
a confitiement, he ardently wifhed for {in oppor-
tunity to get rid of it ; and, in 1 5 10, one offered,,
which fuited w.i4!h the bent of bis inclinations.

There had been, for many years, a famous guild
of our lady, in the church of St. Botolpb, at
Boiloain Lincolnfhire, to which feveral popesrhad
gi:ai>t€d very confiderable indulgences ; and, itk
thofe days, of ignorance aiul fuperftition, fuck
things wer^ fb highly valued by the people in gene-
ral ,^ Si^t the fiiiers and brethren "of the guild wefa
•very aaxious to have them renewed by Julitis IL
who then prefided in. St.. Peter's chair ;' for whicl^
purpofe they difpatched two meflengers to Rome^
v'ith a large fvuii of rponey,. to be diftributed, by
them, as they (hould find their intereft requirecL
Thefc taking.Antwerp in their route, there became
acquainted wirii Mr. Cromwell; and, perceivings
he was- much better qualified to- obtain vvliat they
djfired from the court of Rome than they wera,
tljcmfelvcs. they prevailed oa him to acco|npany
them. thitheK. 1 he cojifequence of this uiiioa
wasi very favourable. Cromwell coming witK.
tibem to Rome^ immediately: fet. about enq^uiring;

iatfli

EARL of ESSEX. lo^

Jnte the charafter of the reigning pontiff; and'
finding that he was a very great epicure, he de-
~ termed to a\-ail himfelf of that foible, in order to
procure the grant which his companions fought
for. Accordingly, having caufed lome very curi*
©us jellies to be made, after the Englifh fafliioh,,
then unknown in Italy, he prefented them to the
pope ; and thefe , delicacies fo highly pleafed tlic
holy father, thatj without hefitatiofi, he grantejt
Ao the Englifii commiflaries the indulgences whith
they required.

After this tranfaftion, the account of Crom-^
well's conduft in Italy is* very imperfeft. We
only know, that, during his ftay in that countrjr^
he ferved under the famous duke of Bourbon^
being prefent at the facking of Rome ; and that he
aflifted John Ruflel, efq. afterwards Sir John, and
carl of Bedford, in making his efcape from Bblog;
na, when he was m danger of being betrayed in*
-to the hands of the French, while he was tr'anf-
afting a fecret commiflioh for his mafter, king,
Henry VIII. and by his good office he acquired^
friend who was of great fervicc to him on his re-
turn to England. It is faid, that Cromwell, iii\
' his journey to and from Rome, gave a wonderful
inftance or his extraordinary application and tne--
mory,,by learning a new tranflation of the Tefta-
ment, juft then publifhed^ undfer the direftion of'
Erafmus, by heart. But there is an inftance of
his gratitude, which, ' though it . happened fomo-
years after, we nxuft not omit to mention in thif.
place, as it will throw a great light updii his cir-
cumftances, while he travelled, or rather wandered
Bp and down, upon the continent.

After the defeat of tlie French arlny at Cafti-

glioni in Italy^ Cromwell wa» red\iced* to, the ut-

moft poverty and diftrefs,. being deftitute of the

common neceflkries of life ; ia which deplorable

V 6. conditio (iL

ic8 CR OM WELL,

condition he arrived kt the city of Florence, ttcrc
one iFrefcobald, a very rich anci eminent merchant,
meeting Cromwell one day by chance, and ob*
ferving he was . a foreigner in diftrefsi enquired
into his circumftances. On finding that he was
an ingenious and deferving man, he was fo wrought
upon by compallion for the fufferings of his fel*
low, creature, and generous regard for merit, that
he not only equipped Cromwell with cloaths, but
made him a prefent of a horfe, and iixteen ducatis
in gold, to defray bis expences into his own coun*
try. Frefcobald, being afterwards reduced to
poverty, came over to England (inhere he had
confiderable dealings), in order to recover the fum
of one thoufand five hundred ducats, which were
due to him from feveral perfons. Cromwell, who.
was then become a lord, finding him out, affiAed
him in the recovery of his due, and not only re-
paid him the fix teen ducats above-mentioned, but
gave him fixteen hundred more, to make up bis
former lofles.

Thus, we fee, by whatever means our adven-
turer contrived to get abroad, he was but very
little the better for it, with regardtb his immediate
circumftances ; yet may itbe trulyfaid, thatCrom-
well, in his travels^ laid the foundation of that
fortune which he fubfequently enjoyed. For being
a man of great diiigehcfe, and having a nat^i^ in-
clination for ftate affairs, he took care to IllfbYiH
himfelf of the feveral laws, cufloms, and govern-
ments, of the nations he had vifited ; and acquired
fo perfeft a knowledge of the German, French,
and Italian languages, that, when he came back
into England, he could fpeak them fluentlv, and
write tli'em with correSnefs. Thefe valuable ac-
complifliments foon recommended him to the
notice of cardinal Wolfey ; and we find Cromwell
was in that miaifter*s fervicc in 152a ; who, on
I account

EARL 6f ESSEX. 109

account of his great abilities, and equal induftry,
made him his folicitor, and frequently employed
bim in affairs of the utmoft delicacy and impor-
tance. Cromwell was the cardinal's principal
inftrumcnt in founding the two colleges at Oxford
and Ipfwich 5 as he was, alfo, in fupprefling the
fmall monafteries which Henry VIII. allotted for
the completing and endowing thofe feminaries.

But nothing does fo great an honour to tht
melnory of Cromwell, as his fidelity and gratitude
to his mailer Wolfey, when that miniller felllnto
difgrace, to whom he never failed in the fmalleft
circumftance of afFe£tion and relrpe£t, but got into
parliament (in thofe days a thing not very difficult)
purpofely to defend his caufe againft his enemies :
and he did it with fo much ftrength of reafon and
eloquence, that no treafon could be laid to the
cardinal's charge. By this means, indeed, Crom-^
well'derived great advantages to himfelf ; for
Henry, ever on the watch for able people to ferve
him, without confidering what they might be in
other particulars, took notice of a fervant, who
could fo boldly and fuccefsfully aflert the caufe of
his degraded mailer, and, upon the dillblution of
the cardinal's houlhold, took Cromwell into his
own fervice, though not without the additional
recommendation of Sir Chrillopher Hales, mafter
of the rolls, and Sir John Ruffd, already men*
tioned, who had reprefented him as the fitteft per-
fbn to manage the difputes which then iubfifted
between the king of England and the pope; and bet-
ing thus introduced at court, he foon acquired a
confiderable fhare of the king's favour and con«
£dence« '

Cromwell, in his, religious fentin^nts, was
known to be a favourer of the Reformation ; and
having already been acceflary to the demolition •
of fome religious houfes, his enemies, and the
clergy in particular, loudly exclaimed againll his

promotion ;

tio C R O M W E L U

promotion ; but. inftead of endeavouring to wia
them over, be foon widened the breach, by male-
ing the king acquainted with an important fecrct
relpefting them, which he had difcovered while hie
was at Rome. The. new favourite told his majefty,
that his authority was abufcd within his own
realm by the pope and his clergy, who, being
fworn to him, were afterwards difpenfed from their
oath, and fworn a -new to the biftiop of Home;
fo that he was but half their king, and they but
half his fubjefts ; which, as Cromwell juftly oh-
fervcd, was derogatory to his crown, and altogcf-
ther prejudicial to the common laws of his king*
dom ; declaring withal, that his majefly might ac-
cumulate to himfelf great riches, nay, as much as
all the clergy in England were worth, if heplcafed
to take the occafion which now oflFered. This
wasapropofal thekingreadilyliftenedto ; and, ap-
proving entirely of his advice, heafked Cromwell
if he could confirm what he faid ; whoanfweredi
he could) to a certainty ; and thereupon (hewed
his majefty tlie bath which the prelates took to the
head of the church at their confecration ; wherein
they fworc to help, retain, and defend, againft all
men, the popedom of Rome, the rules of the
holy fathers, the regalities of St. Peter, &c.

It is eafy to conceive how agreeable fuch a dif-
covcry, which promifed a new fource of wealth,
muft have becnto Henry. Accordingly, iathetranf-
port of his joy> he embraced Cromwell, and, that
no time might be loft, the convocation being then
fitting, he took the' royal fignet from his finger,,
and fcnt Cromwell with it, to acquaint the clergy
that they had all fallen into a pretnunire. The
new minifter^ thus deputed from the J^ing, placed*
Jbin;ifelf among the bilhops, and filence being com-,
manded, after enlarging upon, the extent of the
xeglil authority, and the obedience due to tliat^ and'

tha

E A R L of E. S S E X. m

the hws of the kingdom, he told them,, that the
clergy had violated both, by acknowledging the
legantine pd^er of Wolfey in England, and by '
their oaths to the pppe, which were contrary to
the allegiance they had fworn to their fovereign,
whereby they had forfeited to the crown ail theif
goods, chattels, lands, pofleffions, and livings.
The bifhops, hearing this, were not a little
frightened and aftonilhed, and at firft attempted to
cxcufe themfelves, and deny the faft : but, after
Cromwell had (hewn them the. very copy of the
oath they took to the pope at their confecratibn»
the matter was fo plain, they could fay no more
againft it : fo, to be quit of the premunire by aft
of parliament, the two provinces of Canterbury
and York were forced to make the king a prefent
of one hundred eighteen thoi^fand eight hundred
and forty pounds.

This tranfadt ion happened in the year r^j-i ^
aud Ctomwell, foon after, had the honour of
knighthood conferred upon him, was made maf-
ter of the Jewel Office, with a falary of fifty
pounds a year, and fworn into the privy- council.

Haviilg thus obtained a confiderable degree of
confidence and authority in the cabinet, he ftrenu-
oufty exerted his influence m parliament, and
with the king, to forward the Reformation. The
parliament favouring his defigris, in 1532 an aft
was pafled againft levying the annafes ox fir fi fruit s\^
a tax impofed by the court of Rome, for confirm*
ing the inftitution to benefices, and the confecra*
tion of bifhops. And in 1553, another aft war
paffed againft all appeals to Rome in caufes cog-
nizable in the Engiilh ecclefiaftical courts. As a *
reward for thefe fignal fervices, which increafed
the regal authority, Crpmwell was made clerk of
the Hanaper, and chancellor of the Exchequer.
;6 Ift

xia CROMW£LL,

in I j34 Sir Thomas Cromwell arrived at ^he \
fummit otmmifteriaL power in thofe davs. For he '
was made principal iecretar j of ilate, with which
office he held that of maAer of the RoUs ; and at .
the fame time be was ele&ed chancellor of the
univerlity of Cambridge. To complete his good
fortune, Anne Boleyn, who was an avowed friend to
the Reformation, having been folemnly crowned
i queen of England; this event produced an open
ruptuTe with the court of Rome, Henry being ex-
communicated for not adhering to the papal deci-^
fion in fovour of the marris^e with Catherine*
Our proiberous ftateman wanted only fuch a vio*
lent meaiure, to juftify thpfe that he propofed to
take for the total fuppreffion of the papal autho-
rity and infiueiKe in England. Accordingly, this
year, the parliament enacted, that all payments
to the apoftolic chamber fhould be a1>oIilhed ; that '
all monafteries ihould be fubje^ to the viiitation .
and government of the king alone ; the law for
punifhing heretics was altered in their favour ;
and it was declared to be no herefy, to fpeak or
write againft the pope's authority : in theie regu-
lations the convocation likewife concurred.

The following year Sir Thomas Cromwell was ^
appointed Viiitor General of all the monaileriesi '
and other religious communities throughout Eng-
. land ; and as this office was of too extenfive a na-
ture to be executed by. him in perfon, he nomi-
nated fundry commiinoners under him, who have
been charged, by the Roman writers, with great .
excedes and cruelties in the exercife of their com- ^
tniffions. But no credit is to be given to tiie. le-
gends of the monks or their partilans^ who would
not fail to blacken the charaAers of thofe who
openly expofed the fcenes of infamous lewdnefs,
fraud, and oppreffion, pradifed in the religious

houfcSy

E A R L of *£ S S E X. nj

houfes, which were a dt(bonour both t&religioft
and humanity.

The king, from the informations daily laid be*
ibre him concerning the fcandalons lives of the
monks and friars, judged it neccflkry to fhew that
Cromwell enjoyed his entire confidence and ef«>
teem ; he therefore gave him the cuftody of the
privy feal on the iecond of July, 1536 ; on the
ninth of the fame month, he was noiade a peer, by
the title of lord Cromwell, baron ofOkehamia
Rutlandlhire ; and on the i8th ho was advanced
to a new dignity, unknown in the kingdom before
this time, and which may be properly ftyled the
higheft and the firft under the Reformation. He
was confljtuted Vicar-General and Vicegerent over
all the fpirituality under the king, noW declared
*• Supreme Head of the Church." This high of-
fice gave him precedence next to the royal family t
it fubmitted all ecclefiaftical caufes to his junf^
di£tion i and gave hinli a feat in the convocation^
AS the king's reprefentative, above the archbifhops.
« A moft unfavourable event however had taken
fltct only a (hort time before Cromwcirs eleva*
tion to this important office, which might have
■proved fatal. to the Reformation, if Henry's hopes
of gain from the fuppreffion of the nionafteries
had not overcome his inward attachment to the
Romifh faith* Queen AnneBolcyn had fallen a
Ti£tim to his infatiable luft ; for having indulged a
paffion for Jane Seymour, a lady of ftrift virtue;
who would not liften to him on any other terras
but thofe of afcending the throne, he encouraged
an accufation of incontinence brought againft the
queen, founded folely on fome perfonal levities in
her conduft ; upon which charge (he was tried, un*
juflly condemned, and tyrannically put to des^h on
the 19th of May, 1536 i and, that no doubt might
remain of tlie real motive, the king was married

the

n4 CROMWELL,

the very next day to Jane Seymour, daughter of
Sir John Seymour, and one of the late queen's at-
tendants*

This revolution revived the hopes of the Popifh
party, and obliged loid Cromwell to proceed with
great caution in the exercife of the powers of his
new oflSce. However, he ventured this year to
publifh fome articles of religion which differed in
many eflenlial points from the Roman catholic.
Seven faciaments were received in the church o£
Rome ; but the new'articles mentioned only three,
namely, baptifm, penance, and ttie eucharift.*
The Bible, the Apoftle's, the Nicene, and the
Athanafian creeds, were made the ftartdards of the
religion of the ftate, and the'doftrine of purgato-
ry was declared to be doubtful. The clergy were
likewife enjoined, by the vicegerent, to preach up
the king's fupremacy, and to prevent offerings of
- incenfe and kneeling to images, left the vulgar
ibould be led away by idolatry and fuperftition.

His next care was to encourage the ttandatioii
of the Bible into Englifli; and, when accomplilhed;
he ordered st copy to be provided in every pa*
Tilh, at the expence of the minifter and the pa-
rifhioners, and to be placed in tlie churches, for
the infpeftion of pcrfons of every rank, as well lay*
men as clergy. Parents and guardians of youth
were likewife ordered to teach them the Lord's
prayer, the creed, the ten commandments, in
their mother tongue.

As .thefe raeafures direflly ftruck at the root of
the Romifli religion, and menaced its fpeedy ex-
tirpation, a formidable party, headed by the Po-
pifti clergy, excited infurreftions in different parts
of the kingdom ; and the rebels of Yorkfhire had
the infolence to demand, that lofd Cromwell
fliould be brought to condign punifhment, as one
of the fubverters of the good laws of the realm ;

but

E A R L 6f E S S E X. 115

but tfaefe diilurbancesy being quelled, were £0 fat
from aiienati,ng the affection of the king from him^
that, in the year 153,7, ^^ * farther token of hi«
cfteem, his majefty conftitutcd him chief juflicc
itinerant of all the forefts beyond Trpnt; and, on
the 26th of Auguft, the fame year, he was inftalled
knight of the garter, as alfo dean of the cathedral
- church of Wells. In the following year, he ob-
tained a grant of the caftle and lordftiip of Oke-
ham, in the county of Rutland, and was made
conftable of Carefbrook caftle in the Ifle ot
Wight ; and, as he had been fo inftruraental ia
pulling down the raonafleries for three years to*
gether, the king amply rewarded him for tliat fer-
vice, in the year 1539, ^^^^^ many noble manors
and large cftates, that were formerly the property
of thpfe diflblved houfes ; and likewifc advanced
him to the dignities* of earl of Effcx and lord
high chamberlain of England.

Cromwell's acceptance of thefe great honours
drew upon him an additional weight of envy and
ill-will : for there were then alive feveral branches
of the noble family of Bourchier, the laft earl of
Ei&x, whovbroke his neck by a fall from a young
unruly horfe ; and thefe might juftly think that
they were entitled to the dignity of the late earL
The office of lord high chamberlain too had been
for many years hereditary in the ancient and hon-
ourable family of the de Veres, earls of Oxford ;
fo that, upon the .de^th of John de Vere, lord
chamberlain, the heirs of it could not but bo
highly incenfed againft a pcrfon fo meanly defcend-
cd, fordepriving them of what their anceftors had
fo long enjoyed. Add likewife, that, on the fartic.
day that lord Cromwell was created earl of Eflex,
Gregory his fon was, by his intereft, made baroa
Cromwell of Okeham ; he being on the 1 2th of
March, 1540, put in commiffion with others to
fcU the abbey lands at twenty years pyrchafe;

which

u6 CR O M W ELL,

4¥hich was a thing he advifed the king fo db, sr
the fareft way to ftop the clamonrs of the people^
to conciliate their ai^dions,' and bring them to an^
acquiefcence in the difTolution of the monafteries^
Lord Cromweirs profperity had been hitherto^
uninterrupted ; but fuch is the uncertainty^ of hnw
man events, that his ruin was occaiioned by air
unhappy precaution he took to fccure his power ?
and the greater his exaltation, the more fudderp
and fatal was his fall. Iii the year '1537 *^
queen Jane Seymour, two days after the birth of
at prince, afterwards Edward VI. and Henry hav-
ing overcome his real grief for the lofs of this fa-*
vourite wife, in the year 1539, began to turn hii=
thoughts upon a German alliance ; and, as the^
Lutheran princes were extremely difgufted againft
the emperor, on account of the persecution of
their religion, lie hoped, by matching himfelf into
oneof thofe families, to renew an amity which h»
regarded as ufefal to him. Cromwell joyfully Se-
conded this motion ; and perceiving that fome of
his bittereft enemies, particularly Stephen Gardi*
ner, bilhop of Winchefter, began to be more ih»
£ivour at court than himfelf, he exerted his utmoft
endeavours to bring about a marriage between the
king and Anne of Cleves ^' for he imagined that a.
que^n of his own making would powerfully Sup-
port his intereft ; and, as the friends of Anne of
Cleves were all proteftants, their intereft would
allift him in deftroying that of the popifh faction,
now prevailing again at court. But when Henry
faw this princefs, concerning whofe perfon he had
been deceived by a flattering pifture, he declared flic
was a great Flanders maf e, and he could never bear
herany afFeftion. He married her, however, which-
Cromwell thought would be the means of reconcil-
ing him to her ; but when he came, foil of anxi- ^
om xxpe£tatiou the^ morning after t)u nuptials,

to

E A U ^ rf :E S S E X. uy

^te miqairc how the king fpund his bride, he bad
the mortification to be told, that his maje^y hated
lier worfe than eiter ; that he was refolved never to

xohabit with her, and even fuipeAed her to be no
maid. However, Henry continued to be civil to the
new queen, and even feemcd to repofe bis ufual con*
£dence io Cromwell ; but though he exerted this
command over bis temper, a difcontent lay litijC'-

^ng in his breaft, and was ready to break forth oa
the firft opportunity 1 nor was it long before fuch
a one of&red as euabled him at once to gratify his
reientment, and ingratiate himfelf with the public.
^ The mcanncfs of Cromwell's birth had rendered
him odious to all the nobility ; the Roman catho*
lies detefied him, for having been fo aftive in the
diilblutloa of religious houies ; and bein^ encou-
raged by the.duke of Norfolk, ^d Gardiner, bi-

V ihop of Winchefter, they railed fo violent a cla-
mour againft him, that Henry, who was now as
ready to hearken to his accuters as he was before
^eaf to them, finding that feveral articles were
ready to be brought againft him, refolved to facri-
^e him to that revengeful party^ whofe favour he
ivas now courting on another account ; which was
A fcheme he had planned, to marry Catherine
Howard, the duke of Norfolk's niece, if by any
means he could procure a divorce from the prin-
cefs of Cicves ; which Norfolk and Gardiner un**
4ertook tp accomplilh, if they were once fairly

. *id of CromweU. Accordingly, the duke of Nor-
folk obtained a commiffion to arreft the earl of
Eflex at the council board, on the loth of June^
i J40, when he did not in the leaft fufpefl it. He
was carried from the palace to the Tdwer, with*-
out knowing his acculer^, or the crimes of which
he was accufed ; yet^ from his.firft commitment^
he made no doubt of a dcfign being laid fCgainu

hifi

ti8 C R QM W E L L,

his life, becaufe the duke of Norfolk had always
■ been bis profefTed enemy.

On the 17th of the fame month, a bill of at-
tainder againft him was brought into thelioufe'of
lords. He was accufed of hercfy and treafon ; of
fftting perfons at liberty, convifted of mifpriiion
of treafon, without the king's afient; of receiv- •
ing bribes ; and of having granted* licences to carry
corn^ money, horfcs, and other things out o^ *
the kingdom, contrary to the king's proclamation*
But what fufficiently mewed the fpiritof the party,
was -a charge of having difpejrfed many erroneous
bpoks among the king's fubjefts, contrary to the
belief of the (acraments Several other things were
alleged, equally frivolous, ^nd though he had
cleared himfelf from every accufation in letters to
the kingduririg his confinement ; yet, when brought
to his trial, if it may be called fuch, barely to hear
the charge, he was not fiiffered to fpeak in his
own defence, and the bill of attainder pafled both
houfes, after fome alterations made in the lower
houfe, wjiere'it was retarded ten days.

** It is plain to perceive," fays Burnet, " that
moft of the articles of his impeachment related to
orders and direftions he had given, for which, it
is very probable, he had the king's warrant. And,
for the matter of herefy, the king had proceeded
fo far towards a reformation, that what he did
that way was, in all probability, done by the
king's orders : but the king now falling from thefe .
things, it was thought they intended to ftifle him
by fuch an attainder, that he might not difcovcr
the fecret orders ordireftions he had givai him for
his own juftification. For the particulars of bri-
berty and extortion, with which he was alfo charge
'cd, they being mentioned in general expreffions,
fcem only caft into tire heap to defame him.- But
for treafonable words which were alleged againft

hira„

E ARL o ^ E SS E X. 119

him, it was generally thought, that they were a
contrivancejof his enemies ; fince it feemed a thing
very extravagant, for a ftvourite in the height of
his greatnefs, to talk fo rudely, that if he had
been guilty of it, Bedlam was a fitter place for his
reilraint than the Tower, Nor was it judged
likely, that, he having fuch great and watchful
enemies at court, any fuch difcourfes (hould have
X lain fo long fecret ; or, if they had - come to the
king's knowledge, he was not a prince of fuch 9
temper as to have forgiven, much lefs employed
and advanced a man, after fuch difcourfes. And
to think, that, during fifteen months after the
words were faid tp have been fpoken, none would
have had the, zeal for the king, or the malice to
Cromwell, to repeat- them, were things that could
not be believed."

The earl of Eflex had, in his fall, the common
fete of all difgraced' minifters ; to be forfaken by
his friends, and infulted by his enemies. Arch-
bifhop Cranmer alone did not abandon him in bis
diftrefs, but wrote to the king very warmly in his
behalf- In his letter he exprefled himfelf to this,
purpofe : " Who cannot but be forrowful and
amazed, that he fhould be a traitor againft your
inajcfty ; he, that was fo advanced by your raajeftyi
he, whofe furety was only by your majefty; he,
who loved your majefty^(as I ever thought) no lefs
than God ; he, who fludied always to fet forward
iS^hatfoever was your majofty's will and pleafure ;
he that cared for no man's difpleafure to ferve your'
liiajefty.; he that was fuch a Icrvant, in my judge-:
ment, iji wifdom, diligence, faithfulntfs, and ex-
perience, as no priace in this realm ever had ; he
ttiat was fo vigilhnt to preferve your majefty from
all treafons, that few could befo fecretly conceiv-
ed, but he detcfted the fame in the beginning ? If

the

tzq CROMWELL,

tlie noble princes, of happy memory^ kiiig Jobflf
Henry IL and Richard IL had bad foch a coiiii*
fellor about them. I fappofe they fhould never
luve been fo traiteroufly aba&d<Hied and over*
thrown as thole good princes wereJ'

But the duke of Norfolk, ^nd the reft of die
Poptlh party, baffled all the application that was
made in favour of the earl of Eflex, who iu pur-
Xuance of his-attainder was fentenced to be behead*
.^onTower^^billythesSthof July, 1540. Upon
,the fcaffold, in tendemefs to his fon, he avoided
all complaints againft his eneoues ; and, inftead of
viivdicating himfelf, by a happy turn of thoughtt
he acknowledged that he had ofiended God by his
£ns, and thus merited death. He prayed for the
king* and the prince, and then told the people,
that he died in the catholic faith ; but by this he
evidently meant, the faith eftabliihed by the new
articles on the fcriptures i and this is confirmed^
notwithftanding the a&ttions of Popifh authors,
by his praying in Englifti and to God through
Cbrift, without any invocation of the Virgin
Mary» or the faints*

After a fhort time pafled in private devotions,
he gave the fignal to the executioner, wbpt being
/ either unflcilful or timid^ cruelly mangled the Un-
i^rtunate viSim.

Thus fell Thomas Cromwell, earl of Eflex ;
a ftatefman of great abilities, joined with uncom-
mon application to bufinefs* He had ^e public
wel£ire at heart, which he purfued with great vi*-
gour and peife verance ; but he fometimes extended
the royal prerogative,at thecxpcnce of civil liberty.
In bis perfon be was comely ; in his deportment
manly and graceful ; and, though railed from a
low to the nioft elevated ftation, his charader was
free from pride, ^r arroga0cc. He was courteous
and aifable ; eafy of accefs ; a firicnd to the poor

and

EA,RL OP ESSEX, 401

41^ diftfefled ; a^d remarkably charitable, no^efs
Htlian 200 perfous being fed twice every day at his
^pufe in Throgniprtoa-llreet. To his dependents
ai)d doraeilics he was a kind and liberal mailer i
and for his gratit^e to his friends and bcnefaftor^,
,^e was an cxanfiple highly worthy of imitation,

^jf^ Authorities. Burnet's hifbory of the Re-
formation., Salmon's Chronological Hiftorian.
.jgrililh fiiqfjraphy, Hu

The Lir:^ of

T H O M A S H O W A R D,

D UK E or N OR FOLK,

,(W.ith Memoirs of his family, particularly Sir
Edward Howard, Lord High Admiral pf
England.)

jrapHlS nobleman having gained ah afccndancy
•: A - *»et5the kiiig.for a fliort time, upon the fall
,<rf the .carl of E&x, and the elevation of Ga-
;therioe Howard his niece to' be queen confort*
l^c readei! is prefented in this place with the few
.Wi«l«Qiri^e Jbftye of him upon record, in order
dOQ prqfenito ft regular chain of hiftoriqal fafta,
AfuWtfer.etQfiffiou to the death of Henry Vilf.
.xfVoL. L G life

/

12^ THOMAS HOWARD,

The progenitor of this illuftrious family was
John Howard, created^ dnke of Norfolk ^by
Richard III. in 1483, who at4hc fame time creat-
^ cd his fon Thomas Howard carl of Surrey ; but
the duke being flain fighting on the part of Rich-
ard at the battle of Bofworth Field, and his
fon befng in the fame fervicc, his title was for-
J "feited on the acceffion of Henry VII. However,

in the fourth year of the reign of this prince, he
was fo far reftorcd to the king's favour, that he
appointed him to be one of his privy-council, and
permitted him to refume the title of earl of Surrey,
and to take his feat in the houfe of peers. 'After-
wards, becoming veiy ufcfiii^*to the king in fup-
prefling the infurreftions of the Scots, he was
made lord treafurer of EngJand in 1499, about
which rime his two fons, ,Thogias and Edward,
began to be known at court, but the date of their
birth is not afcertained. In the firft year of Henry
VII r. the father, being coiitiriued high trcafuria*,
was likewife made Earl Marfhal of England: he
attended the king at the fiegesy of Teroweniic arid
Tournay ; and upon his return to England. was
appointed general againft the. Scots, whom Iiei de-
feated at the famous battle of Vloudon Field, in
1513. His eldeft fon Thomas, whpfe life
we are now entering upon, and Edmund Howard,
a third fon, ferved under him in this battle ;
which provefl fatal to the Scots, their fovereign,
James IV, being fliin in the aftion.
■^ In confideration of tiiegallaat fervitsc^s jficforth-
ed by the earl of Surrey and his^fe^s,: riiei*' father ,
had the title of duke of Norfolk conferred'trfpon
him, and his eldeft fon was created earl ol ^drrey ;
by which creation he took his feat inthe ho«fe of
peers, not as the duke'^fon but in his own rigbt*
Here we muft leave* bim for the prefent, ^hile
we do honour to the oiemory of bi^ ftcofcJd l«t>-
'l . . i/iher

DUKE of NORFOLK. 123

fhcr Sir Edward Howard, a gallant naval ofEcer,
who, fo early as 1492, difcovered a dccifivc in-
clination for the fea-fervice, having embarked as a
. volunteer on board the fleet commanded by Sir
Edward Poynings, and fent by Henry VI f. to
aflift the duke of Burgundy agaiaft his rebellious
fub}eft«. For his fignal bravery in this expcditioni
be had the honour of knighthood conferred upon
liira ; and on the acceflion of Henry VIIL he
made choice of Sir Edward to be his flandard*
bearer, a moft diftinguifhcd office in thofe days»

In 1511, Sir Edward Howard, by the recom-
mendatipn and intcreft of his father, who was
then of the privy- council, was appointed by the
king to command two fliips, commillioned to clear
the narrow feas of Scotch pirates, the moft noto^
rious of whom was one Sir Andrew Barton,
fufpefted to be countenanced by James IV. of
Scotland. In this expedition, his eldeft brother,
then Sir Thomas Howard, ferved under him, and,
being feparated by a fiorm, had the honour of en-
gaging the Scotch fhip commanded b): Barton,
who was killed in' the engagement; but Sir Ed-
ward took Barton's other Ihip, and both were
brought triumphantly int'o the river Thames;

The following year, Sir Edward Howard was
madejord high -admirals of England, in which
capacity he performed fignal fervices againft the
French, with whom Henry was tfien at war; and
in 151 3 he put to fea with forty-two Ihips of the
line, and forced the French fleet to take Ihelter in
the harbour of Breft. Upon intelligence of the
event, the king of France* ordered Pregent, one
of his abkft naval -officers, to fail from Toulon,
with a fquadron of gallies, to endeavour to join
the Breft fleet, and then to engage the Englilh.
Sir Edward Howard, having information of this
defign, formed a plan for burning the French fleet
■ ' G 2, ^ in

124 THOMAS « O W A R D

in the harbour^ before the arrival of Pregeat : butj
being willing to let the king liave the honour oi
commanding in perfon at the execution of an eh-
terprife the foccefs of which he did not in the [eaft
doubt, he wrote home to thtt effed ; but, his letter
beiiig laid before the comicil, it was refolv^ to be
an imprudent meafure, to advife thekiag to ven-
ture his perfon in fuch a dangerous attempt : th<r
tnfwer to Sir Edward was therefore couched rathejr
in terms of reproof from tlie council, ordering
him to do his duty, and not feek excufcs. The
a^dmiral's bravery being, long befoi?e this event,
firmly cftablifhcd, he was greatly mortified at tbi*
rebuke ; and perhaps it was owing to this circum-
lltnce, that he put in praftice his conftant
ttiaxim, " that a feaman never did good, wTao was
not rcfolute to' a degree of madnefs ;" for, (bon
after, he made an attempt to enter the harbour
with fifteen hundred men, in boats ; but, the
French coming down to tlie number of ten thou*
fand to line the Hiore, he abandoned this deiigh,
and engaged in another not lefs brave, byt equally
rafh. Receiving intelligence, tliat Pregent was
arrived in Conquite Bay^ a little below Brefl, witk
fix gallies and four tenders, watching an oppor*
tunity to ge't into Breft ; he manned the only two
gallie.s he had in his fleet with fome of his braveft
men, and with two row-barges and two tenders
entered the bay. A briik gale bringing them very
foon along-Cde of the enemy, Sir Edward Howard,
having grappled his galley to that of the fourth
admiral, refolutely boarded her, accompanied only
by eighteen Engliihmcn and one Spaniard : but
unfortunately the grappling tackle eit*hcr flipped
or was cut away, by which means his galley was
turned adrift, be(orc any more of his men nould
board the enemy ; he and his followers were left
to the mercy of Uie Frcuclx admirali and> difdain^

DUKE OF NORFOLK. 125

ing ta fiftbrdir^ were pii0ied overr.board by the
foJdiets with their pikes, and perifhed in the fea.
Such was the untimely ifate of the brave Sir Isd-
ward Howard ; who was fucccedcd in his office of
high admiraJ by his eldeft brother Sii* Thomas,
who revenged Sir Edward's death on the French,
by clearing the feas fo cffeftually of the fliips of
that nation, that not a veflel durft appear. He
aifo ravaged ti\e coafts of Brittany ; and for this
and other fcrvices he was, as we have before ob^
ferved, created a peer in 1514.

Thd fani6 year a peace being concluded with
France, the new earl of Strrrey had no opportunity
to cxercife his mihtary abihties till 15 19, when-
the affairs of Ireland requiring the prefencc of an
able general, to-qudl the infurreftions and bloody
contefts of the chiefs, he was appointed lord
deputy of that kingdom ; which office he executed
Wkh fiach vigour and addrefs, that, without pro-"
ceeding to any great feverities, he fuppix-flfed tU«
rebellioti of the earl of Dcfmond, hurnhted the
O'Neals and O'Carrols, and reftored pubirc tiaiU
quilHty ; which gained him the eftecm and veiiet.
fation of. Che people*

In 1522, he was recalled to take the command*
€>f the combined fl^ts of Henry VUL and ih^
Emperor Charles V. thefe pfin^ces having des
clared war againft Francd, and entered into a clof^
alliance. The earl of Surrey failed with the uhite4
fleets for the coaft of Normandy; and, landing^
foine troops at Cherburgh; they ravaged all th6
adjacent country, and being re-embarked the fleets^
returned to Portland; But, in a fhort time after,
the admiral iiwadcd Brittany, look the tewn of
Moriaix by aflault, pillaged it, artdbunttftventeeii'
fail of French (hips ; and then made* for the pott
of Southampton, where he arrived i pi fafety, wifk'
A Ycry/oonfiderable. booty. At Southampton ht
G 3.; found-

126 THOMAS HOWARD '

found the Emperor Charles V. who had made a
Hiort vifit to Henry, ready to embark for Spaiu.
The earl of Surrey therefore gave the command
of the fleets to the vice admiral Sir William Fitz-
WiUiams, afterwards earl of Southampton, with
cruifing orders ; while he ihould convoy the eui*
peror, in his own fhip, to the port of St. Andcro,
in Bifcay*

In the following year, upon the refignation of
the aged duke ef Norfolk his father, he was made
lord high treafurer ; and about the fame time the
king nominated him general of the army then
raifmg to invade Scotland. The duke of Albany
was regent of Scotland at this period, for James V.
a minor ; but the earl of Surrey made fuch dc«
vaftation in the Ihlres of Tweedale and March,
'that before the end of the year he was glad to
fplicit for a truce, which Henry having granted,
the eail of Surrey returned to England, and the
army was difbanded.

Hiftorians fix the death of his father nearly at>
this period, to whofe title and remaining ho'*
nours he fucceededs for the king thereupon
granted the new duke of Norfolk the high office
of Earl Marlhal of England.

In 1524, he attended the king to France, and
was fent ambaflador extraordinary to JFrancis I.
\ipon the occafion of that monarch's intended in*
terview with the pope. From this time, we meet
with no tr&nfadion worthy our notice refpefling
the duke, except the ftcad^ oppofition he made to
Crprnwell's admiuiftration ; but, when the fup-
preflion of the monafteries had caufed an open rC'-
bellionjn the North, we find him again called
forth in 1537 to affift tlie earl of Sh'rewft>ury,
who had the chief command in fuppreffing it ;
and though obliged, in his military capacity, to
9L& againft the people whofe caufe he had at hearty

for

I5UKE OF NO-RFOLK. ny

for he was a violent enemy to the Reformatbn, he
feems from this time* in his quality of a courtier,,
tp have fet every engine at work to ruin Cromwell.
This point being accomplifhed, through the fe-
Bjale influence of bis niece Catherine Howard^
the duke, in conjunftion with Gardiner bilhop of
Winchefter, once more raifed the expeftations of
the Popifh party, by exciting the king to revive
the perfccution of heretics, and to fnfcrce tlie
obfervjance of the fix bloody articles of religion.
. Much about the fame time, they laid a plot to take
off archbifhop Cranmer, the only remaining
champion for the Reformation in any credit at
court ; but of this more ample mention will be
made in the life of Cranmer. »
' The laft military fervice performed by the duke
of Norfolk, was his commanding an army againft
the Scots in the latter end of the year 1542, war
having been declared againft James .V. who died
fpon after. Upon this expedition, he gave frelh
proofs of his bravery, ~and of bis eminent abilities
as a general.

But the difcovcry of the queen's incontinence,
which had been followed byJier convi^ion and
execution, the beginnii^ of this year, had given
the enemies of the duke, and of the Popiih caufe,
an opportunity, during his abfencc in Scotland,
to iill the king's mind with alarming fufpicions,
whofe fears and jcaloufies increafed as his health
declined. It was fuggefted, t{iat the duke of
Norfolk was a popular man ; and that he, and his
fon Henry earl of Surrey, liad formed a defign to
feize the perfon of the king, to engrofs the ad-
niiniftration of the government, - and probably to
fet afide the fucceffion of prince Edward, upon
the^ftrength of the ftatute by which tlie iffiieof
Anne Boleyn had been declared illegitimate. Con-
fidcringtbe power and influence of the duke and
- G 4 hi*

129 TH6.MAS HOWARD

fih fon with the adherents to the old rfcligioti,
iivho formed the majority thraqghtjuf the kingdom,
a prince, lefs fuhjcft to jealotify than He^iry, nfiighl?
have been juftified in having a w^tchfiil ey^ ovef
the duke, cfpeciallj^ as he had the* ditcf coitontoi^
of the army. But nothing cotild juftify his- tf*^
Tannic proceedings, after it fully apfieared that no
critfiinal charge could be maintained againft ekhcr
the duke or his fon.

After his return from Scotland, the dtik^ of
Ndrfoik ft>und a vifiblc alteration in the kmg'*
conduft towards hin;i. He was no longer fuiti^
moned to attend the cabinet cOvmcil ; and h^vHi^ .
complafined of this privately toMfs/HoHari(f,'hTs^
miftrefs, fhe brought this in evidence? agf^inft him-^^
with fomc other trifling fpeeAes maide to her in
confidence, v^^hich amounted to no more than th«J
innocent repinings of a flighted courtier. Bur, un-
fortunately for the yonng eati of Stin^ey, he Ha4
li*equently e'3C]*)rd[rcdhi< detefratioh of this wovb^t
who now fcrupljfed hcJ for^rjdito accomjififh 'fiW
ruin. A quarrel likewifc.fubfifted, between tM
duke and his duthefs, on atciouhf of tht duke's
open infidelity to tht marriagtJ^bed^v whfch (he hfeVf
the cruelty to rfeVenge by jbiThfti^ his accuf^^ts art<t
avowed enetnies^. In conftejiTence 6f t?he' Uu
formations given in to the courtcil againft theili,-
the duke and hiS fon were arrirfted fof high trea-»
fon, and committed tor the Towet*. Here the duk^e, '
according to the king's nfual cuftom, was treated
wilh great rigour, being obliged to petition the
council to be allowed fome books ; and at length,
in the courfe of his confinement, he was obliged
to folicit for a change of fheets ; fo little regard
did the unfeeling monarch (hew to the high- rank
and great merit of this old ^nd faithful fef^ant.

In hopes of obtaining a pardon, ot greater in-
dulgence in his confinement, the. duk^ meanly /

^ ' made

ITD'K^F or NaR FOLK. 129)

ftiadfe his fubmiffion to th-e king in a pathetic let*--
ter, and figned a confeffi6n, which ha(%ned thfe:
fete of hiifon: for he acknowledged it as hit;
greateft crime, that he had concealed thcittiannetr
in which his fon bore his coat of arms ; thereby
acknowledging fuch bearing- to be a crime, Jtv
feems the earl of Surrey quartered the arras of
England with thofe of Norfolk," a« a defcendentof
Edward IV. his mother, the duke*S firft wife, be-i-
fngthe daughter of that monarch. The earl's^
haTf-fifter, the dpchefs of Richmond, and his ftep-
iwother the duchefs of Norfolk, ufed their joiatr
. endeavours to cut off this unfortunate youth ; th<g;
former giving in evidence, that her brother had »<
thrown; inftead of an earl's coronet, to his arms on,
his feals, and a cypher which had the appearanco '
df the royaMignet. ^ On . thcfe frivolous charges^
he was tried by an ignorant jury of commoners a<r
Guildhall, found guilty of high treafon, and be-,
headed on Tower-hill the iQm of January, 1547.
This accomplifhed youth wa^ no lefs valiant than 1
learned, and df excellent hopes. He was a lover o£^
ttie Mufes, and a reformer of Englifh poetry..

It was intended that the duke Ihould Ihare the:
iime fate in a few days, the bill of attainder
having pafled the Houjfe of Lords; but in the Houfc:
of Commons, fortunately for him, itmet with fotnc:
delay: but the king perceiving his own end ap--
proaching, anddelirous to fend Norfolk out of the^
world firll,. that he might not difturb the reigft off
his ft^cceflor, commanded the Commons to hafterii
the bill ; upon which it was paflcdy and the royal
aflent being given by commiflion, the king being;
too weak to fign it, the duke's execution wasfixedi
foi'^the 29th ; but on the morning of the 28th of.
January, 1547, Henry expired, in the 56th y^ar.
of his age, ancLthe 38th of his reign ; by. which.
tl\e warrant became, null and void 5 and the: coun--

G i . Cil;

J30 THOMAS HOWARD, &c.

cil judging it highly iotprudent to commence a
new rcign with the death of fo popular a noble-
man, his fentence was not carried into execution.

We have now. conduced the reader to the clofe
of the turbulent reign of Henry VllL and as the
thread of hiftory requires us to enter upon that of
his fucceflbr Edward VL we muft beg leave to
confider the duke of Norfolk as dead in law at this
period; which was the cafe duraig the whole
reign of Edward VI. for he was not releaf^dfrom
the Tower, nor his attainder taken off, till the ac-
ceflion of Queen Mary, in the beginning of
whoie reign his natural deatli happened, in aa
advanced age.

But it muft likewife be remembered, that we
have not taken leave of the age of Henry VIIL to
which we Ihall be obliged to return, in tracing the
early tranfaftions of fomc eminent men, who be-
gan to flourifh under him, but who role to the
fummit of reputation, and finilhed their career of
earthly glory, in the reigns of his fucceffors, Ed-
ward and \iM"y.

The ftudent in hiftory, we apprehend, will be
much better pleafed, and find it .mt>re to his ad-
vantage, to caft a retrofpeft on paft events re-
gularly connefted, than, for the fake of one life,
extended to an extraordinary length ( fuch as
archbifhop Cranmer's), to confufe the whole feries
of hiftory during three reigns, by introducing it
tOD early.

*^* Author ttki, Biog. Britan. Rapin's Hiftory
of England, Salmon's Chronological Hiftorian.
Britifli Biography.

The

( *3i I

■ ■ ■

The LIFE of

E^DWARD SEYMOUR,

DUKE OF SOMERSET.

{Including Memoirs of his brother. Sir Thomas
Seymour, Lord Sudley.)

(A. D. 1537, tt) 1552;)

EDWARD Seymour was the fon of Sir
John Seymour, and brother to Jane Sey-
rr.our, third wife of Henry VIU. and mother of
Edward VI. No mention is made of this gentle-
man in hifiory till after the death of the queen
his fifter, when the king, in honour to tha me-
mory of tliis amiable lady, and intending that the
prince fhould always have fo near a relation about
his perfon, created him earl of Hertford) in 1537.
He had, indeed, been made a peer, upon the king's
marriage, by the title of Vifcount Beauchamp ;
but he neither held any diftinguiflied rank, hor en-
joyed any confidential office at court, till he was
carl of Hertford. Even for fome time after, the
intercft of the duke of Norfolk and his friends
prevailed fo far againft his promotion, that he did
not enjoy any confiderabie (hare of the king's,
confidence. till after the difgrace of that nobleman ;
but in 1546 he was appointed lord chamberlain.

Upon the death of Henry, the earl oiF Hertford

repaired tcf Enfield, where his nephew,, the new

fovercign, re(ided,toinform him of his father's de-

' Q 6 ccafc^

132 E b W A R D S E V MO U.R,

ceafe, and to conduft him to Londqii; where^
being a prince of the moft amiabje cddowmcnts/
, and of whom the people had concpiv^d the higheft
expectations^ he was received with tKHifual demon-
firations of joy ; and his acceilion was confidcred
as tke «fa of deliverance from tyrannic cruelty,
*anfl» bloody religious pferfecution.

As Edward VI. was not yet ten years of age.
Bis father had appointed fixtcen excctitors, to
whom, during the minority, was.entrufted the
^holc regal authority! But it was fuggefted,. af-
ter Henry's death, that it mtift be very trouble-
fome for the people, and efpecially for foreign
minifters, to be under a neeeffity of applying to
fijcteen perfons of equal, aiithority, and it was pro-
pofed that fome one Ihould be chofen head and*
prefident, with the title of proteftor. This mo*
tion was vigoroufly oppofed by the lord chan-
cellor Wriothefley, who eafily perceived that
the dignity would be conferred on the earl of
Hertford, by which meai)S his own power, be-
ing by bis office, as things then flood, thefecondv
ptrfon in the regency, would fufFer great diminu-
tion. But the earl had- fo great a party iri tlie^
council, that the queftion being put, it was car-
ried in, the affirmative ; and n was unanimoufly
agreed, on account of his relation to the king,
ai)d his experience in ftate affairs, that he fliould'
l|e declared regent and governor of the king's per-
-fpn ; which was accordingly done -, but with this
exprefs condition, that he Ihould not tndertake
or perform any thing without the confent of all
the other executors to Henry's will.

The lord chancelior, who made the. greate'ft op-
pofition to- the earl of Hertford's advancemeut,,
could expeft but little favour from the new pro-
teftor» 1 he jealoufy that fubfi'fted between them!
fgoa becwiC very confpicuous ; and the nation,"
tt being:

ftUKE 6F SOk'feRSET. t^j

^ feeing then divided feetwe^n tholt i^ho were at-
iicKed to the oM fop^rftltioti^ and thofe who de-
fired a compleat feforftiation, the prottftot fet
himfelf at the hfead of the latter patty, ?:nd the lord
chancellor of the fofttjer ; arid, fho'rtly aftdr, the
ptoteftor Was created duke e>f S6fneffet, at the fame
time that others of tiie regents and cotmfeUors had
new dignities conferred 611 theitl^ upon thft tefti-
inony of ceftahi witneltes, to whom king Henry,
juft befofe his death, had Opened iiis mind, con-
eemirig the honours he propofed to confer on
thofe he diftift^iihed With fo high a truft. But
beiides the fecular honotits conferred on the duke

' of Somerfct, wc are informed by bilhop Burnet,
that he h|id fix good prebends promifed him ;

_ two of th(?fe being aftferWards converted into a
4^anery and treafurerlhip : and on the fixth of
February^ I547> he knighted the kingi being
efftpowered fo to do by letters patent. For as the
laws of chivalry required that the king fliould fe-
ceive knighthood from the hands of fome other
'knight, fo it was judged too great a prefumption
ibt his own fubjeft to give it, without a warrant
tinder the great feal.

Tha lotd chancellor Wriothefly earl of South-
ampton was, as has- been already obferved, the
proteftor's advcrfary, and a great enemy to the
Reformation. The proteftor therefore wilhed to
remove him, as did likewife the itiajot part of the ^
regents ; and he foon afforded them a plaufible pre-
tence. Refolving to apply himfelf chiefly to af^
fairs of llat^, he had, on the i8th of.February,
put the great feal into commifTiOn, difedled to
tiie mailer of the rolls, and three matters in chan-
cery, empowering therii to execute the lord chan-
cellor's office in the court of chancery in as am-
jle a manner as if hehifnfelf were ptefent. This
being donfe by his own authority^ without any

warrant

134 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

warrant from the lord proteflor and the othctr
" .regents, complaint was made to the council, and
it was ordered, that the judges Ihould give their
opinions concerning the cafe, in writing. Theic
anfwer was, that the chancellor being only en-
trufted with his oiSce, be could not commit the.
9xercife thereof to others, without tlie royal con-
fent, that by fo doing he had by the common law
forfeited his place, and was liable to £ne and im-
^ prifonment during the king's pleafure. The
chancellor fell into a great paffion with the judges
on this opinion being delivered in council ; and
he went fo far as to tell the proteSor, that he held
his office of lord chancellor by an undoubted au-
thority, fince' he held it from the king himfelf ;.
whereas it was a great queftion whether he was
lawfully* proteftor. But this haughtinefs acceler-
ating his difgrace, he was immediately confined to
his houfe till farther orders. Then it was debated
what his punifhment ihould be : it was not judged
expedient to diveft him of his fhare in the regency ;
. but, to render it ufelefs to him, he was left^under
an arreff, and the great feal was taken from hira>,
and given to Sir -William Pawlet lord St. John,,
till another chancellor Ihould be appointed. He
remained in confinement till the 19th of July
^S^7 I when he was releafed, upon entering inta
a recognizance of four thoufand pounds, to pay
whatever fine tl^ court Ihould think fit to impofc
upon him.

After die protcflor had got rid of this trouble-
fome rival, he refolved to obtain the fole adminif-
tration of the government \ and wifli this view
he reprefented to the regents and the council, that
it was controverted by feveral perfons, whether
they could, by jtjieir fole authority, name a protec-
tor ; that the French ambalTador in particular had
hinted, that he did not think he could fafely treat

witli

DUKE ap SOMERSET. 135

^ith hirn, without knowing whether be was duly,
authorifedi iihce his title might be contefted, for
the want of authority in thofe who had conferred
it. To obviate this difficulty, the proteftor and
the council, on the 13th of March, 1547, pcti-
jtioned the king, that they might aft by a commif-
lion under the great feal, which might authorize
and juftify their proceedings. This patent being
drawn and the great feal fet to it, the proteSor
became abfolute, having the council, which con-»
iifted of his own friends, at command. But, on the
otlier hand, this ftep, with fomQ others of the like
nature which he made afterwards, drew upon
him the ill will and envy of many perfons, parti-
cularly the nobility, who, in the end, made him
feel the cfFefts of their refentment. The intrigues
of the courtiers were however fufpended for the
prefent by national concerns, of a more impor-
tant nature.

Henry VIII. had earneftly recommended it to
hiS fucceflbr, to effeftuate, if poffible, the defign
-which he had formed to unite the two kingdoms
of England and Scotland, by a marriage between
his fon and Mary the young queen of Scotland,
daughter of James V. then an infant, and after*
wards tqo well known in hiftory by her crimes
and her misfortunes. A treaty for this marriage
had been ratified by the regent and parliament
of Scotland ; but, in a month after, the regent, tlie
earl of Arran, fecretly joined the patty 6f cardinal^
Beatoun, who was in the intereft of France, and
fuddenly renounced the treaty with England. In
refentment of this perfidious conduct, Henry de-
clared war againft that nation, two years before
his death. .The proteftor, therefore, now prepared
to carry it oh again with vigour, and, having
raifed an army of 18,000 naen, he marched into
Scotland, accompanied by the earl of Warwick,
X afterwards

I3« EDWARD SEYMOUR,

Aftcrv^aJrd$ duke of Northumberland, and his fbc*
ttffotin the miniftry, who was his lieutenant-
general. On his arrival in Scotland, theprotcftor
{^ublifhed ft tnanifefto, in which he urged many
reafons td induce the Scots to confent to the mar-
riage, but thefc having no cffeft, hoftilijties im-
. Mediately enfu^d.

The ^arl of Arran had collefted together ttie
whole force of Scotland, to oppofe the EngHihi
army t but, though the Scots brought near double:
the number of forces into the field, Jhe Englifh
gained a complete viftory in the famous battle of,
Pinkey or Muflelburgh, fouglit on the loth of
Seiptember, 1 547 . According to the moft mode*
r6te conipiitaticHi) tlie Scotch had io,0oo flain^,
and the Englifh not 100. After this viftory, the
proteftor marched to Edinburgh, which he took,
and burnt ; and then having t^ken Leith^ withi
feveral other places of inferior note, he retired-
from Scotland, leaving the earl of Warwick to
cominand the army, with full powers to treat
v^ith the regent's commiflioners, who now fued.
for peace ; but this was only an artifice, to gain-
time for the arrival of fuccours from France, and:
therefore no commiffiohers appeared^

Th^ political talents of the proteftor were by,
no means equal to his ambition, or the high fla-
tion he held ; and having crcjlted a number of^
enemies am<5ng the nobility, aiid the reft of the
late king's executors, whom he had cKcluded.
from the regency^ by affuming the fole power,
cabals were formed againfl him during his abfencc
in Scotland. The intelligence fertt to him by
his friends of thefe intrigues,, inc'reafed the errors ^
of his Gonduft inthat expedition ; for, inflead of-
purfuing the advantages that his viftory had given .
him, by proceeding to Stirling/ where he might-
liavc got poifelfion of the. young q\ieen> and thus

have

DUKE or' SOMERSET. 137

havfe tcrmiiiatcd the war, h€ precipitately Jiafteried
to £ngla))d, and inapiickly left the array Xknder
tl)ec0mmand of a nobleinan) wlK).did not wijfh
fuccefs to any ente^rife which wo«ld increafe tlie
protedor's power or popularity.

Somerfet*s enemies unfortunateiy found a pro-*
per tool, tc accomplish his ruin, in his.own fa-
mily. Sir Thomas Seymour, his youngeft bro-
ther, had been left in England, a man of an envi-
ous and haugluy difpoiition. He thought it hard
that lie /lidujd oi^Iy be a priyy-oounfellor, when
the king had made his brother one of the regents.
Heimagii>ed,thdt^ being uncltf to the king, he was
intitled tei^ muck bigi^er hon^vr ; and though^ at?
his nephetv^s coronatioiv he^was created lor<i Sud-
ley, and in the fan>^ year was conftituted lord
i^igh adQiiral of itngland, h^e was miiled by tho
flattering (^lufiops of ambition* /Indeed, the ad/-
ipiral, iftimediat^Fyafjer yienry*6 deaihj difcovered
his- afpi ring tenfper^ by paying hi^rftddrcaSfes to tho?
pri-Bce& Flizabetli ^ buty mer^i^g, tvieh <a* repi^Ue^
he £»]^icit^d C^tll|eriner Pa^r>. itl|(3' qfit^fOk, icw^Gfy
and, having obtained fier confent^ married hef
privately, wirhoul conMt^u^ik^ing i^ to ^he dtfke
his br^lbef * fiutat letngthf finding means to pro*
e«re a. lelter from tlie ki*igf • reGommending Ina-y
to the qi^enfor a feuiIbaiKiY as (ooix as ke got this-
letter,, he declared bis priy&tse nHrriagcJ^ witbouC
giving himfelf any troable ari^ouB his brother.
Hence their quarrel firil tocfe rife : but the pix>H
teSoF, who was endowed with- one quality effen-
ti^l to a cotKtier,r lAodaFation, did»th^ utmoil to
prevent tlieir qiar^rrel from breaking out, though b©
aU along entertained ieereti^fpifiipQS e^f his brother^t
' It is beyoad a doubts tbat^ t^ ^te&or'^ (tci^
Enemies fomented tl>e admiral^s a»:H>i^k)ny by tho
praifes they beftot^ed »pon lumf ce^irming- hinir
in the iU opmiOQ lie had ^ntentftiped of the ink^i

his

13S EDWARD SEYMOUR,

bis brother. He began his cabals, by gaining-
over the king's ferrants to his intereft, that they
might efpouie his caufe with their young matter,
and endeavour to make him continue his good
opinion of him. By their afliftance he fo con^
tived it, that the king frequently came to his
houfe, to vifit the admiral's wife. He ftriSly en-
joined the king's fervants, whom he had corrupted,
to let him know when his majefty had occafion
for money, telling them, that they need n6t always
trouble die trcafury, for he would be ready to
fumilh him. By fuch praftices, lord Sudley, who
was as ambitious, but not fo honeft as his bra*
ther, fupplanted the proteftor in the king's eftcem ;
and, to add to the duke's misfortune, a violent quar-
rel happened between his duchefs and the admi*
ral's lady, the latter expe&ing from her former
rank, and her peerage in her own fight, not only
tiie precedence, but that the Vludiefs (bould bear her
train, which (he abfolutely rcfiifed, being, ac-
cording to Sir John Haywood, a woman for many
imperfedions intolerable, but for pride moii^
ftrous.

The enemies of the Seymours, therefore, de-
fparing of a total rupture between the two bro-
thers, fo ftrongly united by blood and intereft,. by^
any other methods , accomplilhed the ruin of both
by pra6Ufing on their wives, whofe aniraofity
overcame the ties of blood, and whole pride fuper-
fcded their common intereft.

The admiral, upon his brother's return, rc-
fcifcd to Iiftew to his private remonftrances againft
his ambitious projefts. Which he affured him could
only end in his ruin ; but Sudley, deaf to his in^-^
treaties, now adopted a meafure which obliged
tiie proteftor to treat him as an open enemy, and
Jcrturbator of the public trahquilUty, HW rcpre-
^ntfd to the young king, that his predccenort^

beings

DUKE OF SOMERSET*' 1391

h^ing minors, bad governors of their royal pcrfons
independent on, and diftin£l.froni the proteAors
of the realm ; and the eafy, credulous prince, who
wasgrown fond of Sudley, from his condefcenlGoa
and indoigence, being unable to refiefi deeply^
from his tender age, on a propofal highly agreea*
ble to his own inclinations, imprudently wrot^
with his own hand a meflage to the houfe of com-
xnons, deiiring them to make the admiral the
governor of his perfon. This Sudley intended
to have carried himfelf to the houfe, where he
had a party, by whole means he was confident of
carrying his point. He pradifed, alfo with many
of the nobility to a(Bft him in it ; but, when his
deiign took air« the council fent a deputation to
him in his brother's name, to reafon the cafe with
him, and to prevail with him to proceed no
farther. To thefe he arrogantly replied, that,
if he was eroded in his attempt, he would
make this the blackeft parliament that ever was ia
England : whereupon he was fent for the next
day, by order from the councij, but rcfufed
to come. H^ was then feverely threatened, and
told, that the king's writing was nothing in law ;
but that he, who h^d procured it, was liable to be
punilhed for having obtained It ; and it was re^
lelved to'diveft him of all his offices, to fend him
tpth^ Tower, and ito profecute him for attempt*
ing to difturb the government. This menace tor-
rified him ; for he plainly faw, that though he had
the king on his fide, a young prince, who was but
juft entered into his eleventh year, would not
have refolution enough to fupport him, contrary
to the advice of the proteftor and the council. He
chofe, therefore,, to fubmit hiiiifelf, and his bro«
ther and he fecmed perfeftly reconciled. But:
-though l^e feemed to have laid afide his ambitious
projefts for the prefent, he only deferred the exe-*
cution of tliem till a more favourable opportunity.

The

;>4<J EDWARD SETmOuA,

The fuccefs of the campaign in Secthnd^
ftough confidercdas impcrfeft by profound poii*.
ticiaiis, gained the protestor frdh credit with the
people ; and his popularity tempted him to neg]e£t
cultivating the eftcem of the nobihty, whofe envy
his conduft daily increafed. For availing him-
feif of the pothers granted him by the patent, he
advifcd with fuch members of the council xMily as
were devoted to his intereft, treating the reft as
, ttierc cyphers . The beft leafon that can be affign-
Cjd forthfs conduA, is his great zeal for the Reforma-
tion. This made him think it neceffary to Remove
from the adminiftration thofe who were averfe td
its prbgrefs, that he might leflfeA their oppoiitioa
as mtrch as poffible. The caiho^ic party, to
ftrengthen their intereft, engaged the princefsMary
and the difcontented lord to efpoufe their caisfe ;
and the princefs wrote to tl>€ protcftor, to k* him
know, that (he looked tifori all innovations in re-^
ligioii, till the king came^ ofa^^, to be incompati-
ble with the rcffped due to her fathef's^ fticmory^
and equally fo with tl^ir doty to their young
rtiafter, as they therebv difturbed the peace of his
kingdom, and engaged his aiuhority Jn foch points
before he wafs capable ef forming a jtidgmcnft
concerning therri. Some days before the meeting
of the parfiarftentSn the year 1548, the lord Ricfti
Was rhade lord' chancellor ; aftd on the thkd of
Novembet,* the day before the opening of the pai>
liament, the proteScir, by a patent.under the great
ical, was warranted to fit in parliament on the
right hand of the throne, under the cloth of ftate,
whether the king was prefent or not, and inveftcd
Wrthall the honours and privileges that any of th^
uncles of the kings o^ England, or any protedor,
had ever enjoyed, the parliament, afting-noMr
tinder the infl hence of the proteftor, was this year
Very favourable to the Reformation, particularly in

paiSng

DUKE or SOMERSET, t^t

pjiffiag an .a£t to aboli& private mafles, aud to
grant the cup to the people In the communion.

The reftbfs diipo£tipn of the lord Admiral
brdke forth again, this year^ upon an alteration
which happened in his family. In the month^of
September the queen dowager his wife died in
child-bed» but not without fufpicioa of poifon ;
for the admiral had formed a deep defign to be-
come th^ head of the proteftant party, by cfpouf-*
ing the princefs Elizabeth. The deceafed queen
was an amiable woman, whofe condudl in every
other refpe£t, but her marriage with the admiral,
too foon after the king's death, had been perfectly ^
blamelefs, but (he was a bigoted Roman catho-
fie, and Sudley imagined, that tliis prejudiced the
people againft him, and in favour of his brother.

Soon after her death, therefore, he renewed his
addieffes to the princefs Elizabetli, but without
fuccefs ; however, the attempt occafioned an z&
for declaring the marriage, of the king's" lifters,
without the confent of the council, to be trcafon.
Finding himfelf baffled in this fcherae, he formed
a defign to carry away the king to his houfe at
Holt, to difpoflfefs the proteftor, and to feize tho
government himfelf. For this end, he laid in ma*
gazines of arms, and lifted about two thoufand,-
btbers fay, ten thoufand meii. in feveral different
places. He likewife entered into an affociation
with feveral of the nobility, who envied his bro^
tiler's greatnefs, and were not difpleafed to fee tlie
difference between them grown irreconcileable.

Moft'hiftorians agree, that the proteftor being
informed of all his proceedings, Ihcwed himfqlf
extremely patient towards him, and refufcd to
carry things to extremity, till he faw plainly, that-
' one or other muft inevitably be ruined. But,, as
Rapin juftly obferves, we cwinot entirely rely up-
oa what hiftori^ns fayof tlie admiral's private de^

Uz EDWARD SEYMOUR,

figns, or of the protcftor's forbearance ; for as
fome make it their buiinefs to blacken the protec-
tor's reputation as niuch as poffible, fo others
ftrive to vindicate all his adions. It is, however;'
outofdifpute, that the admiral was notfatisfied
with his condition, and at laft, his ambition ap-
pearing incurable, he, was on tlie 19th of January
1549 committed to the Tower- The day follow-
ing, the fcal of his office was fent for, and put
into fecretary Smith's hands : after which, many
things appeared againft him ; but his fate was ful-
pendcd for the prefcnt.

In the mean time, the war with Scotland occa-
Jioned the proteftor great uneafinefs. He was very
feniible, that it was a ridiculous thing to think of
getting the king's marriage with the queen of Scot-
land accompli med by force of arms, for he knew
France was preparing to fend them a very power-
ful aid ; and therefore he faw plainly, that it would
be a very hard talk to fuccced in this undertaking.
Beiides, it was very likely that this war would oc«
cafion a rupture with France, an event that would
neceffarily retard the progrefs of the Reformation.
He would have been very glad, if the regent of
Scotland would have accepted a ten years truce,
which he propofed to him ; but, a powerful fuc-
colir being expefted from France, it was rejeffed.
The proteftor was therefore forced, againft his
will, to continue the war ; but, as he did not
chufe to ppt himfelf at the head of the army, he
gave the command of it to Francis Talbot, earl of
bhrewlbury, whom he appointed his lieutenant.
On this occafion he plainly difcovered, that he in-
tended to ftretcb the prerogatives of the prottSor-
fhip as high as they could go, fince he obliged the
earl to hold his commiffion from him. However,
as the patent he had obtained the 13th of March
laft year did not fo clearly give him the power of :

nominating

.DUKE OF SOMERSET. 143

.laoitnnat/ing hie own lieutenant, he ordered ano*
ther to be prepared, wherein his prerogatives were
. more fylly orplained aad enlarged.

In this war, which was now carried on with but
' in^ifFcrcnt fuccefs, the proteftor madesfe of fome
Gcrttian troops ; which raifcd great murnaurings
.againft him ; for it was eafy to perceive, that the.
'-f>rotcftor's aini was to ftrengtiien his perfonal
iamhority by thcaid ofthefe foreigners ; and there-
- fore this ftep was cenfured, even by his own party.

However, the duke, thusftrcngthcned by foreign
forces, devoted to the intereft of the mi niftcr, by
-whom they had been brought into the kingdom,
and were to be paid, thought tliis a proper oppor-
tunity to make his brother fubmit quietly to his
; authority, or to facrifice him to his own fafcty. .
• He, therefore, made a final attempt to win hitn
over to his intereft, which he did by offering him *
. a confiderable eftate, if lie. would withdraw from
court and all public hufincfs. But the hatred the
. admiral bore the protcflor being infurmountable,
; on the 22d <>f February a full report was made lo
the council, with an accufation confifting of
Ihirty^tliree articles.

I It feems highly probable, that lord Sudley-was
guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, fince he
anfwered only the three firft articles, and that with
much reluftance.: The particulars of the pharge
.werefo manifeftly proved, not only by witnefles,
but by letters linder his own hand, that it did not
feempoffible to deny them. Yet, when he was
iirft fent to, and examined by fome of the -privy
counfcllors, he refufed to make any dircdt anlwers,
or to fign the evaiive replies he had made.; there-
fore it was ordered, that, on the next day, all
the privy council, except the archbilhop of Can-
terbury, and Sir John Baker fpeaker to. the houfe
4>r commons^, who was obli^4 to 9U^d at the

>>oufe,

144 EDWARD SEYMOUJL,

hoofe, Ihould go to die Tower, and examine htm.
Accordingly, the locd chancellor, with the other
privy counfellors, repaiisd to the Tow^r, and -
read to him the articles of accufation : they then
earneftly defired him to xxioke, plain anfwers, to
eKcufe himfelf wliere he could, and fubmit where
he could not, without (hewing any obftinacy of
mind. To this he anfwered, that he expe^ed an
open trial, and to have his accufers confronted
with him. The privy-counfcllors ufed all the ar-
gt»ments they could tliink of to perfuade htm to be
more tradable, but to no purpofe. At laft, the
lord chancellor inquired him, on his allegiance, to
make his anfwers. Hq perfifted to refute making
any anfwer, without having the articles left widi
him, that he might confider of them at leifure ;-
but the counfellors would not confent to leave
them with him on thofe terms.

On tlwk a 2d of February, 1^49, it was refolvcd
in council, that the whole board fhould, afur
•dinner, acquaint the king with the Hate of the
affair, and defire to .know if it was his pleafure
that the law Ihould take place, and whether he
would leave the determination of this affsur to the
parliament,^ as it had been laidbe&re them ; fo
cautioufly did they proceed in a cafe which con-
cerned the life of the king's uncle. But the youth-
ful monarch had. experienced his^f^itious tem-
per, and had lately -beea much alienated fri>m him.
When the counfellors waited on his majefty, the
lord: chancellor operred the flatter to him, jdeclar*
ing;it, as his opinion, <tliat it fboujd tR.laft.to
tiie parliament. Then the otlier odunfcllors- gave
thejr opinions, in which tliey all agreed with the
lord- chancellor. The proteftor fpoke lafl: he
protefled, Itbat this ev^nt. gave him iheigceateifl:
cofKern; that he.hadxlane.hi's utmoft tp jprfewat
it from coming to fucfe an trxtremit^^:; ixxkt^ weic

it

D U K E OF S O M E R S E T. 145

It his fon or brother, he muft prefer his majefty's
fafety to them, for he weighed his allegiance more
than his blood ; and that therefore he was not
agaiaft the requeft, that the other lords had made*
He added, that if he himfelf were guilty of fach
•iFences, he fhould deferve death ; and the rather,
becaufe he was, of all men, the moft bound to
his majefty, and therefore he could not refufe
jufticc. The king's anfwer wate as follows :
«* We perceive, that there arc great things objcd-i
cd and laid to my lord high admiral, my unde,
and they tend to treafon ; and; we perceive, dsat
you require but jufticc to be done ; we thirik it
rcafonablc, that you proceed according to your
requeft." Which words, (as it is obferved in the
council-book) coming fo fuddenly from his grace's
mouth, of his own motion, as the lords might
perceive, they were marvelloufly rejoiced, and
.gave the king moft hearty praifc and thanks : yet
refolved, that fpmc of both houfcs *lhould be
ient to the admiral, before the bill (hould be put
in againft him, to fee what he could, or would
fay.

All this was done in order tolmaghim to a
fubmiffion : the lord-chancellor, the .earls of
Shrcwfbury, Warwick, and Southamptcvi ; Sir
jQhn Baker, Sir Thomas Cheyney, and Sir An-
thony Denny, were fent to him. He long continue
cd obftinate, but was at laft prevailed mpon to give
an anfwer to the firft three articlos"; and then he
topped on a fudden, and bid them be content, for
he would go no farther ; and no in treaties could
work on him, either to anfwer the reft, or to fct
his hand to the anfwers he had ^ade.

On the 25th of February, a bill of attainder
was brought into the houfe of lords, and the peer<5
had been fo accuftomed to agree to Jfuch bills in
king Henry's time, tliat they made no difficulcy

Vol, I. H t«

146 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

to pafs It. All the judges, and the king's cotin-
cil, were unanimous in then- opinions, that the
articles amojinted to treafon. Then the evidence
was heard ; many lords gave it fo fully, that all'
the reft, with one voice, confented to the bill ;
only the proteftor, '• for natural pity's fake,**
defired leave to withdraw. On the 27 th, the bill
was fent down to the commons, with a meflagc^
that if they defired to proceed as the lords had done,
thofe lords that had given their evidence in their
own houfe, Ihould come down, and declare it to*
the commons. But there was much oppofitioa
made to it in the houfe of commons. They could
not forbear exclaiming againft the prevailing prac-
tice of attainders, and the irregular manner of
judging the accufed, without confronting tliem-
with the witnefles, or hearing their defence, r It
was juftly thought a very unwarrantable method of
proceeding, that fome peers (hould rife up in their
places, in their own houfe, and relate Ibmewhat
to the flander of another, and that he fhould there-
upon be attainted. TheyprefTed therefore that it
might be done by a trial ; and that the admiral
might be brought to the bar, and allowed to plead
for himfelf. 1 hey would, in all probability, have
thrown out the bill, if the king had not fent them
a meffage, that he did not think the admiral's prc-
fence necefl'ary ; and that it was fufficient tliey
ftiould examine the depofitions, which liad been
produced in the houfe of lords.

The king having thus intimated his pleafure,
the commons, in a full houfe of four hundred,
paifed the bill, not above ten or twelve voting in
the negative. The royal aflent was given on the
5th of March, 1549, and on the loth of the fame
month, the council refolved to prefs the king, that
juftice might be done on the admiral. It is faid,
in the council-book, that fince the cafe was fo

heavy

DUKE OF SOMERSET. 147

lieavjr and lamentable to the protcftor, though it
was alfo forrowful to them all, they refolvcd to
proceed in it, fo that neither the king, nor he
ihould be farther troubled with it. After dinner,
they went to the king, the proteftor being with
them. The king faid, He had well obfcrvcd their
proceedings, and thanked them for their great
care of his fafety, and commanded them to proceed
in it, without farther molefting him or the pro-
teftor, and ended, *' I -pray ybu, my lords, do fo.'*
Upon this, the bifhop of Ely had orders to attend
the admiral, to adminifter fpiritual advice, and to
prepare him to meet his fate with patience and re-
iignation : and, on the 17th of March, having
made report of his attendance on the admiral, the
council figned a warrant for his execution, in pur-
fuancc whereof, the admiral was beheaded on the
20th of March, 1549.

The proteftor upon this occafion incurred very
fcvere cenfures,'f6r confenting to his death. It
vras faid, If the admiral was guilty, it was only
H^inft his brother, whom he would have fupplant-
ed, and it feems fcaroeiy to admit of a doubt, that
this fame brother was tlie admiral's rival, and
brought him to the fcafFeld. Rapin juftly ob-
ferves, that they who had thoughts then of ruin* *
ing the proteftor, feigning to be his friends, fpur-
red him pn to be revenged on his brother, and
•were very ready to ferve as his inftruments. Ac- -
cordingly, this cataftrophe' increafed the animofity
of the nobles, which was carried to the higheft
pitch; by tlue proteftor's conduft in countenancing
the pdople upon the following jxift occafion.

^frer the lupprellion of the abbeys, vaft num-
bers of monks were difperfed through the king-
dbiii, who were forced to work for t4ieir bread,
their penfion^ being ill paid, or not fufficicnt for
their fubfiftcncc. Thus the work being divided
H 2 among

148 EDWARD SEYMOURi

among fb many bands, the profit became lefs than
before, befides, while the monafteries fiood, their
lands were let out at very cafy rents to farmers,
who, to cultivate them, were obliged to employ
a vaft number of people. But after their lands
were fallen into the hands of the nobility and
gentry, the rents were much railed, whence it
came to pafs that the farmers, to make them turn
to better account, were forced to employ fewer
hands, and Icffen the wages. On the other fide,
tlie proprietors of the lands, finding that fince the
laft peace with France, the woollen trade flourifh-
cd, bethought themfelves of breeding Ihcep, be-
caufe wool brought them in more money than
corn. To that end, they caufed their grounds to
be Inclofed. Hence arofe feveral inconveniencies.
In the firft place, the price of corn was raifed to
the great detriment of the lower fort of people ;
in the next place, the landlords or their farmers
had occafion only for few perfons to look after
tlieir flocks in grounds fo inclofed. Thus many
were deprived of the means ofgettinga livelihood,
and the profit of the lands, which was before
Shared by a great many, was almoft wholly en-
grofied by the landlords. This occafioned great
complaints and murmurs among the common
people, who faw they were likely to be reduced
to great mifery ; and feveral little books were
publifhed, fctting forth the mifchief which muft
refult from fuch proceedings.. But the nobility
and gentry continued the fame courfe notwith^
{landing, without being at all folicitous about the
confequences. The proteSor openly efpoufed the
caufe of tlie poor people, becaufe he was aware
of the mifchiers which might arife from popular
difcontent ; and appointed commiflioners to ex-
amine, whether thofe who held the abbey-lands,
kept hofpltality^'and performed all the conditions

upon

DUKLE or SOMERSET. 149

upon which thofe lands were fold them ; but he
met with fo many obftacles in the execution of
this order, that it produced no effeft.

Thus the proteftor continued to aggravate the
hatred of the npbility and gentry, who found their
account in countenancing thcfe abufes : for, in the
hik feffion of parliament, the lords pafled a bill
for giving ^very one leave to inclofe his grounds
if he pleafed : but it was thrown out by the com«
mons, and yet the lords and gentlemen went 011
inclofing their lands. This occaiioned a general
difcontent among the people, who had apprehen-
sions of a formed deiign to ruin them, and reduce
them to a (late of flavery ; upon this the tommon
- people made an infurre£tion in Wiltfhire, but Sir
William Herbert difperfed them, and caufedibmc
of them to be hanged. About the fame time
there were fimilar infurreftlons in Suflex, Hamp-
ililre, Kent, Gloucefterlhire, Suffolk, Warwick,
Eiiex, Hcrtfordfhire, Leicefterfliire^ Rutl^nd-
ihire, and Worcefterfhirc. The proteAor per-
ceiving the flames were kindling all over the king-
dom, lent tolet the people know, that he was ready
to redrefs their grievances. By this meafure he
ilopped their fury ; and, agreeably to his promife,
he kid the affair before the council, hoping that
feme expedient might be found to fatisfy the
malcontents. But he met with fo great an oppo*
£tion, that he thought it abfolutely necei)[ary to -
have recourfe to his fole authority ; and, there^
fore, contrary to the opinion of the whole council
lie iffued out a proclamation agair^ all new in*
dofures, and granted a general pardon, to the peo«
pie for what was paft. He even went farther, for
he appointed commiffioners with an unUmited
power^ to hear and determine caufes about incio-
lures, highways, and cottages. Thefc comraif-
Soners were much complained o£by tlie nobility
H S and

150 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

and gentry^ who faid openly, that it was an n'wa-
fioa of .their property to fubjed them to an arbi-
trary power ; they alfo went fo far as to oppofe
the comraiffioners when they offered to execute
their commiflion ; therefore the protcftor was not
able to redi'efs this grievance fo fully as he defired ;
and the people finding the court did not perform
what was promifed, rofe again in feveral places,
particularly in Oxfordfliire, Devonfhire, Norfolk,
and Yorkftiire, Thofc in Oxfordfhire were im-
mediately difperfed by the lord Grey. The infur--
redion in Devonfhire was more confiderable and
dangerous ; the county abounding with peoplei
who had only complied outwardly with the alter-
Utions made in religion, the priefls and monks
ran in among them, and ufed their utmofl: efforts
to foment the rebellion. They rofe on the loth of
June, and in a fhort time grew to be ten thoufand
ftrong. At firfl the protcftor negledted this af* *
fair, hoping this infurreSion might be quelled as
tafily as the others had been. At laft, per<:eiving
they were bent to perlifl in their rebellion, he
fent the lord Ruflel witli a fmall force to flop their
proceedings. .The rebellion was foon quelled,
and during the continuance of it, the protcftor
difcovered by the whole tenor of his conduft, that
he did not defirc to come to extremities with the
rebels, being cither^ petfuaded that the people had
rcafpn to complain, or, dcfirous to gain their fa-
vour as a fhield againtt the nobility, who hated
him. Infomuch, that after all the commotions
were over, he moved in the council that a general
pardon might be proclaimed, in order to reflore
the peace of the kingdom': but this motion met
with great oppolition ; many of the council were
for taking this occafion to curb the infolence of
the people. But the proteftor being of anotlicr
mind, gave out, by his fole authority, a general

pardon

D U K E a r SOMERSET, x^t

pardon of all that had been done before the 21ft
of Auguft, and excepted out of it only a few
rebel prifoners. He had power to aft in this man-
ner by virtue of his patent, but it increafed the
hatred af the nobles, as well as great part of the
council,- who were highly mortified to fee that
they wTsre consulted only for form -fake, and that
their opinions were of no manner of weight. But
by this prudent and moderate exertion of an illegal
prerogative, it is certain, that the proteftor put an
end to a moft alarming rebellion, which wore the
afp^ft of being converted to a civil war ; for both
lides had powerful paitilans, and the people wer,e
violently exafperated againft the land - holders.
The infurredtion in Norfolk was the moft for-
midable, but as it was quelled by the addrefs of the
carl of Warwick, afterwards duke of Nprthum-
berland, more ample mention will be made of it
in the life of that minifter, the proteftor's fubtic
enemy, and fucceffor.

The war with Scotland had been produftivc
of another with Henry II. of France, who af-
cended the throne of that kingdom upon the death
of Francis I. in 1547. A rupture with the em-
peror Charles V. was Hkcwife to be apprehended,
on account of the affiftance given by the Englilh>
miniftry to the German Proteftants, his diicon-
•tented fubjefts. This lituation of foreign affairs
was too embarraffing for the limited capacity of tfuc
proteftor. Dreading the machinations of a.
powerful faftion now formed againft him at home,,
with whom the Romilh party were feccetly allie4»
he was afraid to hazard the conduft of three wars, .
tinder fuch diftreffing cifcumftances ; and there-
fore refolved to liften to the overtures of France,
that court offering peace, and its affiftance to the
German Proteftaats, if England would reftore-
Boulognei-

H 4.. While-

isa EDWARD SEYMOUR,

While this peace was priyately negociating, the
earl of Warwick, and the earl of Southainptony
the difgraced chancellor, who had recovered his
Xeat in the privy council, aflbciated themielves
with about eighteen lords^ of the council, who
agreed to withdraw from court, and opmly oppofe
the proteAor.

Among many other frefh caufes* of jealoufy,
envy, and hatred a^nft the duke, none had any
cfieft with the public at large, except the fuperb
palace that he was building in the Strand (Somer-
let-houfe) and as this impolitic undertakings
^ fcreatly Icflcned his popularity, we (hall borrow^
from Sir John Hay ward's life of Edward VI. his
carious relation of this interefling tranfaSion.

" Many well-difpofed mindt conceived a hard
opinion of him, for that a church by Strand^ -
tridgiy and two bifheps houfes were pulled down,
to make a feat for his new building : in digging
the foundations whereof, the bones of many wha
had been burled there, were caft up, and carried
into the fields ; and bccaufe the ftones of thofe
houfes, and of the church, did nothing fuffice for
his work, the ftccple ahd moft part of the church
of St* John tf "Je'ufaUmy near Smithfield, (moft
beautifully crefted and adorned not long before,
by Docray, prior of that church) was mmed and
overthrown with powder, and the ftones applied
to this fpacious building. And becaufc the work .
could not be therewith finiflied, the cloifter of
Paul's on the north-fide of the church, in a place
called Parden church* yard ; and ihi dance ofdeath^
very curioufly wrought about the' cloifter, and a
chapel that ftood in fiie midft of the church-yard i
alfo thecharnel-houfe that ftood on the fouth-fide,
with the chapel, tombs, and monuments tlierein^
were beaten down, the bones of the dead carried

int(»

t)UKE or SOMERSET. 153

into Finfbury Fields^ and the ftoncs converted tq
bis building." — ^p. 204 & 205, edit. 16*36.

It was ^o, alleged by the lords, that many bifhops,
and prebends had reilgned many manors to him
to obtain bh favour h though this was not done
without leave obtained from the king : for, in a
grant of fome lands made to him by the king, on
Die nth of July, in the fccond year of his reign,
it was obferved that thefe lands were giv^n him
as a reward of his fervices in Scotland, for which
he was offered greater rewards : but, tliat refufing
to accept of fuch grants as pight too much im*
poverim the crown, he had taken a licence firom
the bifhop of Bath and Wells, for alienating fome
of the Jands of that brlhopric to him. He is, •
in that patent, called by the grace of God, duke.
©f Somerfct ; which expreffion, by the grace of
God, had no^ been ufed for fome years paft, but
in fpeaking of fovereign princes. It was alfo re-
ported, that many of the chantry lands had been
fold tq his- friends at eafy rates ; for which they
concludedvhe had great prefents. An uncommon
profperity had alfo raifed him too high ; fo that he
did not behave to the nobility with that cond«fcen-
lion which might have been expefted from him.

All tliefe things concurred to raife him many
enemies, and he had very few friends ; for none
adhered firmly to him but Pagqt, fccretary Smitli,
and archbiOiop Cranmcr, who was never known>
to foriake his friend.. All thofe that favoured the
«ld fupcrilition were his enemies ; . and, feeing the
carl of Southampton at the, head of the party a-^
gainft him, they all immediately joined with him.
Goodrich^, bifhop of Ely, . tho' he^ was for the Re-
formation, likcwife joined them^.. Hi had attended
the admiral in his preparation for ddath, from
whom he had received-very ill impreffions of the
fcoteiior. Even his enemies were, fenfible, an 1
Hs, he.

154 EDWARD SEYMOUR,'

he was fenfible himfclf, that the continuance of
war would inevitably ruin hinFi, and that a peace
might confirm him in his power.

This confideration made the Protestor refolve
to propofe to the council the reftitution of Bou-
logne to France : but though he backed this mo-
tion with all the reafons he thought moft plaufible^
it Was received by the council with figns of indig-
nation, and confidered as downright cowardice.
It was too nice an affair for the proteftoT to think
of doing it by his own authority ; and therefore,
though he plainly perceived the oppofite faftion
would carry it, he was willing his propofal fliould
be debated in form.

The refult of their confultation was, that Bou-
logne fhould not be reftored, but that they fhould
endeavour to make an alliance with the emperor
for the fecurity of that place. Paget was appointed*
for the embafly, becaufe, being devoted to the
prote<E^or, the ill fuccefs which was expelled to
attend this negotiation was defigned to be thrown
tipon him, in order to afperfe the proteftor hinl-
felf.

This rriortifying repulfe at the council-board,
was followed by an open declaration from the af-
fociated lords, who ufnn'Iy met at Ely-houfe, that
they confidered thcmfelVes as the king's council,'
and Were' determined to take vigorous meafures
for the fa^ety of the king and of the realm, both
of which were endangered by the ufurped, unli-
mited power of the duke of Somerfet ; and on the*
6th of Oftober, 1549, the lord St. John, pre-
fident of the council, the earls of Southampton,"
Warvvick, and Arundel; Sir Edward North, Sir
Richard Soiithwel, Sir Edmund Peckham, Sir
Edward Wotton, and Dr, Wottoil, fat accord*
ingly as the king's council.

• The

lyuX E ap SOME R S E T. 155

The proteftor alarmed, fent His fecretary Petrc *
tb thexn,.to knovy the caufe of their affemblics, but
inftead of returning, he remained witli the aflb*-
ciated lords, embracing their party. On the 8th of'
the fame month, they went into the city, in a body •'
well armed, and attended with a train of fervants
in new liveries, to Guildliall, where finding the
lord mayor, aldermen and common council af--
fembled, notice having been previoully fent to them ■
for that purpofe, the lord chancellor Rich, who
with fome of the great officers- of ftate had joined - .
the affociation, declared to the citizens, that the ■
objedts they had in view were, to fecure the per--
fonal fafety of the king, to redrefs the grievances ^
of the nation, and to recover its weight and in-
fluence at foreign courts, by removing the duhc
of Somerfet from the king's perfon and councils,
whofe mal-adminiftra^ion had been the caufe of
all the misfortunes which had befallen the realm,-
both in its foreign and domeftic concerns for fome
time paft. Upon this declaration, the city ex-
prefled anentire approbation of the meafu res taken
by the lords f but when a requifition was made^
that the city fliould fupply them with 2000 men
to enable them to oppofe die meafurcs of the pro* _
teftor, who had removed the king from Hamp-
ton-court to Windfor, and had armed all his de-
pendants; one George Sadlowe, a common-coun-
cil- man, oppofed the motion, though fupported by
the recorder ; and after juftly obferving, that the
mayor had received a letter from the king, ,cora-
manding the aid of 1000 men to proteft his per-
' fon againft the defigns of the lords, he advifed his
fellow citiisens to obferve a ftrift neutrality, by hot
granting any armed force to either party.

But the duke of Somerfet, ftruck with a panic,

on being informed that the lords were in polteffion

of the Towcr^ and tliat the city had exprefled a

H 6 general

IS6 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

general approbation of the confederacy agamfb
Eim, refolved to fubmit to his fate, without giv-
ang the new council any farther trouble.

Hereupon, there was fent to London a warrant
vnder the king^i hand, for any two of the lords of
the council tluit were there, to come to Windfor
with twenty ieryantS^ each, who had the king*i
fiith for their fafety in coming and going : at tl^e
£une time C^anmer, Paget and Smith, wrote to
them, to end the matter peaceably, and not follow
cruel council, nor fuffer themfelves to be miiled
by thofe who meant ptherwife than they profeiled,.
of which they knew more than they would then
HivHtion. This feemed to be levelled at the eart
of Southampton. On tlie 9th of Odober, 1549,.
the council at London was increafed by the aic«
ceffion of lord Rufel, lord Wentworth^ fir An-
tiiony Brown, Sir Anthony Wingfield, andfir Joha
Baker^ the fpeaker of the houfe of commons, f oir
thofe who had been for a while attached to the-
proteAor, feeing he was refolved to fubmit, can^
and united themfelves to the prevailing party ; fa.
Ijiat they were in all two and twenty : and the pro--
te£tor was fo weak, as to write a letter to the earl^
of Warwick^ couched- in fuch humiliating term&
•f complaint, expoftulation and intreaty, that his
enemies plainly perceived they had gained theip
pointy and they refolved to (hew him* no mercy :-
for they inftanUy publifhed a proclamation, figned'.
by fcvcnteen perfons,. either ror. nobility, or au-
thority of office well regarded^ ^* afcribing all the-
national difgraces abroad, and the inteftine divi^
fionsathomc, to the evil government of the duke,
and protefting that his adminiftrationthreatened:
wofle dangers,, Theydcfircd," and in the king's;
name, charged all his fubjefts not to obey any
precepts,, litences, or proclamations, whei^unta
&e protestor's^ iimd fliouldbejet^ albeit he fliould
S; .abuf#:

DUKE OF SOMERSET- 157

a1>ufe the king's hand and fcal unto thctn, but to^
quit thcmfclvcs, upon fuch proclamation, as
ihould proceed from the body df the council.'^
Haywardy p. 229.'

Of all the privy- counfcllors, only the archbifliop
of Ciantcrbury and Paget ftaid with the king,
who- feeing the impoffibility erf withftanding the
oppofite party, had advifed the kin^ and the duke-
to give the council the fatisfa£bion they required.
The kingconfenting to it, thecounfeUors at Lon-
don had notice of it by an exprcfs. As they'had
forefeen that the duke would be obliged to yield,
they fent deputies to Windfor with a charge, td
fee that he did not withdraw, and that fome of
his confidents ihould be put under an arreft.. On
the 1 2th of Oftober, tlie chief privy-counfcHors^
enemies of the duke, waited on the king, who re«
cerred them gracioufly, and aflured them, that he
took all they had done in good part. Next day
they fat in council, the king being prefent ; whei>
Somerfet was formally deprived of the proteftor-
ihip, and all other public offices, and was ordered
into confinement in Beauchamp tower, within
Windfor cafileu Then the lords appointed fevcn
«f the lords of the council, and four knights, to
attend the king's^ perfon by rotation;, and havingp.
brought liis majefty to Hamptons-court,, the duke
of Somerfet was fooa after efcorted to London,
riding through that city between the earls of
Southampton and Huntingdon, who delivered him*
to the Ihcrifis, by whom he was carried to the
Tower, by virtue of a warrant to them, from the
king and his new council..
-^ A rumcSur having been propagated about this-
time, that the confederate lords had defigns upon-
the king's life, and meant to change tlie form of
government to an ariftocracy, it was judged expe-
dient, thjit their beloved prince fhould appear to the'

peoplo;

158 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

people in public. Accordingly he rode front
Hampton-court to his palace in Southwark (then
called Suffolk place) where he dined ; and in the
afternoon, he rode in great ftate, attended by the
principal lords of the confederacy, tlirough the
city to Weftminfter ; whereat the people were fo
exceedingly rejoiced, as the king reigned in the .
hearts of all pcrfons, however differing in rcli«p
gion, that they rent the air with loud acclama-
tions, and feemed to have entirely forgotten their,
favourite, the late proteftor.

On the fecond of January, 1550, a bill of at-*
tainder was carried into. the houfe of lords againft
the duke, with a confefBon figned by his own
hand. But as fome of the lords fufpefted that this •
confeffion had been extorted from him, and urged,
that it was- an ill precedent to pafs afts upon luchi
papers, without examining the party, whether he ■
had fubfcribcd them free and uncompelled ; the
houfe fent four temporal lords, and four bifhops,
to examine him concerning it.. The next day, the
bifhop of Coventry and Lichfield made the re-
port, that he thanked them for that kind meffage ^
•but, that he had freely fubfcribed the confeffion'
which lay before them ; that he had made it an ■■.
his knees before the king and council, and had .
figned it on the thirteenth of December. He pro-
tefted that his offences had, flowed from rafhnefs
and indifcretion rather than malice, and that he
had no treafonable defign againft the king or his
realms. Whereupon, he was fined by aft of par-
liament in two tlioufand pounds a year in land,
with the forfeiture to the ,king of all his goods^
and the lofs of all his places. But he was fet •
at liberty^ on the fixth of February, giving a
bond often thoufand pounds for his good beha-
viour, with a reftriftion, that he Ihoiald flay a&
tlic king's houfe at Sheen, or his own of Lion,.

and

DUKE OF SOMERSET. 159

and (hookl not go four miles from them, nor
come to the king or council, unlefs fent for. On
the 1 6th of the fame month, he received his par-
don, and, after that, behaved with fo much hu-r
mility, that he was, on the lOth of April follow.-
ing, reftor^d to favour by the king, and fworn of
the privy-council ; and the ftorna pafled over more
gently than he e^pefted. He forfeited, however,
in a great meafure, the efteem he had acquired
among the people, who, not diving into the rea-
fons of his conduct, could not help thinking him
guilty, fince he had confefled all : but the king,
who had a quick judgement, faw through the de-
figns of his enemies ; but though he privately
cfteempd him, his own authority was not fufficient
to fcreen him from their determined vengeance.

But the affeftion the king ftill b^re to his uncle,
being obferved by the crafty earl of Warwick, he
made a femblance of being reconciled to the duke
of Somerfet, and the more effeftually to deceive'
the public, his eldeft fon, the lord vifcount-Lifle,
was married to lady Ann Seymour, daughter to.
the duke, on June 17, 1550; the king being
prefent at the folemnity, and exprefEng the highcft
fatisfaftion at this alliance.

The Popifh party formed great expeftations
from the difgrace of the duke of Somerfet, but it
was foon found that his fucceflbr in^ power, the
carl of Warwick, had no particular attachment to
any religion, yet was moft inchned to- the Re-
formation, becaufe he faw the king was zealous in.
promoting it. He therefore abandoned the Roman
catholic intereft, by which he had been fupported ;
and this ^ave the duke of Somerfet and his friends
a fair prolbeft of undermining him ; and it is cer-^
tain, that from the time Warwick became prime,
minifter, Somerfet was conftantly forming pri-
vate fchemes to recover his loft dignity, and thaj

his

i6o EDWARD SEYMOUR,

his antagonift; wifhing for a fiivourable op|>of«
tunity to facrifice fo dangeroiis a rival, employed
fpies to watch all his motions : and as die conteft
was very unequal between them, Warwick having
all the qualities of a deep politician, and Somcr*
fety a free, open, unguarded, communicative diA
pofition, it is no wonder that he was fo foon be*
frayed by his perfidious confidents, who were fe»
cretly bribed by Warwick.

By one of diefe, his nrin was accomplifhed^
For Warwick having by degrees alienated die
young king's affeftionfrom hisxincle, and gained
an afcendancy over him by his Ikilful manage-
ment of public affairs, began to throw off the
mafk, and to treat the duke with contempt and
ill ufage, that he might thereby excite him to fome
afi: of defperation, which might juftify putting
him to death. The unguarded Somerfet upork
this, broke out into threatening exprefiions, and
hisfaid, had thoughts of aflaffinating^the new
mini-fter, now duke of Northumberland* The
chief informer againft Somerfet was Sir Thomas
Palmer, who accufed him firft privately to the:
king, and afterwards to the coiikicil, of having
formed a defign to raife an infurre6lion in the:
North ; to attack the gins d^artms^ the king'»
guard, on a mufter-day; to fecurethc Tower;;
and to excite a rebellion in London : to this was-
added, a plot to murder the duke of Northum-
berland, the marquis of Northampton, and the
earl of Pembroke ; and this laft charge was fup-
ported likewife by the evidence of one Crane andv
his wife, confidential dependants on the duchefs
of Somerfet, and Crane in particular depofed,.-
that the plot was to be carried inta execution, at
a banquet to be given by lord Paget to the de^
voted lords. Upon thefe fufpicions of trcafon and
felony, the king too readily confent^d, that his.

uncle.

DUKE or SOMERSET. i6i

uncle Ihould be brought to a trial ; and very foon
after, a circumftance which ought to have been
conftrued in his favour, was made ufe of to con-
firm the accufations againft him.

Somerfet, yielding too much to the fear of ^
iudden attempt upon his own life, had been per-
fuaded to wear a coat of mail next his fhirt, and
going thus drefled to the council-board on the
i6thof OAober, 1551, his bofom, hy inatten-
tion, being open, the armour was difcovered,
upon which he was forthwith apprehended as in-
tending the" death of fome counfellor, and thd
duke of Northumberland, in particular, taxed him
fo vehemently, that he was ordered to the Tower,
and attachments were iflued againft all his pre-
tended aflbciates. In confequcnce of dxefe pro-
ceedings, fome of the accufed fled upon the firft
fummons, particularly Sir Thomas Vane, who
was uken in a ftable at Lambeth, hid under the
ftraw, and this foolilh conduft feemed to confirm
the truth of the plot. The next day the duchcfs.
of Somerfet, lord Grey of Wilton, Crane and hit
wife, and the chief waiting-woman belonging to
the duchefs were committed to the Tower," zt
which the people exceedingly rejoiced, believing
if there was any real mifchief on foot, the ducheft
muft have been the chief contriver and inftru-
ment of it. Sir Thomas Holdcroft, Sir Miles
Partridge, Sir Michael Stanhope, John . and Da-
vid Seymour, Wingfield, Bannifter and Vaughan
ii^erc likewife committed to different prifons ; but
Sir Thomas Palmer, Sir Ralph Arundel, Ham*
mond Nodigate, and Sir Thomas Vane, (who
turned evidence) were treated with great tender-
nefs, and held in cuflody in apartments at court,
to be produced as the principal accufers.

Upon the farther examination of Crane, the
iarl of Arundel, lord Paget, and two of the earl

•f-

i62. EDWARD SEYMOUR^

of Arundel's fervants were alfo taken into cuflodjr:
and in order to prejudice the public againft the
duke of Somerfet, the lord chancellor made ai>
elaborate fpecch in the itar-chamber, on tlic acca-
fations againft the duke, giving his opinion in*
public, agaiiift every rule o( equity, previous to
the trial, that they were true; and the foreign
miiiiftcrs were inftrufted to write to their refpec-
tive courts, that he was guilty, as implicitly as if
he had already been convifted.

Upon thcfe extravagant accufations, mofl: hifto-
Tians have founded their accounts of this event.
Dr. Burnet is the only one, whom we can depend:
upon with regard to the evidence againft the duke :
according to him, it appeared, that he had made
a party to get himfelf declared proteftor in, the
next parliament ; which the earl of Rutland did'
pofitively affirm, and the duke's anfwer ferved
only to confirm it to be true. But though this
might well inflame his enemies, yet it was no
crime. As to the means which the duke of So«-^
jnerfet intended to make ufe of, in order to at-^
tain his end$, it is highly probable he had devifed
fevcral, but had yet fixed upon none, except that,,
perhaps, of fe-curing the duke of Northumber-
land's perfon..

On the firft of December the duke was brought
to his trial ; the marquis of Winchcfter was lord
high fteward, the peers who fat in judgement be-
ing twenty-feven in number. Tli$ crimes with:
•which h? was charged, were caft into five feveral
indiSments, as it appears from, the king's jour-
nal ; but whether indiftments or articles is not
clear. That be bad defigned to have feized on
the king's perfon, and fo to have: governed all his
affairs.; that he intended to have attacked the gens
formes on a mufter day ; that he, with one hun-
dred, others,, intcuded to kill the carl of War-
wick,,

DUKE OF SOMERSET. 163^

wick, then duke of Northumberland ; and that
he had defigned to raife an infurredtion in the
North, aild in, the city of London.

It was objefted on the trial, tha,t three peers,
Northiiniberland,. Nor|:hampton> and Pembroke,
aganift the firft of whom it was pretended in the
indictment, that he had confpired, fliould lit as
his judges : for though, by the law, no peer can
be challenged in a trial, yet it was ever held, that
a man cannot be judge in his own caufe, but the
objefiipn was over-ruled s and, what is very ex-
traordinary, the lord-chancellor, though then a
peer, was; left out of t,he number ;. but it Icems
probable, that the reconciliation between him and
the duke of Somerfet was tlun fufpefted, and tha|t
he wa^ therefore excluded from the number of his-'
judges, • ,

The duke of Somerfet, though little acquainted
with the laws of the land, did. not defire couni^l to
plpad. or affift him in point of law, but only- an-
fwered himfelf to matters of faft. He began- his
defence, by requefting, that i>o advantage might
betaken againft him, for. any idle- word, or paf-
iionate expreffion, that might at any time have
efcaped him. H« protefted, he never intended to
JjavQ raifed the : nort;hern. parts.; but had only,
upon fome reports, fent to Sir William Herbert,
to intrcat him to be his friend : that he had neve/:
formed a refolution to kill the duke of Northuni-
berland, or any other perfon, but had onlytalked
of it, without Any inteption of doing it : that, for
the defign of deftroying the guards, it was ridicu*
lous to think, that he, with a fmall troop, could
deftroy fo ftrong a body of men, coniiiling of nine
hundred ; in which, though he had fuccecded, it
could have fignified nothing : that he never irx»
tended to have raifed any difturbances in London,
but had always looked uppu it as a place in which

he

i64 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

he was in |>6rfe£l fecurity^: that his having men
about him m Greenwich was with no ill defigni
fince he did no mifchief with them, even when it
was in his own power; but, upon his attach*'
menti furrendered, without making any refift-
ancev He likewife obje&ed many things againft
the witncfles, and defircd they might be brought
face to face. He fpoke much againft Sir Thomas
Palmer, the chief witnefs, in particular. But the
witnefles were not brought, only their exami-
nations were read. Upon this, the king's coun-
fel pleaded againft him, that to levy war was cer-
tainly treafon : that* to aflemble men, with an
intention to kil f rivy-counfellors, was alfo trea-
fon : that to have nden about him to refift the at-
tachment, was felony ; and, to ailault the lordSi
or contrive their deaths,, was felony.

When the peers withdrew, it feems, the prooft
about his defign of raifing the north, or the city,
or of kiUing the guards, did not fatisfy them.
For alt thefe had been, without all queftion, trea-
fonablc ; but they held to the point of confpiring^
to kill the duke of Northumberland. The duke of
Suffolk was of opinion, that no contention among
private fubjefts, ihould be on any account fcrewed
up, to be high treafon. The duke of Northum-
berland fa!d, he would never confent that any
practice againft. him fhould be reputed treafon.
After a great difference of opinion, they all ac**

Spitted him of treafon ; but the greater number
ound him guilty of felony ; in which fenteiwre
they proceeded upon a ftatute made in the reign of
Henry VIL which declared it felony for inferior
perfons to intend to take away the life of a privy-
counfellor, but lords were therein cxprefledly ex-
cepted i and therefore, as Haywavd obferves. So-
merfct, being both a peer and privy^counfellor,
the fiatute could not affcft bim«

The

DUKE OF SOMERSET. 165

The duke behaved, during the whole time of
his trial, with great temper and patience : when
fentence was given, he thanked the lords for their
attention, and afked pardon of Northumberland^
Northampton, and Pembroke, for his ill inten-
tions againft them ; and made fuit for his life, in
pity to his wife, children, and fervants, and in
regard of payment of his debts.

He was then remanded to the Tower, and be-
caufe he was acquitted of treafon, the axe was not
openly carried, whereupon the people, fuppofing
that he was altogether acquitted, fhouted half a
dozen times fo loud, that they were heard beyond
Charing-Crofs. Haywafd^ p. 330.

It is highly probable, that the duke relied on a
pardon, having before experienced the king's cle-
mency ; but his popularity ferved only to increafe
the f<&r8 of the court, and great pa^ns had been
taken to prepoiTefs the king againft him; fo that
young Edward, who abhorred the criides he be-
lieved him guilty of, was very far from any
thoughts of granting him a pardon ; and, in order
to pi-event it effeaually, the king was told, that
the duke had confefled in the Tower, that he had
hired one Bartuile to kill fome of the lords of the
council, which Bartuile was faid to have acknow-
ledged.

At the fame time the courtiers artfully ** en-
tertained the king with ftately mafks, tiks, bar-*
riers, and much other Variety of mirth," to di-
vert his thoughts from his condemned uncle ;
and the duke^s relations and friends were pre«
vented from approaching the royal prefence. And
atlcfpgthhe confented to his death; whereupon/
an order was fent for beheading the, duke of So-
merfet on the 22d of January, 1552, on which
day he was brought :o the place of execution on
Tower^hill. His whole deponxnent was very com-

pofedy

i66 EDWARD SEYMOUR,

pofed, and no way changed from what it had ort
dinarily been. I-Ie iirft kneeled down, and prayed,
and then fpake to the people in thefe words :
** Dearly beloved friends, 1 am brought here to
fiafFer death, albeit that I never ofFended againft
the king, neither by word or deed ; and have al-
ways Keen as faithful arid true to this realm, as
any man hath been. But, for fo much as I am
by law condemned to die, I do acknowledge my-
felf, as well as others, to be fubjeft thereto :
wherefore, to teftify my obedience, which I owe
unto the laws, I am come hither to fufFer death,
i^^hereunto I willingly offer myfelf, with moft
hearty thanks to God, that hath given me this
time of repentance, who might, through fudden
death, have taken away my life, that neither I
Ibould haVe acknowledged him, nor myfelf.
Moreover, there is yet fomewhat that 1 muft put
you in mind of, as" touching Chriftian religion,
which, fo long as I was in authority, I always
diligently fet forth, and furthered to my power ;
neither repent I of my doings, but rejoice therein,
fince that now the ftite of Chriftian religioa
Cometh moft near unto the form and order of the
primitive church, which thing I efteera as a great
benefit given of God, both to you and mc ;
moft heartily exhorting you all, that this, which
is purely fet forth to you, you will, with like
thankfulnefs, accept and embrace, and fet out the
fame in your living ; which thiiig, if you do not,
without d6ubt, greater mifchief and calamity will
follow." . .

When he had gone fd far, certain perfons of a
hamlet near, who had been warned by the lieu-
tenant to attend that morning at feven of the
clock, coming after their hour, through the Po-
ftern, and perceiving the prifbner to be mounted
upon the fcafFold, began to rin and to tall' their

fellows

DUKE or SOMERSET. 167

fellows to come away : the fuddennefs of their
-coming, the hafte they made, the weapons they
^carried ; but efpecially the words come away^ nioved
many of, the neareft to the fcaffold, to furmife
that a power was come to refcue the duke, where-,
vpon many cried with a high voice, away^ away.
1*he cry of thefe, and the coming on of the
otliers, caft amazement upon all, fo much the
inore terrible, as no man knew what he feared,
or wherefore, every man conceiving that which
liis aftonifhed fancy did caft iii his mind ; fome
imagined that it thundered ; others, that it was
an earthquake ; others, that the powder in the
armory had taken fire; others, that troops of
Jiorfemen approached ; in which medley of con-
ceits, they bore dowa one another, and joftled
^many into the Tower ditch ; and long it was
before the vain tumult could be appeafed ; and.
-when it was, another fucceeded ; for Sir Anthony
Brown came riding towards the fcafFold, and they
all hoped he had brought a pardon ; upon which
there was a general fhouting, " Pardon, pardon \
<jrod fave the king ;" many throwing up their
caps ; by which the dyke might well perceive how
dear he was to the people. But, as foon as thefe
diforders were over, he made a fign to them with
Jiis hand to compofc themfelves, arid then went
^n in his fpeech thus :

** Dearly beloved friends, there Is nofuch mat-
ter here in hand, as you vainly hope or believe.
It feemeth thus good unto Almighty God, whofe
ordinance it is meet and neceffary that we all be
obedient to. Wherefore I pray you all to be
quiet, and to be contented with my death, which
1 am moft willing to fufier : and let us now join
in prayer tqkthe Lord, for the prefcrvation of the
king's majefty, unto whom, hitherto, I have al-
ways fliewed rayfelf a moft faithful and figrm fub-
*• 7 jeft*

i68 EDWARD SETMOUR.

jed. I have always been moft diligent about his
Hiajefty, in his afiairs both at home and abroad ;
and no lefs diligent in feekine the common com-
modity of the whole realm ;" (upon this the
people cried out, it was moft true) •* unto whofe
snajefty I wi(h continual health, with all felicity,
and all profperous fuccefs. Moreover, I do wifli
unto all his counfellors, the grace and favour of
God, whereby they may rule, in all things up-
rightly with jufticc ; unto whom I exhort you.all,
in the Lord, to Ihew yourfelves obedient, as it
is your bounden duty, under the pain of con*
demnation ; and alfo moft profitable for the pre •
feivation and fafeguard ot the king's majefty.
Moreover, for as much as heretofore I have had
aflairs with divers men, and hard it is to pleafe
every man ; therefore, if there have been any tliat
have been offended or injured by me, I moft
liumbly require and aik him forgivenefs ; but
more efpccially, I aik forgivenefs of Almighty
God, whom, throughout all my life, I have moft
grievoufly offended; and all other, whatfoevcr
they be, that have offended me, I do, with my
whole heart, forgive them/'

Then he dcfired them to be quiet, left their
tumults might trouble him, and faid, ** Albeit
the fpirit be willing and leady, the flefli is frail
and wavering ; and, through your quietnefs, I
Iball be much more quiet. Moreover, I defire
you all to bear me witnefs, that I die here in
the faith of Jcfus Chrift, defiring you to help
me with your prayers, that I may perfevere con-
flant in the fame to my life's end.'*

Then Dr. Cox, who was with him on the fcaf-
fold, put a paper into his hand, which was a
prayer he had prepared for him. He read , it on
his knees, then be took leave of all about him^
imd undrcffcd himfelf to be fitted for the axe. J^

DUKE or SOMERSET, 169

all which there appeared no change in him,
only his face was a little ruddier- than ordinary.
He continued calling, '* Lord ' Jefd? Yavc me,^
till the executioner fevered his head from his
body. ^

The duke of Somerfet was poflefled of great
virtues ; he was eminent for piety ; humble, and
affable in.his^reatne£s ; fincere and candid in. all
his tranfaftions; - He wis a better gener^ rfiaii
a ftatefman ; -yet had been often fuccefsful in hig
undertakings ; was alw^ys^ careful; of the poor and
the oppreffed ; and, in a word, had as many vir-
tues, and as few faults, as moft great men, who
have been as unexpeftedly advanced to the higheft
pinnacle of p6Wer»' ' ' ■' 'i

The people were much affefted at this execu-
tion ; many dipped handkerchiefs in his Btood^to
preferve it in remembrance of him j and it is ccr-,
tain, that they never forgave the duke of North->
umberland, though they ftifled their refenlrment'
at the tinae. Of this We (hall be convinced in the
fubfequcnt pages. '» . [ .

*,^.* jfuihsriiics. Baker's Chronicle. Sir Johf%f
Hayward^s Life, of Edward V.l. Biog. Britaii;;
Burnet's Hrftory of the Reformation, istc. -^i

4

V

it

Vol I. . I . ; .^-j^...

( »7o )

The LIFE of

JOHN DUDLEY,

DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

(A. D. 1502, to 15S3.)

JOHN DUDLEY was the fon oF the in^
famous Edmund Dudley, Efq. a^ able, but
corrupt lawyer, who was fpeaker of the lioufb of
commons in 1504, and a privy counfellor, at
which period the avaricfli of Henry Vli. was in-
fatiablc, and this venal lawyer, in conjunfiton with
Sir Richard Empfon, chief juftice of the king's- ^
bench, inftead of difcountehancing the meaneft of
ail pafiions that can be harboured in a royal breaft,
invented . various illegal methods of extorting
money from the people, to fill the king's coffers^
themfelves receiving poundage for the fums thus
bafely acquired. , Upon the acceflion of Henry
VIII. the people prefented petitions, and cried
aloud to the king, whenever he appeared in public,
for juftice againft thefe public robbers, and their
inferior agents, and the latter being apprehended
J^nd fet in the. pillory, were ftoned to death by the
enraged jpopulacc, nor would they reft fatisiied
till Empfon and Dudley were indifted, convifted
of high treafon, and Jbeheaded, in I5i0« The
detail of their cruelties, extortions, and opprcffions,
' \ • the

DUKE OF NOR! HUMBERLAND. 1 7 1

the reader will find at large in Lord Bacon*^ fai&
tory of Henry VII,

-< Young Dudley was bomjir 15021 and in
the ninth year of his age, it being reprcfented
to the king» that he was defcended from an an«»
eient and honourable family* who, his fathei
excepted, bad done honourable icrviceto the date,
he was reftored in bloody but no fiatute is to be
found for reveifing the attainder of his father, as
recorded by moft hiflorians, nor could he inherit
^ Other's opulent fortuiic, his perfonal efiate
liaving been confifcated to the king's ufe, who
never made any^eftitution of money, not even of
the fums extorted by his father, and as to the
real eflates, they werebeftowed on his favourites.
But. about the year 1523, having received an edu-
cation fuitabk to his rank* be was introduced to
court by his mother, now married again, by the
king's confent, to Henry Plantagenet, whe iii h^
right, (fhe being the daughter and heirefs of Jolin
Grey, VifcountL*Iflc) was created VifcountL'Ifle.
Dudley's advantageous peribnal figure and great
accompiilhments foon recommended him ro the
notice of his fovereign* who nominated him to at-
tend the king's fiivourite,' Charles Brandon, duke
of Suffolk, in his expedition to France, where his
gallant behaviour not only intitled him to the
favour ofhis noble general, but procured him like-
wife the honour of knigfathood< It is natural to
imagine, that, upon his return, he was very welL
received at court, having manyrelat ions who had:
great in^uence therc^ ; but, it feems, he relied
chiefly on his own abilities, and very wifely ali>
tiiched himfelf to tlie king's firil minifler, carding:
Wolfey, whom he accompanied in his expedition
to France, in 1527 ; and foon after he was made
mafler of the armory in the Tower* His hopes
of preferment at (iourt, however, did jiot hinder
I 2 him

%:

f72 J 0"H N DTJ DL E-T,

Him from attending to his concerns in the co\in«
try, where he was very ailiduous in improving his
intereft with the gentry, and, in 1536, was nonii-.
nated^ftcrifFof Staffordfliirc ; where he lived hof-
pitably, and made himfelf popular among hig
fieiehbours.

, Dnring Wolfey's adminiftration Sir John Dud-
ley aifiduouily paidiiis court to him ;. but as foon
as he found Cromw:ell was gaining the afcendant,
his political genius dire£ted him to attach himfelip
to the new fiivourite, by whom he was appointed
mafter of the horfe to the Princefs Anne of Cleves,
on her an*ival in Engiand. On the firft of May,
>539i ^ ^^ ^^ ^^ of ^^ dsallengers in the
triumphant tournament held at Wefiminfter, ia
which he appeared with great magnificence. This
tournament had beefitproolaimed in France, Flan-
ders,^ Scotland, and Spain, for all flrangers to
try their prowefs againft ^he .English challengers,
who were Sir John Dudley, Sir Thomas Seymour,
SirThomas Poyniags, SirGcojgeCarew, knights;
Anthdny iK^ngft«^ ^ad Riidtard Cromwell,
efqulrcsi*? I'hefc chaUengef^s. came into the lifts
richly dreffed, preceded by a band of knights and
gentlemen, cioathed'in .wliitc, velvet. The firlt
day ther^ wore*forty»fiK defendants; ambngft whom
were tlie earls of Surrey, Lord William Howard,-
Lord Clinton, and Lord Cromwell, fon to the
prime minifter, then ^ earl of.Eflcx. Sir John
Dudley, .by feme mifchance of l^is horfe,. had the
misfortune to be ovcrtjbrown by one Mr. Breme ;•
howeyerihe mounted again, and. performed very
gftantly. After this. was over, tlac- challengers-
rbde in ftate to Durham-houfe, where they enter-
tained the king, the new. queen, and the court.
On the fecond Jay, Anthony Kii^fton and.Rlch*-
and Cromwell were made lUiights. Oq. the third, .
.^le challengers fpught oil l^wrfeback with fwords,

^ agaiiUl

[

DUKE OP NORTHUMBERLAND, fis

againft twenty -nine defendants ; fir John Dudley
and the earl of Surrey running firft with equal ad^
vantage. On ilic fifth day of May they fought oa
foot at the barriers againft thirty defendants. In
the courfe of thefe military diverfiotns> the chal-i
lengers, at a vaft expence, entertained both houfes
of parliament, the lord mayor, aldermen, and their
wives, and all the pcrfons of diftinftion then in
town ; as a reward for which, the king gave to
each of them a houfe and an hundred- marks a
year for ever, out of the revenues of the knights
of Rhodes which had been given to his majefty
by the parliament then fitting.

The fall of the earl of Eflcx did not in the
leaft afFeft the fortune of Sir John Dudley : who
was fo complete a courtier, that while he flattered
the minifters, he took care ta pay the higheft de«
ference to the will of his fovcreign, and thus pr^»
ferved his oredit at court, amidft.allthe changes of
men and meafures.

In 1542, upon the death of hia mother's fecond
hufband, he was created Vifcount L'Ifle ; and at
the next feftlval of St. George, he was alfoeleded
knight of the garter. But this was foon after fol*
lowed by a much ftronger token of efteem and
confidence ; for the king^ confidering his prudence,
his courage, and his aftivity, as well as the oc-
cafion he had, and was likely to have, for a man
of fuch confequence in that office, conftituted him
lord high admiral of England, for life*

In 1543, he commanded a fleet of two hundred
fail, witli which he invaded Scotland, and in con-
jundlion with the carl of Hertford,, the commande-
er m chief, took Edinburgh, being the &rft man
who entered the gates. He next embarked for
France, and on the 28th of July,-of thefameyear,
appeared before Boulogne, then befieged by king «
Henry VIII. in perfon, and, by his great diligence
I 3 and

174 J O H N D U D L E Y,

md coun^e, fisicilitated very much the taking of
the place, of whidithe king made him governort
with the title of his lieutenant-general.
" Soon after the king had embarked for England,
tbedaaphin advanced with an army of 50,000 men»
and attempted to recover Boulogne by furprife ;
but the lord admiral made a vigorous defence,
and repulfed the French, who loft 800 of their
bcft troops in the attack. They did not, however,
raife the liege till the month of February, 1544^
when the lord admiral, with a fmatl body of
horfe and foot, made a fuccefsful fally, took
twelve pieces of cannon, and obliged the French
forces, though greatly fuperior in number, to
nake a final and precipitate retreat.

Francis I. being greatly exafperatcd ast the lofc
4i£ BtMilogne, comra£ted with tlie Italian {late&
£or a nunU^er of reffiJs, and having formed a fleet
of two hundred fail, befides gallies, he gave in«-
ftruftions to Annebault, high admiral of i* ranee,
Zkot only to recover Boulogne, but to invade the
£nglifh coafts. But lord L'Ifle, upon his firft
appearance before St. Helens, attacked him, with
oiUy fixty (ail, and it is faid, that tlic French had
^particular orders to take the admiral, on which ac^
^ount, no lefs than eighteen of their (hips attacked
the admiral*s, who defended himfelf fo well, tiiat
they were obliged to retire, and the whole fleet
ioon followed* In a fhort time after this, the
Englifli fleet being reinforced, and having taken
ifome troops on board, a general engagement en-
fued, which lafted two hours, when night feparat-
ing the two fleets, the French took (belter in
Havre de^Grace, and thus ended their expedition.
•JSut tile Englifh admiral made a defcent on the
.|:€taft of France, burnt the town and abbey of
TrepoTt in NQrman4Y> witl^ thirty fail of ihips in

the

DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 175.

the harbour, and then returned to England, wttb
the lofs of only fourteen men.

A treaty of peace having been concluded With
France in 1546^ the lord admiral was appointed
one of the commiffioners, to take the oath of
Francis I. for the doe obfervance of the treaty;
Tonftal,bifhop of Durham, and Wotton, dean of
CaQterbury, were joined with him in this embafly ;
and in the fame year he was put into a commif-
fion, granted to fevei-al perfons of the ilrft rank,
for fettling the accounts of the army. This was
the laft public fervice he performed in the reign:
of Henry VIII. who, for his eminent fcrvices, be-
llowed on hiihfome conHderable grants of church^
lands, and at his death not only made him one of
his fixteen executors, who were to be^oirit regents
of the kingdom during ^he "ininority of Edward-
VI. but added to this honour, a' l^ty ofiiv^:
iiundred pounds ; a great fum in thofe days.

The reader will ronembcr, by what meant^
Sotilerfet acquired the fole regtncy^f thekingdom,
and he Will not be furprifcd at the enmity Wbicli
lord Ulfle bore to the protedor, when he is in-
formed, that the important and moft honourable
oiSce of high admiral was taken from him (though* '
in the language of courts, be is faid to have rd-
Signed it) and given to .Hir Thomas Seymour, thfe
proteftor's brother. To compenfare In fomc meaf
lure, for this impolitic and unjuft ftep, lord^
L'lfle was created earl of Warwick, and mad^
great chamberlain of England, on the fame day
that Sir Thomas Seymour was conftiruted high^
admiral, being the 17th of February, 1547, and
not three weeks after the death of his late royal
mafter, fo precipitately did Somcrfet lay the foua-
dation of his own ruin : for the difcontent of tho
earlof Warwick. was apparent ^t this time j and
1 4., in^

i

176 JO HN D U D LEY,

j\ the farther view of repairing the injury, lie had
confiderable grants from the crown, particularly
.Warwick caftle and manor : but thefe cnioJu-
mcnts could not bribe his boundlefs ambition*
. Nor did he long wait for an opportunity to
convince tl^e Jiation, that his military talents, as
'well as his political abilities, were fupcriorto thofe
of the protcftor. In the life of Somerfet» we have
related the caufe »and iffue of the expedition to
.Scotland ; and it mud here be confeiTeJ, that the
earl of Warwick, if he had been firft, inftead of
fccond ii> command, would have puflied the
war to a glorious conclufion. As it was, his
jCOndu£l was univeriklly commend^, and all the
blame fell upon Sonjcrfet.

When the earl of Warwick returned to London
from Scotland, he found the nobility, and perfons
p{ rank about the court, divided into two fa£tions,
occafioqed by the quarrels between the protestor
^nd his brother $ and with true Machiavelian po*
Jicy, he widened the breach between them, at the
f^mt time, that be formed a third party^ wha
were to aflift him in accomplidiing the riiin of
both. With this view finding that Sudley had
• rafhly proceeded to overt a£ls of trcafon, he
warmly urg^ the neceffity of his being attainted
^in parliai^ent, and after convidion, he continually
ftvtSed his brother to confent to his execution.
f^o, greater proof can be given of Somerfet's defi-
ciency. in politics, and the knowledge of mankind,
than his taking the advice of fo interefted a perfon
as Warwick^ who had never loft fight of the of-
fice of high admiral, in which he wai re-inftated,
not long after the execution of the admiral, when
lie had accomplilhed the. prote£lor*s firft difgrace.
The infurreftions which happened throughout
'England, in. the year 1549, on account of^the
i ^ ^ inclofiires

DUKE ojr NORTHUMBERLAND. 177

inclofures, have been already noticed in the life of
the pf oteftor, and an account given of their fup-
pwfBon, except that of Norfolk, which was re-
ferved for this place, becaufe the earl of Warwick
was ordered to march againft the Norfolk rebels,
and the event of this expedition not only added to
his military reputation, but flicws how high he
ftood in the efteem of the, people at that time.
The number of the rebels amounted to 16000
men, againft whom the earl of Warwick was feat,
after their reduftion had been in vain attempted
by the marquis of Northampton, and lord Shef-
field, (the latter of whom was flain by them,) ta
cjucll this formidable infurre£tion, wrtk 6000
foot, and 1500 hotfe.'

It was not till after a general battle, tha^ War-
wick go^ pofleifion of Norwich. Their leader,
Robert Ket, a tanner, having taught the rebek
fome difcipline, they drew up in excellent order,
and fought with great bravery ; and though they
had tipwards of 200c killed in . the aftion,. they
jelolutcly intrenched themfelves,j,and prepare4for
afecond. The earl, with great huipanity, un-
willing to Ihcd their blood, ferit a herald tOvOfffer
them a "pardon, if they would deliver up theii:
leaders ; but tlvis they refufed,. telling the her^kt^
tliat they expeflred to die, but that they ratlifjp
chofc to fall in the field than to be dejuded Uy isr
ceitfuliproipifes to furraider, and then ^ pu,t tp
death Ifkefiogi. Wai:wick,.upojij[eceivi.ngthi«.;ui^
Iwer, prepared for the onfct^, but xecolle^ing ^hsit
they feegspd tp mdftruft the herali, :he fent to ki^ow^
if they wpuld accept the pardon,- in caf^^ h^ came
toithem.^n perfon> and alCired them of it. Tp
which they anfwered, ** Thatlxe was, a of^bJem^
of fuch jKjiiour and geiierpfity, tliat,. if they mj^'^
have tUis;.airuraiK:e frpm jhis own^xnoutl^, tbcy
V^ve willijjg jq jr«h^\^''.i:Tib&>^e»ri acco?:dir)ahr
.J. i Is went

178 J O H N D U D L E Y,

went in nmongft them ; upon which they dlreir
down their arras, Ket was txken the next day,
and was hanged lomc time after at Norwich caftle;
and nine of his principal followers were likewife
banged on the boughs of the Oak of Reformation^
ts they had %led it.

Flulhed with fuccefs, Warwick now began Ills
^flbciation, with the confederated lords^ who
finding him an enterprifing nwn, a great general^
an expert politician, and in favour with the people,
and knowing his fecret hatred to the prote&ofj.
they refolved to make him their chief ihftmment
iHi reducing the duke's power ; but they did not
conceive at this time, that Warwick meant Uk
compafs bis death.

The intrigues of the earl of Warwick from this?
^eiyod, to the death of the duke of Somerfet,.
haye been fo amply fet forth in the memoirs of
that unfortunate nobleman, that we Ihall louck
t}ut flightly ou the mofl important national tnmA>
aftions at this time.

The peace with France^ which had been w^.
jcfled, when the proteftor propofed it, was con*
eluded, in April 1550,- on. the following con-
ditions. Boulogne was to be reftbred to France,.
Imtfthe French. king Henry II. fiipuhted to pay
^.- king of England, in consideration therebf,
and of the tribute in arrear from France^ thefum.
i^40a?ooo crowns; and it was agreed, that this >
lfe»ty ^uld not prejudice the claim. o£ England^
-f^jther to. France, or Scotland.,

Sooa.after this peace, the duke <Jf. Brunfwicfc
Jfent an ambaflador, to offer his fervice to the king
^England in his wars, with 10,000 men, andto%
ftlicit the princefs Mary, the king's eldeftfifter, in*
tnarriage, Anfwer was made^ that the king's wars
were at. an end ;. and as to the propofed marriage,
lltet the-ktn^^was ia treaty witliJPorliigal on that

DUKE OF KORTHUMBERllAND. £79

iubjed ; but if tliat treaty ctaie to no ttStd^ tfa^.
duke fhould be favourably heafci

About the fame time, the empcrorr^feemed c!t«-
iirous of breaking with England ;. for his am-^
baiiador boldly demanded of the king that the
.princ^fs Mary fhould be allowed the free cxercife
of the mafsy claiming in this cafe» the authority^
of an uncle ; but that of her brother and fovereign>
being fuperior, Edward reiuied to comply, andi
not only affiftedthe German Protefiants again with:
money » but becaufe the eikiperor. pnhlifhed fome*
fevore ediSs againfi tfaem^ the Englifli merchants
were injoined to trade, as little as poffible,. tO)
Flanders*

A treaty of commerce was likewife oondtidedi
with Sweden,, highly ad vantaigemis to England;;;
for it brotqght buUion into the kingdom for ourr
native oommoditic». A confiderable coinage like^
.wife took pfaKreat the Mint, but part^of this coin^
Bge was debafed-

About the beginiting^' of the year 1551, intdt-
l^noe was- remved» that the emj>eror intended,!
to fend a Jeec to tranlport the pnnceis Mary, t^
Aiitweq>,^ and a rebellion in kiicjt feeming.tDv
favour this defkn^ flte was^ brought from that
€x>ttnty, ^here ihe refided, to London, and« e»^
deavours were ufed by th^ kiiig and the oouncili
to bringher over^to the Prpteftant religion, but ia«
Tsun. The emperor now fent an angry ih^Bige^t
thitatenim war, if flie waa not allowed the free*
cxercife of her religion ^ whereupon the councili
determined to fend Dr. Wotton, Dean of Canter--
bury, to his bnperiai Majefly, who brought Am
Wiatirr^toa ipeedy^ooaduiiony.by deelarmg that
the fame fiivour tluit thrkti^-a fubjeds had with.
fe%eA to their»religion^(heulgProleftants> inthe:
•aqpcror's. dosauiiottSy. the fame jftnould the empe-*-
Ifc lor^s

i^8o 1 J.O HTS .D U D L E Y, .

.lOrVfubjeAs, (being Roman Catholics) enjoy in
England ; but as' for the king's own fubjc^s, o£
-whbmiN&icy was one^ he had no right to inter-
fere, or to dire£l the king his matter in the ma-
4iagement of the affairs of his own realm. This
Jechration put an end to the emperor's threats.
And it muft . be confeflcd by the earl of War-
.wick's eniemios, that the vigour which now ani-
:mated t^e king's councils. with regard to foreign,
tdfiairs* was chiefly owing to .his having the lead
in adminifiration* The king therefore finding
he poflefled the qualifications of an able ftatefman,
and feeing him, to all appeacance, reconciled to
his uncle, appointed him, in April, lord fteward
t)f his houiebold,i'and earl«maruial of England;
^ ibort time after, he was made lord-warden of
the northern marches, and, in October, he was
created duke of Northumberland.

By this time, he had made alliances with fome
of the beft families in England, and advanced his
children and friends at cpurt : in particular. Sir
Kobert Dudley, .onetof his younger- fons^ (after*
waiybedrl of Leicefter) a man ** who fbr luft
and cruelty," fays Hayward, ** was the monfter
2>.f the court, was made one of the fix ordinary
gentfemen of the king's chamber, in Augufl« and
after his coming into place fo n^ar him, all au-
thors »gree, tlie king enjoyed his health but a little
while." ' ' .

Ihat the duke of Somerfet was not qualifiedto
be prime minifler, . is generally allowed"; • but the
fecluding him from every tejponfible office- was thb
ntmofl punifhment forhis.pifi errors, aimed at by
the other counfellors. However, -the dafce erf
Northumberland had an ambitious proje£^ in
Imitation, which made him dread the integrity, «
and remaining iiKfluence of his fovcreign'v^uncle^
. ! But,

DUKE OP NORTHUMBERLAND, ill

But, after his death, having gained an entire alcen-
dancy over the king, (more latterly, through fea#
. of his power, than inclination) his dangerous plot
began to grow ripe for execution; and it was
haftened by the following circuraftance.

The pious, amiable young monarch, notwith-
ilanding every art was made ufe of to divert him,
grew melancholy and penfive. He was often found
in tears, and upon the flighteft mention of his late
tincle, which could ;not be avoided in referring to
paft a£ls of the council, he would iigh, fays Hay*
ward, and lament his own unfortunate iituation,
in thefc pathetic terms : " How unfbrtunate have
1 been to thofe of my blood I my mother I flew at
my birth, and fincc have made away two of her
brothers, and haply tofervc thepurpofes of others
againft myfelf. The proteftor had done nothing
that deferved death, or if he had, it v^as very
little, and proceeded rather from his wife than
himfelf ! where then was the good nature of, a
nephew ? wh«?re the clemency of a prince ? alas !
how have I been abufed ? how little was I maftet
of my own judgement, that both his death, and
the blame thereof, muft be charged upon me !"

Some writers have aflertcd, that the decline of
Edward's health, which commenced about this
time, was owing to natural caufes, and that nci-
tbeir Northumberland, nor his agents, had any
hand ^n haftening his death ; and they aflign it,
as a reafon, that the duke had no caufe to fufpefb
the decline of his- power, while the king lived.
But if we coniider tliat this nobleman had ad«
vanced himfelf by political fraud and crueky, k
feems highly probable, that he hourly dreaded his
fell, as the king's judgment ripened with his
years, and knew, that no other means could pre-
vent the filial difqovcry of his vile intrigues,'
fouaded on his ambition.

The

^U JOHN DUDLEY,

The kifigt therefore, difeowring inward remorlb
Ibr the vicSent meafiiret into which he had been
precipitatedthroogh youthful inezperience ; Nor-
Ibvmberland, who had now tbe Ible diredion of
public affairs, both foreign and domeftic, and
wfaofe family and friends were placed about the
throfie, as a preiimihary ftep to his grand plan for
lecuring permanent power to himfelf, by raifing
bis family to the throne, haftily concluded a marri-*
l^e between the lady Jane Grey, eldeft daughter to
the duke of Suffolk, and his fourth fon, lord
Guildford Dudley ; which was celebrated in the
month of May, 15^3: ^^ it defer ves notice,,
that the king's J Unefs had increafed, with danger-
ous fymptoms, from the month of January.

In the parliament held a little before the king's
death, the duke had procured a conliderable fupply
ta,be granted ; and, in the preamble of that a£ty
a direct cenfure to be inferted of the duke of
Somec^s adminiftratiou. Having thus anfwered:
his purpofes by this meafure, he d]ffi)lved that^
parliament, He then artfully ilated to the king^
4be neceflity of fetting afide the princefs Mary,
from the danger the Protcftant religion would be
fai, if fhe (hould fucceed him. T his reprefentation*
made a deep impreffion upon the pious young,
monarch, who readily conceived the fMl confe-«
-^uences to the nation, which ^ould enfue from,
die reftoration of popery, and therefore freely coo*
fented to the e&clufion of Mary « But as the prin--
cefs Elizabeth waaa proteftant, and theking bore
atenderafTeAioDto ner, it has perplexed Burnet,,
and other hiftotians,.to undenland how Nor«
tfautnberknd could prevail upon him to fet htr<
afide. The difficulty, however, is eafily refolved,.
if we attend to the realbns of law andihite, broughti
by ^ crown lawyers, and Uie poliueiam, ia Nor*

thumhcrland*a*

DUKE or KOkTWOPMBBRLAMD. r»j:

tiiiiaiberlaad*8 Intcreft, in ft^port of tiie^xpe^
dieficy of excluding both the princefles.

The dnef jnftice Montague maintaifiedy iiM
the a£t o£ 35 Henrjr VIII* fettling the crowft
trpon Mary and Elizabeth^ after the demife of
Edward mtfaoct MTue, was rendered mdl and void^
by the kft ©fthe 38th of the fame king, by which
^eomrriHges of both thdr mothers were diilblvedt
their divonxs confirmed, andf their iiftie dechred)
iUe^imate, fo that neither the^ letters patent, nor
the fuhfequent will? of the faid King, could con«
fer any right of luccelfion to the crown, on illegi«
timate perfons, who were totally dtfabled from?
fiKceecUng Edward or 'any peripn, the z& of the
35th linriting the fuccefioii to fegitimate ifTue.
jjecii gave it as » reason of fkate, that though*
Elizabeth Was a* Pioteftant, (he might marry a
foreign prince, who might introduce Popery^
And thele arguments moft afiuredly prevailed with:
die king; for diey^ are mentioned in the letters
]>atent, for iettling'tbe crown on lady Jane Grcy»
The fame danger of Pe^ery occalioned the ex*
dufion of &e iflue of Margaret, queen dowager
of Scotland, cldeft filler of Hmry VIIL As ta
Oe diiche^ of Suffblk, the nextperfonmentioned<
in. Henry's will^ (he readily entered into Northum-
beriand'i Tiews^ and yieloed her right in favour oT
iiei^ dawhter* ^ An hiftrument was accordingly
prepared, though not without great oppofitioa
firom fi>me of the judffes^ and being f^jned by the
king, on V the a lit of June, when he was in great
ibbility both of mind and body, it pafled the great
ftal the next day, and was fufofcnbed by all the*
privyi council, by the bilhops, the major part of
the nobility iMMdi with refpeft to numbers and^
eon&qiience^ and by the judges, except Sk Jamea
Holies, one ef the judges of the cotmoon pkss^.
wWcopteaiijF dcchccditto \^ tnafan.

NoTtboxn*

it4 , J O H N D U D L E Y,

- -Northumberland, having thus accompliihed hi9
defign, nothing remained, but that thoking fhould
not long furvive, left the recovery orbis own pe-
netrating judgement with his health, and the ap-
plication of founder advice, ihould overthrow his
cunning devices : therefore, foon after the inftru-
ment \ad been fubicribed by the council, by Nor-
thumberland's advice, an order of council iflued^
for difmlfiing his phyficians, and for putting him
into the hands of an ignorant woman, who under-
took to reftore-him, in a (hort time, to his for-
mer health. Inftead of which, after, the ufe of
her medicines, all the bad fymptoms increafed, to
die moft violent degree : he felt a difficulty of
fpeech, and of breathing ; his pulfe failed; his
legs fwelled, his colour became. livid^ and at
length he expired, on the 6ih of July, 15539 in
the 1 6th year of his age, and 7th of his reign;
leaving great reafon to believe, from the grofs ig-
norance and meannefs^of the woman employed^
tliat (he wias tlie inftrument of his deftru£tion.

The piety of this prince was as exemplary, as
his charity was beneficial to the kingdom, whiclv
will never be foEgotters, while we behold the hof-
picals of St. Bartholomew, St. , Thomas, and
Bridewell, founded and munificently eddowed by
bim. His learning, his modeft, yet graceful and!
ftately deportment, and lafily hisfineperfon, madr
him the feibjea of univerfal adnairation./

The duke of Nordnumberland endeavoured t6
conceal Edward's death for foraetime, wkh a view
of drawing the priuceft. Mary, to court, and fbch
hopes were: given of his recovery, that the peoplt
made general rejoicings upoathe occafion, and it
was on pretexc«of .comforting the king in his illi-
nefs, that the duke wrote, to Mary. to vifit him.
3utit is highly probable (he had a ibcret pacty i^
the council^' and Uiatthoug^ithcy vhsidJBifa£tJih«l
-•..i: 'J.'. to

DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 185

to the lady Jane's fuccelEon, either through fear,
or from bribery, they how fent her private intelli^
gence of the king's death ; for when flie was with-
in half a day's journey of London, Ihe turned
back in hafte to her houfe at Hovedon \ and the
duke then carried his daughter-in-law from Dur-
ham-houfe to the Tower, where the royal apart-
ments had been prepared for her, and a canopy of
ftate put up. On the iqth,,lhe was proclaimed
in the ufual manner. The council alio wrote to
queen Mary, requiring her fubmiffion ; but they
were foon informed, that Ihe had retired into
-Norfolk, where many of the nobility, andmulti-
'tudes of people, reforted to her.' It was tlienre-
folved to fend forces againft her under the com-
.mand ofthe duke of Suffolk ; but lady Jane would
.by no means part with her father ; and the coun-
cil earneftly prefled the duke of Northumberland
^to go in perfon \, to which he was little \nclinedj
-l^as doubting their fidelity. He fignified as much
in the fpeech he made at taking his leave, and was
" anfwered with the flrongeft affurances that mea
could give.

On the 14th of July, the duke, accompanied
by the marquis of Northampton, tlie lord Grey,
and others, marched through Bifhopfgate with
two thoufand horfe, and fix thoufand foot ; but,
as they rode through Shoreditch, he could not
forbear faying to the lord Grey, ** The people
prefs to fee us, but none fay, God fpeed us." His
aftivity and courage, for which he had been fo
famous, feemed, from this time, to have deferted
him ; for, though he advanced to St. Edmund's-
bury, in Suffolk, yet, finding his troops diminifh,
the people little affefted to him, and no fupplies
coming from London, though he had wrote to the
lords in the moft preffing terms, he lelircd back
again to Cambridge.

i86 7 O H N D U p L fi Y,

In the metn time, the council thought of no*
thing but to get out of the Tower, and at laft
-effided It, under pretence of going to the carl of
Tembroke'8 boufe at Baynard's caftle, to give au*
^ience to the foreign ambaifadon. This was on
the 19th of the fame month ; and the firft thing
they did when they came there, was, to fend for
the lord-mayor, aldermen, and fheriffs, whom
they accompanied to Chcapfide, and there garter-
king-at-armj proclaimed queen Mary. The earl
of Arundel^ and lord Paget, went the fame night
'to pay their duty to her.

The duke of Northumberland had advice of
this on the aoth.and, about five in the afternoon,
-tht fame xlay, caufed her to be proclaimed at Cam-
bridge, thrbwing up his cap, and crying, ** God
•fave queen Mary ! * NorthumberIand*s afieded
'loyahy, however, W«s of noferviccto him ; for
•he was arretted by the queen's command, and oh
'the 18th of Auguft; brought to his trial, in
Weftminfter-haH, where being found guilty of
ftigh treifon by his peers, he received fentcnce of
death. The duke's behaviour under bis unhappy
•circumflances was, to the Jaft degree, mean and
•abjeft, from the time of his being arrefted.
This intrepid hero in the field, who had faced
'tvtvy danger by fea and land ; this afpiring ftatef-
'man, who had boldly ventured to compafs his
ends, by the moft perilous meafares, who kneW
'that treafon was at the bottom of all his dcfigns,
when he met with that fate which his knowledge
^of hiftory, and even his own conduft to Somerfet
and his friends, muft have taught him to expert,
•dreaded the approach of death ; and, upon his
knees, befought the earl of Arundel, by whom he
was arrefted, to intercede with the queen for his
life. A^reater proof cannot be given, that con-
fcious guilt makes cowards, and fools of the bravefl

and

DUKE or NQJtTHUMBERLAND. x9j

aiid the wifeft men; for Arundel was, Ae very
man vfho firft deferted his caufe at the cooncU
board, notwithfianding, at the duke^s departure,
be was the nioft vehement in his proteftations of
'attachment to him. After fentence, he as fooli(hly
folicited Gardiner Bifhop of Winchefter, his
fworiv, foe, to ufe his intereft to fave his life : .
afking him if there were no hopes, and declaring^
that he would be content to do penance and to
live in a jBoufe-hoJe, if he could but live a little
longer ; and Gardii%er tauntingly told him, he^
wilhed to God, his grace could have been content
with ai>y thing lefs than a kingdom, when he
was at liberty and in profperity : to which he ad-
ded, a ferious admonition for him to make his
peace with God, and prepare for death*

It has been obferved, at the dole of the lik of
Somerfet, that the people never forgave the duke
of Northumberland ; and, it is highly probable
that this' was the chief caufe of tlie cold receptioft
he met with firom the cititen^ of London, when
he proclaimed Lady Jane, and when he marched
fhroughtlie city with an army to fupport her title.
For, when he was conduced to the Tower after
his condemnation^ many leproaclied him as he
pafled, aad a lady^expofing an handkerchief which
had bem di{]f)ed in the blood of the duke of
Sotnerfet, held it near him, and cried out ; ** Be-
hold fh^ btoed of that worthy man, that good
uncle, of muriate excellent king, which was (hed
by thy malicious practice, doth now revenge itfelf
on thee.'*

Thc'twenty-firft of Auguft, 1553, w^stheday
fixed for his execution : when a vaft concourfe of
people afiembled upon Tower-^hili, all the tifual
pi^parations behig made, and die executioner
ready ^ but, after vraiting fome hours, the: people
teere ordered to dq^» This dday was to afford

time

fgg JOHN DUDLEY,

time for his making an open fticw of the change
ef his religi6i>, fince that very day, in the prefenccr
of the mayor and aldermen, as well as fomc of the
privy-council, he heard mafs in the Tower, The
next day, he was adualiy brought out to fuffer
death, on the fame fcafFold on Tower-hrll ; where
he made a very long fpeech to the' people ; of
which there remains nothing but what relates to
his religion : -which he not only profeiled to be
tien that of the church of Rome, but that it had
been always fo ; taking upon himfelf the odious
dharaAer of a hypocrite in the fight of God^ 2ls
Well as a diiiembler with men. It i« ftrongly fof-
pefted, that he aftcd this difgraceful: pafrt, in the
hopes of faving his life : for it is affirmed, that he
had a promife of pardon, even if his head was upors
the block,' if he would recant and hear mafs ; and
tliis deception was afterwards praftifed by Mary^
to procure recantations from unhappy proteflantSt
whom fhe afterwards conftantly pot to death, iii'
violation of the promifes made in her name, and
1)y her exprefs order.

Having finiihed his fpeech to the people, and
his private devotions, the executioner alked hint
forgivenefs, to whom he faid, ** I forgive thee
with all my heart, do thy part, withorrt feaw.**
And bowing towards the block, he faid, ** I have
deferved a thouiand deaths/' Then layitig his
head on the block, it was inftantly fevered from
his body : he was buried in the Tower, in St.
Beter's church, near the body of the duke of
Somerfet.

Thus defervedly fell John Dudley, dtilcc of
Northumberland, whofe virtues were few, but
fuchas accomplifh theftatefman and hero ; and if
they had not been fuktied by the fouleft crimes, he
might have proved one of the ableft miniftfers Eog'^
land had ever feea : fox he dioi;oughly undcrftocHl

DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 189

2l)e political aild commercial interefts of his coun^
try ; and it niuft not be forgotten, that he
greatly promoted the latter. During his (hort
adminifiration, two inllances arc on record,
which confidfercd in a national light, are an expia-
tion for many of his faults.

Thciirft was the diflblution of the corporation
qf the merchants of tiie Sugl-jard in London,
cojififting of foreigneis, chiefly Germans, fubje^t
^of the Hans-towns, who engroffed the management
of all the foreign commerce of England, all im-
iports and exports being made in the Ihips of this
corporation, by which the Englifh merchant ad-
venturers fuffered great lofles, and were expofed to
frauds of all kinds from the officers and other
agents of this fociety. The complaints of the
EfBglifli being brought beforethe privy council, bjr
the advice, and under the patronage of the duke of
Northumberland, after they had failed of rcdrefs
in the courts of law, owing to the privileges
granted by former kings to the corporation , the
duke propofed the diffolution of the fociety, whfch
was carried, and it was accordingly diflblved, the
latter end of the year 1552 ; an<}, frpm this time
our foreign tradb wsis encouragbd in ^ngliih bot-
toms.

■ The ftfcond was,' the cftablilhment of a Mart at
Southamftin^ for our Woollen^manufadares, which
before were tranfpotted to Brugis and jfntwerp^
at a great expence^; for befides the freight in.
foreign bottoms, the'- English were obliged to have
agents and iaidiott fettled in Flanders, to tranfa£t
this bufinefs. But the new regulation of opening
aMart in England, which took place in 1553, pro-
duced a moft advantageous slkeration in this valu-
able branch of our eommer^^e,' and was no lefs
£!ivourabIe to the kingdom in general, as it brought'
numbers, of fpriigners to yliit this counlry, fome.

of

t90 H IT G H L A T r NT E R,

ef whom fettled in it, and contributed to thepnv-
grefs, which England made, in- arts, manafac^
tores, and Gommerce, intheageofqaeen Elizabeth*

•4^* ^ytbmhm. Stow's Chronicle. Speed's
Hiftorv of Enirfand. Lloyd's State Worthies. Sir
John Hayward's Life of Edward VL Fox's Ads
and Monuments, &c. Burnetts Hiftory of the
Refonnation.

The Life of

HUGH LATIMER,

BISHOP of WORCESTER.
( Widi Men»oirs of RiDi-SY, Bifliop of LoKDON.)

[A.D. 1455, to 1555.}

HUGH LATIMER ^^ born at:Thirk.
eflon OP, Thurc9flon« in Lciccfterlhire,
about the ycgr 447 5, His ftdicr was a repntabio
yeoman, whoh^id nolandiofhM.own^ but rented
a fnaallferm, on which, in thofe.frugal times, he
maintaiwedalargefivqily.: fix daughters, and %
ion.

But the beft account of this family, is gi\rcn in;
one of his Lcntfcrraons, preached before Edward
VL wherein, after exclaiming againft thti inclo*.
fures of common landsj and otbcr opprcffion^,.
pfaftifcd a;. $Uat tittie,.by the nobility aiidgentrv^

BISHOP OP WORCESTER. %9^

be takes notice of the modexatioa of the landlovdar
^ few years before^ and of the eafe and plenty^
enjoyed by the tenants ; as a proof of which, he^
adds, " That upon a farm of four popnds a year ,
at the utmoft, his father tilled as much grouoid as»
kept half a dozen men ; that he had it flocked
with an hundred Iheep, and thirty cows ; that he
found the king a man and horfe, himfelf remem«*>
bering to have buckled on his father's harnefs,
when he went to filackheath ; that he gave hiS'
daughters five pounds a- piece at marriage ; that he
lived hofpitably among his neighbours, and was
not backward in his alms to the poor."

The juvenile part of Latimer's life affords no*
thing worthy our notice ; we fhall therefore in«
troduce him to our readers, at the time when he
firft appeared upon the theatre of the world, and-
began to aA a confpicuous part. This happened
aboutthe year 1 500, when having taken the degree
of Maflerof Arts, atChrift's college in Cambridge,
and entered . into Priefl's orders, bis zeal for &e
doArines of the Romiih church maniiefled itfelf-
by violent declamations againfl the German re-
formers, whofe opinions began to be propagated
in England, ajiid to gain ground. If any profef-
f^r, f\]jpe£ted of favouring their tenets, read lec-
ture:s, he attended, and the univeriity in recomr
pence for his zeat, having giving him the offi<;e of
crofs bearer, he exercifed fome authority over the
fcholars, driving them from the fchools of thefe
l«£lurers.

But fortunately for the church of England, of
which he afterwards became an illuftriotis prelate,
Mr. Latimer becamie acquainted with Mr. 1 homas
Bilney ; who having entertained favourable fcnti-
nients of Latimer from his moralcliaraf^er, in which
alone there ,was at that time any finiilavity betwcea .
tbemj conceived an opinion, tliat by con^nuhi cit-
ing

192 HUGH LATIMER,

nig to him the obfcrvations he had long made on
the fcandalous lives of the monks and the Romlfh
clergy, and comparing them with the exemplary
condud of the reformers, he might induce Latimer
to think more favourably of their writings and
opinions. Thus prepoffefled with the idea of
converting him, and having entered into feme
conferences with him on religious fubjefts, Mr.
Bilney took proper opportunities, to hint that
fome of the tenets of the Romilh church, were
not confonant to primitive Chriftianity ; and by
degrees he raifed doubts, and a fpirit of enquiry
in Latimer's mind, who had always afted, though .
crroneoufly, upon honeft principles ; and in the
end, he was fully convinced of the errors of the-
Romifh church, which he abandoned, and from
this time he became very. afliye in fupporting and
propagating the reformed opinions. He endea-
voured with great afliduity to make converts,
both in t6wn, and in the univerlity ; preaching
in public, exhorting in private, and every where
preffing the neceffity of a holy life, in oppofitioix
to the fuperftitious ceremonies, and external afts
of devotion, which prevailed in the Romifli re-
ligion.

The firfl: remarkable oppofition that he met with
from the Popifh party, was occafioned by a courfc
of fermons which he preached during the feftivat
of Chriftmas. before the univerlity, in which he
fpoke his fentiments concerning the itnpietyof
indulgences, the uncertainty of tradition, and
the vanity of works of fupererogation. He in-
veighed againft the multiplicity of ceremonies
with which religion was th^n incumbered, and
the pride and ufurpation of theRomifh hierarchy :
but chie% he dwelt upon the great abufe of lock-
ing up the fcripturcs in an unknown tongue ;
7 ^ giving

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 193

giving his reafons without any refcrvc, why tliey
ought to be put in every one's hand. .

Great was the outcry occafioned by thcfe dif-
courfes. Mr. Latimer was then a preacher of fume
eminence, and began to difplay a remarkable addrc^ft
in adapting himfelf to the capacities of the people.
The orthodox clergy obferving him thus fbllowed,-
thought it high time to oppofe him openly.
This tafk was undertaken by Dr. Buckenliara,
prior of the Black Kriars, who appeared in the
pulpit a few Sundays after, and with great pomp
and prohxity, endeavoured to ihew the dangerous
tendency of Mr. Latimer's opinions : particularly
be inveighed againft his heretical notion of having
the fcriptures publifhed in Enghfh, laying open the
ill effefts of fuch an innovation. " If that hetefy,
laid be, were to prevail, we ihould foon fee an
end of every tiling ufeful among us. The plough*
man reading, tlut if he put his band to the plough,
and Ihould happen to look back, he was unfit for
tlie kingdom of God, would foon lay afide his
labour : the baker likewife reading, bat a little
leaven will corrupt his lump, would g ve us very
iniipid bread: the iimple man likeivife finding
himfelf commanded to pluck out his eyes, in a
few years we Ihould have tlie nation full of blind
beggars."

Mr. Latimer could not help likening with fecret
pkafure to this ingenious rcafoning. Perhap'?, he
had aded as prudently, if he had eonfid.rtd th?
prior's arguments as unanfwerable ; but he could
not rclift the vivacity of his temper, \iihich ftronjly
inclined him to expofe this .foleqjn trifler. 1 he
whole univerfity met togctljer on the Suidav,
when it was known Mr. Ljtinie? would pi eatii.
A vein of pleafantry and humour ran. through ati
liis words and a£l ions, which, it was ^ai»j;!J>eJ^
would here have full fcopc : and the pr^a J*er w*s

Vol. 1. K not

194 ri U G H L A T I M E R/

fliot a little confcious of his own fuperidrity. To
complete the fccne, juft before the fermon began,
Buckenham him fclf entered the church, with his
friar's cowl about his ilioulders, and feated himfelf,
with an air of importance, before the pulpit.

Mr. Latimer, with great gravity, recapitulated
the learned doftor's arguments, placed them in the
ilrongeft light, and then rallied them with fuch a
How of 'wit, and at the fame time with (o muck
good liumoirr, that, without the appearance of ill-
nature, he made his adverfary in the higheft degree
jidiculoufi. He then, with great addrefs, appealed
to the peopk, defcanted upon the 4ow efteem in;
which their holy* guides had always held their un-
derftanding, expreflcd the utmoft offence at their
being treated with fuch contempt, and wifhed his
honeft countrymen might only have the ufe of tlie
fcriptures till they (hewed themfelvcs fuCh abfurd
interpreters. He concluded his difcoprfe with a
few obfervations upon fcripture metaphors. A
figurative manner of fpeech, he faid, was- com-
mon in all languages ; reprefentations of this
kind were in daily ufe, tmd generally underflood.
" Thus, for inftarice, faid he, (addreffing him-
felf to that part of the audience where the prior
t". as ieated) when we fee a fox painted, preaching
in a friar's hood, nobody imagines that a fox is
n?eant, but that craft and hypocrify are defcribed,
which are fo often found dilguifed in that garb.'*

But it is probable, that Mr. Latimer thought this
JeviCy unbecoming; for when one Venetus, a
foreigner, not long after, attacked him again upon
the fame fubjeft, and in a manner the moftfcurri-
lous and provoking, pe find. him ufing a graver
flrain. JHe anfwers, like a fcholar, what is worth
cnfwering ; and^ like a man of fenfe, leaves the
abfurd part to confute itfelf. But whether jocofe
o# ferious, bis harangues * were fo animated, that

they

BLSHOP OF WORCESTER. 195

they fcldom failed of their intended cfFeft ; Kis
raillery fliut up the prior within his monaftery,
and his folid arguments drove Vcnetus from the
univerfity.

The Proteftaixt caufe foon acquired great credit
at Cambridge by the joint labours of Bilney and
Latimer, whofe lives ftriftly correfponded with
the purity of the doctrines they taught; and no
academical cenfuties were found fuf&cient to deter
the ftudents from following thefc emine.it re*^
formers. * <

Dr. Weft the diocefan was applied to, to filence
Latimer, which Be did, after he had heard him
preach, thougli he 'had exprcfled his approbation of
bis difcourfe. He, hovirever, prohibited him from
preaching in any ofthe churches within his diocefe.
But this gave no great check to the reformers ; for
there happened at that time to be a prior in Cam-
bridge, Dv, Barnes, of the Auftin Friars, who
favoured the principles of the Reformation. His
monaftery was exempt from epifcopal jurifdiftion,
and being a great admirer of Mr. Latimer, he
boldly licenfed him to preach there. Hither his
party followed him ; and the late oppofition having
greatly excjted the curiofity of the -people, the
friars chapel was foon unable to contain the crowds
thaf attended. ^

This fuccefs which Mr. Latimer had thus gained
by preaching, he maintained by fan£tity of man*
ners. Nor did Mr. Bilney and he fatisfy them-
felves with afting unexceptionably, but were daily
giving inftances of true piety and benevolence,
which malice could not fcandalize, nor envy
mifinterpret. They were always together concerc-
ing meafures for the advancement of true religion j.
and the place, where they ufeyd to walk, w^as long
afterwards known by the name of the Heretics
hill. Cambridge at tlie time was full, of theit
K' z good

X96 HUGH LATIMER,

good aftions : their charities to the poor, and
friendly vifits to the fick and unhappy, were com-
mon topics of converfation.

At length heavy complaints were fent to the
miniftry at London, of the farprifing increafe of
berefy, and Latimer was accufed as the principal
propagator of the new opinions; and cardinal
VVolfey, being importuned by Warham, archbi-
Ihop of Canterbury, and the bifliops at court,
font for Latimer to appear before him ^ York-
houfe, but after fome private converfation, he dif-
miifed him courteoufly, and granted him* a fpeciai
licence, to preach in all parta of England.

Mr. Latimer then returned to Cambridge, but
foon after he extended his pious defigns of refor-
mation, by preaching in different parts of the
kingdom, and he, once or twice, had the honour
to preach before Henry VIIL at Windfor, upon
which occafions^ the king had taken particular no«
ticc of him. This encouraged him to write a
very bold better to his raajefty, when the royal
proclamation was iffued, forbidding the ufe of
the bible in Englifli, and other books on religious
fubjeds.. From the time thatthe Reformation was
firft encouraged in England by private perfons,
the promoters of it, had continually difperfcJ
among the people, a variety of polemical trad s,
and others, expofing the corrupt lives of the
clergy, and the monks. Thefe books were printed
a!>road ; and after the reformers took the name of
Protestants, (which they did at the diet held
at Spins in 1529, from the protest they then
and there made againft the errors of Popery) they
fent them over in great quantities to their bre-,
ihren in tngland; and araongft ether works, a
trai.fl.ition of the new teftament : againft thefe the
proclamation was levelled. It impowered the Jn-
ihoj'S to iinprifon,. at plcafure, all perfons fulpeflcd

of

BISHOP OF WORCESTER- t^

of having heretical books, till the party had
purged hitnfelf, or abjured ; it likewife aufhoriled
the biihop to iet an arbitrary fine upon all per*
fons convifled ; and it prohibited ail appeals fiom
the ecclefiaftical courts, and ordered the civil offi-
cers on their allegiance, to aid the bifhops in ihc
extirpation of herefy. As the cruel bigotry of
the clergy rendered this prochimatfon extremely
fatal, fome perfons having been burnt for reading
the bible, and others for leaching their children
the Lord's prayer^ and the ten commandments, La-
timer, with pious 'fortitude, remonltrated againft it
in his letter to the king, the fcope of which is lo
point out the evil intentions of the bitho;3s in ob-
taining the proclamation, to guard the king againit
the malevolence of thofc, who infinuated that the
reformers were a fet of feditious men, who would
difturb the peace of the kingdom ; and to con-
vince him, that tlie iVee ul'e of the fcriptures
5vould make the people better, inftead of worlc
Xubjcfts, as it had been falfcly reprefented to his
majefty ; and after vouching for the good dmraftcrrs
of the unfortunate perfons then in culloJy, he
makes the following nervous, pathetic conclu-
fion :

•• Accept, gracious fovereign, without difplea-
fare, what 1 have written, 1 thought it my duty
to mention thefe things to your raajclly. No pcr-
fonal quarrel, as God ihail judge me, have I with
any man : I wanted only to induce your majelty
to confider well wh^t kind of pcrfoiis you have
about you, and the i nds for which thev couafel :
indeed, greai prince, many of them, or they aii? ,
much' ilaudered, have very private ends, (aod^
grant your majetty may fee through all ihe.delbns
'of evil men ; and be, in all things, equal to the
high office with which you are entruftcd ! But,
gracious king, remember yourfclf ; Iiave pity upoi\
K 3 yout

19S HUGH LATIMER,.

your own foul ; and think that the day k at hand,
wheii you (hall give account of your oiEce, and of
the blood that hath been Ihed by your fword. In
the which day, that your grace may ftand ftedfaft-
ly, and not be afhamed, but be clear and ready in
your reckoning, and have your pardon fealed with ■
the blood of our Saviour Chrift, which only ferv-
cth at that day, is my daily prayer to him wh^
fuffered death for our fins. The fpirit of Go^l
preferve you T'

With fuch freedom did this worthy*man addrefs
his fovereign ; but the influence of the Popifh party
%vas then fo great, that his letter produced nocffcft.
But Henry, who, notwithftanding his vices, had
an open, free difpofition, and was a great lover of
fincerity in others, thanked him for his well meant
advice, and Mr-. Latimer's plain, familiar ftyle,
made fuch an imprefiion upon him, tliat from this
time, it appcaFS^the king entertained thoughts of
taking him into his fervice.

F avourable oppoi tunities foon ofi^red for recoirif
mending Mr. Latimer to the good graces of the king:
for ill the grand pointS'of the divorce, and of the fu-
premacy, he exerted, himfelf ftrenuoully at Cam-
bridge, in favour of the king's defigns ; efpccially ifi
tlie affair of the fupremacy, joiniag with Dr, Boits,
the king's phyfician, in obtaining the 6pinions of
feveral divines ' and canonifts in Cambridgejt ia
fupport of that meafure. Thefe divines were iikthe
Protfeftant intcreft, and probably Butts would not
have fucceeded in his commilTion, which was to
gain them over, if Latimer had not alTifted them.
In return for this favour, Dr. Butts took Mr^ La-
timer with him to court in 1535; and Cromwell,
who was rifing into power, and favouring the
Reformation, having already conceived a very high
opinion of him, very foon procured him a bene-
fice,

Thrs

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 599

This living was in Wiltfhire, Whither Mr. La.-
timer refolved, as foon as poHible, to repair, and? •
keep a conilant refidence. His fpiend Dr. Butts,;
furprifed at his refoiution, did whaf he coulJ to
pcrfuade him from it. He was deferting, he told
him, the faireft appearances.of making his fortune.
But Mr. Latimer was not a man, on whom fudi
arguments had any weight. He left the courts
therefore, ^nd entered immediately upon tl^e duties
of hisparilh; hoping to be of lome.ufe in the
world, by faitJifully exerting^ in a private ftatiotiip
fuch abihties as God* had given him. His beha-
viour was fuitable to his refolutions* He tho-*
roughly confidered the duties of a clergyman ; and
difdiarged them in the mofl confcientious manner*.
Nor was he fatisfied with difc barging them in his
own parilh, but extended his labours throughout .
the county, where he obferved the paftoral care
moft neglefted ; having, for tiiis purpofe, obtained:
a general licence fr^m the univerlity of Cara-^
bridge.

His preaching, which was in a flrain Wholly^
different fiom the preaching of the times, fooi>
made him acceptable to the people ; among whom^
in a little time, he eftablifhed himfelf in great
credit. He was treated likewife very civilly by
the neighbouring gentry ; and at Briftol, wheror
he often preached, he was countenanced by the
magiftrates. The reputation he was thus. daily
gaining, prefently alarmed the orthodox clergy in
thofe parts ; and their oppolitioa to him appeared
firft on the following occalion : the mayor of Brif^
tol had appointed him to preach there on Eafler-^
funday. rublic ^notice had been given, and all
people were pleafed ; when fuddenly there came
out an order from the bilhpp of Briftol, prohibit-
ing any one to preach there without his licence*'.
The clergy of the place waited -on ]tfr. Latimer^
K4 informe4

2CO HUGH Latimer,

informed him of the bi(hop*s order, and, knowing
that he htid no fuch licence, •• were extremely
forry, that they were, by that means, deprived of
the pl^afure of hearing an excellent drfcourfe from
him/' Mr. Latimer received their civility with a
faiile ; for he had been appfifed of the affair, an<f
well knew, that thefe were the very perfons who
had written to the bifhop againft him.

'I heir oppofition to him became afterwards more
public. Some^ of them afcended ihe pulpit in
their 2eal, and rnveighed againft him with great
indecency of language. Of thefe the moft for-
ward was one Hubberdin, an empty, impudent
pricft, who could fay nothing of his own, but
any thing that was put into his mouth. Through
this inftrument, and others of the fame kind,
_fuch liberties were taken with Mr. Latimer's cha-*
rafter, that he thought it proper, at length, to
juftify himfelf ; and, accordingly,, called upon his
calufaniatoFS to accufe him publickly before the
mayor of Briftol. And, with all men of candour
he wa§ juftified ; for, when that magiftratc con«
rened both parties, and put the accufers upon pro*
ducitig legal proof of what they had faid, nothing
r^proachable appeared againft him, but x^e whole
accufation was left to reft upon the uncertain evi-
dence of fome hear-fay information.

Hii enemies, however, were not thus filenced.
The party againft him became daily ftrongcr and
iDore inflamed. It confifted, in general, of the
country priefts of thofe partes, headed by fome di-
vId'^s of more eminence. Thefe perfons, after
mature deliberation, drew up ai tides againft him,
•xtiaded chiefly from his fernaons ; in which he
vvas charged with fpeaking lightly of the worilrip
of faints ; with faying, that there was no material
fire in hell ; and, that he had rather be in purga-
tory, than in Lollard's tower. Thefe articles, m

the

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 201

tfee forih of ao accufation, were laid before Stoke-
fiey, bifhop of London. 1 his prelate immediate-
ly cited Mr. Latimer to appear before hi mw liuc
Mnl^atimer, inftead of obeying the citation, ap*
jcaled to his own ordinary ; thitiking himfelf
wholly exempt from the jurifdiftion of any othei?
bifhop. Stokefley, upon this, making a private
caufe of it, was determined at any rate to get him*
in his power. He applied therefore to archbilhop
Warham, who was prevailed upon to iffue a cita-
tion from his own court, which Mr. Latimer
obeyed. His friends pcrfuaded him to leave the
country; but their intreaties were in vain ; and he
let out for London, though it was in the depth of
winter, and he was at this time labouring under
a fevere fit both of the ftone and' cholic. But his
bodily complaints :did not give him fo much paira^
at the thoughts of leaving his parifti expofed, where-
the Popilh clergy would not fail to undo, in his ab*
fence,, what he had hitherto done. When he ar-
rived, in London, he found a court of bifhops and'
canonifts ailembled to receive him ;• where, inftead-
of being, examined, as he expeded, about his fer*
mons, a paper was put into his h^nds, wfiicb he
was ordered to fubfcribe. It declared his belief in
t4xe doctrine of purgatory ; the efficacy of maffes
for the fouls therein ; of prayers to the faints ; of
pilgrimage* to their fcpulchres and relics j of the
perpetual oWigatioTi. of vows of celibacy, unlefs
difpenfed with by the pope ; of the pa^al pow^r to»
foigive fii^; of the woi*lhip of images ; of the
feven facraments, and, other abfurduiages o£ the
Romiil^ church.

Mr. Latimer having read over the contents, re-
turned the paper^ refufing to fign it. The arch
bilhop, with a frowaf defired lie would confides
what he did. •* We intend not," fays he, «* Mt:
Latiinei:,. to be hard upon you i w^difinifs yon^
K. 5. ibr

ao2 H U G H L A T I M E R, *

for the prefent : take a copy of the articles ; ex*
atnine them carefully; and God grant, that, at
our next meeting, we may find each other in bet-
ter temper." ' )
' At the next meeting, and at fevexal fucceeding
ones, the lame fcenc was zQtd over again; -both,
fides. continued inflexible. The biihops, however^
being determined, if poffible, to make him com-*
ply, began to treat him with more fevcrity. Of
one of thefe examinations he gives us the follow-
ing account.

*' I was brought out," fays he, " to be ex*
amined in a chamber, where I was wont to be
examined : but at this time it was fomewhat alter-
ed. For, whereas before there was a fire in the
chimney, now the fire was taken away; and an ar-
ras hanged over the chimney ; and the table flood
near the chimney's end. There was, among thefe
bifhops that examined me, one with whom I have
been very familiar, and whom I took fotr my gneat
filendi ail aged man, and he fat next the table-
'end. Then, among other queftions he put forth
one, a very fubtle and cratty one ; and, when I
jhould make anfwer, ' I pray you, Mr. Latimer,*
iaid he, ' fpeak out; 1 am very thick .of hearing,
and- here be many that fit far off.* I marveUec^ at
this, that K was bidden to fpeak out, and began
to mifdeem^ and gave an ear to the chimney ; and
there 1 heard a pen plainly fcratching hehiiKl the
cloth. , They had appointed one there to write all
xi)y anfwers, . tlut I ihouid .not ftart fi-om thena.
iiod.was my good Lord, and gave me anfwers; I
tould never elfe have efcaped them."

"1 hus the biihops continued to diftrefs Mr. La-
timer ; examining him three times every week, with
gi view either to draw fotoething from him by cap-
tvo s queftions, or, to. tcaze him at length into a
<x>mpU^nics:; ftod indeed,, at Icogth,: he was tire4
: i ' .. out.

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 203

out. Accordingly, wlien he was next famtnoned,
inftead of going himfelf, he fent a letter to the
archbilhop ; in which, with great freedom, he
teils him, That the treatment he had of late met
with, had fretted him into fuch a diforder, as ren-
dered him unfit to attend them that day : that, in
the mean time, he could not help taking this op-
portunity to expoftulate with his grace, for detain-
ing him fo loQg from the difcharge of his duty :
that it feemed to him moft unaccountable, that
they, who never preached themfelvfes, fhould hin-
der others : that, as for their examination of him,
he really could not imagine what they aimed at ;
they pretended one thing in the beginning, and
another in the progrefs : that, if his fermons were
what gave offence, which, he pei;fuaded himfelf^^
were neither contrary jto the truth, nor to anyi
canon of the churchy he was ready to anfwer.
whatever might be thought exceptionable in them :
that he wifhed a little more regard might be had^
. to the judgment of. the people ; and, that a dif-
tin&ion might be^made between the ordinances of.
God and roan ^ that, iffome abufes in religion
di.d prevail, (as was then commonly fuppofed) he-
thought preaching was the befl means to difcoun-
tcnance them : that he wiflied all paftors might be
obliged to perform their duty : but that, however^
liberty might be given to thofe who were willing ; .
that, as for the articles propofed to him, he beg*
ged to be excufed from fubfcribing them ; while
lie lived he never would abet fuperllition : and,
that, laflJy, he hoped the archbifliop would excufc
what he had written ; he knew his duty to his
j[aperiors, and would praftife it ; but, in that cafe,
he thought a ftronger^bhgation laid upon him-

Mr. L atimer had indeed a very narrow efcape,
owing entirely to his friends about the king ; for
tiiis very eccleiiailicai court had proceeded nearly"

«>4 HUGH LATIMER,

in the fcmc manner with his worthy friend Mr:
Bifncy, who after a fimilar examination, had been^
purfuadcd by Tbnftal, bi(hop of Durham, to re-'
<rant, and bear a faggot upon his fhoulder, iir
token of fubmiffibn. This happened in 1528,.
and Bilney afterwards feeling great remorfe of
Gbnfciencc for his recantation^ became eKtremely
melancl^oly, after which lie went about preaching
^Iic Reformation, and confeflSng the guilt of his^
abjuration, till at length iii the year 1551, he war
apprehended by the biihop of Norwich, and was-
burnt the fame year, in purfuartce of a writ from^
fjie ecclefiaftical court at London, for his execu-
^on, as a reiapfed: heretic.

What particular effeA Latimer's ktter produced,^
we are not informed ; but the king, apprized of the
j^l^ ufagc he had met with, moft probaWy by
itihe tord CVomwcU*^ means, interpofed in his be*
haJf, and refcued him out of die. hands of his
wemfes.

The fteady attachment Mr. Latimer^had fhewn-
to the caufe of the Reformation, the affiftance he
had given in forwarding the divorce, and the-
grcat fcrvices he might perform in a more confoir
quous ftation, were ftrong indiacemcnts to engage
the qtiecfi, Arvne Boleyn, and the lord< Cromwell^
»pw prinie minifter, tx> falicit his promotion,
'l^hcy, therefore, jointly r?ecommended' bim to thc^
i^ng, for one of the bifhopric.ks>. Worcefter or
Saljfbury,. both vacant at thfs tim^, by the depri-
vation of Ghinuccii, an-d Campegio, two Italian:
bif^ops, who fell ujidcr thQ king's difpleafure upoo^
hifr rapture with Kbnje.

The Vifig thus powerfully folicited, and being^
hi.mfeff' ipiich difpofed to fayjour: MY, Latimer,'
o^l^red him tt>cfpe of VyorcefteXj which he accepted
io- tS^Si and was thus-fcreened for tjie: j^refcnt^
Ufim, tU<L malice af his enemies*

r

BISHOP OF WORCESTER, aoj

All the hiftorians of thefe tiines mention him
as a perfon remfiirkably zealous in the difcharge of
his new fundions. In reforming the clergy of
his diocefe, which he thoughlAe chief branch of
the epifcopal office, he was uncommonly active and
refolute# With the famefpirit, he prefided over hi«
ecclefiaftical court ; and 1^ was frequent and atten-
.tive in his viiitations ; in ordaining, iki^t and
wary ; In preaching, indefatigable ; in repco-ving
and exhortung, fevcre »nd perfuafive.

Thus far he could aft widi authority : But in'
other things, he found himfelf under difficulties*
The ceremonies of the Popifli worlhip gave him
{reat o(ffea€e ; and he neither durft, in times fo
dangerous and unfettled,. lay Aitm entirely afide j
nor, pn the other hand, was he willing to tct&in
them. In this dilemma his addrefs was admira*
ble. He enquired into their origin ; and, when
he found any of them derived from a good mean-
ing, he took care to inculcate that original mean-
ing in the room of a corrupt interpretation^ Thus
he put the people in mlnd^ when bread and wates
were diftributed, that thefe elements, which had
long been thought endowed witli a kind of magi-
cal influence, were nothing more than appendages
to the two facramcnts^ ©f the Lord's Supper, and
Baptifm: the former, he faid, reminded us of
. Clu-ift's death ; and the latter was only a fimple
reprefentation of our being purified from fin.

While his endeavours to reform wpre thus con^^"
lined' within his own diocefe, he was called upon
to exert them in » more public manner , having,
received a fummons ta-^ttend the parliament and
convocation. This meeting was opened, in the-
tifual form, by a Latin^ fcrmon, or rather an cra^
tion, fpoken by bi(hop Latimer, whofc eloquence
was, at this time, every where &mous. But, aa
he did not diftinguifh bimi'elf in the debates of
t^is^! coDvocatioOf whi^h raa very fai^ between

ao6 HUGH LATIMER,

Ijife Protcftant and Popifli parties ; we Ihall only
add, that an animated attempt was at this time
made to get him^and Cranmer itigmatifed by fome
public dbnfure; but, through their own and
Crom^reU's intereft, they were too well eftabliflx*
ed to tear any open attack, from their enemies*

In the mean while* the bifhop of Worcefter,
highly iatisfied with the^profpefk of a reformation,
repaired to his diocefe, having made no longer
fiay in London than was ablolutely neceflary.
He bad no talents, and he kixew thajt he had
none, for fiate*af{airs ; and therefore he meddled
not with them. His whole ambition was, to dif-
charge the paftoral funftions of a bifhop, neither
aiming to difplay the abilities of the fiatefman,
nor thofe of the courtier. How very unqualified
he was to fupport the latter of thefe eharafters,
will fufficiently appear from the following ftory.

It was the cuAom» i4i thofe ds^ys, for the bi«»
fiiops to make prefents to the kmg, upon the
firft day of a new year ; and many of them would
prefent very liberally, proportioning their gifts to
. their expe£lations. Among the reft, the bi(hap
of Worcefter, being at this time in town, waited
upon the king with his offering ; but, inftead oC
a purfe of gold, which was the common oblation^
be prefented a New Teftament, with a leaf dou-
bled down, in a very confpicuous manner, to thi«
]j>affage, *' Whoremongers and adulterers God
" will judge/'

After he had refided about two years in hia
diocefe, he was again fummoned to London in
1539, to attend the bufinefs of parliament. Soon
after his arrival, he 'was accufed before the king
of preaching a feditious fei:mon. This fermjon he
had preached at court, and according to his
cuftom, had been, uncjueftionably, fevere enough
againft whatever he oblerved amifs. ilis accufer,

wUq

BISHOP or WORCESTER, zoj

' who is faici to have been a perfon of great emi-i
nence about the king, was moft probably Gardiner
bi(hop of Wincheuer; who at this time was
coming into great favour at. court, and had alien*
ated the king*s mind from the Proteftant intereft.
But Latimer being called upon by the king, with
fome fternnefs, to vindicate himfelf^ was fo far
from denying or even palliating, what he had laid,
that he boldly juftified it ; and turning to the king,
with that noble unconcern which a good confci-
ehce infpires, made this anfwer : *' I never tliought
myfelf worthy, nor I never fued to be a preacher
before your grace ; but I was called to it, and
would be willing, if you miflike me, to give place
to my betters ; for 1 grant there be a great many
more worthy of the room. than i am ; and if it be
your grace's pleafure to allow them for preachers,
I could be content to bear their books after them.
But if your grace allow me for a preacher, I would
defire you to give me leave to difcharge my confci-
cnce, and to frame my. doftrine according to my
audience. I had been a very dolt indeed, to have
preached fo at the borders of your realtn, as I
preach before your grace." The greatnefs of tliis
anfwer baffled his accufcr's malice ; the fcverity of
the king's countenance changed into a gracious
fmilc; aiid the bilhop was difmiflfed with that
obliging freedom, which this monarch never ufed,
tul to thofe whom he cfteemed. ^

About this time, the fix articles of religion,
having pafled both houfes, received the royal affent:
they were juftly fty led the bloody articles, by th€i
Proteftants, who forefaw that they were calculated
to reftore the Romiflx religion. It was enaded by
the ftatute, that, whoever fliould deny the dodlrine
9f tranfubftantiation, either in fpeech or by writ-
ing, fhould be adjudged to be heretics, and burnt
withoi^t any abjuration being admitted^ and their

eftatcs

ao8 HUGH LATIMER,

eftatcs be forieited to the king: — that whom-
ever (hould maintain the ncccffity of communicat-
ing in both fpecies ;— af&rm, that it was lawful
for pricfts to marry ; — that vows of chaftity
might be violated ; — ^tbat private naaffes were ufe-
elfs ;— or that auricular confeflion was not necefv
fary to falvacion, were to be adjudged felony/' and
to fufFer death as fuch, without benefit pfelergy.

Thus Papifts and Proteftants, by the verfatiHty
of the king's difpoiition and the viDteiice of bis tem-
per, were alike expofed to the^ flames ; the one if
they denied the king's fripremacy, the other if
they oppofed the fix articles. Our worthy prelate
was one of die firft who took offence at thefc arti<-
des : he refufed to give his vote in ftivour of them,
and he thought it wrong to hold any office in a
church where fuch terms of communion were re-
quired. He, therefore, refigned his bifhopric.
It is related of him, that wheivhe came from the
parliament houfe to his lodgings, he threw ofFhis
robes, and leaping up, declared to thofe who flood*
about him, '* That he thought himfelf lighter, than;
ever he found himfelf before."

\. After this he immediately retired into the
^^ntry, where: he thought of nothings for the
^hwifainderof his days, but a fequeftered life. Eut
having received a bruife by the fair of a tree, and
the contufion being fo dangerous, that he was

, obliged to feefc out for better afliflance than could
be afforded hrm by the unikilful furgeons of thofe
parts, he repaired again to London. Here ho :
found things ftill in a worffe condition than he left
them. The duke of Norfolk, and* the bifhop of
Wincheflen who were ^he principal iiiflruments
in the ruin of the earl of Efftx, were uow at the
head of the Popifli party ; andundcrthe dircftion
of diefe zealots, fuch a fcene of blood enfucd, as
England had not yet feen». Latimer^ among

cthei&».

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 209

others, felt the cffcfts of their bigotry; their
cmiflaries foon found him, and accufed him of
having fpokcn againft the ftatutes of the ftx articles,
in confequence of which he was commTttcd to the
Tower. It does not appear, that any formal prb-
cefs was carried on againft him,' or th^l he was
ever judicially examined^. He fufFered, however,
under one pretence or other, a cruel imprilonment
during the remainder of king Henry's reign*

After remaining in the Tower upwards of fix
years, in the contlant prafltice of every Chriftian
virtue, upon the acceffion of Jtdward Vf. he and
all others who were imprifoned in the fame caufe,
were fet at liberty ; and Latimer, whofe old friends
were now in power, was received by them with
every mark of affeSion. Heath had fucceeded hira
in tlie bifhoprfc of Worcefter ; and the parliament
fentan addrefs to the proteftor, begging him to re-^
llore Mr. Latimer to the bilhopric of Worcefter,
which gfcatlv diftrcffed Heath, who was a violent
bigot to the Romtfh church, and was deprived in
1550. But on the refumption being pr^opofed to
Latimer, he defired to be excufed, alleging his
great age, and the claim he had from thence to a
private life. Having thus rid himfelf of all incut3>-
brances,- he accepted an invitation from his friend,
ardibi(l)op Cranmer, and took up his reiidence at
Lambeth, where he led a very retired life.

His chief employment was to hear the complaints,
and to redrefs the injuries, of the poor people ;
and his charader for ferviccs of this kind was fo
univcrfally known, that ftrangers, from every part
of England, would rcfort to him, vexed either by
the delays of public courts and offices, or harralTed
by the oppreffioiis of the great, in thefe occupa-
tions, and in aflifting archbiihop Cranmer toconi^
pofethe hooiilies^ which w^re fet forih.by authority.

2IO .HUGH LATIMER,.

in the firft year of king Edward, he fpent upward**
of two years. .

But as he was one of the moft eloquent and
popular preachers in England, he was appointed'
during the three finft years of. king Edward, to .
preach the Lent iermons before the king. And
upon thefe occasions, he attacked the vices of the
great with honeft freedom, and charged them
particularly with covetoufnefs, bribery, and ex*
tortion from the poor, fo home, that it was
impoffible for them, by any felf deceit, to avoid
the direft application of his reproofs to themfeives-

Upon the revolution at court, after the duke, of
Somerfet*s death, he retired into the country^ and
made ufe of the king's licence, as a general preach-
er, in thofe parts where he thought his labours
might be moft ufeful : but, upon the acceffion of
queen Mary, he fopn loft this liberty, Thebi-
fliop of Winchefter, who had profcribed him with,
the firft, fent a meflenger to cite him before the
council. He had notice of this defign fome hourfi
before the mcflenger's arrival, but he made nO'
ufe of the intelligence ; like other eminent refor-
mers of that time, he chofe rather to meet, than
avoid perfecuticn.

The meflenger therefore found, hiili equipped foi^
^is journey : at which expreffing his furprize, Mri.
Latimer told him. That he was as ready to attend
him to London, thus called upon toanfwerfor
his faith, as he ever was to take any journey iin his
life : and, that he doubted not but that God, who
had already enabled him to ftand before two
princes, would enable him to ftand before a thirds
The meflenger then acquainting him, that he had
no orders to feize his perfon, delivered a letter and
departed. From which it is plain, that they chofo
rather tb drive him out of the kingdom) than to
bring him to any public queftion,

Mr*

BISHOP OF WORCESTER, an

*

Mr. Latimer, upon opening the letter, arid
£nding it to coiitaiix a citation from the council,
refolvcd to obey it. He fet out, tlierefore, imme-
diately for London. As he palled through Smith-
field, where heretics were ufually burnt, he faid
chearfully, ** This place hath long groaned for
me.^' The next morning he waited upon the
council, who having loaded him with many >fevere
reproaches, fent l^im to the Tower.

This was but a repetition of a former part o£
his life ; only he now met with harftier trfeatment,
and had more frequent occafions to exercife his re-
fignation; which virtue no man more eminently
poffeffed, neither did the ufual chearfulnefs of his
difpoiition now fbrfake him ; of which we. have a
remarkable inilance on record. A fervant going
out of his apartment, Mr, Latimer called after him,
arid bid him tell his mafter, That, unlefs he took
better care of him, he fliould certainly efcape him.
Upon this meffage, the lieutenant, with fome dif-
compofure in his countenance, . came to him, and
defired an explanation of what he had faid to hi^
fervant.' ** Why, you expeft, I fuppofe, Mr.
lieutenant,'* replied Mr. Latimer, *• that 1 fliould
be burned ; but, if you do not allow me a little
fire this frofty weather, 1 can tell you I (hall firft
be ftarved with cold."

About the fame time afchbifhop Cranmer, an^
Ridley, bifnop of London, were committed to tlie
Tower ; of the former we fliall uke little notice
at prefent, r^erring the reader to his life, in its
.prdper places but we fhall here introduce fuch
memoirs of bifliop Ridley, as will be fufRcient to
do honour to his memory, without breaking-in
upon our enlarged hiftorical plan, by inferting all
the uninterefting incidents of his life. ' ^

Nicholas Ridley firft made himfelf confpi-
puous at Cambridge, in 15301 after having Ipent

ioine

211 HUGH LATIMER,

fomc time in the ftuHy of divinity at the Sorbonnc
*t Paris, and at the univerfity of Lpuvaine in
Flanders. At this time, two vain young ftudents
of Oxford, came to Cambridge, and challenged
the whole univerlity to a public difputation on the
two following quettions. '1 he firft was, Whether
the civil law was more excellent (as a profeffion)
'than medicine? The fccond, Whether a woman
condemned to death, being twice tied up, and the
cords breaking, ought to be tied up again ? No
mention is made which fide of thefe frivolous
queftions Mr, Ridley took, but it is certain, that
he foon baffled one of tlie antagonifts, and the
other feigning ficknefs, the difputation ended, and
the viftory was afcribed to Mr. Ridley of Univer-
fity College, though he had four aflbciates.

^^ 1536, arclibilhop Cranmer hearing of his grea*
reputation as amanofextenfive learning, madehifn
otii of his chaplains, and being better plcafed with
him on a familiar acquaintance, he gave hin^ the
Vicarage of Heme in Kent, and ever after became
his patron.

In 1543, a fruitlefs attempt was made by the
Popifh bifhops to ruin Mr. Ridley and' his patron,
though Mr. Ridley at thi^ time onlyobjeftcdtofome
of the fix bloody articles, and ftill believed in the
jdoftrine of tranfubftantiation. But in 1545, hav-
ing read fome trafts publilhed by the 2uihglians>
in Germany, on the doSrine of the facrament^
in which tranfubftantiation was proved to be sm
innovation of the church of Rome, he became a
thorough conven to all the tenets of the Refornr^st-
tion. U\ 1548, he was promoted to the fee of
Rochefter ; and upon the deprivation of Bonner,
he was tranflated to that of London, to whidi
Weftminfter, being fuppreffed, was united, tlie
following year.

Ia

BISHOP OF WORCESTER. 213

In 1 55 1, bifhop Ridley gave a ftriking proof of
his piety and goodnefs, for though the fweating
ficknefs raged violently at London, and was as
fttal as the plague, he rcfided, and affiduoufiy en-
deavoured to make this public caiamity of ufe,
by preaching repentance, and a reformation of
manners.

It was this worthy prelate, who in 1553,
preached the excellent fcrmon on charity before
king Edward VI. which induced the pious young
monarch to found the hofpitals, as mentioned in
tl^e fife of the duke of Northumberland. Thus
woj-thily did he fill his high ftation in the church ;
and being zealous for the prefervation of the Pro-
teftant religion, after the king's death, he preached
at St*^ Paul's, in obedience to an order of council,
recomita en ding- lady Jane Grey to the ^ people
a« their lawful queen. For this offence, upon
Mary's acceflion, he was committed to the Tower,
with Cranmer, engaged in the fame caufc ; and
this bigoted qi^een, though fhe might have tried
thera with the other ftate prifoners for treafoii,
choie rather to proceed againfl them as he-
retics.

After the three bifliops had been imprifoned
fome. months in the Tower, the convocation fent
theitx, under the care of the lieutenant of the
Tower, to Oxford, to be prefent at a public dif-
putation to be held there ; wlien it was faid,
the long depending controverfy between the Papifts
and the Proteftants, would be finally determined
by the moft eminent divines of both parties. But
when they arrived there, ^which was in March
^5S4» they^ere all clofely confined in the com-
mon prifon, and denied the ufe of pen,' ink, and
paper ; a plain proof that no free difputation was '
intended. In tliis comfortlefs fituation their chief

refource

2H HUGH LATIMER,

refource was in prayer, in which they fpent great
part of every day. Mr. Latimer, particularly,
would often continue kneeling till he was not able
to rife without help. The principal fubje£t of
his prayers was, that God would enable him to
maintain the profcffion of his religion to the laft ;
that God would again reftore' his Gofpel to Eng-
land ; and preferve the princefs Elizabeth to be a
comfort to this land.

Fox has preferred a conference, afterwards com-
mitt^d^o writing, which Was held at this time,
between Ridley and Latimer.

The two bifhops are reprefented fitting in their
prifon, ruminating upon the folemn preparations
then making for their trial, of which probably
they were now firft informed, Bifhop Ridley firft
broke filence. ** The time," faid he, *^ is now
come ; we are now called upon either to deny our
faith, or to fufFer death in its defence. You, Mr.
Latimer, are an old faldier of Chrift, and have
frequently withftood the fear of death ; whereas I
am raw in the fervice, and unexperienced." With
this preface he iritroduces^^ a requeft, thdt Mr.
Latimer, whom he calls his father, would hear him
propofe fuch arguments as he thought it moft like-
ly his adverfaries would urge againft him, ai^d
affift him in providing himfelf with proper an-
fwers to them. To this, Mr. Latimer, in his
ufual ftrain of good-humour," anfwered, That, he
fancied the good bifhop was treating him, as he
remembered Mr. Bilney ufed formerly to do,
who, when he wanted to teach him, would always
do It under colour of being taught himfelf. ** But,
in the prefent cafe,'* faid he, ** my lord, I am
determined for myielf, to give them very fittle
trouble. 1 Ihall juft offer them a plain account
o(\mj faith, and fliall fay very little more ; for I

know

BISHOP of WORCESTER. aiS

know aay thing more will he to no purpofc.
They, falk of a free diiputation ; but, I am w^Il
affured their grand argument will be, tl^at of
their forefathers : We have i law, and by our
law, ye ought to die." However, upon Mr.
Ridley's preffing his rcqueft,j, they went \ipon the
^examination he defired.

This part of their conference contains only
the common arguments againfl the tenets of Po-
pery. When they had finilhed thisexercife, Rid-
ley defired Latimer's prayer^, that he might be
enabled to truft in God.

" Of my prayers," replied the old bifliop,
** you may be well allured ; nor do I doubt but I
ihall have your's in return. > And, indeed, prayer
and patience Ihould be out great refources. For
myfelf, had I the 'learning of St. Paul, I Ihould
i:hink it ill laid out upon an elaborate defence.
Yet our caf(?, my lord, admits of comfoit. Our
enemies can do no more than God permits ; and
God is faithful ; who will not fuffer us to be
tempted above our ftrength. Be at a point with
them ; ftandto that, and let them fay and do what ■
they pleafe. To ufe many words would be in vain ;
yet it is lequifite to give a reafonable account of
your faith, if they will hear you. For other
things, in a wicked judgement-hall, a man may
keep lilence after the example of Chrift. As for
their fophiftry, you know £alihood may often be
iiifplayed in the colours of truth. But, ^bove all
things, be upon your guard againft the fear of
death. This is the great argument you muft
oppofe.-rPoor Shaxton ! (biftiop of. Salilbury,
who recanted, and then became ia perfecutor of the
Proteftants), it is to be feared this argument had
the gieateft weight in his recantation. But let us-
be i^edfail^ and unmoveable ; aiTuring ourfelves

that

2i6 HUGH LATIMER,

that we cannot be more happy, than by being
fuch Philippians, as not only believe in Cbrift,
but dare fufier for his fake."

The commiiTioners from the convocation ar-
rived at Oxford in April, and aifembled at St.
Mary's church, where, being arrayed in fcarlet,
they feated themfelves before the high altar, and
placing the prolocutor Dr. Wefton, in the middle,
they fcnt for the prifoners. Cranmer and Ridley
being firft brought in, were told that the convo-
cation had figncd their belief of the following
articles, which the queen expeAed tliey would
eiiher fubfcribe, or confute.

** The natural body of Chrift is really irt
tlie facrament after the words fpoken by the
prieft.

'* In the facraCment, after the words of confe-
cration, no other fubftance does remain, than the
fubftance of the body and blood of Chrift.

" In the mafs is a facrifice propitiatory for the
fins of the quick and dead."

Crann>er and Ridley having refufed to figa tlicfe
articles, copies were delivered to them,' and the
prolocutor fixed two feparatc days, when he told
them, it would be expe£led, tliatthey fhould pub*
lickly argue againft them.

fiiihop Latimer was next introduced, like a pri-
mitive martyr, in his prifon attire. He had a cap
ispon his head, buttoned under his chin, a pair
of fpeflacles hanging at his breaft, a New Tefta-
ment under his arm, and a ftaffin his hand. He
was ahnoft exhaufted with preflin^ through the
crowd ; and the prolocutor ordering a chair to-be
brought for him, he walked up to it, and, faying
he was a very old man, fat down without any
ceremony. The ai tides were then read to himj
wUich he denied alib. The prolocutor, upon this,
6 telling

L

BISHOJ OF WORCESTER. 217^

telling him, that he maft difpute on the Wedncf^
day following, the old bifhop, with as much,
chearfulnefs as he would have fhcwn upon the moft.
ordinary occafion, fhaking his palfied head, an-
fwered, fmilin^, ** Indeed, gentlemen, I am juft^
as well qualified to be made governor of Calais.*'
He then copiplained, that he was very old, and
very infirm ; and faid. That he had the ufe of no
boolc but that under his arm ; which he had read
feven times over deliberately, without finding the* .
leaft mention made of the maf«. In this fpeech he
gave great offence, by faying, in his humorous
way, alluding to tranfubftantiation, that he could
find neitlier the marrow-bones, nor the finews, of
the mafs in the New Tcftamcnt. Upon which,
the prolocutor cried out, withforae warmth, that
he would make him find both : ** That you will
never do, maftcr doftor/' replied Latimer; after
- wbich be was filenced.

Our venerable old man adhered to the refolutioa -
that he had mentioned in his conference with
Ridley, and, when the time" of his difputitiom
came, knowings fays Mr. Addifon ( Spsflator
N° 463), " How his abilities were impaired by
age, and that it was impoflible for him td recoUeft
all thofe reafons which had dircfted him la the
choice of his religion, he left his companions, whoV
were in the full pofleffion of their vigour and learn- !»
ing, tq balHe and confound their antagonifts by the
force of reafon," while he only repeated to his ad-
verfaries, the articles in which he firmly believed,
and in the profelfion of which he was determined
to die.

The particulars of this mock difputation^4)cing;»
tedious, uninterefting, and truly ridicufeus, are )
omitted in favour of the important traafadions of
tlie reign of queen Mary, included in. this volume. .
Suffice it, therefore, to obfeive, that all tlict argii^ it

Vol. L - L flints

fti8 H UG H, L AT I M E R, '

ments ufed by Cranmer and Ridley, were treated
with indecent contempt, and inftead of being fairly
canvafled, were over-ruled by the infolenceof au-
thority, and the, wild uproar of countenanced cla-
mour and tumult.

In a few days after thefe fhameful proceedings,
tJie cpiiimiffioncrs, feated in their accuftomcd form,
ftnt for the bifhops to St. Mary's church ; where,
after fome affefted exhortations to recant, th«
pfrolocutor firft excbmrnunicated, and then con-
demned them. As foon as the fentence was read,
bifhop Latimer, lifting up his eyes, cried out, ** I
thank God, moft heartily, that he hath prolonged
my life to this epid 1" To which the prolocutor
rcpliisd, ** If you go to heaven irr this faith, I am
thoroughly perfuaded 1 fhall never get there."

The three bifhops were continued* clofe prifoners
z% Oxford, upwards of fixteen months, till the
pope's authority, and the Icgantine power were
completely reftored in England, by aft of parlia-
nlentj for k Ihould feem, that till this was ef-
feiifted,'and the bid fanguinary laws againft heretics
revived, they could not* be put to death, with the
JeHft Ihadow of justice, the flatutes, on which the
Sentence againft them was founded, not being in
favct at the time when it was palled upon them.
T<hcrefore, a new commiffion was' granted by car-
dinal Pole, the pope*s legate, to White, bifliop of
Lincoln, Brookes, bilhop of Gloucefte.r,- and
}follman,'bilhop of Briftol, empowering them to
citb Ridley and Latimer before them, in order to
receive them into the bofom of the church, iif
they would renounce their errors ; or to condemn
tl);ent-d«4ifretics, and deliver them over to the fe-
cular power;' if th^y remained'obftinate.

'.On the 30th of J^eptember, 1555, the commif-
fioficrs having feated themfelves, in.gt^at ftate, in
the J divinity fchooi, fcnt for Ridley, who rcfufing

BISHOP dF WORCESTER, 219

to fubfcribe to much the fame articles as had be-
fore been tendered to him ; they then fent for
Latimer, and great pains were taken by the bifliop
ofLiiKoln, to make him renounce his opinion, '
in an eloquent and pathetic fpeech, in which
he exhorted him to accept the mercy offered to
him, and to acknowledge the authority of the
pope.

Mr. Latimer thanked the biflibp for his gentle
treatment of him ; but, at the fame time, aflured
him, that it was in vain to expeft from him any
acknowledgment of the pope. He did not beiieVe,
he faid, that any fuch jurifdiftion had been given
to the fee of Rome, nor had the bilhops of Rome
behaved as if their power had been from God. He
then quoted a Popifh book, which had lately been
written, to fhew how grofsly the Papifts would
mifreprefent fcripture : and concluded with faying,
that he ..thought the clergy had nothing to do with
temporal power, nor ought ever to be intruded
with it; and that their commiflion from their
mafter, in his opinion, exte^ided no farther than
to the difcharge of their paftoral functions. To
this the bilhop of Lincoln replied, *' That; he
thought his ftyle not quite fo decent as it might
be'; and that as to the book which he. quoted, he
• knew, nothing of it.*' At this Latimer ex'preffed
his furprize, and told hini, that although he did
not know the author of it, yet it was written by a
perfon of note, the bilhop of Gloucefter.
' This produced fome mirth among the audience?,
as the bilhop of Gloucefter fat then upon the
bench. That prelate,, finfiiiig himfelf thus publicly
challenged, lofc up, and, addrefling himfelf to
Mr. Latimer, paid Jiim fome con\pHments upon
his learning, and then fpoke in vindication of his
book. But his zeal carrying him too far, the
bifliop of Lincoln, interrupting him, fjiid, ** We

La came

220 HUGH LATIMER,

came not here, my lord, to difputc with Mr. La-
timer; but to take his anfwer to certain articles,
which fhall be propofed to him."

* The articles were then read, .^nd Mr. Latimer
anfwered every one of them ; at the fame time pro-
tefting, which proteftation he begged might be re-
giftered, that, notwithftanding his anfwers to the
pope's commiflioners, he by np means acknow-
ledged the authority of the pope. The notaries
having taken down his anfwers and proteftation,
the bifhop of Lincoln told him, ** That, as far
as he could, he would (hew lenity to him : that the
anfwers which he had now given in, fhould not
be prejudicial to him ; but that he fhould be called
upon ' the next morning, when he might make
what alterations he pleaied ; and that he hoped in
God, he'fliould then find him in a better temper.'*
To this the good old man anfwered, " That
he begged they would do with him then juft what
they pleafed, and that he might not trouble them,
nor they him, another day ; that as to his opi-
nions, he was fixed in them, and tliat any refpite
would be needlefs." The bifliop, however, told
him, that he muft appear tlie next morning, and
then diffolved the aflembly. •

Accordingly, the commiffioners fitting in tlie
fame form, he w^as brought in : a?id when the
tumult was compofed, the bifbop of Lincoln told
him,* that although he might juftly have proceeded
to judgement againft him, the day before, yet he
xoiild not help poftponin^'; it. one day longer,
** In hopes, faid he, Sir, that you might reafou
yourfeif into a better way of thinking, and at length
embrace, v;hat we all fo nnich defirc, that mercy,
\vhich our holy church now, for the laft time,
ofFeierh to you." " Alas ! my lord, anfwered
jVlr. La<imer, your indulgence is to no purpofe.
When k man is convinced of a truth, even to de-

liberate
6

BISHOP OF WORCESTER^ tit

liberate is unlawful. I am fully refolved agalnft
the church of Rome; and, once for all, niy an-
fwer is, I never will embrace its communion. If
yo"u urge me fiirther, I will reply as St. Cyprlaa
did, on a like occafipn. He flood before his judgos,^
upon a charge of herefy ; and being diked, which
were more probably of the church of Chrifl, he
and his party, who were every where defpifed, or
they, his judges, who were ^very where in efteem ;
he anfwered refolutely, ** That Chrift had d^cided
that point, when he mentioned it, as a mark of
his difciples, that they fhould take up their crofs-
and follow him. If tliis tlien, my lords, be ona
of the charadteriftics of the Chriftian church,
whether fhall we denominate by that name, the
church of Rome, which hath always been a per-
fecutor, or that fmall body of Chriftians, which is
perfecuted by it ?'* ** You mention. Sir, faid
Lincoln, with a bad grace, your caufe smd St,
Cyprian's together : they are wholly different.^''
•• No, my lord, replied Latimer, his was the
word of God, and fo is mine.*'

The bilhop of Lincoln finding his repeated ex-
hortations had no effeft, at length pafled fentence^
upon him. Mr. I/atimer then alked him, whether
there was any appeal from this juJgmerit? ** To
whom, faid the bifhop of Lincoln, would yois
appeal ?" ** To the next general council, an-
fwered Mr. Latimer, that Ihall be regularly af-
fembled." ** It will be a long time, replied th©;
bifhop, before Europe will lee fuch a council as
you mean.*' Having faid this, he committed Mr.
Latim^rto the cuftody of the mayor, and diflbived
the aifembly. On the fame day, likewife, -fen-
tence was pafled on Ridley, and the i6tli of
Oftober, about a- fprtnight from this time, was-
fixed for their ea^dcurion.

L 3 On.

2Z2 HUGH LATIMER,

On t;he north fide of the town, near Baliol-
college, a.fpot of ground was chofen for the place
of execution. Hither, on the fixteenth, the viee-
chancfellor of Oxford, and other perfons of difr-
tinftion, appointed for that purpofe, repaired
early, in the morning ; and a guard being drawn
round the place, the prifoners were fent for.
Bifl]op Ridley firft entered this dreadful circle,
accompanied by the . mayor : foon after, bifhop
Latimer was brought in. The formier was drefled
in his epifcopal habit; the latter, as ufual, in his
prifon- attire. This difference in their drefs made
' a moving contrail, and augmented the concern of
the fpeftators : the bifliop of London Ihewing
what they had before been ; Latimer, what they
wer6 now reduced to. •

While they flood before the flake, about to pi;e-
pare themfelves for the fire, they were informed,
they muft firft hear ^ fermon ; and, foon after.
Dr. Smitli afcended a pulpit, prepared for tliat

?urpofe, and preached on .thefe words of St. '
'aul, *• Though I give my body to be burned,
and have not diarky, it profiteth me nothing f*'
In his 'difcourfe, he treated the two bifhops with
great inhumanity, afperfing both their chaiafters
^nd tenets.

The fermon being ended, the bifliop of LondoQ
was beginning to f;^y fometliing in defence of him-
felfj when the vice-chancellor, ft^tipg up fud^
demy from his feat, ran towards him, and
flopping his mouth with his hand, told him,
*« That if he was going to recant, he ihould have
leave : but hp fliould be permitted in nothing far*
ther." The bifliop, thus checked, lookixig rounds
with a noble aii;, cried out, *' We commit our
4;:aufe then to AliJiighty God." ,And immediately
an officer ftepped up, and acquainted them^

"That,

.^>[SHOP OF. WORCESTER. 22$

" That, at their leifure, they might now make
ready for the flake/' ^ ,

The fpeftators burft into tears, when they faw
thefe two /Venerable men now* preparing for death.
RefleQing, fays Fox, on their preferments, th.e
jj^l^ces of honour they held in the commonwealth,
the favour tliey flood in with their princes, , theijr
great learning, and greater piety, they were over-
whelmed with fori ow to fee fo much dignity, (o
much honour, fo much eftimation, fo:many godly
Virtues, the ftudy^ of fo many years, and fo inucA
excellent leaintng, about to be confumed in one
moment; Mr./ Latimer, having tlirown ofF the
old gown, which was wrapped about him, appeared
. in a Ihroud, prepared for the purpofe i and
** whereas before, he feemed a withered an9
crooked old man, he 'now flood bolt upright, as
comely a father, a$ one might lightly behold."
"^ When he, and his fellow-fuffcrer were ready,
they were both faflened, to a flkke with an iron
dbaiu. They then brouglvt a faggot ready kindled
and laid it at Ridley's feet ; to whom Latimer
faid, ** Be of good comfort mailer Ridley, and
play the man ; wp ihaJltbis day lin;ht fuch a candl^^
by God's grace, m England, as 1 trufl Ihall never
be put out." He then recoraixiendeil his foul to
God, and the flames fpeedily reaching him, he fooh
expired, feemingly without much pain. But it.
was not fo with poor Ridley; for by fome mrC-
management of tl>e fire on his iide of the flake, the
wind blew the, flames from the upper part xyi his
body, and his legs were^onfuip[ed before the fire
approached the vital parts, which made him en-
dure "dreadful torments for fom^ *im^, till the
flames caught fome gunpowder,, vyhich .had bceli
tied about their wai.fts, and h&d haflened the de^th
of Latimer. After this be was not obferved'tq
move, and the chain looftning, his body fell at the

'S174 STEPHEN GARDINER,

fceto/hiiTi, wbofc animatingprecepts, and noSle
fortitude, had (o eminently contributed to enable
him to pafs through this firry trial; to eternal blifs.
The cbaraScrs of tbefe holy martyrs, differed
only in point of learning, in which Ridley was
fuperior ; for in piety, chanty, humility, and ex-
emplary manners, it is hard to fay which excelled :
and the theological trafts they left behind, though
written in a Very different ftyle, were calculated to
anfwer the folepurpofc of promoting true religion,
and practical morality.

*^* jiuthorttles. Gilpin's Life of Bifliop La-
timer, edit. 1755. Burnet," and Fox. Life of
Bifliop Ridley, by GL Ridley; LL.B. 2763.

The Life of

STEPHEN GARDINER,

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

(Including Memoirs of John HoorER, Bifliop of
Gloucester.)

(A.D. 1483, 101555.)

§TEPHEN GARDINER, the chief contriver
and inftrument of the horrid perfecution in
reign of queen Mary, of which we have aU
ieady exhibited a melancholy fpeciraen, is fup-
p.ofed to liavc been the natural Ion of Lionel

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. a^s^

Wlllvillc, bi(hop of Saliftury, ancT brother td'
Elizabeth, queen confort of Edward IV. Butf'
that prelate, to conceal iiis incontinence from the
world, married his concubine to one of his menial*
feryants, whcFfe name was Gardiner, and who-
thereby became the reputed father of the infant, of*
whom fhe wa* then jpregnant. Young Gardiner
was 'born about 14S3, at Bury St. Edmund, ia
SuflFolk, and the next certain account we have of.
him is, that he ftudied at Trinity College, Cam-
bridge, where he firft diftinguilhcd himfelf for his'
Ikill in the Greek, his elegance in fpeaking andr
writing Latin, and a prompt capacity for learning
in general. Afterwards, confining himfelf en-
tirely to the ftudy of the civil and canon law, about
the year 1521, he was honoured with the de-
gree of do£tor in thofe fciences, and his great:
reputation at Cambridge, redommendedbimtothc
notice of the great men at court, particularly the*
duke of Norfolk and cardinal Wolfey, the latter'
of whom took him into his femily, and m^dc him?

" his fecretary.

In ^S^S* Henry payihg a vifit to the cardinal,,
found his fecretary employed in drawing the plan*
©fa treaty of alliance with Francis I. which hadt
been projefted by the cardinal* The king perufed*
It, and was fo Itruck \tith this outline of Gar-
diner's political talents, that from this time he en*

' joyed the confidence both of the king and- bis^
minifter; and as a proof of it, he wa^ fertrto*
Rome in 1528, to negociate the famous^ divorce. *
Edward Fox, provoft of King's College, Cam-
bridge, was joined in the commiffion, but onlya^^
fecond to Gardiner, who was efleemed the bcft
Givilian in England, which alone was a> fuflfcient^-
caufe for fending him on this^ embaffy. In his
eredential- letters ta the pope, the cardinU ftyles^
L 5, <h<]iH»

1^6 STEfif'EN GARD^tN'£'R,

him, " Primaiy Secretary of the ipoft fccrqt
councils"/'

When the ambailadors arrived at Ovieto, where*
the pope {then refided, Dr. Gardiner ufed very free
language with his boUnefs, Ihewed hini the danger
he was in of lofing the king by playing a double-
game, and how much injury he would do to car-
dinal Wolfey, if he difappointed his expeftations.
By this method he fucceeded in obtaining what
hi3 inftruftions required, a new commiffion for
trying the caufe in England, direfted to Wolfey
a^d Campejus.

Fox was fent home with a full account of this
negociation, which highly pleafed the king and
^nne Boleyn ; but the pope being taken ilU
Wolfey fent difpatches to Gardiner, defirrng hini
to wait the -event, and to expert himfelf in fup-
' porting his intereft with the cardinals, that in cafe .
of the pope^s death, be might be eleSed his fuc«
ceflbr.

in the cotfrfe of tfiis long embafly, the pope,
whofe mind was continuiiUy perplexed, and to.
whom the Imperial, Frericb, and Englifli mi-
iiifters allowed no cjuiet, felldangeroufly ill again j
the diftraftions of his mind operating upon the
humours of his body, and this, as might be
cxpfefted, g^ve a new turn to the intrigues of.
Rome.

Dr. Gardiner had as large a (hare in thefe a»
aay mtnifter; for he laboured the caufe of the
cardinal of York, in cafe the pope*,s death" fhould,.
make way for a new eledtion. He alfo managed
the whple affair with his holinefs mucli to the fa-* -
tisfac^ion of the kmg, the cardinal, and Anne
Boleyn ; all of whom wrote him moft thankful ,,
and affeftionate letters ; till, finding the pope was.
determined to do nothing, Hem:y called G^rdioer

from

BisHOp;oF wjkchester; . uzr

from Rome, in order to make ufe of hira in the
management" of his caufe before the legaiitine
ccmrt. -

Upon ^ his return, he had the archdeaconry of
Norfolk beftowcd upon him by bifhop Nyx> of
Norwich, for whom he had obtained fpme favour^
from the pope. He was inftalkd on the firft of
March, 1529; and this, as far as appears,. wa»
his firQ preferment in the church : but in the ftatcr
he made a more rapid progrefs ; for the king,
having conftant occafion for his fervices, took hini
from Wolfey, and made him'fecretary of ftate.
And when cardinal Campejus avoked the caufc
of the divorce to Rome, the following year, Gar-
diner, in conjunftion with Fox, found out Cran-
mer, and having engaged him to write in favour
of the divorce, they undcitook to manage the
univerfity of Cambridge, fo as to procure their de-
claration in the-king's caufc, after Ur. Cranmer*s
book fhould appear in fupport of it; which tafk
bygfeat«ddrefs, and much artifice, they fully ac-
complifhed-.-

• For- this fervice^ Henry amply rewarded him
with .ecclefiaftical preferments : in the fpring of
the year 1531, he was inftalled archdeacon of
Leicefter, upon which he refigned the archdeaconry
of ^Norfolk, and, in September, he alfo refigned
that, in favour of his coadjutor Dr. Edward Fox,
who became afterwards bilhop of Hereford. In'
November, he was confecrated bilhop of Wm-
chefter. - "

* Dr. Gardiner, it (ccms, was not apprixed q£
the king's intentions, who would fometiaies rats
hira foundly, and, at the inftant he beftowed it^
put him in mind of it. ** I have,.'* faid he,.
** often fquared with you, Gardiner, (a word he
itfcd fojr thefe kind of rebukes),. baf I love you
L 6 never

z^i STEPHEN GARDINER,

•never the woffe, as the bifhopric I give you wilE
convince you."

Henry bad another praSicc, which he called'
whitting ; this was fcolding with pen, ink, an<t
paper, and when fome of Gardiner's friends faw^
fetters to him in this ftyle, they concluded he was^
9 ruined man, but he, who knew tHe king's tem-
per, was in no pain upon that account.

Our prelate fat with. Df. Cranmer, archbifhop
of Canterbury, when that prelate pronounced the?
fentence of divorce againft queen Catharine i or,,
gather, declared her marriage with the. king null
and void, ontlie 20th of May, 153.;?- The fame,
year, he was fejit to MHyfeilles, that he migfat^
Eave an eye to the interview between the French*
Hing and the pope* Bonner, afterwards bilhop ef>
London,, was fent after him, with Henry and#
Granmer's appeal from the pope, to the next ge-
nera] council,, lawfully called ; and he complainedt
Bitterly, in a^ letter to Cromwell, of Gardiner'si
haughty, flubborn, wilful temper, whicli, as his,
power incTcafcd,^. broke forrh into afis of brutal^
ftruelty.

Upon his return to England^ ll© was called^
upon, as other bifhops^were, not only to ackjiow-
Jedge and yield obedience to the king as fupremc;
Mead of the church, but to defend it ; which he?
did ; and this dejfence he publilbed, under the
title,. *• Of:Trpe Obedience." His .pen was made:
ufe of upoa other occafions, and he never declined>
vindicating, the king's proceedings in the bufinefs
of the divorce, the fubfequent marriage, or throw- .
ing off tire dominion of the fee of Rome ; . which.
Vi'ritings then acquired him the^higheft reputation.
But hewa^s an arch diflerablcr ;, far all this time-
l{e was ftrongly attached to the fee of Rome, andj
tc^eycry fup,erftition of. thp RomiiU chujpcb.. This^
' ' v\c*is

. BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. 2:29

was difcoverable, through every veil of difguife,
fof ia I536> he oppofed Cranincr's petition to the
king for a new tranflation of the Bible, and Crom-
weU'sdefign offornaiag a religious leagiae with the
princes of Gernaanyy a» a means of pron[K)ting the
Reformation. About this time, he went on a
Second embafly to. France, and procured the ba-
nifhment of Reginald Pole from that kingdom|»
^iio had before been exiled from England.

J^" 1538* he was fent ambaflador, with Sir
Henry. Knevit, to tlie German Diet, where he is-,
allowed to have acquitted himfelf well in- regard to
his commiffion ; but he was juftly fufpe&ed of
holding a fecret correfpondence with the pope, in*
order to introduce the papal authority again into
England. And this fufpicion was farther con-
firmed when, upojvhis return- from Germany, ha
advifed the king to exert himfelf zealoufly in the-
grofecution of the facramentarians^ or heretics de-
nying the real prefencc : in confequence of which
fetal advice, one John Lambert, a fchooin?after,
who had. committed to writing his arguments-
againft tranfubftantiatioij, was accufed of herefy
before Cranmer and Latimer, who endeavoured to^
fcreen him from profecution ; but Lambert, by a<
fatal refolution^ appealed to the king, and Gardiner
improved this: opportunity fo well, that he pre-
vailed upon the king to try him in perfon, which*
was accordingly done,, in great ftate, in Weftmin*
fter-hall, before the lords of the council, the*
prelates, and feveral of the nobility. The king
^firft attempted to prove tlxe doftriiie of the real
prefence from fcripture^ and after Wm, archbilhop^
Cranmer; but Gardiner thinking he argued but
faintly, im:erpofed in the argument, and^ was
followed by eight other bilhops ; fo that the
poor, man was at laft ovpr-awed and filenced^,
coodeauned^ and foou after burnt in ' Smith-

%30 STEPHEN GARDINER,

field, with circomftaiices of uncommon barba*
rity.

In I539» Gardiner gave a frefh inftance of his
perfccuting fpirir, for he was the principal pro-,
moter of the aft of the fix articles^ commonly
called the Bloody Statute, when it was before the
houfe of lords, and there can be but little doubt,
firom his conduft afterwards, of the truth of the
accufation brought againft him, by writers of the
firft authority, that he framed the fix articles of this
ftatute. The death of Dr. Robert Barnes, who
was burnt very foon after, upon this ftatute, is
alfo with rcafon attributed to him : for he was firft
imprifoned on account of a fermon, in which he
had arraigned the conduft of the bifhop.

Upon the difgrace of Cromwell earl of Ellex,
Gardiner was elefted chancellor of the univerfity
of Cambridge, and after the death of that minif-
ter, his influence increafing at court, he con-
flantly exerted himfelf in oppreffing die Proteftant
and promoting-the Popifh religion. ,

His next ftep was to decry the new Englifb
tranflation of the bible, which had been publifbcd
in 1536, by the authority of Crpmwell, and was:
brought before the con/vocation to be examined,
foon after his death. Gardiner condemned it as
defeftiv^, and meanly quibbled upon many Latin
words in the New Teftathent,- which be idly pre-
tended could not be tranflated with proper dignity,
and therefore muft be continued in Latin. Two
of the words, indifcriminately taken, will convince
the reader of the poverty of this artifice. Pcni^
ientUfy AdQrare. But delay of its approbation was
obtained, and archbifliop Cranmer was obliged to
move the king to have the perufal of it referred to
the two univerfities.

In 1543, we find Gardiner one of the commifr
fioners appointed to conclude a treaty of peace with

Scotlai^d^

BISHOP op^ WINCHESTER. iji

S<x>tIaGui, and alfo a treaty of marriage betweea
the young queen of Scotland, and Edward prince
of Wales. But thefe affairs of ftate did not take
off his attention from his two favourite points j
pcrfecution of thofe he called heretics, and ptc^
venting the pfogrefs of what was ftyled the new-
learning ; which confifted chiefly in acquiring fuch
flcill in the Greek language, as enabled men to
read the primitive fathers, and thereby to difcover
tiae modern innovations of the Romifli church.
Accordingly, this year he informed ,againft fprne.
heretics at Windfor, and moved the king in coun-
cil, for a commiflion to fearch fufpefted houfes for
heretical books, in confequence of which four
perfons were apprehended, three of whom were
condemned and burnt

His infamous attempt to ruin archbifhop Cran-
mer, which will be found, in that prelate's life,
happend a,bout this. time, and the king from this
time began to conceive a bad opinion of him, and
a circumftance foon occurred, which put it beyonci
a doubt that he.fecretly difliked the king's pro-
ceedings, and in his heart wifhed for the rcftora-
tion of the pope V authority. In 1 544, German
Gardiner, the bifliop's relation, chief confident,
and private fecretary, was apprehended, upon in-
formation, tried, condemned, and executed for de-
nying the king's fupremacy. The king rationally
concluded, that his mafter muft fecretly harbour
the fame fentiments, and upon this fufpicion he had
determined to fend him to the Tower ; but the bi*
Ihop apprifed of his defign, and knowing the king
loved lincerity, went to him, fell on his knees,
JV^knawledged his guilt, craved his pardon, and
promifed for the future to be a new man.^

He was, indeed," forgiven ;- and in 1545, he*
was fent to Flanders on an embafly to the emperor,.
to folicit a league between Charles, FrancU I. and

Henry i

23a STEPHEN GAJlDINERy

Henry; which o'pportuility Cranmer waatcd tor
improve, by perfuading the king to abolilh fomcr
of the moft ridiculous ceremonies of the church j
but Gardiner receiving inteUigencc of his de-
figns, wrote to the king, that he fliould not
fucceed with the emperor, if any innovations
were fufFered in religion, in Fngland.^ Upon his*
return in 1546, the perfecution, which had-
abated during his abfence, was renewed with ad-
ditional cruelty, by him and his afTociate the*
lord chancellor Wriothefley, who, when the lieu—
tenant of tlie Tower refufed to torture a lady (Mrs.-
Ayfcougli) any longer, had the brutal inhuma-
nity, to thrown off his gown, and draw the rack
himielf, till he left her almoft lifelefs : but unable-
to extort from her any accufations of the duchefs'
of Suffolk, and other ladies of the court, (he wa^
burnt foon after for her own heretical opinions.

But.Gardincr carried his fanguina;ry views ftilf
higher, aiming at a royal vifiiai, the queen Ca-
therine Parr. This lady favoured Cranmer, and tlie
friends of the Reformation, which rendered her
extremely obnoxious to the Popifh party. And in
the laft year of Henry*s life, they were very near-
. accoir.plifhing her deftruftion ; for the queen had-
put the king out of humour,rby advifing him too-
freely to complete the reformation f and whea
fhe had retired, after an argument lapon^ thia^ fob*-
jjsft, Henry, in the prefence of Gardiner; ex--
claimed with great warmth : " A good bearing-
it is when women become fucli clerks, and a.*
thing much to my comfort, to come in mine old»
age, to be taught by my wife." The bifhop with-
equal fubtilty and malice aggravated the queen's^
offence, and infinuated, that he and his friends:
could make great difcoveries againft tiie queen, if
they were not afraid of her faftion. By fuch arts
he prevailed upon thc~ king to fign an order for*

arreftin^.

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. 233

arrefting the queen, but the chancellor, who was
cntruftcd with this paper, dropped it out of his
bofom, and it was immediately carried to the
queen, who 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 bifhop grew fo flroug, that
he could never after endure him.

Yet the bifliop ftill continued about the courts
and though upon Henry^s death he had the mor-
tification to find he was -excluded the regency, ho
ceafed not to importune the proteftor by letters,
diflTuading him from making any alterations in re-
ligion d'uring the minority. But Somerfet and
Cranmer had now began to take meafures for
compleating the Reformation ; and amongft others^
a royal visitation was fet on foot; and the ho-
milies were appointed to be read in all churches.
At the fame .time, the paraphrafe of the New
'I'eftament by Erafraus was tranflated intO'Englilh,
and a copy ordered to be kept in every parilh.
Gardiner*s oppofition to the{e proceedings was fo
great, that he was cited to appear before the coun-*
cii in September 1547, where he was accufed of
having written letters to that board, and of having
uttered in converfation, many things in contempt
of the king's vifitation ; in confirmation of which,
he then refufed to receive the homilies, or to pay
any obedience to the. king's vifitors in his diocefe :
whereupon he was committed a clofer prifoner to
the Fleet, where he was treated with improper fe»
verity, and indeed his imprifonrntent was illegal,
as he had not been judicially convified of any
crime. However, he was releafed in J3ecemberi
at the end of the feffions of parHament, and im-
mediately repaired to bis diocefe.

,Herehe oppofed to the utmoft of his power;
the preachers who were font down by the council^

to

as* STEPHEN GARDINER,

to inculcate tlie principles of the Reforma^on ; ia
fome places, ordering the rc£kors to deny them the
ufe of their pulpits, in others, he afcended before
them, and warned the congregations to beware of
fuch teachers* Complaints being fent to court of
this conduct, he was once more brpught before
the council, and after being repriipanded, he was
ordered to keep to his own houfe till he had given fa-
tisfaftion, which was to be done by preaching afer-
mon before the king and court, and with refpeft to
the matter of his difcourfe, he was to be direfted
by Sir William Cecil. But in the fermon, he was
fo far from giving fatisfadlion, that while he ac-
knowledged the king s fupremacy, he denied tliat
of the regency, and fpoke contemptuoufly of the
council; he was therefore fent to the Tower thp^-
text day, being the 30th of June, 1-548, wherc^
he continued a prifoner during the remaindjer of^
the reign of -Edward VL

When the proteftor's difgrace was projeftcd,
iis enemies thought, that they could not employ a
more Ikilful perfon than Gardiner to draw up th^
articles of impeachment againft him, and having
performed this fervice, he expefted his releafe
fi-om the new council, but was miferably difap-
pointed in his expeftations.

What pafled during his confinement, is of little
confequence to the reader ; and the conferences he
had with the lords of the council, and their treat-
ment of him, are varioufly reprefented by the-
Popifh and Proteftant writers. It may, therefore,
be fufficicnt to obferve, that he once figned 'his
approbation of all the mcafures that had been taken*
towards a Reformation ; notwithftanding which,,
the Popifh writers boaft his Heady and ipyariable
attachment to the Romifh religion:^ but! tais wiu>
xzotth^ fifit iii^anpe of his duplicity. ,

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. 235

In 1551, after pventy-two fittings of a court
of delegates, he was deprived of his bifliopric, for
difobedience and contempt of the king's autho-
rity.

From this time, he remained quiet, and cnx-
_ployed hiralelf in compofing Latin popms, tranC*
latidns into Englifh verfe of the poetical part of
the Old Teftameht, and fome polemical. trafts.
He likpwife kept up his fpirits, confbling hin\felf
\with an idea, which he often expreffed, tlaat he
Ihould live to fee another change of fortune, ^nd
anotlier cour.t| in which he Ihould be as great a$
■ ever.

'This prepofleiCoa o£ Gardiner*s, which is not
in the leaft wonderful, if. the political fituation of
4ifFairs, during Edward's illnefs, .is duly attended
^o, was but too well founded ; for queen Mary,
on the third of Auguft, i $53, made her foleran
entry into the Tower, when Gardiner, in thp
'^ame of himfelf and his fellow-prifoners, the duke
^f Norfolk, the duchefs of Somerfet, tlie lord .
Courtney, and others of high rank, made a con-
jgratulatory fpeech to her majefty, who gave theia
.all their liberties, and Lloyd fays, Ihe kifled Gar-
diner, and called him her prifoner (a prifonex for
hercaufe); On,the eighth of the fam,c month he
performed, in the queen's prefence, the Romifl^
pbfequies /or the hlc king Edward, whofe bodji?
5vas buried in Weftminiler, with the Englilk fer^
vice, by archbifliop Cra,nmer, the funecaLfermoi^
teing .preached by bithop Day. On the ninth
Jbilhop Gardiner went to Winchefter-hQufe, ia.
Soutjiiw^rk, after a confinement of fomewhat mor^
than five yc»rs- ; Dp the twentyrthird, l^e was der
clar^d chancellor of England, though his patent
4id not pafs till tbe .twenty -firft of September
•Pn the firft pf Oftober he had the honour of
CKowning the flueen, and on tlie fifth; of the fam^
: :.:; month

236 STEPHEN GARDINER,

month he opened the firft parliament, in her reign.
He was alfo re-chofen chancellor of Cambridge^
and reftorcd to the mafterlhrp of Trinity-hall.

We (hall now be able to difcover thi true cha-
raftef of Gardiner, by obferving his conduft iu
the different capacities - of a civilian, a prime mi-
nifter, and an ecclefiafiical inquifiton

It has been aflerted, that he always afted upon
principle, and if he erred, that he did it con-
Iciencioufly. Bat Burnet juftly imputes the fre-
quent changes in his political conduft, and hrs
cruelty, to his abjeft and fervile fpirit. The reader
will judge from the following fafts. Pronibting
the divorce was tlie firft fervice he rendered the
. father ; and now reverfing this divorce, and brand*
ing all who had been concerned in it, was the
firft fervice he performed for the daughtrr. He
Had alfo aiSfted, promoted, and defended, the
king's fupremacy, as much or more than any man
in the kingdom • and had the reputation of
penning the publications in defence of Henry's
marriage with Anne Boieyn, which he nx>w con-
demned as null and illegal, Thefe do not fpeak
in favour of his integrity as a civilian and ca*
nonift.

Mary, on her acceffion, had publicly declared",
that fhe would forcfc no man's confcience on ac*
count of religion* The chancellor, even wheA
no prieft, was ftylcd the keeper of the king's con-
fcience ; but Gardiner, though a prieft, chancellor
and prime minifter^ advifed Mary to violate her
promife, as foon as he ha.d the management of pub-
lic affairs. For, before the end of the year,- all the
laws concerning religion, mjjde in' the reign of
Kdward Vh were repealed ; and^ it was enafted,
that there (hould be' no other form ^ of divlhef fei>
vice, but that which was^ ufed in the laft year' of
Henry VIU: Ihc convocatign i^'as afletnMed;

whea

BISHOP OF WINGHESTER. 437

when thofc clergy who were in the Protcftant in-
tereft, were threatened, infulted, and interrupted
in their arguments by Dr. Wefton, the prolocutor,
who faid, *' You have the word, but we have
the fword/* By which means the doctrine of
tranfubftantiation wasreftored. Soon after, feveral
Proteftant prelates were deprived, and the com-
miflions for this purpofe were directed to Gardiner,
Bonner bifliop of ondon, and others. Thefc
proceedings threatennig a fevere perfecution, above
eight hundred Proteftant fubjefts fled the king-
dom, and they made a timely efcape ; for in tlie
beginning of the year 1 554, the Marihalfea in Lon-
don, and the prifons in other parts of the king-
dom, were filled with pretended heretics. During
thefe conimencements of cruelty, ambafladors. ar-
rived from the emperor Charles V. likewife king
of Spain, to adjuft a treaty of marriage between the
queen and the emperor's fon Philip. Tliis in-

. tended marriage was obnoxious to the whole na-
tion, but mod to the friends of the Reformation,
who dreaded a Spanifti government and a Spanifli
inquifition ; and it gave rife to the rebellion, un-
der Sir Thomas Wyat, in which the duke of Suf-
folk, though a prifoner in the Tower, was con-
cerned ; the infurreftion was foon quelled ; but
the unfortunate and amiable lady Jane Grey, the
moft learned and accdmplifhed woman of the age,
whom, it. was thought, the queen would have par-
doned, fell a viftim to this lalt rafli attempt of her
father. Lady Jane, her hufband, and father were
beheaded in April, and the princefs Elizabeth was
confined in the Tower It is afferted by fonie
writers, that Gardiner advifed- the putting her to

• death, faying it was in vain to lop off the branches^
if they did not deftroy the root, the hope of the
heretics ; but the redof the council over-ruled this "
infamous motion^

A new

asS STEPHEN GARDINER,

A new parliament being called^ and great tife
having been made of 500,000 1. lent over by the
emperor, during the eleSions, the marriage-treaty
was approved and ratified by both houfes, after
which this parliament was diflblved, and in July,
the\nuptials we/e folemnized at Winchefter, by
Gardiner : Philip being in the twenty-fevcnth year
of his age, and Mary in her thirty-ninth. After
the ceremony of the marriage, they were proclaimed
king and queen of England, France, Naples and
Jerufalem, to which were added many other pom-
pous titles. And in the way to London the royal
pair flopped at Windfor, where Philip was inftalled
Knight of the Garter.

A new parliament was chofen, being the third,
and met on the eleventh of November, the chief
tranfadions of which relating to cardinal Pole,
will occur in his life ; but it muft be obferved, that
a bill paffed for reviving the old ftatutcs againft'
heretics, made in the reigns of Richard II» Henry
IV. and Henry V. and now Gardiner being in
poffeffion of a ftatutc for putting Proteftants to
death, which he was not till this aft paffed, he
took to his affiftance another evil fpirit, worfe
than himfelf, Bonner, bifhop of London, and
tinder the hands of thefe bloody inguifitors, the
flames of perfeeution blazed forth with redoubled
fury, in all parts of the kingdom.
^ Gardiner began with John Rogers, prebendary
of St. Paul's, who was condemned by him> and
the council, and burnt in Smithficld, in January
1555; and he refufed to let his wife vifit. him
after his condemnation, betaufe he was a prieft,
whofe marriages were now declared illegal. Se-
veral others of inferior note, fuffered the fanje
rttonth, in London.

At the fame time. Hooper, bifhop of Gloucefter,
was re-examiiied.

This

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. 239

This eminent prelate was a native of Somer-
fetfhire, born in 1495, and educated at Mertoit
college, Oxford. Soon after the ftatute of the fix
articles was enforced', he quitted the univerfity,
and lived fome time with Sir Thomas Arundfel, as
liis chaplain and fteward ; But Sir Thomas difco-
vering that fie was a proteftant, he fled to France ;
but difliking the conduft of the reformed in that
kingdom, he returned home/ However, finding
the perfecution upon the articles Hill continued,
he difguifed himfelf in the habit of a failor, and
got fafe to Switzerland, where he was kindly re-,
ceived by BuUinger. 'On the acceffion of Edward
VI. he came back to England, and was made chap-
lain to the proteftor, and in 1549, he was th«
chief accufer of Bonner, who was then deprived,
and never forgave him.

In 1550, Hooper was made bifhop of Worcef-
ter, but refufing to wear the ufual veftm^nts,
Cranmer refufed to confecrate him, and he was
fent to the fleet for contumacy ; but the following
year the affair was compromifed, and he was per-
mitted to hold the bifliopric of Worcefter, in com-
mendam with Gloucefter.

When Mary was feated on the throne, he was
fent for, to anfwer to the complaints, exhibited
againfl: him by Heath (the deprived bifliop of Wer-
cefter) and Bonner, who pretended he had falfely
accufcd him in the late reign. But when he arrived
at London, thefe charges were dropped ; he was
proceeded againft as a heretic ; and was deprived
and condemned by his^ avowed enemies, Gardiner
and Bonner, two of the commilConers appointed
to deprive the prelates.

From this time till the before-mentioiicd re-exa-
mination, he had been confined in th? Fleet pri-
fon, but now he was removed to Newgate on his
refufing to recant, . Here he was vifited by Bonner

and

240 STEPHEN-GARDINER,

and his cliaplains, who offered hinvriches and ho*
nours, if he would become a convert to the Ro-
mifti religion ; but finding their endeavours fruit-
lefs, they fpread a report, that he had recanted ;
and being informed of this treachery, it afflifted
him fo much, that he wrote a letter to his friends,
to aifure them and the public^ that he was more
than ever confirmed in ihe Froteftant faith. This
exafperated the two bifhops, and Bonner was fent
to degrade him in Newgate, not as a bi(hop, for
they did not acknowledge him as fuch, but ^s
9 prieft: and on the firft of February, 1555, he
was fent to Gloucefter, guarded by a troop of
horfe, and on the ninth, he was burnt in that
city, in a moft inhuman manner, the fire being
'made of green wood, fo that he was cdnfumed by
flow degrees, and fufFered the moft dreadful tor-
ments with great patience and fortitude, above
three quarters of an hour.

Gardiner .had now brought three of the moft
eminent prelates of the reformed religion to the
flake, but Cranmer ftill remained, who was re-
ferved to anfwer his particular views. He ex-
pefted that cardinal Pole would fucceed to the
archbiflioprick of Canterbury, if Cranmer was
taken off at this time, and the death of pope
Warcellus II. being daily oxpe£led, he was deter-
mined to. ufe his intereft to obtain the papacy for
Pole, in which cafe he fliould have no rival for
the fee of Canterbury. But though the pope died
while Gardiner was holding a kind of congrels at
Calais for a treaty of peace between France and
Spain, in which commiHion the earl of Arundel .
and lord Paget were joined, their united intereft.
by letters could not prevail at Rome, where tlic '
conclave chofe Paul IV.

Gardiner before he went upon this embafly, had
left tiie perfecution of the Proteflants chiefly to

Bonner,

BISHOP OF WINCHESTERS H>

Bonnet and upoil his return to England, he -did
not appear to be fo fanguine in this dreadful bufi-
nefs as before. The new pope detefting Pole,
Gardiner held a fecrct correfpondence with hl»
hoUnefs, and had now rao^-e extenfive views, for
he was promifed a cardinal's bat, and the Ie«
gantrne power, as foon as Pole could be decently
recalled, after his great icrvices, fo lately perform-
ed in reconciling England to the fee of Ronie. .

But death put a ftop to his ambitious projefts,
on the 13th of November of this fame yc^r, in
the courfc of which Latimer, Ridley, Ho6pcr,
and Farrar bifhop of St. David's, befides a great
number of private perf6ns, had been facrificed to
his unrelenting cruelty. It is faid, he died in
great agorties, of a fuppreffion of urine, but vari^
ous reports were propagated, refp^fting both the
caufe and manner of his death. However,- it is
certain, that he was ill from the twenty-third of
Oftober, the laft day of his appearance in parlia-
ment ; and during his illnefs it is generally agreed,
that he felt fome remorfe of confcience for his
pafl: life, frequently exclaiming, Erravi cum Petro^
Jed mnfievi cum Petro. *' I have finned with Pe-
ter, but I have not wept with him."

He died at the palace at Whitehall, from
whence his remains were removed to Wincheftcr
houfe in Southwark, and interred with extraordi-
nary pomp and folemniry.

This prelate's charafter may be fummed up in
a few words. He was a profefled courtier, who
could make his confcience yield to the complexion
of the times ; he was a learned man, it is acknow-*
ledged, but inftead of being a friend to learned
menj as many writers have aflerted, he put them
to death, if they differed from him in opinion.
He was a crafty negociator, but by no means an
. Vol. I. M able

^42 S T E P H EN GARDINER,

able flate^man) for his adminiftrationwas ingioriousr
both at home and abroad ; and as for his fpirit of
perfecution, it was the effeft of a bafe, narrow
miiid, and a cruel nature, not of any fixed princi-
ples of religion, for he never had any. His per-
fon appears to have been very fer from agreeable ;
and in a defcription of him, written by Dr.Poy-
nct, who fucceeded him in the fee of Winchefter,
is the following paflage : " This doftor hath a
•' fwart colour, hanging look, frowning brows,
** eyes an inch within his head, a nofe hooked
•' like a buzzard, noftrils like a horfe, ever fnuf-
** fing in the^wind, and a fparrow mouth.'* But
as Poynet had a great diflike to his predeceflbr,
this portrait may juilly be fuppofed to be carica*
tured by perfonal ill-will.

*^* Juth9ntles, Lord Herbert's Life of Henry
VIII. Burnet. Biog. Britannica, and Britifli Bi-
ography, Vol. II.

The

C 243 ]

Turn LIFE OF

THOMAS C R A N M E R,

A R CHBISHOP of Canterbury.

[A. D. 1498, to 1556.]

THIS eminent prelate was the fon of Tho-
mas Cranmer, Efcj. and was born at Aflac-
toa, in Nottuighamfhire, in 1489. He was ad-
mitted of Je(us College, Cambridge, in 1503, and
diilinguifhcd himHjlf by his unwearied application
to his ftudies. He had been fume time fellow of
this college, when he married, but his wife dyin^
within the year, he was again admitted into hii
fellowfhip, .

In the year 1523, he commenced doftor of di-
viiiity, and.bccame reader of the divinity lefture
in his own college.

He hadalfo now acquired fo much reputation in ,
the univerfity, that he was appointed one of the.
examiners of thofe who commenced batchelors
and doftors in divinity, and according to who fe ap-
probations the univerfity allowed then^ to proceed.
In this office Dr. Cranmer did much fervice to the
caufe of religion: for it was his cuftom to examine
candidates out of the fcriptures ; and he would by .
M 2 no

244 THOMAS CRANMER,

no means let them pafs, if he found them unac-
quainted with the facred writings. This was a
fort of learning, of which the friars in general
were extremely ignorant. They were much bet-
ter read in Scotus and Aquinas, than in the Bible.
The friars, therefore, Dr. Cranmer fometimes
turned back as infufficient, adviling them to lludy
the fcriptures fome years longer, before they came
for their degrees, it beings he (aid,, a fliatne id a^
profeflbr in divinity to be unlkilled in the book,
wherein the knowledge of God, and the true prin-
ciples of Divinity, were chiefly to be found. In
confequence of this behaviour, he was^very heartily
hated by the Friars. However^ fome of the more
ingenious of them afterwards returned him great
and public thanks for refviiing them* their degrees ;
acknowledging, that having been thereby put upon
the ftudy of the, fcriptures, they had attained to a
more found knowledge in religion, than they
orlierwife fhould have done.

During Dr. Cranmer's rcfidence at Cambridge, '
the queftion arofe concerning king Henry's divorce ;
and the plague breaking out in the univcriify about
this time, he retired to a friend's hoxife at Wal-
tham- abbey ; where cafually meeting with Gardi-
ner and Fox, the one the king's fecretary, the
other his almoner, and difcouriing with them
about the divorce, he freely delivered his opinion,
*' That it would be much better, to have flie
quedion, whether a man could lawfully marry
his brother's wife ? difcufled and decided by th6
divines, upon the authority of God's word, than
^hils from year to year, to prolong the time, by
having recourfe to the pope. That there was but
one truth in it, which the fcripture would fooa
declare and manifcft, being handled by learned
men ; and that might be done as well at the uni-
verfitics in England, as at Rome, or elfewhere.'*'

This

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 245

This (declaration being communicated to the king,
it fo highly plcafed him, that he direftly faid, " the
man had the fow by the right ear,'* and gave orders,
that Crawner fliould be fent for to court.

Upon his arrival, which was in 1529, he was
appointed chaplain to the king, and Sir Thomas
Bdleyn, father of Anne Boleyn, was defired to re-
ceive him into his family, and to furnilh him with
fuch books as he fhouid require, to enable him to
execute the king's command ; which was, that he
Ihould draw up a defence in writing of the opinion
he had given refpefting the divorce. In the trea-
tifc, he fliewed by the teftimonies of the fcripturcs,
of general councils, and ancient writers, that the
bifhop of Rome had no authority to difpenfe with
God's word ; and from that, he proved the ille-
gality of the king's marriaj;e with Catherine of
Arragon, his late brother Arthur's widow. When
he' had finilhed that traft, the king fent him to
Cambridge to difpute publickly upon the fubjeft,
accompanied by ^Gardiner, Fox, and other learned
irien, and they foon brought over a number of di-
vines and civilians to Cranraer's opinion; who,
upon his return to court, was rewarded with a be-
nejSce, and the arclideaconry of Taunton.

The following year Dn Cranmer was fent by
the king to France, Italy, and Gerniany, to dif-
pute upon *the fame fubjeft ; Sir Thomas Boleyix,

; now earl of Wiltflirre, being made chief ambaf-
fador upon this occafion, and furnilhed with cre-
dentials to the refpeSive courts for this purpofe.
In France they convinced many learned men. At
Rome,Cranmer's treatife was delivered to the pope,
and he offered to juftify it, at a public difputation ;
but, after fundry promifes and appointments, no
adverfary appeared ; and at length, after fome pri-
vate conferences with the chief men about the

pope, it was openly granted, in the pope's chief
M 3 court

246 THOMAS CRANMER,

court of the Rota, that the marriage was unlaw-
ful : but they ftill defended the pope's authority to
diipcnle \<iih the fciiplure law.

'J be earl of WiMhire tranfmitted fuch encomi-
ums of Cranmer, that the king fent him a coitl-
n.jfiicn to be his fole ami aflador, upon the fame
ciiule tu the tmpeior. 1 his gave him an opportu-
nity of tiavelling through Germany, and as the
emperor's court at that lime was conftantly in mo-
tion, by following it, he became acquainted with
the moft eminent German divines and civilians,
many of whom embraced his opinion with refpeft
to ti\c marriage. Among others, the celebrated
Ofiandcr, pallor, of Nurembeig, publickly dc*
fended it, and an intimacy followed, which pro-
duced a clofe alliance, ibrCianmcr married Ofian-
dcr's niece.

V\ hile Cranmer remained in Germany, the
king eirjplo>td him in other negociations, parti-
cularly in eflablifhing a ireatife of commerce be-
twee'i England, and the emperor's dominions in
the low countries. And he went on a frecialem-
bnfiy to the duke of Saxony and other rioteflant
princes.

Upon the death of archbifhop Warham, the
king refolved to place Cranmer at the head of
the church ; and though it is affigned as the fole
rcafon for this extraordinary promotion^ U^a^Henry
judged him the fitteft perion amolig the whole
body of the Englilh clergy for this Jiigh ftation,
there can be no doubt that he had a fuperior po-
litical reafon, which was, to give fanftion to his
opinion concerning the divorce, on which he
could then pafs a decifive fentence, as head of the-
church, under the king ; the pdpe*s authority, in
this cafe, being already fubverted in his treatife.
With this view Dr. Cranmer was ordered home^
and upon his arrival he intreated the king'to fiiffcr

him

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY- 2^

him to decline the high honour he ofFei*ed to con-
fer upon him ; but Henry infifting upon his ac-
ceptance of the archbiftiopric, Cranmer now ftarted
a new opinion, which at firft f urpMfed the king,
but in tlie end ferved to ftrengtheii his attachment
to him. He aflerted, that the king was the fu-
preme governor of the church of England, as well
in ecclefiattical as temporal concerns, and that the
full right of donation of all benefices and bithop-
rics appertained to him, and not to anv foreitn
authority. And, therefore, if he might receive
the archbifhopric from the king, he would accept
it, but not (as was then the cu'oni} from the
pope, whofe authority within the king's realm he
denied. Thus was the foundation laid of the fu-
premacy of the kings of England by this able
divine.

In conformity to this declaration, he was con-
fecrated in March T533» when he made a notarial
proteft, that he did not admit the pope's auiho*
rity, any farther than it agreed with the expref;
word of God, and that it n-^ight be lawful for him
at all times to fpeak again (t him, and to impugn
his errors, when, there Ihould be occallm. The
pope, hovrever, agreeably to ufu^l cuftom, fent
over the bulls, then judged neceflary to complete
the inveftiture ; but Cranmer Uirrendered them to
the king, from whom alone he confented to hold
this dignity.

The firft fervice which the new archbifhop per-
formed for the king, was, pronouncing the fen*
tence of his divorce from queen Catherine. This
was done on the twenty-third of May. Gardiner,
bifhop of Winchefter, and the bi(hops of l.ondon,
Bath, and Lincoln, being joined in commifTion
witli him.

On the twenty-eighth of the fame month, he

held a court at Lambeth, in which he confirmed

M 4 * the

Sl^S THOMAS CRANMER,

the king's marriage with Anne Boleyn» And at
the dole of this year, wl»en the pope's fupiemacy
came tinder debate, the archbifhop anfwercd all
the arguments brought in defence of it, with fuch
ftrength and perfpicuity, that it was abolifhed by
the authority of parliament, and an slQ. pafled,
cftablilhing the king's fupremacy over the church.

The pious archbilhop having fucceeded fo far,
vigoroofly exerted himfelf to promote the Refor-
mation, for which purpofe, he prevailed upon the
convocation to petition the king for a tranfl&tioa
of the Bible. 'J'he iffue of this application has
been mentioned in the life of Gardiner, in giving
an account of his oppofition to the work whea
publifhed.

7 he next falutary meafurc to which he gave his
approbation, was the diffolution of the monafte-^
ries. t^e faw how inconfiftent thofe foundations
were with the reformation of religion, which he
thea had in view ; and propofed, that out of the
revenue of the monafteries, the king (hould found
more bilhoprics ; that the diocefes being reduced
into lei's compafs, the bilhops might be the better
enabled to difcharge their duty.

He farther advifed, that the king (hould only
have the revenues of fuch monafteries, as were
royal foundations, endowed by his predeceflbrs ;
and that the eftates of the reft (hould be employed
in founding hofpitals, grammar fchools, and other
uietul inftitutions. But the courtiers, who hoped
to (hare the fpoils, voted in parliament, that all
the revenues of the monafteries (hould be appro-
priated to the king's ufe, and this refolution,
having pafled into a law, the archbilhop, and fome
other prelates, incurred the king's difpleafure for
their good intentions. However,, the king after-
wards complied with part of the archbi(hop's plan,
by founding tx new bilhoprics.

In

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 249

In 1537, *^ arcbbiftiop, with the jointauth^-
rity of the bifhops, publilhed a book, intituled.
The Inftitution of a Chriftian Man. This book
being compofed by the bilbops, was moft com-
. monly called The Bishops Book. It contains an
explanation of the Ten Commandments, the
Creed, tlie Lord's Prayer, the Ave Maria, and the
Sacraments.

In the year 1539, the intereft of Gardiner and
the Popifh faftion increafed, and then the king's
zeal againft heretics appeared by his preffing the
bill coiitaining the fix bloody articles. The arch*
bifhop argued boldly in the houfe againft it three
days fo ftrenuoufly, that, though the king was ob-
ftinate in paffing the aft, yet he dcfirqd a copy of
his reafons againft it ; and fhewed no refentment
towards him for his oppofition to it. His majefty,
indeed, would have perfuaded him to withdraw
out of the houfe, fince he covld not vote for the
bill ; but, after a decent excufe, Cranmer told him,
that he thought himfelf- obliged in confcience to
ftay and (hew his diflent.

When the bill pafled, he entered his proteft
againft it ; and foon after he fent his wife privately
away to her friends in Germany. The king, who
cfteemed him for his integrity and refolution, fent
the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and thft lord
Cromwell, to affure him of his favour, notwith*
ilanding the paffing of the aft.

After the death of the earl of Eflex, the arch-
bifhop retired for a time from court, and attended
folely tp ecclefiaftical affairs. And in 154.1, he
ordered alf fuperftitious fhrines to be taken away
.frpm the churches, purfuant to the king's letters,
which he had folicited for that purpofe.

I'he following year, he endeavoured to get the

icverc articles moderated, and to procure the people

the full liberty of reading the Scriptures ; hut the

M 5 Popiih

250 THOMAS CRANMER,

Popilh bifliops fo far prevailed, that the bill was
clogged with reftraiiits and limitations, which
made it fall far fhort of the archbifhop's benevo-
lent defign. But even as it was, his enemies could
no longer brook his introduftion of further re-
formation ; and, therefore^ while he was pioufty
holding a vifiration at Canterbury, they coileftcd
and drew up articles againft him, which being piit
in order by Gardiner, and copied by his fecretary,
he got them figned by fome of the prebendaries of
Canterbury, and then, in the name of the church
of Canterbury, prefented them to the council. By
thefe means they came into the king's hand*, who
perceiving that the whole charge was founded in
malice, went the fame evening to amufe himfelf
upon the river, in his barge, taking the articles
*¥vith him, and ordered the bargemen to row to
Lambeth, the archbifhop being returned from
Canterbury. The fervants perceiving the king*s
barge approach the^ fhorc, apprifed their mafter,
who was ready upon the flairs to receive him 5 but
the king ordered him to come into the barge, and
to feat himfelf by him, after whrch,_he began fa
lament the growth of herefy,. and the diflentions,
and confufion that were likely to follow ; adding,
that he intended to find out the encourager of thefc
herefies, and to make him an example to the reft»
He then afked the archbifhop's opinion upon this,
who told him, it was a very good refclution, bu^t
jn treated him to confider well what herefy was,
and not to c ndemn thofe as heretics, who flood
up for the word of God againft human inventions.
*' O my chaplain, (replied the king) now I know
who is the greateft heretic in Kent,^ and thca
fhewed him the articles againft him, his chaplains,
and fome of his friends, figned by fome preben-
daries of Canterbury, and juftice's of the peace m
Kent. It both furprifed and afiBifted the worthy

pre-

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY- 251

prelate, that thofe of his own church, and jpftices,
whom he had obliged, fliould be guilty of fuch
treachery. But having looked over the articles,
and knowing the falfehood of them, he kneeled to
the king, and acknowledging that he was ftill of
the fame opinion with refpeft to the fix articles^
but that he had done nothing againft them, he
defiredhis majefty to grant acommiffion to whom-
foever he pleafed, to try the truth of the accii-
fations. Then the king jocofely aiked him, if bis
grace's bed-chamber would ftand the teft of thofc
articles? The archbilhop frankly confefled, that
he was married in Germany, during his embaflyat
the emperor's court, before his promotion to the
fee of Canterbury ; but, at the fame time, aflured
the king. That, on paffing that aft, he had part*-
ed with his wife,, and fent her abroad' to he'r
friends.

The king, in return for his fincerity, told hirrr,
he would grant a commilTion for the trial, but he
had fuch confidence in his integrity, that he
Ihould name him the chief commilfioner, being
well aflured, that he would bring the_truth to light,
though it were againft himfeif. He then named
Dr. Eellhoufe, fecond commiffioner, and left the
reft to the archbifhop ; adding, that if he mannged
the matter wifely, he would difcover a pretty con-
fpiracy againft him. Cranmer expoftulatcd with
great modefty, againft the appearance of partiality,
i'l making him judge in his own caufe, but the
king was determined, and thus they parted.

The candid archbifhop appointed his vicar r;c*
neral, and' his principal regifter, to be the other
commiflioners, though he knew they were fecret
favourers of the Romilh faftion. Then they went
to Feverfham and opened their com^niliion, by
fending for two of the prebendaries, the princip>-i
. complainants againft the archbilhop, who cxpof-

M 6 tulaicd

252 THOMAS CRANMER,

i^lated with them on their bafc ingratitude, in
fuch pathetic terms, that they could not refraia
from weeping : after ordering them into cuftody,
Cranmer left tiie farther difcovery of the plot
againft him to the other commiffioners, but they
proceeding but flowly in the b\:finefs, the king fent
t)r. Leigh, and Dr. Taylor, eminent civilians, as
new commiffioners, with frefh inftruAions. Theff
gentlemen iffued orders to the archbifhop*s officers,
to go to Canterbury, and fearch the houfes of cer-
tain prebendaries, and others, fufpefted of the
confpiracy, and to bring all letters or other writings
they could find relative to the archbilhop to them.
The feveral officers executed their duty at the
fame hour, and in a fhort fpace of time. The
whole con fpi racy was difcovered, and brought
home to Gardiner, Bonner, and others, whofc
letters were found. Thefe letters were afterwards
perufed by the king ; but the archbifhop was
dr?eply aiTciled, on finding among the papers, let-
ters from Dr. Thornden* and Dr. Barber, gentle-
men of his own houfehold, on whom he had be- -
flowed uncommon marks of efteem and friendfliip.
But the good archbifhop, after making them pafs
fcntcncc on themfelves, by putting' the cjueftion,.
what punifhments the blackeft ingratitude deferved,.
produced ihcir letters ; and upon their expreffing
lincerc penitence, he difmiffed them from his fer-
vice, as unworthy of his future confidence ; but
he never exprefled the Ifeaft refentment againft
them afterwards, when he was obliged to fee
Tfiera upon public occafions. 'I'he archbilhopV
inild, forgiving temper, was fo well known, that
it became a common faying; *^ Do my lord of
Canterbury an ill turn, and he will be your friend
ever after.**

A frefh infliance of this Chriftian temper ap-
peared in 1544 ', -for Sir John Goftwick, one of
4 th<^

ARCHBISHOP OP CANTERBURY. aS3

the members for Bcdfordfliire, accnfed the arch-
"bWhop, in the houfe of commons, of manifeft
hcrcfy againft the facrament of the altar, in his
fermons and left ores at Sandwich, and at Canter-
bury. The king hearing ofthis, and knowing it to
be a frefh effort of difappointcd malice, fcnt a meffage
to Goftwick, whom he called varlet, that iF be did
not acknowledge his fault, and fo reconcile bim-
fclf to the archbifliop, tiiat he might become his
good lord, he would foon make him a poor Goft-
wick, and punifh him as an example to others ;
adding, that he wondered how Goftwick, who
had never been in Kent, could hear my lord of
Canterbury out of it. Goftwick, upon this, re-
paired to Lambeth, and not only obtained the
archbi(hop*s forgivenefs, but his promife, which
he performed, to intercede for him with the king.
This year, the archbiftiop's palace at Canterbury
was burnt down, and his brother-in-law, with
'fome other perfons, periftied in the fl«:mes. And
foon after this misfortune, the duke of Norfolk,
and the reft of the Popifti party in the council,
went to the king, and made a formal complaint
' againft the archbifhop, alleging that he, with his
learned men, had fo infeded the kingdom, that the
major part of the people were become abominable
heretics ; and reprefentcd that this might produce
commotions, like thofe which had fprung up in
Gerhiany, on the fame account. They therefore
prayed, that the archbiihop might be committed to
the Tower, until he could be examined, giving
as a reafon, that no man would dare to objeft
matters againft him being a privy counfellor, till
he was confined. Their importunities prevailed,
but the fame night, the king fent a gendeman of
his privy chamber to Lambeth, to fetch the arch-
bifhop; and, when he was come, told him, how
he had been daily importuned to commit him to

pri-

2S4 THOMAS CRANMER,;

prifon, as a favourer of barely i and how far he
had complied. The archbiihop thanked his ma-
jcfty for this timely notice, and declared himfelf
willing to go to the Tower, and ftand a trial ;
fbrj being confcious he was not guilty of any of-
fence, he thought that the beft way to clear his
innocendCy and remove all unreafonable and
groundlefe fafpicions. The king admiring his
finiplicity, 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 fwcar any thing againft him^
but, while he was at liberty, and bis character
entire, it would not be fo eafy to fuborn witnefles
againft him : *^ and, therefore," continued he^
*' fince your own unguarded fimplicity makes you
lefs cautious than you ought to be, I will fuggeft
to you, the means of your prefervation. To-mor-
row, you will be fent for to the privy- council, and
examined : upon this, you are to requeft, that,
fince you have the honour to be one of the boards
you may have fo much favour as they vi^ould have
themfeives ; that is, to have your accufers brought
before you ; and if they oppofe this, and will not
comply with your requeft, but pcrfift in feuding
you to the Tower, then do you appeal from, them
to our perfon, giving them this ring, (which he
then delivered to Cranmcr) and they fnall well un-
derftand how to aft i for they know I never ufe
that ring for any other purpofe, but to call matters
from the council, before me."

The next morniftg, the archbiftiop was fum-
moned to. the privy-council ; and when, he came
tbere^ was denied admittance into the" council-
chamber. When Dr. Butts, one of the king's
ph^ficians, heard of this, he camo to the arch-
biihop, who was waiting in the lobby amoiigft the

fbot^

ARCHBISHOP OF ' CANTERBURY. ^^55

footmen, to ffiew his rcfpcft, and to prote^ him
from infults. /

The king foon after fent for the doftor, who
acquainted his mkjefty with the fliamcful indignity
-put upon the archbilhop. The king, incenfedtli^t
the- primate of all England ibouJd be nfed in fo
qontiamelious a manner, immediately fent to com^
itiand them to admit the archbilhop into the coun-
cil-chamber. At his entrance, he was faluted with
an heavy accufation of having infefted the whole
realm with herefy ; and ordered to the Tower, till
the whole of this charge was thoroughly examined.
The archbiftiop defired to fee the informers againft
him, and to have the liberty of defending himfelf
before the council, and not to be fent to prifon
on bare fufpicion : but, when this was abfolutely
denied him, and he found that neither arguments
nor intrcaties would prevail, he appealed to the
king ; and producing the ring he had given hina,
put a Hop to their proceedings.

When they came before the king, he feverely
reprimanded them; expatiated on his obligations.
to Cranmer far his fidelity and integrity ; and
charged them, if they had any afFeftion for him, to
. exprefs it by their love aiid kindiiefs to ilie arch-
bilhop.

Cranmer having efcaped this fnare, (hewed not
the leaft refentment for the injuries done to hiai ;
and, from this time, had fo great a iliare in the
king's favour, that nothing farther was attempted
againft him in this reign.

Our indefatigable, prelate now fet about a re-
vifion and alteration of the ecclefiafljcal laws af
England, which being founded on the canon law,
were incompatible with the king's fupremacy^ or
the general principles of * the Reforrnation. But
when by the afliftance of fome of his Inends he
had completed a new . body of ecclefiaftical ,1a ws,

he

1

siS« THOMAS CRANMER,

lie bad the mortification to find hi$ iotereft n^t
iiifficient to get them confirmed by parliament.

Henry VIII. died foon after, and archbifhop
Craniiier bad the honour to place the crown on
the head of his focceiTor,. and now having a Pro-
teftant priiKe on the throne, and being him&lf one
-of the regency, many meafnres were taken, fup«

¥^rted by the protedor, to ptvfc& the Reformation,
he archbifhop procured a repeal of the fiatute of
the fix articles : he held a convocation in Novem-
ber, 1547, in which he exhorted the clergy to
throw off the con-upt innovations of Popery, and
to fiu^y the Scriptures ; the communion in both
kinds was eftabliihed ; the marriage of prieils de-
clared lawful by a majority ; and other meafures
taken, favourable to the new religion, in this con-
vocation. And it was obfcrvcd, that Gardiner and
'Bonner were uncommonly afliduous in executing
the archbifhop's orders /or fuppreffing ridiculous
proceilions in their diocefes. The following year,
Cranmer publilhed a catechifm, or fhort in*
ftruftion in the Chriftian religion for the ufe of
children and young perfons, and a Latin treatife,
againft unwritten verifies ; intended to prove, that
all idle traditions are to be difregarded ; and that
the Bible fhould be confidcred as the onlyoracle of
falvation. He likewife obtained an order of coun-
cil for the total removal of all images fromi the
churches.

Hitherto, the conduft of archbifhop Cranmer
had been in every refpeA irreproachable, but in
the year 1549, he obtained a commiffion, together
with Latimer, Ridley, and others, by no means
conformable to the fpirit or principles of true
Cbriftianity as it is found in, the Scriptures, which
he profefled to make the fole rule of all bis
aflions. Complaint had been made to the council,
that with other foreigners who had lately been en-

couragedj^

ARCHBISHOP or CANTERBURY. 257

eotiraged, being Protcftants, flying from pcrfe-
cution, to come to Englai^di. feveral an^baptifts
and otbers, who taught ftrange do&rioes, werear-
rived and were propagating their errors* The com«
miffioners were tlierefore authorifed to endeavoi^r
to reclaim them, but if they perfifted in their opi-
nions to excommunicate them, and deliver tiiem
over to the fecular power to be farther proceeded
againfl:* This commiiiion wore the afpe£t of
Popifh perfecution ; for the mode of proceeding
was the fame, only it differed as to the objefts ;
and it is faid, it was framed after a commiffion
given to Gardiner and Bonner in the laft reign, to
enforce the obfervance of the bloody ftatutes. How*
ever this be, too true it is, to the eternal dilhonour
of Cranmer, that he pafled fentcnce of dcath^ on a
poor ignorant woman, one Joan Bocher, who ide-
fer ved the pity of a learned Chriftian hifhopf rather
than condign punifhment.

She denied ^* that Chrift was truly incarnate of
-the Virgin, whofe flefh being finful, he could
take none of it : but the word, ihe &id, by the
confent of the inward man in the Virgin, took.
flicfh of her." -Thefe were her words, and they are
to the full as intelligible as moft of the opinions
broached by the learned commentators, in the dark
agesof fuperftition, or by our modern eothufiafts,
on the fame inexplicable fubjeft. We are forry to
add, that our archbifhop over-ruled the difcerning ,
young monarch, who was againft figning a warrant
for her execution, and when he did tet his hand
to it, it was with tears in his eyes, and a pro-
teflation, that if he did wrong, it was in Aibmiffioa
to the archbifhop'fl authority, who muft anfwer for
it to God. This made a fenfiblc impreifion on
Cranmer, and both he and Ridley took great pains
to convert the woman, delaying the execution from
time to time for this purpofe ; but as fhe abfo*

lutely

258 THOMAS CRANMER,

lutely refufed to abjure her opinions, (he was burat
in May, 15^0, and not long after, Oeorge Van
Parrc, a Dutchman, was condemned by the com-
miffioners and committed to the flames, for main-
taining that God the Father was the only God, and
that Chrift was not very God.

This year, the archbilhop^ and other com-
miffioners, deprived Gardiner : Bonner had ftiared
the fame fate a few months before. He alfo or-
dained fcveral prieils and deacons, for the firft time,
according to the form fet forth in the book of
Common Prayer, which having been revifed, and
amended, was eftabliihed by aft of parliament in
1552. Cranmer had now publilhed his Treatifc
of the Sacrament, in which he confutes the doc-
trine of the real prefence, and this traft gave great
offence to the Popifh party, by whom Gardiner
-was pcrfuaded to write againft it, and the arch-
bifliop was feverely reproached for having perfifted
fo many years in the belief of the real prefence,.
and then denying it fo fuddenly; and, indeed,
Cranmer owned that Ridley's conveifation hadied
him to this late difcovery of his former, erron In
the courfe of this year, the archbilhop had two fe^
vere fits of illncfs, which prevented his attendance
At the council>board, till tjhe affair of the fucceffion
in favour of lady Jane Grey was partly deter*
mined. It appears, that he oppofed it, efpecialiy
the exclufion of the princefs Elizabeth ; but in the
end, he fubfcribed, and after Edward's death, he
openly appeared for lady Jane, and was one of
her council. But upon the acceffion of Mary, a
,ialfe report was raifed, that archbifbop Cranmer,.
in order to make his court to the queen, had of-
fered to rcftorc the Latin fervice,. and that he had
already faid mafs in his cathedral church at Can-
.terbury. To vindicate hirafelf from this vile and
bafe afperfion, the archbilhop publifhed a decla-

ration^

ARCHBISHOP OP CANTERBURY. 2J9

ration, in which he not only cleared himfclf from
that tinj lift imputation,, but alfo made a challenge,
with, the affiftance of Peter Martyr, and a few
•more, to maintain by a public difputation, tjie li-
turgy eftablilhed in the late reign. ' Ijhis decla-
ration foon fell into the hands of the council,
who cited him to appear in the Star Chamber,
where he was afked, if he was the artithor of that
feditious declaration that was given out in his
name.

Cranmer acknowledged it to be his ; but com-
plained that it bad, contrary to his intention,
ftolen abroad in an impcrfeft condition : for his
defign /was to review and correft it ; and then,
■ after life had put his feal to it, to fix it up at St.
Paul's, and on all the church doors in London^-
Contrary to his own expcftations, he was dif-
mifled after this examination, though he faw his
anfwer had enraged the commiiEoners ; and now
his friends who forefaw this ftorm, advifed him to
confult his fafcty by retiring beyond fea. But he
thought it would reflect a great difhonour on the
caufe he had cfpoufed, if he Oioulddefert hisftation
at fuch a time aj this ; and he chofe rather to ha-
zard his life, than give fuch. juft caufe of fcandai
and offence. In a few days after, he was fflm-
moned to attend* the council, and' was charged with
high treafon againft the queen, which hdhad ag-
gravated by difperfing' feditioos bills, exciting tu-
" mults, to the great difquiet of the ftate.

In November, 1553, archbilhdp Cranmer was
' attainted by the parliament, and adjudged guilty ef
high treafon. His fee was hereupon declared- void ;
<and on the tenth of December, i^hd/dean and chap-
; ter of Canterbary gave comhiifikA^s' -to feveral peN
^fons to excrcife archiepifcopal ' jwifili^k)n in their
"name, and by theil- authority.; Th« qUecn alio
now gave her fubjedls a f|)e^iraen of her bigotry,
•• ^ in-

a6o THOMAS CRANMER,

ingratitude, and revenge* She was under perfomi
obligations to Cranmer, of the hJgheft nature, who
had interceded for her with her father, when he
. had refolyed to put her to death publicly, for ad-
hering to the caufe of her mother, and refuiing to
iiibmit to hivi after their feparation. Neither the
duke of Norfolk, nor Gardiner, though they were
Aen in power, would venture to pkad for her ; but
our archbilhop boldly reprcfented to the king, that
fuch an aft would fill all Europe with horror and
. <aftoni(hment. But the iame prelate divorced her
mother, and hp was a heretic ; thefe two crimes
. were thought fufScient to cancel every obligation ;
and, therefore, wijth true Jefuitical fubtilty, Ihe
pardoned him the treafon, but left him in cuftody,
in the hands of bis bitter enemies, to fufl5br a more
cruel death, as a heretic*

In April, 1554, the archbiOiop was jempved
from the Tower to Oxford, to dilpute with foroc
, feieft perfons of both univerfities. 'At the firft
sipipearance of the archbiihop in the public fchools,
J t$ree>artides were given him to fubfcribe j in which'
J the eorporeal prefence, by tranfubflantiation, was
aiTerted, and the mafs affirmed to be a propitiatory
i iacrifice for the fins of the living and the dead.
. Thefe, he declared freely, he cftcemed grofs un-
truths i and promifed to give an aofwer concerning
them in writing.

Accprdipgly* he drew it up ; and, when he was
brought again to the fchools to difpute, he deli-
vered the writing to Dr. Wefton, the prplocntor.
At eight in the morning the difputation began,
. iind held till two in the a&rnoon : all which time,
the archbilhop oonftantly maintained, the truth,
. with great leariiing and courage, ^ainft a multi-
tude of ^huaaorous and infolent opponents i- and
tbrei5 day$ a§er, he was again brought forth to o^
,pafeDr«H9irpsfiel4r,who was to relpoad fox hxs

de-

ARCHBISHOP or CANtfiRBURY. t6i

degree in divinity : and hcrt.&e- accjtiitted himfelf
fo well, clearly rticwing the grofs abfutditics, and
inextricable dij9ScultfCS of the do'ftrine of tranfub*
ftantiation, that Wefton himfelf, as great a bigot
as he was, could not butdifmifs him with com -<
iriendation. In tliefe difputations, with other flan-
dcrous reproaches, the archbilhop was accufed of
corrupting and falfifying a paffage which, in his
book of the Sacrament, he had quoted from St*
Hilary. In anfWcr 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 alfo*
But Smith made no reply, being confcious that it^
was true.

When the difputation was over, one Mr. He-
leot remembering that he had Smith's book, went
direfkly to his chamber, in Univerfity-colfcge ; and
comparing it with Crinmer's, found the quotations
cxaftly to agree. He afterwards looked into a book
of Gardiner's, called, *• The Devil's Sophiftry,'^ '
where the fame pai&ge was cited ; and both the
Latin and Englifh agteed exaftly with Cranmer's
quotation and tranflation. Upon this, he rc-
folved to carry the faid books to the archbifliop
in prifon, that he might produce them in his own
vindication.

When he came thither, he was flopped and
brought before Dr. Wefton and his colleagues,
who, upon information of his dcfign, charged him
with treafon, and abetting Ci*anmer in his herefy j
aAd committed him to prifon. The next day, he
was again brought before them ; and they threat -
crted to fend him to Gardiner, to be tried for trea-
fon, unlcfs he would fubfcribe to the three articles "
concerning which the difputations had been held.
This he then I'efufed ; but, being fent for again,
after the condemnation of Craumer, through fear,

he

26z THOMA:S CRANMER,:

he confented to it ; yet not till they had affurcd-
him. that, if he finned by fo doing, they would
take the guilt upon themfelves, and anfwer for it
to God : and yet even this fubfcriptionj, of which
he afterwards heartily repented, could not prevail
fpr the reftoring his. books, left he fhoulJ (hew
them to their Ihame ; nor for his entire difcharge,
the matter of Univerfity- college being commanded
to keep a ftrift watch over him till Gardiner's plea-
fure concerning him was known : and, if he heard
nothing from him in a fortnight's time, then to
expel him the college for his ofrence.

On the twentieth of April, Cranmer was brought
to St. Mary's, before the queen's commiffioners ;
and refufing to fubfcribe, was pronounced . an hc-
retick, and fentence of condemnation read againft
him as fuch : upon which the archbifhop faid,
•* From tliis your unjuft judgement and fentence,
I appeal to the juft judgement of the Almighty,
tiufting'to be prefent with him in heaven." After
this, his fervants were difmifled from their attend-
ance, and he was more clofely confined in prifon.
The commifTioners and a Popifli convocation then
niet, and did archbiihop' Cranmer the honour to
order his book of the Sacrament to be burnt, in
company with the Englilh Bible and Common-
Prayer- Book. ^

In 1555, a new co^mmiflion was fent from Rotme '
for the trial of archbiihop Cranmer for herefy ; the
former fentence ^ainft him being void in law, be-
caufe the authority of the pope was not then re-
eftablilhed. The commiffioners were Dr. Brooks,
bilbop of Gloucefter, the pope's delegate, Dr.
Storey, and Dr. Martin, doftors of the civil law,
the queen's commiffioners.

On the 1 2th of September they met at St.

Mary's church, and commanded the archbifhop to

be brougl^t ^before them. I'o the queen's com-

* raiffioners.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 265

xniflioners, as rcprefenting the fupreme authority
of the nation, he paid all due refped, but abfo*
Ititely refufed to Ihow any to the pope's reprefenta-
tive, lelt he fhould fecm to make the Icaft acknow •
ledgement of his ufurped fupremacy.

He was charged witk blafphcmy and herefy, for
what he had done and written againft the pope's
authority; with perjury in violating his oath to
th& pope ; and with incontinence, on account of
his marriage. The archbilhop defended himfelf
.with great refolution, and anfwered fixteen inter-
rogatories, which were put to him ; after which
Brooks, in the pope's name, cited him to appear.at
Rome, within eighty days, there to deliver his
vindication in perfon : an aft of the moft flagrant
injuftice, as it was out of his power tocomply,
if he had thought it proper, being kept a clofe
prifoner all the time. To add to the abfurdity,
as well as the cruelty of thefe proceedings, letters
executory addrefled to Philip and Mary, Bonner,
biihop of London, and Thirlby, bifliop of Ely,
to degrade and deprive him, arrived in England
from the pope on the 14th of December ; in which
Jetters he was declared ,contumacious for not ap- '
pearing at Rome.

• Some time before the archbifhop's degradation,
he wrote two letters to the queen, in .which he re«
prefented to her the great evils. which would refuk
from, the re-eftabliihment of the popes authority in
England; which, he laid, would lubvert not only
the laws of the nation, but the laws of God. He
alfo endeavoured to convince her of the erroneouf-
nefs of the Rotuifh doftrmc of the facrament. He .
vindicated himfelf in his refufal to acknowledge
the Papal authority ; and reminded her majerty, .
that- at her coronation, fhe took an oath to the
pope, to be obedient to him, to defend his perfon,
and to maintain his authority, honour, lavys, and .

pri.

d64 THaMAS CRANMER,

privileges ; an<i» at die fame time, another oath to
the kingd6in^ to maintain the laws, liberties, and-,
cuftonis of the fame. , He entreated her ferioufly
to examine both oaths, and to fee how well they
would iagree, and then to a A ss her confcience
lliould dhreft. He feared, he laid, that there were
oontradifticns in her oaths ; and that thofe who
fhoukl have informed her majefty thoroughly, had
not done' their daty therein. He complained^ that
he was kept from the company of learned men,
from bookiiy from counfel, and from pen and ink,
except what was now granted him, in order to
write to her majefty. And as to his appearance at
Rome, if {he would give him leave, he faid, he
would appear there ; and he trufted in God, that
be would enable him to defend his truth there as
v^ell as here.

The delay in the proceedings againft Cranmer
have been accounted for in the lifeof Gardiner ;
and will be farther noticed in the memoirs of car-
dinal Pole. The mortifying ceremony of degra-
dation was not performed till the fourteenth of Fe-
bruary, 1556, when the archbilhop was brought
before Bonner and Thirlby. After they had read
their commiflion from the pope, Bonner, in a
feurrilous oration, infuked over him in a moft un-
chriilian manner ; for which he was often rebuked
by ThirJby. When Bonner had finifhed his in-
veftive againft him, they proceeded to degrade
him ; and, that they might make him as ridiculous
a9 poffible, tlic epifcopal habit they put on him was
made of canvas. Then the archbifhop, pulling
otit of his ficeve a written appeal, delivered it to
them, facing, *' 1 appeal to the next general
council."

When they had degraded him, they put on him
an old thread-bare gc /n, and a townfman's coat ;
and in that garb delivered him over to the fecular.

power.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 265

power. As they were leading him to prlfon, a
gentlenian came and gave fome money to the bai-,
lifFs for the archbiQiop : but this charitable aftioii
gave fuch offence to Bonner, tliat he ordered the
gentleman to be feized; and, had he not found
great friends to ihterccide for him, would have fent'
him up to the council to be tried for it.

While the archbifliop' continued in prifon, no
endeavours were omitted to bring hira over to the
church of Rome. Many of the moft eminent di-
vines in the univerfity refortcd to him daily, hoping,
by arguments and perfuafions, to prevail, but in
Y^n. At length, his enemies finding that neither
threats, nor fallacious arguments, could Ihake the
fortitude of his fouli fell upon a flratagem which
proved fatal to his reputation. They removed him
from prifon to the lodgings of the dc^n of Chrift-
church : they treated him with the greateft civihty
and rcfpeft, made him large promifes of the queen's
favour, and the reftitution of his former dignities,
if he would only fet his name to a paper. He re-
fitted their importunities for fome time, but by ^
continual reprefentations of tl>e difference between
the profpeft of living many years honoured and
cfteemedj and the horrors of voluntarily putting a

Eeriod to his days, by the terrible death of fire,
uman frailty gave way to the temptadon ; and, in
an unguarded moment, he Cgned a renunciation
of the Proteftant, and an acknowledgment o^ his
belief of the Romilh religion, in the moll ample
terms, declaring himfelf forry for his paft errors,
exhorting all whom Jie had mifled to return to the
Romifti faith, and protefting, that he had figntd the
paper wiUingly, and folcly for the acquittal of his
confcience.

When the Popifh party had obtained tliis tri-
umph over the unfortunate archbifh op, they eau fed
bis recantation" to be printed and difpeVfed with 'ai(
Vol. I. N ex-

a66 THOMAS CRANMER,

expedition ; and now the mean, bafe perfidy, and
treachery of his perfecutors, manifefted itfelf intbe
blackeft colours. Eyen the queen, whofe honour
was concerned, that the promifes made in her
name (hould not be violated, was the firft to de-
clare, that his recanting muft not ferve his turn,
though it would be fufficicnt in all other cafes. It
was, indeed, good ((he &id) for his foul, that he
had repented, and might Ao good to others ; but
yet die fentencc muft be executed. Her majefty
iccms to have adopted the opinion, maintained by
fome of her own church, that faith was not to be
kept with heretics.

The warrant for the archbifliop*s execution was
accordingly fent down to Oxford, but he was Iccpt
in profound ignorance of this fatal mandate, from
their apprehenfion that he would retraft the re-
cantation drawn from hinl, by their infamous de-
lufions.

Dr. Cole, provoft of Eton, was likcwife ap-
pointed to preach a fermon at the ftake, and the
day before the exectition, he vifited the archbifhop
in prifon, to exhort him to remain ftedfaft in the
faith, to which he had fubfcribcd, but he made no
-mention of his approaching death.

On the 2ift of March, 1556, the day appointed
for this aurhorifed murder, feveral members of the
council, and otlier pcrfons of rank, who'liad been
fent-lo Oxford by the court, to prevent any tu-
mult, which might happen upon the occafion,
affenibled early in the morning, which proving
rainy, it was agreed, that the fermon intended to
have been preached at the ftake, fhould be preached
at St. Mary's church, and accordingly, the arch-
bifhop was brought there by the mayor, accom^
panVedby loid VViJliams and other courtjers ; aiid
placed on a low fcaffold oppofite the pulpit. '

- Then

ARCHBISHbP *0F CANTERBURY. ^67

"Then Dr. Cole began his fermonr the chief
fcdpc whereof was, to endeavour to give fome rea^-
fons why it was expedient that Cranmer fliould
fniFer, notwitliftanding his recantation : and, m
the clofe, he addreffed himfelf particularly to the
archbifliop, exhorting him to bear- up with oou*»
rage againft the terrors of death ; and, by the e>c-
ample of the thief on the crofs, encouraged him
not to defpair, fince he was returned, though late,
into the bofom of the catholic church, and to tlie
profeffion of the true apoftolical faith.

The archbiihop, who, till now, had not the
lead notii:e of his intended execution, was ftruck
with hoft-or at the bafe treachery and unparalleled
cruelty of their proceedings. During the whoJe
fermon he wept inceffantiy : fometimes lifting up
Tiis eyes to Heaven, fometimes cafting them down
to the ground, with marks of the utmoft dejeftion^

When it was over. Cole defired him to make aix
open declaration of his faith, as he had promifed,
upon which he knelt down, and prayed in the
moft fervent manner ; then rifing, he exhorted the
people not to fet their minds upon the world; to
obey the queen ; to live in mutuallove ; to avoid
covctoufnefs ; and to be charitable to the poor.
Then he repeated the Apoftle's Creed, and pro-
feiied his belief thereof, and of all things contained
in the Old and NewTcftament: after which he
declared his great and unfeigned repentance, for
having, contrary to his faith, fubfcribed tlip Popi(h
do£):rines ; lamented it with many tears ; and de-
clared, tliat; the hand, which had fo offended,
ihould be b'urnt before the reft of his body. Then
he renounced the pope, in the moft exprefs terms ;
and.profefled his belief concerning the Eucharifl,
to be the fame with that he had affertec^ in his
book againft Gardiner.

' N 2 ^ This

t58 . 'TttONTAS GRAHMEIt,.

This was a mortifying difappojntmtnt to itlie
Papiils; they made loud clamours,, and charged
him with hypocrify and falftraod. To which he
meekiy replied^ That he was a plsdn man, and
ticver .a£ted the hyp<>crite,. but wheiif ho was in-
duced' by them tp a' recantation.-^ Kk would b*vc
proceeded) but Dr» Cole criedroiit from the pulpit^
•* Stop the heretic's D)outh, and take him away.**
Upon which, they, pulled him down with violence,
and hurried him to the place of execution, the
fame where Latimer and Ridley had fuffbred the
-year btftre. He approached . it w^ith a. qhearful
countenance ; and, notwithftandihg the earneft fo-
licitaJtenfr of inany of the Papifts, continued ftill
to derclare his uttei* abhorrence of the. Popifh errors,
and hearty: repentance for having rccant«I; -

After this, he kneeled dawn. and. prayed ; and
then, having undreffcd himfelf, and taken -leave of
his friends, he was bound iothe,ftake;. As foon
as the fire'was kindled, \ih ftrctched forth his right
arm, and heW it, ftedfaftly and w i th 012 tflir inking,
in the flame (only bnce he wiped his face with it)
till it was quite coqfumed,: whiclv was fome time
before'thc fire reached his body,.bjai: he did not ex-
prcfs any great fenfation of pain; He often cried
out, *'' This unworthy hand ! this unworthy
hand I" atid, lifting up his eyes to heav^il^, ex-
pired, repeating the dying words of St. Stephen,
•• Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit 1"

Archbilhop Cranmer was a prelate of confider-
able abilities^and learnmg ; but he. had chiefly di-
refted his ftudies to thofe branches of knowledge
that were moft immediately conno&ed with his
own profeffion. Mr. Gilpin fays, " He had ap-
plied himfelf in Cambridge to the: ftudyof the
Greek and Hebrew languages ; wiiiclu. thou^
cileemed at that time as tlie mark, of: herefys ap-
peared

ARCHBISHOP or CANTERBURY. -269'

peared to him the only fources of attaining a cri-
tiqal knowledge of the fcriptures. He had fo ac-
curately ftudied canon law, that he was efteemed
the heft canonift in England ; and his reading ia
theology was fo extenfive, and his colleftions from
the fathers- fo very vpluminous, that there were
very few points, in "which he was not accurately
informed; and on which he could not give tlie
opinions of the feveral ages of the church from the
tames of the apoftles. '* If I had not feen with
*' my own eyes/* fays Peter Martyr, ** I could not
'* eafily have believed, with what infinite pains and
** labour he had digefted his great reading into par-
•* ticular chapters, under the heads of councils,
*' canons, decrees, &c.'* His library was, filled
with a very noble colleftion of books, and was open
to all men of letters. He rofe commonly at five
o'clock, and was a great oeconpmiil of his time.
He accuftomed hirafeif much to read' and write in
,a Handing pofloce, cftecming conftant fitting very
pernicious to a (ludious man.

He was very kind to his* fervants and dependents,
and extremely hofpi table and generous to the poof.
Bilhop Burnet fays, that archbifhop Cranmer

* laid out all his wealth on the poor, and pious ufe^.

* He had hofpitals and furgeons in his houfe for

* the king's feamen ; he gave penfions to many of

* thofe< that had fled out of Germany into England ;

* and kept up that which is hofpitality indeed atfiis

* table, where great nurtibers of the honeft and.

* poor neighbours -were always invitedj inflead of
^ the luxury and extravagance of great entertain-

* ments, which the vanity and excefs of the age we

* live in has honoured witlvthe name of hofpitality.*

*^* Juthnntiei, Fox. Memorials of Cranmer,
t)y Strype. Burnet'^ Hiftory of the Reforftiatibn.
Gilpin's Life of Archbilhop Cranmer.

N 3 The

( 170 )

The Life of
CARDINAL POLE.

((ncluding Memoirs of Edmund Bonker, Biihop
of London.)

(A.D. 1500, to 1558.)

T3 EGINALD POLE was defcended froiri
X\- royal blood, being a younger fon of Sir
Kichard Pole, lord Montague, Knight of the
Garter, and coufin-german to Henry VII. by
Margaret, his wifc> daughter of George, duke ox
Clarence, younger brother to king Edward IV.
He was born at Stovertoa Cattle, in StafFordlhire,
in the year 150^; and, at about the age of twelve,
was fent to Magdalen coUege, in Oxford, where
an apartmtr\t wis provided for him in the prefi-
dent's lodgings. The famous Linacre, and Wil-
liam Latimer, two of the greatcft matters of thofc
times in the Greek and Latin tongues, were our
young nobleman's principal preceptors ; and he
made a conliderable progrefe in his ftudies under
them.

I" ^S^7» he was made prebendary of RofcortiT),
in the church of Salilbury ; to which the deanty
of Exeter, and other valuable preferments, were
added about two years after. But he- did not take
9Ay orders, as mott writers have aiTerted.. '

. He

CARDINAL POLE, ?.^t

- He was now nineteen yeaiss of age, and, having
Jaid the foundation of learning at Oxford, it was
determined to fend him, for farther improvement,
to Italy, where the liberal arts and fcienccs then '
flouriihed ; and for this purpofe, an eftablilhraent
fuitable to his rank was provided by the king, who
allowed him a liberal yearly penfion, befidea the
income of his ecclefiailical preferments*

He was therefore accompanied to Italy by feveral
learned Engliflimen, befides a proper retinuq of
attendants ; and after vifiting feveral other univer-
fities, he fettled at Padua ; where his houfe foon
became the refort of the moft. eminent literati of the
age, with fome of whom he formed an intimacy
which lafted for hfe. Of thefe, the moft diilin-
guifhed by him were, Bembo, Sadolet, Longolius,
and Thomas Lupfet, a learned" Englifhman, whom
he took into his family, and by his recommen-
dation, Erafmus opened a corrcfpondence witli ovr
^ young ftudent, which produced a friendly inter-
courfe between them. As to tKe profeflbrs, know-
ing how nearly he was related to the king of Eng-
land, they ftrenuoufly exerted themfelves to com-
plete his education, and as they likcvrife partook of
his noble liberality, they we^e not fparing of the
.moft fluttering encomiums on his genius and ac-
complilhments, taking care to publifh that their
pupil was an honour to them, and an ornament to
the univerlity. From Padua he went to Venice,
where he continued fome time, and then viiitcd
ptlier parts of Italy.

Having fpent five years abroad, he was recalled
home^ but being very defirous to fee the jubilee,
which was celebrated at Rome in 1575, he took a
tour to that city ; from whence paffing by Flo-
rence, Jie returned to England, before the expi*
ration, of the year i and was received with great af-
N 4 fcdioa

aya THELIFEOF

fcftion and honour, by the court, and the no-
bility. But devotion and ftudy being his fole de-
light, he retired to the convent of the Carthufians
at Sheen, in Surrey, where he had received the firft
rudiments of education, having obtained a grant
from the king of the apartment which the Igte Dr.
Colet had built for his own ufe.

He had pafTed two years with great pleafure in
this retireiioent, when king Henry VIIl. began to
ttarthis fcruples about the Jawfulnefs of his mar-
riage with queen Catherine. Pole, forfeeing the
• troubles which this incident muft occalion, and that
he ftiould not efcape being involved in them, if he
llaid in the kingdom, refolved to withdraw ; and
obtained his raajefly's leave to go to Paris in i529«
Here, carrying fome learned perfons in his train,
he pafled his time in literary eafe, till the king,
profecuting the affair of the divorce, and fending
to the moft celebrated univerfiries in Europe for
their opinion on his cafe, commanded him to
alTift his agents in procuring the fubfcription. and
i'eal of the univerfity of Paris to the illegality of the
marriage.

Pole, being of the contrary opinion, as it ap-
peared afici*wards, excufed himfelf to the king in
his letters, by faying, that his ftudies had lain
another way. But Henry was fo much difpleafed,
that, when his kinfman returned home, not long
after, he was advifed, by all means, to clear him-
felf of all difloyalty, and appeafc his majefty's an-
ger : and, having averted the llorm for thepreTent,
by his fubmillion, he retired to his former foli-
tude at Sheen.

About two y^ars after this, the mcafure was
fecrerly refolved upon of deciding the king's caufe
independently of the Pope; and as Pole was uni-
verfaljy efteemfed for his learning and piety, and was
bcfides of the royal bloody it 'was obferved, that-

his

CARDINAL POLE. 373

his confent would be of great fervice as an exam-
ple to others. Accordingly, no means were left
untried to win him over, even the Archbifliopric
of York, at this time vacant, was offered hira :
and, being irrefiflibly prefled on every fide, he
yielded, and repaired to the king, . with a defiga
to give him fatistaftion : buthisconfcience check*
ing him the moment he was about to fpeak, he
-was not ;ible to utter a word, for fome time ; but
being recovered, he quitted his former .purpofe,
»nd fpoke his fentiments freely againft the divorce^
which being quitse unexpcfted and di'fpleafing, ex-
afperated the king to. fuch a degree, that with a '
countenance full of *nger, he put his hand to his
4agger, but recollc&ing himfelf,. he only faid, '* I
will confider of your opinion, and you Ihall have '
my anfwer :** but he never fent for him more.

Pole, however, being apprehenfive that farther
danger would inevitably accrue to him, if he con-
tinued in England, obtained permiffion once' more
to go abroad : and his majefty was fo far latigfied at -
prefent^ that he continued liis penfion for forae^
time.

The firft place Pole vj^ent to was Avigno'n in
France. This town was under the pope'sjurif-
diftlon, and here he continued uniTVplefted for the
fpace of a year; btit finding the air did not agree
with bis conftitution, he left it, and went to
Padua. In this favourite univerfity he fixed his
refidence tlie fecond time, making excurfions now ^
and then to Venice.

Pole hadnowbeei^aconfiderable time abroad, and
Henry had frequently intimated his defire that he
would return home ; but he made fundry excufes,
andatlaft wrote to the king, that he neither ap-
proved of his divorce, nor his feparation from tlie
holy fee, both of which had now taken place.
The king, in return, fent him over a book written
iu. England, by Ur. Sampfon, in fupport 6f his
. N 5 own

a74f THELIFEOF

own fiipremacy, and required his opinion in an*
fwcr to it. Upon this, Pole wrote his femous fo^
phiftical treatife^ intitled, Df unitate Ecdefiafttca^
and fent it over to the king. In this book, he-
condemned the king's anions, depreflcd the royal
ai>d exalted, the papal authority, compared the-
king to Nebuchadnezzar, and concluded with ait
addrcfs to the Emperor, conjuring him to turn his
anns rather againft die king, than the Turk.

Henry- concealed his refentraent, and wrote ta
him, requiring him^ all excufes apart, to return^
immediately to England, that he might confer
with him on the fubjefl of his book and his letters^
which required further explanation. But this
angel of peace, as he is flyled by Phillips (a mo«
dern Popifh writer of his life), had no inclination',,
it feems, to die a martyr in thepope*s caufe ; andv
tliereforc, taking warning by the fate of Mdre ands
Fiflier, he wifely, and peremptorily refufcd to re*
turn ; upon which th^king withdrew his penfionsv,
and deprived him of his preferments in England^
and not long after^ an a£t of attainder pailed againft.
hiniv. -

The attachment conjftantly fhewn by Pole to
the papal intereft, and his prefent misfortunes
confcqutnt thereupon, made it expedient, that
the Roman Pbntiff Ihould publickly teftify his ap-
probation of his conduft, by fome fignal honour.
Accordingly he was fummoned to Rome, as the-
yeprefentative of England; in a general council,
to be held for the reforibation of abufesj not in
the dt)fl:rine, for that they held facred and inca-
pable of error, but in the adminiftration of the
^fFairs> oi the church. Me arrived at Rome in
1536,. where he was lodged in the pope's pahce,.
^nd treated with great refpeft.. His holinefs im-
ipediately propofed* to make him a Cardinal, but^
IBolp^ who h?i.d much, higlier temporal, preferment .

i«U

CARDINAL POLE. 275

in view, no lefs than die crown of England, by
marrying the princefs Mary, remonftrated againft
this promotio.n, and the pope fcemed to acquiefco ;.
but the next day, he infifted on his obedience, and
Pole, who was not yet in holy orders, nor had re-
ceived even the clerical tonfure, fubmittcd to this
ceremony, fays Beccatelli, who was prefent,
*' wit^ as much reluftance as the lamb to the
Iheering knife/' After which, he was created
Cardinal deacon of St. Nereus and* Achilleus.'
His holinefs then appointed him nuncio to the
courts of France, and Flanders, that he might be
the better enabled, from the vicinity of his iefi-
dence, to corrcfpond with the Roman catholics in
England,- and keep up the declining intercfts of the-
papacy in this country.

Ac Paris, he was received by the king very hon-
ourably, but did not ftay long there ; for Henry^
being mformed of it, fent to demand him of the
French monarch ; which being notified to him by
tliat prince, he removed to Cambray, and put
himfelf under the protcftion of the bilhop. But
this was no place of fafety for him, on account of
the war between France and the Empire, in which
Henry was engaged ; fo that the Englifti fqldiers
were continually harraffing thofe parts. The
nuncio was therefore obliged to quit it, with pre-,
cipitation ; for as the price had been fet upon his
head, he was expofed to imminent danger, if he
fell into their hands. He chote Liege for his next
refidence, in confequcnce of an invitation ftom
Erardas the cardinal bifhop, who received hiiii
with brotherly kindnefi. He continued at Liege
about three months, expefting tliat the En)^)eror
and the king of France would fulfil thieir' tfii*
gagemcnts with him, by doing their utnioft tofd*
ment the diiturbances raifed by the rcbdllionsi
J^ & Hoifiaa

176 THE LIFE OF.

Roman catholics in England ; but tijis projcfll
failing, he was recalled tP Rome.

Pole, while he was employed in folding corrcr
fpondence with Henry's rebellious . fuhjefts, and
while he was abufing him in the moft fcurrilou^
manner in his publications, complained in his
letters to the pope, and to the French nuncio, of
the ignominious treatment which he had met with
from the king of England, who bad proclaimed
hiin a traitor and fet a price upon his head : and
though he owned his treafonable dcfigns againft
Henry in the fame letters, he had the duplicity to
write to Lord Cromwell, about the fame time, tp
clear himfelf from the imputation of difloyalty.
This is another inconfiftency with the charafter
given hJm b^ Phillips, who makes bis piety and
fiuc6rity his chief virtues.

At the clofe of the year 1538, his holindfs ima-
gining, that the bulls of excommunication and
depoQupn, which he had publifhed againft Henry,
would fi^akchis fubjefts better difpofcd to break
.qut:inJo another rebellion, difpatch^d the cardinal
j^ fecQi>i{ tims, jp difguife, tp France and Flanders,
upon tl^e fame pious bufinefs. But this fcheme
jbeing counterworked by Henry, the cardinal met
with a. cpol reception from his Imperial majefly ;
jY^hereupon he returned by th€ fame ro^d to Avig-
ttoi), where he acquainted the pope witji his ill
iuqcefs ,• and, receiving a letter from his hoJinefs
,to continue in thofe parts, l^e took this opportu-
nity pf making a vifit ^t Carpentras to his acquain-
jtanoe anc} belqved friend cardinal Jacob Sadolet ;
7with whom: he fpcnt fix months, and then came
-tP^Y^J'Ojna, where he ftaid ferae time with Gil-
.|gi?rtj .bjfhppof tfiat fee. After this, he was ap-
.'imittteAilegaJe ,(9 Viter)^o, near Rome, in whic}i
■ft^l^oij he continued, till 1542, when the pope,
having called the council of Trent, appointed

him>

• CARDINAL POLE. 277

biiii> together with cardinal Paris, and cardinal
John Moi^onc, his tlvee legates ; hut, as the
council <:ould not then affen^ble, an account of
fhe wars which arofe in Germany, and other
Chriftiaa dates, Pole returned to Viterbo. Be-*
tween this place and Rome he pafled his timc^
following his ftudics in great repofe and tranquil-
lity, till in 154S, when the pope ifliied a fecond
citation for holding the council at the fame place^
and appointed Pole again, but with two different
cardinals, his legates.. Pole's colleagues arrived
at Trent long before him, for his journey was
delayed, upon the pretext that Henry had cm-
ployed his emiflaries to feize him on the road.
At this time, he wrote a tteatife on the nature ani
end of general councils, and at length he rc^ *
paired to Trent, efcprted through tliofe parts,
where danger was apprehended, by a detachment ,
of the pope'$ cavalry.

To account for the cardinal's juft fears, it is
neceflary to mention, that his mother Margaret,
countefs of 6alif»?ury, his cldeft brother Henry
Pole, lord Montague, the marquis of Exeter,
. .Sir Edwatd Nevil, ana Sir Nicholas Carew,
had been condemned and executed in England for
high treafon, inconfpiring to bring the cardinal to
the throne. And though they were taken off, the
defign, Henry remaining under the pope's inter*
dia, was not dropped at this time. The tranfac-
tions of the council of Trent, called by iord Boling-
broke, ** a folemn banter," may be pafled over,, be- ,
ing of little import to Proteftant readers, and as the
cardinal was obliged to retire to Padua, on ac*-
count of his bad ftate of health, we (hall only ob*
ferve, that it was removed to Bononia, after aa
oppofition from^ the Imperial ambaffadar, upon
which occafion, Pole, invariably attached to the
holy fee, defended the pope's right to remove it, in
the year 1546.

Thq.

478 T H E L I F E O F

TKc next account we have of him, worth re-
lating, is an extraordinary inftance of his zealous
audacity. Soon after Henry's death, he wrote a
letter to the regency and council, advifing them to
reconcile die kingdom to the pope, and afliired
them, that if his advice were not followed, the king-*
dom would be expofed to imminent dangers, ancf
added, that the pope was wiUing, in charity to
their fouls, to fend him over, to remedy their evils:,.
He likewife addreflcd a written jvjftification of him*
felf to Edward VI. But the council difregarding.
both his folicitations and his menaces, he gave tl\^
kingdom no farther trouble in his reign.

Pope Paul III. dying in 1549, our cardinal was
twice elected to fucceed him, but refufed both the
eleftions, one as being too hafty, and without de-
liberation ; and the other, becaufe it was done in,*
the. middle of the night. This conduit has beea
afcribed by Phillips and others to delicacy ; but
the true motive was his diftant view of the crown
of England, to the poffeffion of which no bar
arofe, in his opinion, from an heretical prince
being feated on . the throne, provided he could
marry the princefs Mary. Julius III. being chofta
upon his refufal, and the tranquillity of Rome
being foon after much difturbed by the wars in
France, and on the borders of Italy, Pole retired^
with the pope's leave, to a raonaftery of the Bene-
diftines at Maguzano, in the territory of Verona.

In this retirement lie continued till the death of
Edward VI. but on the acceilion of queen Maryv
it was determined by the court of Rome, that Pole
ihould be fent legate into England, as the fittell
inftrument, on all accounts, to effeft the reduc-
tion of the kingdom to the obedience of the pope.
The undertaking, however, required fome confi-
deration. The aft of attainder, which bad paded
agaiftft him under Henry VIII. bad been confirm-

CARDINAL POLE. 279

ed by Edward , and confequently remained ftiU ia
force. Our legate, therefore, did not think it fafe
to venture his pcrfon ia England, till be underftood
the true ftate of things there. However, it was
not long before he received fiiU fatisfaflion upoa
all thefe points, and accordingly he fet out for
England, by way of Germany, in the month
of Oftober 1553 ^ ^^^ be had not proceeded far ia
the emperor's dominions, when a meffage canic to
him from that prince, to put a ftop to his farther
progrcfs at prefent. This was foon followed by
an exprefs from queen Mary to the fame purpofe,
who^ to keep him in good humour, fent him the
two afts that had pafled, for the juftification of
her mother's marriage, and for bringing all things
back to the ftatc they were in at her father'^ deaths
defiring htm likewiie to fend her a lift of fuch per*
fons 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 (hould be
completed, was not a little nettled at it, and wrote
a letter to her majefty, wherein he faid, he knew
that this flop to bis journey proceeded from the po-
litical views of the emperor i that he had fpoken to
the emperor's confeflbr .about it, and had convinced
him of the impropriety of fuch coarfes, and fet
him to work on his mafter. He alfotold the queen^
he was afraid that carnal pleafures might govern'
her too much, and that (he might thereby fall from
her fimplicity in Chrift, wherein fhc had hitherto
lived. He encouraged her, therefore,, to put on a
fyirit of wifdom and courage, and to truft in God,
who had prcferved her fo long. With regard to '
the ads, he found fault that no mention was made
in the firft of the pope's bulls, by the authority of
which, only, it could be a lawful marriage ; and
he did not like^ that ia the other af):^ the worihip

of

t«o THE LIFE OF

of God, and the facramcnts, were to be ts they
were in the laft year of her father's reign, for then
they were in a ftate of fchifm, the pope's inter-
did ftill lying on the nation, and till that were
taken off, none could, without fin, cither admini-^
ftcr or receive them. He confcflTed he knew none
of cither houfe fit to propofe the matter of rejc&ing
the fupremacy, which had been uforped by her
father, and her brother j and therefore he thought
it beft for herfelf to go to the parliament, having
before-hand acquainted fome few, both of the
fpirituality and temporality, with her defign, and
tell the houfe, (he was afflifted at {he fchifm, and
defircd a legate to come over from the apoftolic fee,
to treat about it ; and Ihould thereupon propofe
the rcverfion of his attainder.

But the queen's marriage with Hiilip meeting
with great oppofition in England, it was refolvcd
that the legate (hould be kept at a diftance. With
this view, another legatioH was contrived for him,
to mediate a peace between the empire and France,
in which he was unfuccefsfuL In the mean time,
the marriage bctl^reen Philip and Mary being
ibletnnized, no further opposition was madetotlii;
legatees journey ; and, therefore, the lords Paget
and Haftings were fcnt to Hruflels to condufl: him
to England. He arrived at Dover on the 20th of
November, 1554, where he was received by the
bifliop of Ely, lord Montague, and other pcribns
of diftinftion. He then proceeded^ by land to
Gravcfend, where he was met by the bilhop of
Durham, and the earl of Shrewibury, who pre-
fented him with the repeal of the aft of his at-
tainder, that had paflcd tlie day before. He after-,
wards went on board ayatcht, which conveyed hiai
to Whitehall, where he was received with the ut-
mpft veneration by their majcfties j and after all
. poiTiblc honour and refpeft paid to him at court,

he

CARDINAL POLE. 281

lie was condijfted to the archbifhop*s palace at
Lambeth, the dcftincd place of his refidence,
which had been fumptuoufly fitted up for his re-
ception.

On the 27th, he went to the parliament, and
^made a long and grave fpeech, inviting them to
a reconciliation with the apoftolic fee, from
whence, he faid, he was fent by the common
pallor of Chriftendom to recover them, who had
long ftrayed from the inclofure of the church.
This fpeech produced a pretended miracle on the
part of tlie queen, who afFefted to be not only
pregnant, but that the joy ihe felt upon the occa-;
fion had made the child leap within her : and upon
this declaration, Te Deum was ordered to be fung
in all the churches in London; and Bonner
caufed prayers to be put up, that the child might
be a male, well favoured, vigorous, and witty.
No farther proof can be wanting, of the wretched
bigotry of Mary, who thus fet an example in her
own perfon, for reftoring the old fraudulent tricks
of the Popifh priefts, ever ready to forge miracles, .
in aid of their delufions.

On the 2Qth, the fpeaker reported to the com-
mons the fuoftance of this fpeech ; and a meflage
* 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 petition
being agreed on, was reported and approved by
bbth boufes ; fo that being prefented by them on
their knees to the king and queen, thefe made
thtir interceffion with ' the cardinal, who there-
upon delivered a long fpeech, at the end of which,
he granted them abfolut-ion. Thrs done, they all
went to the royal chapel, where Te Deum was lung
on the occafion. , Thus the pope's authority being
now reftored, the cardinal, two, days afterwards,
^ade his publiq entry into London, with all the

folemnities

l82 T H E L I F O P

folemnities of a legate, and prefently fet about the
bufinefs of purging the church of pretended hcrefy.
But though thefe proceedings gave great fatis&c-
tion to the court* the cardinal had the mortifica-
tion to find that they were detcfted by the citizens
of London ; for when he made his public entry,
in pafling through the city, no fort of refpcft was
ihewnto him, and his blcfling the people as he
paiTedy was openly laughed at. This probably
foured his temper, which it is pretended was na-
turally mild and amiable ; it has likewife been af-
ferted, that he advifed moderate meafures with
refoea to the Proteftants ; but it is an indubitable
faa, that one of tlie firft afts of his legantine au-
thority was> to grant commiffions for the profecu-
tion of heretics ; and he openly exprefled his dc-
teftation of tlie reformed, refufing to converfe with
any who had been of that party. Indeed^ he now
put on the pride and referve of a Spanifli inquifi-
tor. To tliis we muft add, that the. inftruSions
he fent to the bifliops and clergy, concerning ihfi
Proteftants, plainly Ihew, that he was at the bot-
tom of the fanguinary proceedings of Gardiner and
Bonner, though he made them tlie inftruments of
his cruelty and revenge.

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 al-
ready proclaimed a jubilee on that occafion. But
. thefe meflengers had fcarcely fet foot on Italian
ground, when they were informed of the death of
Julius III. and the eleflion of Marcellus II,. his
fucceffor. But this pontiff dying foon after, the
queen, upon tl>e firft news of it, recommended
her kinfman to the popedom ; and difpatches were
accordingly fent to Rome for the purpofe, but
they came too late, Peter Caraffa, who took the
name of Paul IV. being elefted before their ar-

rival.

CARDINAL POLB. 283

rivaL This pope, who had never liked our car-
dinal, was better pleafed with the bifhop of Win*
chefter, whofe temper cxaftly tallied with his
own. In this difpofition he favoured Gardiner's
•views upon the fee of Canterbury.

The cardinal, however, had now the fole ma-
nagement of ecclefiaftical affairs ; and from this
time it is demonftrable, from the moft autlientic
records, that the perfecution became more.violent,
and the executions more, frequent. In proof of
which, let it be remembered, that Gardiner, who
fccretly detefled Pole, turned over the bloody bu-
£nefs to Bonner foon after the cardinal's arrival ;
and that in three months after Gardiner's death,
Cranmer was degraded and burnt, to make room
for the cardinal, in the archiepifcopal fee of Can-
terbury, after he had loft all hopes of the papal
chair. Pole was made archbifliop of Canterbury
the day after Cranmer's execution, aild before the
end of the fame year, 1556, he was made.chan-
cellor of Oxford and Cambridge. The hotteft
period of Bonner's fiery perfecution was from De-
cember 1555^^ December 1556, when the cardie-
nal was in the zenith of his power ; for it declined
foon after, from caufes which (hall be mentioned,
after we have given fome account of the infamous
executioner of the tyranny of Mary, under her
angel of peace, the cardinal legate.

Edmund Bonner was the reputed fon of a
lawyer in Chefhire, but his mother was pregnant
bygone Savage, a prieft, and married the lawyer
to conceal lier difgrace. Being defigned for the
church, he ftudied at Broadgate-hall, now Pem-
broke College, Oxford, and was made doftor of
the canon^ law in 1 525 ; but wa^ never diftin-
guiflied for his learning, having rather a turn far
iVate affairs. This recommended him to Wqlfey,

and

ft84 T H E L I F E O r

and after his death to, king Henry, by means of
Cromwell, on whom he impofed himfelf as a
friend to the Reformation, Henry wanting an am-
bailkdor, who could talk in a ncienacing ftyleto*
the pope and the king of France, pitched upon
Bonner, whofe brutal ferocity feemed fuited to the
occafion ; but he fo fiir exceeded the bounds of
common decency at Marfeilles, when he delivered?
the king's appeal, that the pope threatened to throw
him into a cauldron of melted lead, or to bnra
him alive, upon which he made his efcape, ,And
fooa after, behaving with great infolence to
Francis I. the French monarch bade him write to
his mafter, "That his ambaflador was a great
fool, and that if it were not for the love of his
mafter, he fhould have an hundred ftrokcs with an
halbert.'* He was recalled, but Henry finding him
a pliant tool for every occafion, made him firft bi*
fhop of Hereford, and then of London in 1539,
when the bloody articles were to be enforced.
And now the pretended Protellant (Cromwel be-
ing taken off) thewed himfelf in his true 'colours >
his cruelties continuing till the acceffion of Ei-
ward, when he openly complied with' the injunc-
tions refpefting the Reformation, and at the fame
timeTecretly oppofed it, and fomented the infur-
reftions of the Hapifts. He was therefore deprived,
and committed to the Marlhalfpa, till queen Mary
releafed him, and reftored him to his former dig-
nity in 1553. From this time, as his power in-
creafed, fo did his inhumanity, which was exer-
cifed in the molt Ihocking afts of cruelty, having
a dungeon and inftruments of torture in his own.
houfe ; and he took an infernal plcafure in punifti-
ing the u/ifortunatc people in his cuftody, with
his own hands. Such was the charafter of the
man, who afted as chief commiffioner under tha
cardinal, to whom we will now return.

The

CARDrlNAL POLE. 285

. The year 15S7 was opened "with a ridiculous
farce, added to the tragedy that was afting in all

Parts of the kingdom. At Oxford, the body of
eter Martyr's wife was taken up, and underwent
a proccfs«; but being a foreigner, who underftood
no Englilh, no witneffes could be brought to
Tprovchier a heretic;, and therefore the body, by
.the cardinars order, was buried again in a dung-
hill. At Cambridge, the bodies of Bucer and
Fagius being buried in St. iX'ary's and St. -Mi-
chael's churches, they were put undei: an inter-
di£k, ?ind no fcrvice could be performed in them ;
after which a formal procefs was commenced,
againft. the deceaied heretics. They were cited •
to appear, or any perfons for them; but after
tliree citations the dead not ariiing to defend them-*
felvcs, nor any of the living 'appearing to plead
for them, (for fear of being fent after them) wit-
nelles were examined againu them, and they were
condemned as obflinate heretics ; the bodies being
ordered to be dug up, and delivered to the fecular
power. After this, an account was fent of the
proceedings to London, and a writ was fent down
to the iherifFs, in confequence of which, the
bodies were carried in their coffins, tied to the
ilake and burnt, with copies of their books.

But though, the cardinal ttius countenanced
every abfurd and cruel meafure to enforce the
Romith faith, Paul IV. openly fhewed his averfion
to him, by revoking his legantine power, which
bcconferred this year on Peyto, a Francifcan fryar ;
whom he had fent for to Rome, and made a car-
4in^l for the purpofe, d^gning him alfo for the
fee of Saiilbury. This appointment was made in
September, and the new legate was aftually on
the road for England, when the bulls came to
queen Mary ; who, having been informed of their
contents by hier ambaiiadpr,.laid tliem up without
4 opening

286 THELIFEO^

opening them, or acquainting her coufin with the
matter, in whofe behalf (he wrote to the pope,
and aflTuming fome of her father's fpirit, (he wrote
to Peyto, forbidding him to proceed on his journey*
and charging him on his peril, not to fet foot on
Englifli ground.

But notwithftanding all her caution to conceal
the matter from the cardinal, it was not poffible
to keep it long a fecret ; and he no fooner became
acquainted with the holy father's pleafure, tliaii'
" out of that implicit veneration, which he con-
ftantly and unalterably- prefer ved for the apoftolic
fee, he voluntarily laid down the enfigns of his
legantine power, and forbore the exercife of it ;
difpatching his trufty minifter Ormaneto to Rome,
with letters, wherein he cleared himfelf in fuch
fubmiflive terms, as it is faid even mollified 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 tfe
French toward the Spaniards, and the ftorm
againft Pole blew ovtv entirely,' by a peace that
was concluded this year, between his holinefs arid
Philip , in one of the fecret articles of which, it
was uipulated, that our cardinal ihould be reftored
to his legantine powers. But he did not live ti>
enjoy the reftoration full twelve^ months, being
fcized with a double quartan ague, which catridl
him off the ftage of life, early , in the morning of
the eighteenth of November, 1558. \

His death is faid to have been haflened by that
of his royal miftrefs and kinfvvoman, queen Ma-
ry ; which happened about fixtecn hours before,
in the 43d year of her age, and 6th of her reign.
His body being put into a leaden coffin, laid forty
days in great flate, at Lambeth ; after which, it
was conveyed thence with as great funeral pontfp
to Canterbury, aad interred with folemnity on the
6 nortU

CARDINAL POLE. tij

north fide of Thomas of Becket's chapel, in that
cathedral. Over his grave there was crcfted a
tomb, on which were infcribed only thefe three
word, as fufficient to his fame, Depoiitum Car-
dinalis Poli.

Thus wai England happily jdelivcred from papal
tyranny, and the difgraceful admimllration or a
weak woman, who was fitter for a cloyfter . than ^
a throne. It is faid, however, that (he felt fome
compundion for the lofs of Calais, which fell
into the hands of the French the year fhe died,
after it had been in the poflcflion of the„ Englifh
above 200 years; owing to the negleA of her
miniftry, wholly employed in the arduous bufinefs
of profecuting heretics. But this event was not
the true caufe of that deep melancholy which car-
ried her to the grave. It was occafioned by the
defertion of Philip, who treated her unkindly, and
jupon his father's refignation of the Spaiyfh crown
to him, left her abruptly.

The cardinal's charaftcr has been fo varioufly
ftated by different writers, that it is a hard tafk to
afcertain the exa£t truth Jit this diftance of time : it
may, therefore, bethought more difcreet to refer the
critical reader to different authorities, diflinguifh-
ing the. Roman from the Proteftant writers by the
letters R. and P.

*^* Juth^rities. Life of Pole, by Ludovicil
Beccatelli, (his fecretary) R. tranflated by Pye^
with notes, London, 1766, Thuanus R. Bur-
net's Hift. of the Reformation, P. Life of Pole,
by T. Philips, R. Review of-Philips, by the
Rev. Gloceller Ridley P. Atiimadverfions oii
Philips, by Dr. Neve, P. Britifli Biography,
ToL II. 1766- P.

Ths

< a88 )

: The LIFE of

SEBASTIAN CABOT^

Difcovercr of Newfound! and*

(A. D, 1477, to 1557.)

IN a maritime country, we know of no clafs of
fubjcda who more juftly claim the grateful
remembrance of pofteTity, than able feamen^
whether confidered in the light of ikilful naviga^
tors, 01; as brave defenders, on the ocean, of the
national rights and private properly , of tlieir
coiantry.

For this reafon, having brought down the civil
aind ecclefiaftical hiftory of England to the period
which concludes this Volumcj we cannot clofe^^ it
with greater propriety, than by giving- a concife ac«
count of Sebaftian Cabot, the contemporary, and
rival in the book of fame, of Vefpucius Ameri-
canus, betweeen whom and ourEnglifh navigator^
the firft difcovcry of North Amei^^a is contefted.

Sebastian Cabot was thefon of John Cabot,
ari eminent Venetian navigator, who came ta
England in the reign of Edward IV. and being
pleafed with the country, fettled at Briftol ; and

when

S E B A S T I A N C A B O T. a«g

when the news arrived in England of the dif-
cbveries made by Columbus in South America,
which tended to enrich Spain, Henry VII. from •
his avaritious temper, rather than from any lauda-
ble motive, refolved to fend fome of his fubjefts
upon an expedition to make iimilar difcoveries ; '
and, upon this occafion, John Cabot was recom- '
mended to the king as an able, enterprifing fea-
man, and one who excelled all others in his pro-
feffion, which had been originally that of a pilot.
Accordingly, the king gave him a commiffion in
1496, for the difcovery of unknown landsf but
more particularly of a north-weft paflage to the
Eaft Indies. '

Young Cabot was bom at Briftol about the
year 147 7i and being brought up to the fea, had
made feveral Ihort voyages, and being properly
qualified, he, and his two brothers Lewis and
Sancho, were joined in the commiffion given to
the father, in cafe of his death, and it was ex-
preflly commanded, that they fliould return-to the
port of Briftol,

They had likewife the royal licence to take up
fix fhips in any haven of the realm, and as many
mariners as they could procure. In confequence '
of this permiffion, one large Ihip Was equipped at
Briftol, at the king's expence ; and the merchants
of London and Briftol added tliree or four Jmall
veffels.

With thefe, John Cabot and his fon Scbaftian
fet fail in the fpring of 1497, ^^^ fuccefsfully
kept on a north-weft courfc. On the 24th of
June they difcovered land, which they therefore
. called Prima Vifta^ and the ifland which lies out to
fea, before the main land, they called St.. John's,
becaufe they difcovered it on the feftival of that
flint. They afterwards called the whole coaft,
the Ifland of Bnccalads, being the name given by

Vol. L O . the

2^9 T H E L I F E O F

the natives to a fifh found along it in great abund-
ance, iitice named Cod; and in after-times the
place took tlie name of Newfoundland, which it
(lill bears.

John Cabot and his fon took pofleffion of this
land) in the name of the king of England, after
which they lailed down to Cape Florida, and then
returned to England with a valuable cargo, and
three of the natives, who were cloathed in (kins,
cat raw fl'efh, and uttered an unintelligible fpeech,
not like any human language. All we know more
concerning the father is, that he had the honour
of knighthood conferred on him. There is like-
wife a chafm of near twenty years in the life of
Sebaftian, but from the writings of foreigners it
may be colle6ted, that after his fatlier's death, he
made other voyages to complete the fettlemcnt of
Newfoundland, and thefe might give rife to the
millake of attributing the firft expedition to him ;
an error we frequently meet with in the imperfedt
annals of thefe times.

J f this worthy man had performed nothing more,
liis name ought furely to be tranfmitted to future
times with honour ; fince it clearly appears, that
Newfoundland hath been a fource of riches and
naval power to this nation, from the time it was
difcovcred, and as it was the firft of our planta-
tions, with ftrift juftice it may be faid'of Sebaf-
tian Cabot, and of his father, that they were the au-
thors of our maritime ftrength, and opened the way
to thofe improvements which fince have rendered
us fuch a powerful maritime and commercial na-
tion. -

The next tranfaftion, in which he was concern-
ed, occurred in the eighth of king Henry VlII,
and our accounts of it are rather obfcurc. It ap-
pears, however, that Cabot had entered into a ftri£l
correfpoitdencc with Sir Thomas Pert, at this time
I vice-

SEBASTIAN CABOT, i^i

Ticc-admiral of EhgknS, who had a h6ufe at
Poplar, and who procured him a good (hip of the
king's, in order t» make more dircoveries. But it
look$ as if he had now changed his route, an3
intended to have pafled by the South to the Eaft-^
Indies ; for he failed firft to Brazil, and, failing
there in hh purpofe, (haped his courfe for tlie
iflands of Hifpaniola and Porto Rico, where he
carried on fome traffic ; and then returnfed, being
abfoJutely difappointed in the defigh upon which he
went ; not tlirough any want either of courage or
conduft in himfelf, but from the faint -hearted nefs
of Sir Thomas Pert, and the want of manly-
courage in fome of the otlier people who were con-
fieded with him.

This difappointment, in all probability, inclin-
ed Sebaftian Cabot to leave England, and to go
over to Spain; where he was treated with very
great refpeft, being declared pilot-major, or chref-
yilot of Spain ; and by his office intrufted with the
reviewing all projefts for difcoveries, which, in
thofe days> were many and important.

His great capacity, and approved integrity^ in«
duced many rich merchants to treat with hioi, in
the year 15249 about a voyage to be undertaken,
at their expeiioe, by the new- found pai&ge of Ma-
gellan (difcovered by Ferdinand Magellan, 1520),
to the Moluccas ; which at length he accepted ;
and of which we have the fplloD^ing^account by
Herrera the Spanifli hiftorian.
' " He failed about the beginningdf April, 1525,
** firft to the Canaries, then to the iflands of Cape
** Verde, thence to Cape Auguftine and the ifland
^* of Patos, or Geefe ; and near Bahia de Todos
^* Los Santos, or tlie^fty of All Saints, he met a
" French (bip. He was-iaid to have nianaged but
** indifcneetly, being in want of pr<ovifions wh#ii*
*' he came to the iHand; but there ^^the In*
O a ** dians

19^ THELIFEOr

•* dians were very kind, and fupplicd him with
•* provifions for all his (hips ; but he requited
*' them very indifferently, carrying away v^ith hiniy
*• by force, four fons of the principal men.

** Thence he proceeded to the Rivfer of Plate,
•* having left alhore, on a defart ifland, Martin
** Mendez, his vice-admiral, captain Francis de
** Kojas, and Michael de Rodus, becaufe they
_•* cenfured his management; and, in conclufion,
** he went not to the Spice-iflands, as well becaufe
** he had not provifions, as that the men would
•• not fail under him, fearing his conduft of the
*' veflcl in the Streights,

** He failed up the river of Plate, and above '
•* thirty leagues aoove the mouth found an ifland
** which he called S. Gabriel, about a league in
*' compafs, and half a league from the continent
** towards Brazil. There he anchored, and row-
•* ing with the boats three leagues higher, difco-
*' vered a river he called San Salvador, or St. Sa-
** viour, very deep, and a fafe harbour for the
** fhips on the fame fide ; whither he brought up
*' his veffels and unloaded them, becaufe at the
** mputh of the river there was not much water.

** Having built a fort, and left fome men in it,
*' he refolvcd to proceed up that river with boats
♦* and a flat-bottom caravel, in order to make dif-
** coveries, thinking, that, although he did nocpafs
** through the Streights to the Spice-iflands, his
•* voyage would not oe altogetlier fruitlefs.

** Having advanced thirty, leagues, he came to
<< a riveo* called Zacarana; and finding the natives
•* thereabouts a good rational people^ he erefted
"another fort, calling: it Santi Spiritus, i.e. of
** theJioly Ghoft; but his people called it Cabot's
" Fort. He thence difcovered the. (hore of the
" river Parana, which is that called Plate, where
** he found many iflands and rivers i and keeping

** atong

SEBASTIAN CAB6T. 291

^« along the greateft ftream, at the ctid of two hun*
•• dred leagues came up to another river, which
" the Indians call Paraguay, and left the great ri*
** ver on the right, thinking it bent towards the
** coaft of Brazil ; and running up thirty-rfbvH:
** leagues, found people tilling the ground ; a tttiti^
/* which, in thofe parts, he had not feen befopei
** There he met with fo much oppofition, that h^
** advanced no farther, but killed many Indians^
*• and they flew twenty-five of his Spaniards, -and
*• took three that wore gone to gadicr palmetot
*« to cat.

*« While Cabot was thus employed, lamea
«* Garcia was fent from Galicia, with one Ihip, a
** fmall tender, and a brigantine,.to make difco-
" veries in the river of Hate, without knowing
** that the other was there before him. He entered
** the faid river about the beginning of the yeat
** iS27» having fent away his own, which was a
** large ftiip, alleging that it. was of too great a
•* burthen for that difcovefy ; and, -with the reft,
•* came to an anchor in the fame place where Ca«
*' bot's fliip lay, then direfting his coorfe, with
•* two brigantines and fixty men, towards the river
•* Parana, which lies north and north^weft, he ar
** rived at the fort built by Cabot. About ond
** hundred and ten leagues above this fort, he found
** Sebaftian Cabot himfelf in the port of St. Anne^
'* fo named by the latter ; and, after a fhort ftay
** there, they returned together to the fort of ti^
** Holy Ghoft ; and from thence fent meflengert
" into Spain/* '

Thofe who were difpatched by Sebaftian C^bot;
were Francis Calderon and George Baiflow, who
gave a very fair account of the fine coomtriiesr bor**
dering on the river La Plata, fliewing how large a
traft of land he had not only difcovered, but fttb*
iued, and producing gold, filver, and other rkU
O 3 com-

fi94 THELIFEOF

I commodities, as evidences in favour of their com-*

' xnander's condud. The requifitions they made in

his name were, that a fupply ftiould be fent of

provifions, ammunition, goods proper to carry on

a trade, and a competent recruit of feamen and

. foldicrs. To this the merchants, by whom Ca-
bot*s fquadron was fitted out, would not agree,
but chofe to refign their rights to the crown of
Caftile. The king then took the whole upon'
himfelf, but was fo dilatory in his preparations,
that Sebaflian Cabot, quite tired out, having been
five years out upon this expedition, refolved to re-
turn home, which he did, embarking the remain-
der of his men, and all his effects, on board the
largeft of his ihips, and leaving the fmailer veilels
behind him^ ,

It was the fpring of the year 1531, when Ca-
bot arrived at the Spanifh court, and gave an ac-
count of his voyage. It is evident from the man-
ner in which the Spanifli author fpeaks of hira,
that he wa5 not well received ; and one may eafily
account for it. He had raifed himfelf enemies by
treating his Sp*ni& mutineers with gieat feverity ;
and, on the other hand, his owners were difap-
pointed'by his not purfuing his voyage to the
Moluccas. He, kept his place, however, and re-
mained in the fervice of Spain many years after,-
tiU at length, he-^was invited over to England.
• His return is fuppofed to have happened towards
the clofe. pf.the reign of Henry VIIL for it ap-
pears that he refided at Briftol in the year 1546.

In the firft year of Edward VI. this celebrated
navigator was introdtjced to the duke of Somer-
fet, with whom he was in great favour, and by
whom he was made known to the king, who took
a great deal of pleafure in his converfation, being
much better verfed in the ftudies to which Cabot
had applied himfelf, than moft of 4iis courtiers^

not-

S E B A ST I A N C A B O T. 295

notwithftanding his youtli. For he knew not only
all the ports and havens in his own dominions,
but alfo thofe in France, their fliape, the courfc
to enter them, their commodities and incommo-
dities, arid, in fhort, could anfwer almoft any
queftion about them that a failor could afk. We
need not. wonder, therefore, that with fuch a
prince, Cabot was in high efteem, or that, in his
favour, a new office ftiould be ercAed, equivalent
to that which he had enjoyed in Spain, together with
a penfion of 166 1. 13 s. 4 d. which we find granted
to him by letters patent, dated January 6, 1549,
in the fecond year of that king's reign, by a fpe-
ci^l claufe in which patent this annuity is made
to commenc;e from the Michaelmas preceding.
Thenceforward he continued highly in the king's
favour, and was confolted upon all matters re*
lating to trade, particularly in the great cafe of the
merchants of the Steel-yard in 1551, of which no-
tice has been taken in the life, of the duke of
Northumberland.

In the month of May, 1555, Cabot laid pro-
pofals before the king, for a diicovery of the north-
eaft paffage to Chir^a and the Indies : whkh being
approved, three Ihips were fitted out for the entcr-
prife, and the command given to Sir Hugh Wil-
loughby, to whom inftruftions were given, drawn
up by Sebaftian Cabot, at this time governor of
the Company of Merchants Adventurers^ Thefc
inftruftions are preferved eptire in Hakluyt, and
arc a convincing proof bow highly and defervcdly
bC^ was efteemed by the king and the merchants.
Sir Hugh Willoughby failed from Gravcfend in
May, 1553? and in Auguft he loft fight of his
£^ond ihip, commanded by captain Richard Chan-
cellor, which never joined him again. In the
feme montlfc, he difcovered Greenland, but. the
Dutch pretend to.an earlier di&ov^ry. His utmoft

pro-

296 T H E L I F E O F

progrefs was to 72 deg. N. Lat. and then finding
the wcadier intolerably cold, tlie year far fpcnt,
and his fhips unable to bear the fea, he put into
-the haven of Arzina in Lapland, on the i8th of
September; but being unable to come out when
the froft fet in, Sir Hugh was found there the next
fpring, frozen to death (and all his fhip*s com-
pany), haying the journals of his voyage and his
will lying before him ; by which it appeared that
he lived till January, 1554*

As for captain Chancellor, after many dangers
and difficulties, he penetrated to Archangel in
Mufcovy, being the nrft perfon who difcovered a
paiTage to that port ; and from thence he returned
fafe home. But unfortunately for him, he went a
fecond voyage to the fame place, to bring over an
ambaflador from the court of Mufcovy to queen
Mary, who brought her prefents, with an invita^
tion to open a commercial intercourfe between Eng-
land and Mufcovy ; and on their paifage the fhip
was caft away upon the coaft of Scotland, when
captain Chancellor, in faving the life of the Ruf-
fian ambaflador, was drowned.

In confequence of this embafiy, the Ruflia com-
pany was eftabliihed by charter, i Philip and
Mary, 1554, and of this Company Sebaftian Cabot
was appointed Governor for life, becaufe he was
principally concerned in fitting out the iirft fhips
employed in that trade.

After this, we find hina very adive in the affairs
of the Company in the year 1556; and in the
journal of Mr. Stephen Burroughs, it is obferved,
that on the 27thoi April that year, he went down
to Gravcfcnd, and there went aboard the Search-*
thrift, a fmall veflel, fkted out under the com^
mand ofthe faid Burroughs, for Ruffia, where be
gave generoufly to the failors, and» on his return
to Gravefcnd> he eittended liis aims verf Uberally

to

SEBASTIAN CABOT. 297

to the poor, defiring them to pray for the fuccefs
of this voyage. We find it alfo Temarked, that^
upon his coming back to Gravefend, he caufed a
grand entertainment to be made at the fignof the
Chriftopher, where, fays Mr. Burroughs, for the
very joy he had to fee the towardnefs of our in-
tended difcovery, he entered into the dance him-
felf, a circumftance which fhews the urbanity and
^ chcarfulnefs of his difpofition. This is the laft
«ftion of his life on record, and it is conjeftured
that he died foon after, at about- feventy years of
age.

He was unqueftionably one of the moft extra-
ordinary men of the age in which he lived ; and
by his capacity and induftry contributed not a
little to the fervice of mankind in general, as well
as of this kingdom. For he was the firft who
took notice of the variation of the compafs, which
is of fuch vaft confequence in navigation, and has
engaged the attention of the learned from that time
to the prcfent.

, *4it* Juthorities. Hcrrcra's Hiftory of the In-
dies.

Hakluyt's Navigations and Difcovcries of the
EngliHi, edit. 1589.
Lediard^s Naval Hiftory,

END of VOL. I.

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