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the Tower to Cromwell, in which he gives an account of his behaviour concerning the king's Divorce and Supremacy. Among other particulars one is, "That when the king shewed bim his book against Luther, in which he had asserted the pope's primacy to be of divine right, Mare desired him to leave it out; since as there had been many contests between popes and other princes, so there might fall in some between the pope and the king; therefore he thought it was not fit for the king to publish any thing, which might be afterwards made use of against himself; and advised him either to leave out that point, or to touch it very tenderly: but the king would not follow his counsel," being perhaps so fond of what he had writ, that he would rather run himself upon a great inconvenience, than leave out any thing that he fancied so well written. This shews that More knew that book was written by the king's own pen; and either Sanders never read this, or maliciously concealed it, lest it should discover his foul dealing. (b)

These executions so terrified all people, that there were no further provocations given: and all persons either took the oaths, or did so dextrously conceal their opinions, that till the rebellions of Lincolnshire, and the north, broke out, none suffered after this upon a publick account. But when these were quieted, then the king resolved to make the chief authors and leaders of those commotions publick examples to the rest. The duke of Norfolk proceeded

(b) The following is extracted from Denne's Addenda to Hist. of Lambeth, as cited, "Select Views of London and its environs."

“1533, May 28. Archbishop Cranmer confirmed at Lambeth the Marriage of king Henry the 8th with the lady Anne Boleyn. And three years afterwards the same prelate being judicially seated in a certain low chapel within his house at Lambeth, by a definitive sentence annulled the Marriage between the same parties; the queen, in order to avoid the sentence of burning, having confessed to the archbishop, some just and lawful impediments to her marriage with the king.-A little before the latter event, viz. April 13, 1534, the commissioners sat at Lambeth to administer the oath of the settlement of Succession to the crown, upon the heirs of the same queen Anne, to the clergy, and chiefly those of London, that had not yet sworn, who all took it, not one excepted. And a certain doctor, Vicar of Croydon, that it seems made some boggle before, went up with the rest, of whom sir Thomas More, who then stood by, made an observation how as he passed he went to my doctor's Butteryhatch, and called for drink, and drank valdè familiariter, whether,' says he, sarcastically, it were for gladness or dryness, or quod ille notus erat pontifici. The same day were conveyed hither from the Tower, bishop Fisher and sir Thomas More, the only layman at this meeting, to tender this oath to them, who both being separately called, refused."

against many of them by martial law. There were also tryals at common law of a great many more that were taken prisoners, and sent up to London. The lords Darcy and Hussie were tryed by their peers, the marquess of Exceter sitting steward. And a commission of oyer and terminer being issued out for the tryal of the rest, sir Robert Constable, sir John Bulmer and his lady, sir Francis Pigot, sir Stephen Hamilton, and sir Thomas Piercy, and Ask, that had been their captain, with the abbots of Whalley, Jerveux, Bridlington, Lenton, Woburn, and Kingstead, and Mackrall the monk that first raised the Lincolnshire rebellion, with sixteen more, were indicted of High Treason, for the late rebellions. And after all the steps of the rebellion were reckoned up, it is added in the Indictment, that they had met together on the 17th of January, and consulted how to renew it, and prosecute it further, being encouraged by the new risings that were then in the north; by which they had forfeited all the favour to which they could have pretended, by vertue of the indemnity that was granted in the end of December, and of the pardons which they had taken out. They were all found Guilty, and had judgment as in cases of Treason. Divers of them were carried down into Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, and executed in the places where their treasons were committed; but most of them suffered at London, and among others the lady Bulmer (whom others call sir John Bulmer's harlot) was burnt for it in Smithfield,

The only censure, that passed on this, was, that advantages were taken on too slight grounds to break the king's Indemnity and Pardon : since it does not appear, that after their pardon they did any thing more than mect and consult. But the kingdom was so shaken with that rebellion, that, if it had not been for the great conduct of the duke of Norfolk, the king had by all appearance lost his crown. And it will not seem strange, that a king (especially so tempered as this was) had a mind to strike terror into the rest of his subjects, by some signal examples, and to put out of the way the chief leaders of that design: nor was it to be wondered at, that the abbots and other clergymen, who had been so active in that commotion, were severely handled. It was by their means that the discontents were chiefly fomented. They had taken all the oaths that were enjoyned them, and yet continued to be still practising against the state; which, as it was highly contrary to the peaceable doctrines of the Christian religion, so it was in a special manner contrary to the rules, which they professed. That obliged them to forsake the world, and to follow a religious and spiritual course of life.

The next example of justice was a year after this, of one Forrest, an Observant frier. He had been, as Sanders said, confessor to queen Catharine, but it seems departed from her interests; for he insinuated himself so into the king, that he recovered his good opinion. Be

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ing an ignorant and lewd man, he was accounted by the better sort of that house, to which he belonged in Greenwich, a reproach to their order (concerning this, I have seen a large account in an original letter written by a brother of the same house). Having regained the king's good opinion, he put all those, who had favoured the divorce, under great fears, for he proceeded cruelly against them. And one Rainscroft, being suspected to have given secret intelligence of what was done among them, was shut up, and so hardly used, that he dyed in their hauds, which was, as that letter relates, done by frier Forrest's means. This frier was found to have denyed the king's supremacy : for though he himself had sworn it, yet he had infused it into many in confession, that the king was not the supream head of the Church. Being questioned for these practices, which were so contrary to the oath that he had taken, he answered, That he took that oath with his outward man, but his inward man had never consented to it.' Being brought to his tryal, and accused of several heretical opinions that he held, he submitted himself to the Church. Upon this, he had more freedom allowed him in the prison: but some coming to him diverted him from the submission he had offered; so that when the paper of abjuration was brought him, he refused to set his hand to it: upon which he was judged an obstinate heretick. The Records of these proceedings are lost; but the books of that time say, that he denied the Gospel. It is like it was upon that pretence, that without the determination of the Church it had no authority; upon which several writers of the Roman communion have said undecent and scandalous things of the Holy Scriptures. He was brought to Smithfield, where were present the lords of the council, to offer him his pardon if he would abjure. Latimer made a sermon against his errors, and studied to persuade him to recant; but he continued in his former opinions, so he was put to death in a most severe manner. hanged in a chain about his middle, and the great image that was brought out of Wales, was broken to pieces, and served for fewel to burn him. He shewed great unquietness of mind, and ended his life in an ungodly manner, as Hall says, who adds this character of him, "That he had little knowledge of God and his sincere truth, and less trust in him at his ending."

He was

In winter that year a correspondence was discovered with cardinal Pole, who was barefaced in his treasonable designs against the king. His brother, sir Geofrey Pole, discovered the whole plot. For which the marquess of Exeter, (that was the king's cousin-german by his mother, who was Edward the 4th's daugh ter), the lord Montacute, the cardinal's brother sir Geofrey Pole, and sir Edward Nevill, were sent to the Tower in the beginning of November. They were accused for having maintained a correspondence with the cardinal, and for expressing an hatred of the king, with a dislike of

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his proceedings, and a readiness to rise upon any good opportunity that might offer itself. The special matter brought against the lord Montacute, and the marquis of Exeter, who were tried by their peers on the 2d and 3d of December, in the 30th year of this reign, is, "That whereas cardinal Pole, and others, had cast off their allegiance to the king, and gone and submitted themselves to the pope, the king's mortal enemy, the lord Montacute did, on the 24th of July, in the 28th year of the king's reign, a few months before the rebellion broke out, say, that he liked well the proceedings of his brother the cardinal, but did not like the proceedings of the real1n ; and said, I trust to see a change of this world; I trust to have a fair day upon those knaves that rule about the king; and I trust to see a merry world one day.' Words to the same purpose were also charged on the marquess. lord Montacute further said, "I would I were over the sea with my brother, for this world will one day come to stripes: it must needs so come to pass, and I fear we shall lack nothing so much as honest men." He also said, "He had dreamed that the king was dead, and though he was not yet dead, he would die suddenly; one day his leg will kill him, and then we shall have jolly stirring;" saying also, “That he had never loved him from his childhood, and that cardinal Wolsey would have been an honest man, if he had had an honest master." And the king having said to the lords he would leave them one day, having some apprehensions he might shortly die, that lord said, "If he will serve us so, we shall be happily rid; a time will come, I fear we shall not tarry the time, we shall do well enough." He had also said, "He was sorry the lord Abergavenny was dead, for he could have made ten thousand men ; and for his part he would go and live in the west, where the marquis of Exeter was strong:" and had also said upon the breaking of the northern rebellion, "That the lord Darcy played the fool, for he went to pluck away the council, but he should have begun with the head first, but I beshrew him for leaving ‘off so soon.' These were the words charged on those lords, as clear discoveries of their treasonable designs; and that they knew of the rebellion that broke out, and only intended to have kept it off to a fitter opportunity: they were also accused of correspondence with cardinal Pole, that was the king's declared enemy. Upon these points the lords pleaded not guilty, but were found guilty by their peers, and so judgment was given.

On the 4th of December were indicted sir Geofrey Pole, for holding correspondence with his brother the cardinal, and saying that he approved of his proceedings, but not of the kings; sir Edward Nevill, brother to the lord Abergavenny, for saying, the king was a beast, and worse than a beast; George Crofts, chan cellor of the cathedral of Chichester, for saying, the king was not, but the pope was, Suprcam Head of the Church;' and John Col

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was carried before the rebels was on the other side. This was brought as an evidence that she approved of the rebellion. Three Irish priests were also attainted for carrying letters out of Ireland, to the pope and cardinal Pole, as also sir Adrian Fortescue for endeavouring to raise rebellion, Thomas Dingley, a knight of St. John of Jerusalem, and Robert Granceter, merchant, for going to several foreign princes, and persuading them to make war upon the king, and assist the lords Darcy and Hussie in the

lins, for saying, The king would hang in hell one day for the plucking down of Abbeys.' All those, sir Edward Nevill only excepted, pleaded guilty, and so they were condenined; but sir Geofrey Pole was the only person of the number that was not executed, for he had discovered the matter. At the same time also, cardinal Pole, Michael Throgmorton, gentleman, John Hilliard and Thomas Goldwell, clerks, and William Peyto, a Franciscan of the Observants, were attainted in absence; because they had cast off their duty to the king, and had sub-rebellion they had raised. Two gentlemen, a jected themselves to the bishop of Rome, Pole being made cardinal by him; and for writing treasonable letters, and sending them into England. On the 4th of Feb. following, sir Nicholas Carew, that was both master of the horse, and knight of the garter, was arraigned for being an adherent to the marquess of Exeter, and having spoke of his attaindor as unjust and cruel. He was also attainted and executed upon the 3d of March. When he was brought to the scaffold, he openly acknowledged the errors and superstition in which he had formerly lived; and blessed God for his imprisonment, "For he then began to relish the life and sweetness of God's holy word, which was brought him by his keeper, one Phillips, who followed the Reformation, and had formerly suffered for it."

After these executions, followed the Parliament in 1539, in which not only these Attaindors that were already passed were confirmed, but new ones of a strange and unheardof nature were enacted. It is a blemish never to be washed off, and which cannot be enough condemned, and was a breach of the most sacred and unalterable rules of justice, which is capable of no excuse; it was the attainting of some persons, whom they held in custody, without bringing them to a trial. Concerning which, I shall add what the great lord chief justice Coke writes: "Although I question not the power of the parliament, for without question the attaindor stands of force in law, yet this I say of the manner of proceeding, Auferat oblivio, si potest, si non utrumque silentium tegat. For the more high and absolute the jurisdiction of the court is, the more just and honourable it ought to be in the proceedings, and to give example of justice to inferior courts." The chief of these were the marchioness of Exeter and the countess of Sarum. The special matter charged on the former, is her confederating herself to sir Nicholas Carew, in his treasons; to which is added, 'That she had committed divers other abominable treasons.' The latter is said to have confederated "herself with her son the cardinal, with other aggravating words." It does not appear by the Journal that any witnesses were examined; only that day that the bills were read the third time in the house of lords, Cromwell shewed them a coat of white silk, which the lord admiral bad found among the countess of Sarum's cloaths, in which the arms of England were wrought on the one side, and the standard that

VOL. I.

Dominican frier, and a yeoman, were by the same act attainted, for saying that That venemous serpent the bishop of Rome was Supreme Head of the church of England.' Another gentleman, two priests, and a yeoman were attainted for treason in general, no particular crime being specified. Thus sixteen persons were in this manner attainted, and if there was any examination of witnesses for convicting them, it was either in the Star-Chamber, or before the privy council; for there is no mention of any evidence that was brought in the Journals: there was also much haste made in the passing this bill it being brought in the 10th of May was read that day for the first and second time, and the 11th of May for the third time. The commons kept it five days before they sent it back, and added some more to those that were in the bill at first; but how many were named in the bill originally, and how many were afterwards added, cannot be known. Fortescue and Dingley suffered the 10th of July. As for the countess of Sarum, the lord Herbert saw in a Record, "That Bulls from the pope were found in her house, that she kept correspondence with her son, and that she forbade her tenants to have the New Testament in English, or any other of the books that had been published by the king's authority." She was then about seventy years of age, but shewed by the answers she made, that she had a vigorous and masculine mind. She was kept two years prisoner in the Tower, after the act had passed, the king by that reprieve designing to oblige her son to a better behaviour; but upon a fresh provocation by a new rebellion in the north, she was beheaded, and in her, the name and line of Plantagenet determined. The marchioness of Exeter died a natural death. In November this year were the abbots of Reading, Glassenbury and Colchester attainted of Treason, of which mention was made formerly.

In the parliament that sate in the year 1540 they went on to follow that strange precedent, which they had made the former year. By the 56th act, Giles Heron was attainted of treason, no special matter being mentioned,

By the 57th act, Richard Fetherstoun, Thomas Abell, and Edward Powel, priests, and William Horn, a yeoman, were attainted, for denying the king's supremacy, and adhering to the bishop of Rome: by the same act the wife of one - Tirrell, esq. was attainted, for refusing her duty of allegiance, and denying prince Ed

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ward to be prince and heir of the crown; and one Laurence Cook, of Doncaster, was also attainted for contriving the king's death.

By the 58th act, Gregory Buttolph, Adam Damplip, and Edward Brindeholm, clerks, and Clement Philpot, gentleman, were attainted, for adhering to the bishop of Rome, for corresponding with cardinal Pole, and endeavouring to surprize the town of Calais by the same act Barnes, Gerrard, and Jerome were attainted, of whose sufferings an account has been already given.

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By the 59th act, William Bird, a priest and chaplain to the lord Hungerford, was attainted, for having said to one that was going to assist the king against the rebels in the north I am sorry thou goest, seest thou not how the king plucketh down images and abbies every day? And if the king go thither himself, he will never come home again, nor any of them all which go with him, and in truth it were pity he should ever come home again;' and at another time upon ones saying, "O good Lord, I ween all the world will be heretics in a little time: Bird said, 'Doest thou marvel at that? I tell thee it is no marvel, for the great master of all is an heretick, and such a one as there is not his like in the world.’

By the same act, the lord Hungerford was likewise attainted. "The crimes specified are, that be knowing Bird to be a traitor, did entertain him in his house as his chaplain; that he ordered another of his chaplains, sir Hugh Wood, and one Dr. Maudlin to use conjuring, that they might know how long the king should live, and whether he should be victorious over his enemies or not; and that these three years last past he had frequently committed the detestable sin of sodomy with several of his servants :" All these were attainted by that parliament. The lord Hungerford was executed the same day with Cromwell; he dyed in such disorder that some thought he was frenetick, for he called often to the executioner to dispatch him, and said he was weary of life, and longed to be dead, which seemed strange in a man that had so little cause to hope in his death. For Powel, Fetherstoun, and Abell,

Reform. 90. 8 Rapin, 50. ABOUT the year 1547, sir Thomas Seymour,

they suffered the same day with Barnes and his friends, as hath been already shewn.

This year, Sampson bishop of Chichester, and one doctor Wilson were put in the Tower, upon suspition of a correspondence with the Pope. But upon their submission they had their pardon and liberty. In the year 1541, five priests and ten secular persons, some of them being gentlemen of quality, were raising a new rebellion in Yorkshire; which was suppressed in time, and the promoters of it being apprehended, were attainted and executed, and this occasioned the death of the countess of Sarum, after the execution of the sentence had been delayed almost two years.

The last instance of the king's severity was in the year 1543, in which one Gardiner, that was the bishop of Winchester's kinsman and secretary, and three other priests, were tryed, for denying the king's supremacy, and soon after executed. But what special matter was laid to their charge, cannot be known, for the record of their attainder is lost.

These were the proceedings of this king against those that adhered to the interests of Rome: in which, though there is great ground for just censure, for as the laws were rigorous, so the exccution of them was raised to the highest that the law could admit; yet there is nothing in them to justifie all the clamours which that party have raised against king Henry, and by which they pursue his memory to this day; and are far short, both in number and degrees, of the cruelties of queen Maries reign, which yet they endeavour all that is possible to extenuate or deny.-To conclude, we have now gone through the reign of king Henry the 8th, who is rather to be reckoned among the great than the good princes. He exercised so much severity on men of both persuasions, that the writers of both sides have laid open his faults, and taxed his cruelty. But as neither of them were much obliged to him, so none have taken so much care to set forth his good qualities, as his enemies have done to enlarge on his vices: I do not deny, that he is to be numbred among the ill princes, yet I cannot rank him with the worst.

[2 Burn.

40. Proceedings in Parliament against Sir THOMAS SEYMOUR, knt. Lord Seymour of Sudley, Lord High Admiral of England, Uncle to the King, and Brother to the Lord Protector, for High Treason: 2 & 3 Edward VI. A. D. 1549. 1 Cobb. Parl. Hist. 587.] that, he made his addresses to Catherine Parr, the 'queen dowager, and they were married privately. Being by this match possessed of great wealth, he studied to engage all about the king to be his friends. His design was, since he was the king's uncle as well as his brother, he ought to have a proportioned share with him in the government. About

the Protector's brother, was brought to such a share of his fortunes, that he was made a baron, and lord admiral. But this not satisfying bis ambition, he endeavoured to have linked himself into a nearer relation with the crown, by marrying the king's sister, the lady Elizabeth. But finding he could not compass

that

Easter that year he first set about that design; | and corrupted some about the king, who should bring him sometimes privately through the gallery to the queen dowager's lodgings; and he desired they would let him know when the king had occasion for money, they should not trouble the treasury, for he would furnish him. Thus he gained ground with the king. When the Protector was that year in Scotland, the Admiral began to act more openly, and was for making a party for himself, of which Paget charged him in plain terms, yet all was ineffectual; for the admiral was resolved to go on, and either get himself advanced higher, or perish in the attempt. During the session, the Admiral got the king to write with his own hand a message to the house of commons for making him governor of his person, and he intended to have gone with it to the house, and had a party there, by whose interest he was confident to have carried his business he dealt also with many of the lords and counsellors to assist him in it. When this was known, before he had gone with it to the house, some were sent in his brother's name to see if they could prevail with him to go no further; he refused to hearken to them, and said, that if he were crossed in his attempt, he would make this the blackest Parliament' that ever was in England. Upon that he was sent for by order from the Council, but refused to come; then they threatened him severely, and told him, the king's writing was nothing in law, but that he who had procured it, was punishable for doing an act of such a nature, &c. so they resolved to have him sent to the Tower. But at last he submitted himself to the Protector and Council; and his brother and he seemed to be perfectly reconciled (a), though it was visible he only put off his projects till a fitter conjuncture, and was on all occasions infusing into the

king a dislike of every thing that was done, persuading him to assume the government himself, and bribing his servants.

Thus he continued contriving and plotting for some time; the Protector had often been told of these things, and warned him of the danger into which he would throw himself. But his restless ambition seeming incurable, he was on the 19th of January (Stowe sayeth the 16th) sent to the Tower (b): and now many things broke out against him, particularly a conspiracy of his with sir William Sharington, vice treasurer of the Mint at Bristol, who was to have furnished him with 10,000l. and had already coined about 12,000/. false money (c), and had clipt a great deal more, to the value of 40,000 7. in all; for which he was attainted by a process at common law, and that was confirmed in parliament (d). Fowler also, that waited in the privy-chamber, with others, were sent to the Tower; many complaints being brought against him, the lord Russel, the earl of Southampton and Secretary Petre were ordered to receive their Examinations.

The Protector finding he could not persuade him to submit, on the 22d of Feb. a report was made to the Council of all the Informations against him; consisting not only of the particu lars before-mentioned, but of many foul Misdemeanours in the discharge of the Admiralty, several pirates being concerned with him, &c. The whole Charge against him, consisting of 33 Articles, is as followeth, viz.

Articles of High Treason, and other Misdemeanours against the King's Majesty and his

person of the king's majesty, and intended by bandying himself with divers persons, to have mored plain sedition in the parliament, and otherwise to have put the whole realm in trouble and danger. That such his practices being discovered, and he questioned, he seemed very penitent, whereupon he was forgiven, and his living advanced almost 1000 marks per annum. That afterwards he practised, and had almost compassed a secret marriage between himself and the lady Eliz. the king's sister; and then intended to have taken into his hands, and order the person of the king's majesty, and the lady Mary, and to have disposed of his majesty's whole council at his pleasure: for all which he is put into the Tower of London."

(b) In B bliotheca Harleiana, 40 B. 29, 51, is the duke of Somerset's and Council's Letter to sir Philip Hobby, declaring to him "The traitorous proceedings of the Lord High Admiral, the duke's brother, viz. That he attempt(a) It is mentioned by some historians, thated to take in his own hands the most noble the first occasion of the quarrel between the two brothers, arose from the envy and malice of the duchess of Somerset against the queen dowager, wife to the Admiral, and that she claimed the precedency as the Protector's lady; but this is very unlikely, that she should be so ignorant of the customs of England, as to dispute precedency with the queen dowager. The whole story seems to be forged by Saunders, in his Treatise de Schismat. Anglican. and copied by Hayward, &c. See 2 Kennet 301, and 2 Burnet's Reformation, 54. 8 Rapin 53, and 2 Strype's Memorials, 124 and 475. But Strype in the same volume, p. 133, saith, king Edward, in his invaluable Journal, preserved in the Cotton Library, noteth, that the Protector was much offended with this marriage of his brother to the queen. See also Strype's Animadversions on Hayward's Edw. 6, in his Memorials, vol. ii. p. 475, and Burnet's Appendix to vol. ii. p. 392; concerning some errors and falshoods in Saunders's Book of the English Schism.

(c) See sir William Sharington's Confession in 2 Strype's Memorials, 81, in the Repository.

(d) See the Act for confirmation of the Attainder of sir William Sharington, knt. in 1 Rastal's Statutes, 951, and the Act for the restitution in blood of sir Wm. Sharington, knt. ibid. 995.

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