Annales of England Containing the reignes of Henry the Eighth. Edward the Sixt. Queene Mary. Written in Latin by the Right Honorable and Right Reverend Father in God, Francis Lord Bishop of Hereford. Thus Englished, corrected and inlarged with the author's consent, by Morgan Godwyn.

Anno Dom. 1552. Reg. 6.

THe Duke of Somerset had now continued two moneths in prison since his condemnation. At length the violence of his enemies (notwith∣standing the Kings desire to save his Vnkle, vnder whose tuitio•• he had passed his childehood) drew him to the Scaffold. Being on the twenty foure of Ianuary brought to the place of execution, he in this manner bespake the Assembly:

Being by the Law condemned, I here wil∣lingly submit my selfe, by exemplary punish∣ment to satisfie it's Rigour. That God hath beene pleased to grant me so long a prepara∣tive

to my end, I humbly thanke his eternall Goodnesse: But in that he hath beene far∣ther pleased to inspire me with the knowledge of his Truth, and to make me an instrument for the propagation of the same, J can never sufficiently magnify his Mercies. Jn this do J reioice, in this only do J triumph: besee∣ching him, that his Church in this Realme be∣ing now reformed according to the Jnstitution of the antient Primitive, the Members therof may conforme their lives to the purity of it▪s received Doctrine.

More he would have said, but a strange tumult and sudden consternation of the Assembly interrup∣ted him. The People possessed with a Panique ter∣ror, as it were with an vnanimous consent cried out, Fly quickely, fly: insomuch that of that infinite multi∣tude which the expectation of the Dukes death had drawne together, as many as well could seeking to shift for themselves, many are troden to death, and others in the throng as vnfortunately prest, the rest amazedly expect their owne destruction, when their owne feares were the greatest danger. The cause of their feares no man could certainly speake: one said he heard a terrible cracke of thunder; ano••••er the noise of a troup of horse. & some over credulous, according to the sway of their affections, ioyfully affirmed that messengers were come with a pardon for the Duke. But certain halberdiers appointed to guard the Duke to the scaffold; but comming tardy, & crying to their fellows, Away, away, were more probably the occasion of this tumult. The true meaning of this amphibolo∣gicall word, which commandeth haste to and from,

being mistaken, and withall a company of armed men bending themselves (as was supposed) against the multitude, filled all with terror and confusion. The affrighted people being at length with much ado pacified; the Duke entreating them for a while to containe themselves, that he might with a more setled minde depart out of this world; by prayer commended his soule to God, and then suffered with admirable constancy, neither by voice, gesture, nor countenance shewing himselfe any way deiected or moved at the apprehension of death, vnles peradven∣ture you might take this for a token of feare, that when he covered his eyes with his handkerchiefe, his cheekes had a little more tincture of red then vsuall.

That his death was generally lamented, is manifest. Many there were who kept handkerchiefes dipped in his bloud, as so many sacred Reliques. Among the rest a sprightfull Dame two yeares after, when the Duke of Northumberland was led captive through the City for his opposition against Queene MARY, ran to him in the streets, and shaking out her bloudy handkerchief before him, Behold (said she) the bloud of that worthy man, that good Vnkle of that excellent King, which shed by thy treacherous machination, now at this instant begins to revenge it selfe vpon thee. And Sir RALPH VANE, who on the twenty sixt of Fe∣bruary was with Sir MILES PARTRIDGE han∣ged at the same place where the Duke had suffered, at what time also Sir MICHAEL STANHOP and Sir THOMAS ARVNDELL were there behea∣ded, going to his execution said, that His bloud would make Northumberland's pillow vneasy to him. These foure Knights being to be executed, did each of them take God to witnesse, that they never practised any thing against the King nor any of his Counsaile.

To returne to the Duke, such was his end. As for

his life, he was a pious just man, very zealous in point of Reformation, very sollicitous of the King's safety, every way good, and carefull of the Weale publique, only a little tainted with the Epidemique of those times, who thought it Religion to reforme the Church, as well in it's exuberancy of meanes, as of superstitious Ceremonies, wherof not a few of our Ca∣thedralls to this day complaine.

Many prodigies ensued his death, wherby many did presage the calamities of succeeding times. In Au∣gust six Dolphins (a fish seldome seene in our seas) were taken in the Thames, three neere Quinborough, and three a little above Greenwich, where the water is scarce tainted with the Seas brackishnesse. On the seventh day of October were three Whales cast vp at Gravesend. And on the third of Au∣gust at Middleton in Oxford-shire was borne a Monster, such, as few either Naturalists or Histo∣rians write of the like. It had two heads and two bodies as far as the navill distinct, where they were so conioined that they both had but one way of egestion, and their heads looking alwaies contrary waies. The legs and thighes of the one did alwaies ly at the trunke of the other. This (female) Monster lived eighteene dayes, and might have lon∣ger peradventure, if it had not beene so often ope∣ned to satisfie curiosity, that it tooke cold and died.

This yeare the Monastery of the Franciscan Friers in London was converted into a brave Hospitall, wherin foure hundred poore boyes are maintained, and have education befirting free borne men. It is at this day called Christ-Church.

In South warke also was another like place provided for the reliefe of poore sicke persons, and is dedicated to the memory of Saint Thomas.

Notes

• The Duke of Somerset be∣headed.
• A Monster.