A catalogue of the bishops of England, since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with a briefe history of their liues and memorable actions, so neere as can be gathered out of antiquity. By F.G. subdeane of Exceter.

69. Reginald Poole.

CArdinal Poole was the sonne of sir Richard Poole (who [ 1555] was cosin germaine vnto king Henry the seuenth) and Margaret Countesse of Salisbury, that was daughter vnto George Duke of Clarence the second brother of king Edward the fourth. They caused him to spend some time in Magdalen colledge in Oxford, and being yet very yoong, sent him beyond sea by trauell to get both learning and experience in the world. In the meane time king Henry the eight that fauored him much (as being néere of kinne vnto him both by father and mother) before his departure had bestowed vpon him the Deanry of Exceter. He had béene in Italy (lying for the most part at Padua) the space of 7. yéeres, at what time the king hauing abolished the Popes authority, sent for him home, & he not comming, proclaimed him Traytor, and gaue away his Deanry vnto another. This losse he estéemed little of. Petrus Bembus an old acquaintance of his was become the Popes chiefe secretary, who so commended him vnto his master, that shortly after he was content to make him a Car∣dinall, perswading himselfe belike that he would prooue a good instrument for English matters as occasion should serue. And surely if he regarded the woorthinesse of the man, in respect of his manifold rare and excellent partes, he could not lightly preferre any man lesse obnoxious to exceptions. For he was not onely very learned (which is better kno∣wen then that itnéedeth many wordes) but also of such mo∣desty

in outward behauiour and integrity of life and conuer∣sation, as he was of all men both loued and reuerenced. I know well that Pasquill played his parts with him, and fa∣thered a brat or two vpon him, but without any probability at all. He was made Cardinall Maye 22. 1536. The Pope employed him then in diuers Embassages vnto the Emperor and the French King, wherein he did his best endeuour to ioine them against his owne soueraigne the King of Eng∣land; and not content therewith, he dealt so busily with his letters amongst his friends in England, wherein he dehor∣ted them from the Kings obedience, and all conformity vnto reformation, as it turned many of them to great trouble, and amongst the rest, cost his mother her head. It pleased not God that any of his platformes should take successe: And there∣fore partly malcontent, and partly also weary of the paines and continuall danger these Embassages forced him vnto, he procured the Pope to make him Legate of Uiterbio, where he determined to leade the rest of his life quietly; But he was disappointed of his purpose. The Pope (Paul 3.) sum∣moned a Councell at Trent. Cardinall Poole and one or two other ioyned with him, must néedes be his Uicegerents there. He for his part was nothing so resolute in matters of religion as men expected he would. In the question of iustification he professed to be on our side, and perswaded one Morell to be of his opinion, a learned Spaniard that lay in the same house he did, and that was sent out of Spaine of purpose to defend the Popes quarrell in disputation, wherein he was estéemed ex∣cellent. Soone after his returne from the Counsell, it hapned the Pope to die. A great faction there was at that time in the college of Cardinals, some taking part with the Emperour, and some with the French king: Cardinall Poole was alto∣gither Imperiall. All that side and diuers that were indiffe∣rent gaue him their voices for the Papacy, whereunto when they had elected him orderly, he forsooth found fault with them for their rashnesse, and perswaded them to take further deliberation in so great and waighty a matter. Héereof the French party taking aduantage, began to cry out, it was rea∣son regard should be had of many French Cardinals and other that were absent, and could not possibly repaire vnto

the 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had lately 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 as it were in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and that it was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feared if they elected any man that were altoge∣ther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto him, it would be a cause of great sturres and 〈◊〉〈◊〉. One of their company then rising vp, began to take particular exceptions against Cardinall Poole, charging him with suspition of incontinency (whereof he alleaged some reasons, though peraduenture 〈◊〉〈◊〉) as also with heresie, for that he had reasoned for iustification by faith in the Councell of Trent, that he preferred Ant. Flaminius a knowen Protestant, and kept company much with him, and other thought ill of that way, and lastly, that in the time he was Legate of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he had béene so slacke in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of heretikes, vpon whom he seldome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any punish∣ment, but death vpon none: This accuser was the Cardinall Caraffa that afterward was Pope Paul the fourth, an olde acquaintance of Cardinall Pooles many yéeres, euen vntill such time as that partaking in this faction betwéene the French and Spanish sundred them. Caraffa thought him selfe the likeliest of the French side, and in that respect was the rather induced in this sort to deface his old friend, so to set vp him selfe. But he was vtterly deceiued in his expectation. Cardinall Poole cléered him selfe of all those suspitions abso∣lutely, so that the next day (or rather I should say the night after the next day) the company were more resolute for him then they had béene before, and once more elected him Pope. Cardinal Farnesius the last Popes nephew was the mightiest of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For so euer all Popes lightly take order, that some Cardinall of their kinne shall strike a great stroake in the election of their successor, that he may be a meanes to shield the rest of his friends from that hard measure which successors are woont to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto the fauorites of their pre∣decessor. This Cardinall Farnesius excéeding ioyfull that he had brought the matter to so good 〈◊〉〈◊〉, came vnto Cardinall Poole and would néedes adore him by the name of holyfather kissing his féete, &c. But he would not suffer him so to doo, say∣ing he would not haue their election a worke of darknesse, that the day was the onely time for the orderly dispatch of such businesse, and therefore he desired them to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the ac∣complishment

of their choice vntill the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. They were faine so to doo. But whether it were that his friends were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with this double delay, or that they were induced otherwise to alter their determination; so it fell out, that the next morning they chose another, the Cardinall de 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that named himselfe Iulius 3. He well knowing that the back∣wardnesse of Poole made him Pope, euer after made very much of him and yéelded him all mannor of fauour. And first, to begin with, he enforced Cardinall Caraffa to aske him for∣giuenes before they departed out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Cardinall Poole professed to be nothing at all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with loosing that place which he tooke to be a burthen importable, and saying his onely desire was to lead his life in quiet contemplation, craued licence to depart vnto a certaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 replenished with monkes of Saint Benet, of which order he was taken for patrone during the time of his residence in Rome. He was scarcely setled there when newes came that king Edward was dead, and that his sister the Lady Mary had obtained the crowne, who was brought vp a great while vnder the Countesse his mother by the espe∣ciall choice and direction of Quéene 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her mother. And many are of opinion that the Quéene committed her the rather vnto the tuition of the Countesse, for that she wished some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 betwéene one of her sonnes the Pooles and the Lady Mary to strengthen her title to the crowne in case the king her husband should die without issue male, for that (as before I haue declared) they were descended from Goorge Duke of Clarence the next heire male of the house of Yorke. Now Cardinall Poole knowing the Queene had a speciall affection vnto him for his learning, his nobility, but aboue all for his religion (and he was a man personable ynough) lon∣ged fore homeward, not doubting a dispensation for his cler∣gy would soone be obtained of the Pope in this case, and as∣suring himselfe that though he missed of the crowne, he should not faile of the myter. He procured himselfe therefore to be appointed of the Popes legate and to be dispatched into Eng∣land with all spéed. The Emperour by this time had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to endeuour a match betwéene his sonne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Queene Mary. Doubting therefore least the presence of the

Cardinall should disturbe his platforme, he vsed many deui∣ses to stop and hinder his passage, till such time as the mari∣age was concluded. At last (but a day after the faire) ouer came this iolly legate, reconciled the realme of England to the Pope, caused the Archbishop of Canterbury to be depri∣ued and degraded, seating himselfe in his Sée, which things and many more are discoursed of him at large by Master Foxe, and therefore I passe them ouer. He was consecrate March 22. 1555. in the gray Friers church at Gréenwich. The Lady day following he receiued his pal in Bow church, where he made a dry and friuolous sermon touching the vse, profit, signification, and first institution of the pall. March 31. he was installed by a proctor one Robert Collins his commis∣sary. While these things were a dooing, Cardinall Caraffa his ancient enimy became Pope. He presently discharged our Cardinall of his power legantine, and made one Frier Peto first a Cardinall, then his legate, and bestowed the Bishop∣ricke of Salisbury vpon him. He alleaged against Cardinall Poole that he was vnwoorthy the honour of the legate Apo∣stolicall that would suffer the Quéene to proclaime warres against the French king; but the matter was, the old quar∣rels were not yet digested, & this way he thought to pay him home. The Quéene kept Frier Peto out of the realme by force, vntill the Pope was reconciled vnto Cardinall Poole againe. Two yéere and almost 8. months this man continued Archb. In y^e yere 1558. many old mē fel into quartaine agues (a disease fatall vnto elderly folke.) Amongst the rest, a quar∣tane had seased vpon him, and brought him to a low ebbe, at what time newes being brought of Quéene Maries death, strucke him quite dead. For he departed this life euen the same day that she did, viz. Nouember 17. 1558. being 58. yéeres of age, and sixe moneths. He procured in his life time, the gift and patronage of 19. benefices from the Quéene vnto his Sée, which he no way else benefited, except by the buil∣ding of a certaine gallery toward the East at Lambhith, and some few roomes adioyning. He purposed indéede to haue be∣stowed much cost vpon his pallace at Canterbury, but was preuented by death. He was a man of indifferent stature, slender, wel coloured, somewhat broad visaged, his eyes gray

and chéerefull, and his countenance milde. His goods he left to the disposition of one Aloysius Priolus an Italian, who bestowed them all to good vses, reseruing nothing vnto him selfe, but two praier bookes. His body was conueighed to Canterbury, aud entoombed on the North side of a litle chap∣pell that is at the East end of Thomas Beckets chappell.