The history of the reigns of Henry the Seventh, Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, and Queen Mary the first written by the Right Honourable Francis Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban ; the other three by the Right Honourable and Right Reverend Father in God, Francis Godwyn, Lord Bishop of Hereford.

ANNO DOM. 1539. REG. 31.

ON the third of March, Sir Nicholas Carew Knight of the [ 1539] Garter, and Master of the Horse, was beheaded for being of Counsel with the Marquess of Exceter, and the Lord Mountague. And on the eight and twentieth of April a Parliament began, wherein Margaret Countess of Salisbury Mother to Cardinal Pool,* 1.1 and Daughter to George Duke of Clarence who was Brother to Edward the Fourth, was attainted of high Treason, and con∣demned without hearing, and with her the Cardinal her Son, Gertrude Widow to the Marquess of Exceter, Sir Adrian Fortescue, and Sir Thomas Dingley. Dingley and Fortescue were beheaded on the tenth of July, and the Countess being then aged three∣score and ten years, suffered two years after.

In the same Parliament it was Enacted, That the King might* 1.2 erect new Episcopal Sees in opportune places of the Realm. For the performance whereof, and of some other things no less spe∣cious, the late dissolution of those Abbeys whereon the King seised, was confirmed, and all Religious Houses as yet unsuppressed,

were granted to the King for ever. Upon notice whereof, many [ 1539] either out of guilt of conscience, or desirous to purchase the King's favour, surrendred their charge even before they were required. And first of all the Abbot and Convent of St. Albans (the first Abbot of the Realm, as St. Alban was the first Martyr: which Honour was conferred on this House by Pope Adrian the Fourth, whose Father had long lived a Monastical life therein) forsake their rich Abbey seated near the ruins of Verolamium, once a great and antient City, and leave it to the mercy of the Courtiers. Which dereliction afforded matter of example to many other, few enjoying that security of conscience, that they durst lay claim to their own. Only three were found, whose innocence made them so regardless of threats, promises, or reward, that they could never be induced to betray the goods of their Churches to the merciless impiety of sacrilegious Harpies: Which three were John Bech Abbot of Colchester in Essex, Hugh Faringdon Abbot of* 1.3 the Abbey of Reding, built by Henry the First for the place of his Sepulture, and Richard Whiting Abbot of Glastonbury, one of the* 1.4 stateliest and antientest Monasteries of Europe, being first builded by Joseph of Arimathea, who buried the Body of our Saviour Christ, and is himself there interred, as is also (beside some Saxon Kings) that most renowned King Arthur, whose glorious Acts, had they been undertaken by a fit Historian, would have ranked him among the antient Worthies without the help of a fabulous Romance. Against these men therefore, other courses not availing, that one was taken of administring the Oath of Supremacy, which they refusing, are as enemies to the Estate condemned of high Treason. Bech was hanged at Colchester, and Faringdon with two Priests named Rug and Ognion at Reding. Whiting, a man very aged, and by reason thereof doating, scarce perceiving that he had been condemned, returning from the place of Judgment (which was in the Bishop's Palace at Wells, distant from Glastonbury four miles) with conceit that he was restored to his Abbey, was suddenly rapt up to the top of the Tor (a Hill that surveys the Countrey round about) and without leave of bidding his Convent farewel, which he earnestly begged, was presently hanged, the stain of ingratitude sticking fast to the authors of this speedy execution, of whom the poor Abbot is reported to have better deserved. With Whiting were two Monks also executed, named Roger James and John Thorn, their Bodies all drawn and quartered, and set up in divers places of the Countrey. The punishment of these few so terrified the rest, that without more ado they permitted all to the King's disposal. The number of those that were supprest is not easily cast: But the names of the chiefest, and whose Ab∣bots had voices among the Peers in the higher House of Parlia∣ment, are these:

St. Peter's in Westminster,

St. Alban's,

St. Edmundsbury,

St. Benet's of Hulme,

Berdney,

Shrewsbury,

Crowland,

Abingdon,

Evesham,

Glocester,

Ramsey,

St. Augustine's in Can∣terbury,

Selbey,

Peterborough, [ 1539]

St. Maries in Tork,

Tewksbury,* 1.5

Reding,

Battel,

Winchcomb,

Hide by Winchester,

Cirencester,

Waltham,

Walmesbury,

Thorney,

St. John's in Colchester,

Coventrey,

Tavestock.

The King, that he might some way supply the want of the suffrages of so many learned and wise men in the Parliament House, as also that of so great a prey he might consecrate (if not the tenth to Hercules, at least) some part to God, according to his promise erected some new Bishopricks; whereof one was at Westminster, a place so near and contiguous to London, that it* 1.6 might rather seem a part of the Suburbs thereof, than a distinct City. But a City it is, and so ennobled with many stately Monuments, that for Beauty it contendeth with most in Chri∣stendom: In it are the chief Seat of the Prince, and Palaces of the Nobility, the chief seats of Justice in the Land, the most magnificent Church, wherein are interred most of our Kings and Nobles, whose sumptuous Monuments render it unparallel'd even by the World. Another was at Oxford, in the Colledge founded by Cardinal Wolsey. The rest at Peterborough, Bristol, Chester, and Glocester. Westminster was by Queen Mary again reduced to an Abbey, and furnished with Monks of St. Benet's Order; whom Queen Elizabeth again expelled, and converted the Revenues of the Bishoprick to the maintenance of Scholars, and other pious uses. As for the other Sees, they remain to this day. From those antient Cathedral Churches wherein Monks were seated, nothing was taken away; only Canons were placed there instead of Monks, as likewise in the Cathedral Churches of the new erected Bishopricks. The Churches, wherein antiently canons and Prebendaries were instituted, are

In ENGLAND,

York,

London,

Lincoln,

Sarisbury,

Exceter,

Wells,

Lichfield,

Hereford,

〈◊〉〈◊〉.

In WALES,

St. David's,

Landaff,

Bangor,

St. Asaph.

The CATHEDRALS founded with Monks, were [ 1539]

Canterbury,

Winchester,

Ely,

Norwich,

Worcester,

Rochester,

Duresm,

Carlile.

The new SEES where primarily were Abbeys, are

Oxford,

Bristol,

Glocester,

Chester,

Peterborough.

So there are six and twenty Bishopricks within this Realm, and in every Cathedral, Archdeacons, Prebendaries, and other Ministers, as also a Dean who governs the rest, unless it be in St. David's, where the Chanter; and Eandaf, where the Arch∣deacon is Head of the Chapter.

These things thus ordered, the King still jealous lest it should be conceived that he had forsaken the Religion of his Fathers, began to thunder out against the maintainers of new Tenets, and much against Cranmer's will, by Parliament enacted the Law of the Six Articles, the summ whereof was,

• I. That if any one should deny the True and Real presence of the* 1.7 Body of CHRIST in the Sacrament, or should maintain, That the substance of Bread and Wine remained after the words of Consecration pronounced by the Priest, he should be burned as an Heretick.
• II. If any should deny the Sacrament to be sufficiently administred under one Species only:
• III. Or should hold it lawful for Priests to be married, but much more he that having entred into holy Orders, should presume to take a Wife:
• IV. Or that Chastity vowed upon mature deliberation was not to be kept:
• V. Or that private Masses ought not to be celebrated in the Church of England, or elsewhere:
• VI. Or that Auricular Confession was not expedient; he should for his errours undergo loss of life by hanging.

These Laws like those of Drace written in Blood, were the destruction of multitudes, and silenced those who had been hitherto furtherers of Reformation. Among whom Hugh Lati∣mer and Nicholas Schaxton Bishops, the one of Worcester, the other* 1.8 of Salisbury, were remarkable, who that they might quietly enjoy themselves, the Parliament being scarce dissolved, did both on one day, viz. the first of July, resign their Bishopricks. Latimer (who for the freedom of his conscience could as willingly resign his life, as he did this rich Bishoprick, being burned for it in Queen Maries reign) after his Resignation taking off his

Rochet, being a merry conceited man, with a little leap lifted [ 1539] himself from the ground, saying, that He felt himself much more light and quick, now he had freed himself of so great a burthen.

Henry (in regard of his wiving disposition) had long continued a Widower. And that he should at length marry, the conside∣ration of his Estate being surrounded with Enemies passionate in the Pope's cause, perswaded him: Wherein he also gave ear to Cromwell, who advised him to combine with those Estates, whom the burthen of the Pope's tyranny had forced to the same courses and like fears. By whose assistance he might countermine the secret practices of Rome. A counsel without doubt good and be∣fitting the times, but producing the effects of Ill ones, proving (as is thought) Pernicious to the Giver. For the treatise of* 1.9 such a Match, in September came into England Frederick Duke and Elector of Saxony, Frederick Duke of Bavaria, Otho Henry Count Palatine of Rhine, and the Chancellour of the Duke of Cleve, with some others, who were for eight days Royally enter∣tained by the King at Windsor, where the Marriage with Ann Sister to the Duke of Cleve being concluded, they returned to their own Countries.

This year died Margaret Queen of Scotland, Sister to King Henry, who was buried at the Charterhouse in the Town of St. John, near the Tomb of James the First.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Margaret 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Salisbury con∣demned.
• * 1.2

  The subversion of Religious Houses.
• * 1.3

  Some Abbots executed.
• * 1.4

  Glastonbury.
• * 1.5

  A catalogue of the Abbots who bad voices among the Peers.
• * 1.6

  New Bishop∣ricks erected.
• * 1.7

  The Law of the Six Articles.
• * 1.8

  Latimer and Schaxton re∣sign their Bi∣shopricks.
• * 1.9

  The arrival of certain Princes of Germany in England, for the treatise of a Match be∣tween the King and Lady Ann of Cleve.