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. 1516. REG. 8.

BUt the French King having taken into his protection the young [ 1516] King of Scots, sent John Stuart Duke of Albany into Scotland, to be Governour both of the King's Person and Kingdom. The* 1.1 first thing this Duke undertook, was, either to put to death or banish those, whom he any way suspected to favour the English. Insomuch, that the Queen Dowager (who by this time was married to Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus) forced to save her self by flight, came into England to her Brother, with whom she stayed at London a whole year, the Earl her Husband after a month or two without leave returning into Scotland. King Henry being displeased at these French practices, deals underhand with the Emperour Maximilian (with whom the French then contended for the Duchy of Milan) and lends him a great summ of Money, whereby he might hire the Suisses to aid him in the expelling the French out of Italy. But the Emperour, although he had levied a sufficient Army, returned home without doing any thing. He was indeed accounted a wise Prince, but unhappy in the ma∣naging of his Affairs: whether it were that Fortune waiwardly opposed him, or that he was naturally slow in the execution of his well-plotted Designs. But shortly after he intends a second tryal of his Fortune. Wherefore by his Ambassador the Cardinal of Suisserland, he yet borrows more Money of the King, which

was delivered to certain Merchants of Genoa, to be by a set day [ 1516] paid to the Emperour in Italy. But they, whether corrupted by the French, or not of sufficient ability to make return, deceived him; and so his second designs vanished also into air. I do not think it was the King's fault, although we might justly suspect, that the great Treasure left him by his Father being almost spent, and the French secretly offering Peace upon good terms, the friendship between him and the Emperour, which he had so dearly pur∣chased, began at length to grow cold. Certainly (to speak no∣thing of the League which was afterwards concluded with France) the Treasury was now grown so bare, that the King was driven to invent new ways for the raising of Money. The care of this business (as almost of all others) was committed to Cardinal Wolsey, who casting up the Exchequer-Accompts, found many deeply indebted to the King; and (whether by the negligence or treachery of the Officers) never yet called to account. Among others, the Duke of Suffolk was found to be a great debtor, who besides his own Revenues, received yearly out of France his Wives Joincture, amounting to sixty thousand Crowns. Yet notwithstanding he was fain to withdraw himself from Court, that by living thriftily in the Countrey, he might have wherewith to pay this debt. The Cardinal next bethinks himself of publick Misdemeanors of what sort soever: as Perjury, Rapes, Oppression of the Poor, Riots, and the like; the Offendors without respect of degree or persons, he either publickly punished in Body, or set round Fines on their heads. By which means the Treasury (before empty) was re∣plenished, and the Cardinal by the people much applauded for his Justice. These things having thus succeeded to his mind, he undertakes more in the same kind. He institutes a new Court, where the Lords of the Privy Council, with other of* 1.2 the Nobility should sit as Judges. The aforesaid Crimes, which then greatly reigned in this Kingdom, and were punishable in this Court, which (as I conjecture) from the Stars painted in the roof is called the Star-Chamber. He erected also the Court of Requests, where the complaints of the Poor were to be heard; and ordained many other things in the Civil government of the Kingdom, that were acceptable to the People, and are in use at this day, wherein he alike manifested his wisdom and love of his Countrey. Cer∣tainly they that lived in that Age would not stick to say, That this Kingdom never flourished more, than when Wolsey did, to whose Wisdom they attributed the Wealth and Safety that they enjoyed, and the due Administration of Justice to all without exception.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A breach with France.
• * 1.2

  The Star∣Chamber, and The Court of Requests, in∣stituted by Wolsey.