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. 1521. Reg. 13.

EDWARD STAFFORD Duke of Bucking∣ham was about this time arraigned of high Treason. He was discended of a Family, which whether it was more antient or noble, is questiona∣ble. He deriued himself by a direct line frō ROBERT de Stafford, to whom WILLIAM the Conquerour gaue large revenues, which his posterity greatly in∣larged, by matching with the heires female of ma∣ny noble Families. By the Lady ANNE daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester, who was Brother to EDWARD the Third, hee participated of the Bloud Royall. The first honourable title of the Family was of Lord Stafford, the next of Earle of Stafford, as was EDMVND, that married the daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke. HVMFREY son to ED∣MVND was created Duke of Buckingham by HENRY the Sixt, who left that Honor to his son HVMFREY who was grandfather to this EDWARD by his son HENRY the third Duke. How HENRY assisted the Vsurper RICHARD the Third, in oppressing ED∣WARD the Fifth, how he after conspired with the Earle of Richmond (afterwards HENRY the Seuenth) against the Vsurper, but was cut off by the Tyrant before he could bring any thing to passe; the histo∣ries of those times declare. EDWARD his son resto∣red to Bloud & Dignities by HENRY 7. for his dis∣cent, wealth, and Honors, inferior to none but the King, not content with this, was by N. HOPKINS a Charterhouse Monke induced to beleeue that Hea∣uen had decreed to cut off K. HENRY, after whose death he should raigne, and the Crowne be for euer established on his posterity. This the Monke affir∣med, God the Gouernour of all things, had reuealed vnto him. He further aduised him by liberality aud

curtesy to win the minds of the people, for the time was at hand wherein this should certainly come to passe, if it were not through his owne default. The Duke (no sot, but blinded by ambition) gaue such credit to the Monke, who was either mad, or else flattered him in hope of reward, that although the time prefixed for these miracles were past, yet was he still in hope, fed the Impostor with gifts, who fed him with aire, secretly vilified the King, and gaue profusely to all. Nay he could not forbeare, but at longth he must brag of the Iuglers promises, as hee did to a gentleman named CHARLES KNEVET, to whom he boldly vnmasked himselfe, and gaue a reason of his actions. Vpon KNEVETS accusati∣on he was arraigned, & condemned the thirteenth of May, and on the seuenteenth publiquely behead∣ed. His death was lamented by many, & the rather for that he was no way faulty, but in his vanity and pride, which ouerthrew him. Being a childe, I haue heard antient men say, that by his brauery of appa∣rell, and sumptuous feasts he exasperated the King, with whom in these things he seemed to contend. But he could by no meanes beare with the intole∣rable pride of the Cardinall, whose hatred not im∣probably prooued fatall vnto him, rather than did the Kings displeasure: for many times Princes are with lesse danger offended, than their Mignons. There goes a tale, That the Duke once holding the basen to the King, the Cardinall when the King had done, presently dipped his hands in the same water: the Duke disdaining to debase himselfe to the ser∣uice of a Priest, shed the water in his shoos. The Car∣dinall therewith incensed, threatned him, That he would fit vpon his skirts. The Duke to shew that hee slighted his threats, & withall, that the King might take notice of the Cardinalls malice, came the next

day to Court, richly (as he vsually was) apparelled, but without skirts to his dublet. The King & many others demanding what he meant by that strange fashion, he answered readily, That it was done by way of preuention, for the Cardinall should not now sit vpon his skirts. Hee thought he had put a jest vpon the Cardinal, to whose informations, as proceeding from enuy and spleen, he hoped the King would hereafter giue the lesse credit. But he missed his marke: for most men were of opi∣nion, that the Cardinalls malice crushed him rather, than did the weight of his owne offences. It was the saying of CHARLES the Emperor, vpon the report of his death, That the Butchers Dog had killed the fairest Hart of England Howsoeuer it came to passe, the king who had hitherto ruled without bloudshed, induced by the former reasons (so the Records run) permitted his hands to be stained with the bloud of this poore Prince; many lamenting, that the indiscreet credulity of one man, hauing not attempted ought against the Estate, should be the ouerthrow of so noble a Family. If I might lawfully pry so far into Gods iudgements, which are indeed inscrutable, I would be bold to im∣pute the punishment of the Sonne to the Fathers trea∣chery, who conspired with the Vsurper against his lawfull Prince EDW. 5. who by his assistance was de∣priued of his life and kingdome. But forasmuch as that being touched in conscience, hee manifestly re∣pented this fact (for seeking to oppresse the Tyrant, whom he himselfe had raised, he perished miserably) the Diume Iustice (I thinke) so far regarded his re∣pentance, that his posterity are neuerthelesse Peeres of the Realme, by the title of L. Stafford. The first point of wisdome is, not to run into error; the next, quickly to amēd it.

The King hauing written a booke against MARTIN LVTHER, sent it as a Present to Pope LEO the Tenth. This LEO, not yet thirty eight yeares old, was

by the combination of the Iunior Cardinall•• elected Pope. In which dignity hee behaued himselfe accor∣ding to his yeares, profusely spending the treasures of the Church in hawking and hunting, and other plea∣sures not deemed ouer honest. Need began at length to pince him, and money must be had. Wherupon he resolues to make vse of his Keyes, against the most subtill lockes, and strongest bars, euer yet held preua∣lent. Indulgences of all sorts, without distinction of time or place, must now publiquely be s••t to sale. Saint Peters Church (this was the pretence) was out of re∣paire, towards which a certaine summe of money gi∣uen, would purchase pardon of sinnes, not onely for the Liuing, but for the Dead also, whose soules should thereby bee redeemed from the paines of Purgatorie. But whatsoeuer was pretended, euery one palpably saw, that these Pardons were granted to get money for his owne reliefe. And forasmuch as the Commis∣sioners demanded it after an impudent and shame∣lesse manner, they in most places incurred the dislike and indignation of the people, especially in Germany, where they saw this facultie of redeeming soules from Purgatory, was either solde for little or nothing, or played away in their Tauernes. But what speake I of the Commissioners? That which made the Germans most impatient, was, that the heedlesse Pope had gi∣uen to his sister MAGDALEN the profit of the ex∣actions of Indulgences in many parts of Germany, and that so openly, that euery one must needs know it. For all Germany spake it, that this money was not ga∣thered for the Pope or the Treasurie of the Church (whereby peraduenture some part of it might be employed to good vses) but was exacted to satisfie the greedinesse of a woman. At that time liued MAR∣TIN LVTHER a Doctor of Diuinity, and an Augu∣stine Monke, one who vnder a religious Habit,

did not consecrate himselfe to idlenesse, but to God. It is reported, how truly I know not, that recreating himselfe in the fields, his companion with whom he then discoursed, was suddenly stricken dead with thunder. He therupon falling into due consideration of the vncertaintie of death, and of iudgment, left the study of the Ciuill Law, to which he then applied himselfe, and renouncing the world, betooke him∣selfe to a Cloister, where for his deportment he was beyond exception, for learning (especially diuine) he was scarce matchable. Vpon this horrible abuse of the authority of the Keyes, being inflamed with a pi∣ous zeale, he could not containe himselfe, but boldly and bitterly inueighed against this grosse impiety. Neither staied he there, but (storme the Pope neuer so much) proceeds to other enormities in the Church of Rome, some whereof that Church hath since refor∣med, the rest religious Princes, by LVTHER awaken∣ed out of their dead sleepe of superstition, notwith∣standing the practises of Rome, haue (God be thanked) exploded. New opinions (especially in matters of Re∣ligion) are of themselues alwayes odious. HENRY be∣ing offended with LVTHERS new (as the world then deemed them) Tenets, thought it would proue to his honor, by writing against LVTHER, to manifest his learning and pietie to the world▪ Herupon vnder his name a book was set forth, better beseeming some an∣tient and deep Diuine, than a youthfull Prince (whom although he earnestly endeauoured it, yet his affaires would not permit to bury himselfe among his books) which many thought to haue beene compiled by Sir THO. MOORE, some by the Bishop of Rochester, and o∣thers (not without cause) suspected to be the worke of some other great Scholler. Whosoeuerwrit it, LV∣THER repli ed in such sort, that although his holy zeale were approved by many: yet those many

could haue wished him more temperate, and respe∣ctiue of the Maiesty of Kings. This Booke was so acceptable to the Pope, that according to the example of ALEXANDER the Sixt, who entituled the King of Spaine, Catholique: and of that Pope whosoeuer he were, that gaue the French King the title of Most Christian; he decreed to grace King HENRY and his Successors with that honorable one of Defender of the Faith. Which severall titles are by these Princes re∣tained to this day. But LEO long surviued not his gift, about the end of the yeare dying (as is suspect∣ed) by poison. In the meane time the exulcerated mindes of the Emperour and the French King (ac∣cording to the nature of ambitious hatred, that for it's owne ends makes all causes iust) burst out into open wars; for the composing whereof each of them had formerly agreed to refer themselues (if any differen∣ces should arise) to the arbitrement of HENRY. He therefore sends to each of them Embassadours, the Cardinall of Yorke, the Earle of Worcester, and others, who should, if it were possible, reconcile these inra∣ged Princes. All they could do, proued but an endea∣vor: for when they thought they had compassed their desires, sudden newes came, That the Admirall BO∣NIVET had by force taken Fuentaraby a Towne of the Emperours in Biscay. The Emperour would not then ratify the Agreement, vnlesse this towne were redeliuered; which the French denying to do, all fell to pieces againe, and the War was renewed. After their deuoir in this cause, our Embassadours went di∣rectly to Bruges to the Emperour, of whom for a fort∣night, which was the time of their stay there, they had royall entertainment. But he held the Cardinall in so great esteeme, that it was apparant hee was not igno∣rant, how powerfull the Cardinall was with his Prince. And here perhaps it would not be amisse

(in reguard of those times) to let the Reader know the pompe and state of this Cardinall, how many Gentlemen attended him apparrelled with velvet, and adorned with gold chaines, & then how many were cloathed in skarlet coats, the skirts whereof were guarded with veluet the full bredth of a hand. But let him guesse HERCVLES stature by the length of his foot. Such was the brauerie of his at∣tendants, that in CHRISTIERNE King of Den∣marke, and other Princes then residing at Bruges, it bred amazement. It was also reported, that he was by Gentlemen of the best ranke serued on the knee, a kinde of state which Germany had yet neuer knowne. He spent a huge masse of money in that Embassage, and that (as it is thought) not against his will. For he by all meanes sought the Emperors fauour, hoping that LEO, although much youn∣ger, either cut off by treachery, or his owne intem∣perance, might leaue the world before him: And then were it no hard matter for him, being vnder∣propped by the Emperour and our King, to be ad∣uanced to the Papacy. Wherefore at the first bruit of his death hee posted away PACEY the Deane of Pauls into Italy, with Mandates to certaine Car∣dinalls whom he thought respected him, that they should do their best in his behalfe. But before hee could reach Rome, he was certainely informed, that ADRIAN (sometimes Tutor to the Emperour, and then Viceroy of Spaine) was already elected, by the name of ADRIAN the Sixt.

Notes

• The Duke of Buckingham accused of treason.
• King Henry writeth a∣gainst Luther
• Luthers de∣parture from the Church Rome.
• The Kings of England by the Pope sti∣led, Defen∣ders of the Faith. The death of Leo the Tenth.
• Cardinall Wolsey and others sent embassadors to the Empe∣rour and French King