vourable to the Reformation, especially in passing an act to abolish private masses, and to grant the cup to the people in the communion.

In the course of the same year, Lord Sudley's restless disposition again broke forth, upon an alteration which happened in his family. In the month of September, the Queen Dowager his wife died in childbed, not without suspicion of poison; the Admiral having plotted to become the head of the Protestant party, by espousing the Princess Elizabeth. Of the deceased Queen the conduct in every respect, except that of having married too suddenly after the death of her former husband, had been perfectly blameless; but she was a bigoted Roman Catholic, and Sudley apprehended that this prejudiced the people against him. Soon after her death, therefore, he renewed his addresses to the Princess Elizabeth, but without success: the attempt, however, gave occasion to an act declaring the marriage of the King's sisters, without the consent of the council, to be treason. Finding himself baffled in this project, he formed a design of carrying away the King to his house at Holt, dispossessing the Protector, and taking the reins of government into his own hands. For this purpose, he provided magazines of arms, and enlisted two (or, as others say, ten) thousand men. into an association with several of the nobility, who envied Somerset's greatness, and were not displeased to see the difference between the two brothers rendered irreconcileable.

He likewise entered

The Protector, as most historians agree, though apprised of all these proceedings, showed himself extremely patient, and refused to carry things to ex

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tremity, till he clearly perceived that one or the other must inevitably be ruined. But, as Rapin justly observes, we cannot entirely rely upon the chroniclers of that time; some making it their business to blacken the reputation of Somerset as much as possible, and others invariably panegyrising all his actions. It is indisputable, however, that the Admiral was dissatisfied with his condition; and his ambition leading him at last to criminal measures, he was on the nineteenth of January, 1549, committed to the Tower. The day following, the seal of his office was demanded, and placed in the hands of Secretary Smith; but his personal fate was, for the present, suspended.

In the mean time, the war with Scotland occasioned the Protector great uneasiness. He was sensible, that it was not more ridiculous than arduous to woo the young Queen with the din of arms. Besides, the continuance of it might very probably occasion a rupture with France; an event, which would necessarily retard the progress of the Reformation. As the Scottish Regent however would not accept the ten years' truce, which he proposed to him, he was compelled against his will to protract the quarrel; but not choosing to put himself at the head of the army, he gave the command of it to the Earl of Shrewsbury, whom he obliged by a violent stretch of power to hold his commission directly from himself. And, as the patent which he had obtained the preceding year did not distinctly confer upon him this prerogative, he ordered another to be prepared, in which his authority was more fully explained and enlarged.

In this war, which was now carried on with only indifferent success, the Protector made use of some

German troops; a circumstance, which excited considerable murmurings against him, even among his own party as it was easy to perceive, that his object was by the aid of these foreigners to strengthen his own power.

Thus supported, he determined again to enforce his brother's complete submission. As a final attempt, however, to win him to his interest, he offered him a considerable estate, if he would withdraw from court and all public business. But the Admiral's hatred being insurmountable, on the twenty-second of February a full report was made to the council, with an accusation consisting of thirtythree articles.

It appears highly probable, that Lord Sudley was guilty of the crimes laid to his charge; since he answered only the three first articles, and that with obvious reluctance. The particulars indeed of the several allegations were so manifestly proved, not only by witnesses, but by letters under his own hand, that it did not seem possible to deny them. Yet, when he was first examined by some of the Privy Councillors, he refused to give any direct answers, or to sign his evasive ones: it was ordered therefore that on the next day the whole of the council, with the exception of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir John Baker, Speaker of the House of Commons, who was obliged to attend his duty in parliament, should proceed to the Tower, and examine him there. There however he told them, that he expected an open trial, and insisted upon having his accusers confronted with him, refusing upon any other condition to give his answers. Upon this it was resolved, that the whole board should demand of the King, whether it was

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his pleasure that the law should take place, and whether he would leave the determination of the affair to the parliament, as it had been laid before them;' so cautiously did they proceed in a case, which concerned his uncle's life. But the youthful Monarch, who had experienced his seditious temper, had lately been much alienated from his interests. When the Councillors waited upon his Majesty, after they had all in succession declared their opinions, that the matter should be consigned to the wisdom of parliament; the Protector (who spoke last) protested, that this event had given him the greatest concern; that he had done his utmost to prevent it from coming to such an extremity; but were it his own son, he must still prefer to his the Sovereign's safety. He added, that if he himself had been guilty of such offences, he should deserve death; and the rather, because he was of all men the most bound to his Majesty, and therefore he could not refuse to suffer justice.' The King's answer was as follows: "We perceive, that there are great things objected and laid to my Lord High Admiral, my uncle, and they tend to treason; and we perceive, that you require but justice to be done: we think it reasonable, therefore, that you proceed according to your request." Which words (as it is observed in the council-book) coming so suddenly from his Grace's mouth of his own motion, as the lords might perceive, they gave the King their most hearty thanks; resolving at the same time, that some of both Houses should be sent to the Admiral, before the bill should be put in against him, to hear what he could adduce in his own behalf. The envoys employed upon the occasion were the Chancellor, the Earls of Shrewsbury, Warwick, and South

ampton, Sir John Baker, Sir Thomas Cheyney, and Sir Antony Denny. These, after he had long continued obstinate, succeeded at last in persuading him to reply to the first three articles: after which he suddenly stopped, and bade them be content, for he would go no farther;' nor could any entreaties induce him, either to answer the rest, or to set his hand to the answers which he had already made.

On the twenty-fifth of February, a bill of attainder was brought into the House of Lords; and the Peers, too well accustomed to agree to such bills in the late King's time, made no difficulty in passing it. All the judges, with the council, were unanimous in their opinions, that the articles amounted to treason. The evidence was then heard: after which the whole House with one voice consented to the bill; the Protector alone, "for natural pity's sake," having desired leave to withdraw. Two days afterward, the bill was sent down to the Commons, among whom it experienced considerable opposition. They exclaimed against the prevailing practice of attainders, and the irregular manner of judging the accused without having confronted them with the witnesses, or listened to their defence. Besides, it was justly thought a most unwarrantable method of proceeding that peers, rising up in their places, should relate somewhat to the criminating of a brother-peer, and that he should thereupon be attainted. They urged, therefore, that the Admiral should be brought to the bar, and there allowed to plead for himself.' Edward however having sent them a message, that he did not think his uncle's presence necessary, and that it was sufficient they should examine the depositions which had been pro