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: 1548. REG. 2.

THe English having this year fortified and put a strong Gar∣rison [ 1548] into Hadinton a Town seated in the most fertil soil of all Scotland, did from thence and Lauder make often inroads upon the bordering Countrey, burning and spoiling whatsoever might be useful to the Enemy, from whom they expected a Siege. In the mean time had the French sent six thousand (ten thousand say we) men into Scotland, whereof three thousand were Lans∣quenets led by the Rhinegrave. The Lord of Essé a man of tried valour, famous in the Siege of Landrecy and other Expeditions was chief of the Army. These adventures landing at Dunbar, march speedily for Hadinton, and joyning with the Scottish Forces consisting of eight thousand men straightly besiege it. At the Abbey near the Town they call a Council, treat of transporting the Queen into France, and marrying her to the Daulphin. They whom the respect of private ends had not corrupted and with∣drawn from the care of the publick weal, objected, That they should so draw on them a perpetual War from England, and betray themselves to the slavery of the French: That the Propositions made by the English were reasonable, who offered a ten years Truce, and sought not to entrap the Scot in any bands or prejudicial compacts, their demands being no other than this, That if within the ten years either the King of England, or the Queen of Scots should decease, all things should on each side remain entire and in their former estate: Delay had often in the like cases proved advantageous, whereas speedy repentance commonly followeth precipitated hast. The Popish Faction (especially the Clergy, to whom the amity of England was little pleasing, in regard of the differences in Religion) and some others obliged to the French either in respect of received benefits or future profit, with might and main interposed to the contrary, and chiefly the Regent, bought with a Pension of four thousand Crowns, and the Command of one hundred Lances. The French Faction prevailed for her transportation. The Fleet from Leith, where it harboured, setting sail as if for France, fetching a com∣pass round about Scotland, put in at Dunbritton, where they em∣barqued the six-year-old Queen, attended by James her base Bro∣ther, John Areskin, and William Leviston, who being put back by contrary winds, and much distressed by tempest, arrived at length in Little Bretaigne, and from thence set forward to the Court of France, so escaping our Fleet which hovered about Calais to inter∣cept them, if (as we were perswaded they needs must) they crossed those neighbouring Straights. Hadinton in the mean time being straightly beleaguered, Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Thomas Pal∣mer are with seven hundred Lances and six hundred light Horse sent to relieve it. Buchanan saith there were but three hundred

Horse, the rest Foot. Of what sort soever they were, it is [ 1548] certain that before they could reach Hadington, they were circum∣vented and slain almost to a man. Yet did not the besieged let fall their courages, but bravely defended themselves, until Francis Earl of Shrewsbury with an Army of twelve thousand English and four thousand Lansquenets disassieged them, and forced the French to retreat. The Earl having supplied the Town with necessaries, and reinforced the Garrison, returned to Berwick. What they could not by force, the Enemy hopes more easily to effect by a surprisal. To this end D'Essé with some select Bands arrives at Hadinton about the break of day, where having killed the Cen∣tinels and taken an Half-moon before the Port, some seek to force the Gates, some invade our adjoyning Granaries. The noise and shouts of the assailants gives an alarm to the Garrison, who give fire to a Cannon planted before the Port, the Bullet whereof pe∣netrating the Gate, makes way through the close ranks of the Enemies, and so affrights them, that they seek to save themselves by flight.

Fortune was not so favourable to the Garrisons of Humes and Fastcastle, where by the negligence of the Centinels, the designs of the Enemy were crowned with success. At Humes, being conducted by some that knew all the secret passages, they climb up a steep Rock, enter, massacre the secure Garrison, and enjoy the place. At Fastcastle the Governour had commanded the neighbouring Husbandmen at a prefixed day to bring in their contribution of Corn and other necessary provision. The Enemy makes use of this opportunity. Souldiers habited like Pesants at the day come fraught with their burthens, whereof easing their Horses, they carry them on their shoulders over the Bridge, which joyned two Rocks together, and so gain entrance: The watch-word being given, they cast down their burthens, kill the Centinels, open the Gates to their fellows, and become ma∣sters of the place. Neither were our Naval enterprises fortunate, being at St. Minian and Merne repelled with loss.

In Autumn the Earl of Rutland with three thousand Lansque∣nets and some Bands drawn out of the frontier Garrisons arrives at Hadington: Who duly considering that this Town could not be kept any longer without the excessive charges of a just Army, forasmuch as the Countrey about being miserably forraged, it could not be victualled without great difficulty and danger; rased the Walls, fired the Houses, brought away the Artillery, and finding no resistance, returned in safety to Berwick. Buchanan refers it to the ensuing year, but I follow the record of our own Historians.

And having thus far spent the year abroad, I at length return home, where I find Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester in the Tower. He was a man very learned, and no less subtil, adhering

to the Popish Faction, yet so, as that he would be content to [ 1548] accommodate himself to the current of the times. King Henry had employed him in many Embassages, and that with ample authority, under whom he durst not oppose the proceedings con∣firmed by enacted Laws. And under Edward he repressed him∣self for a time, seemingly consenting to the commenced Refor∣mation. But his dissimulation was at length manifestly disco∣vered to the Privy Council, who had commanded him in a Ser∣mon at Pauls Cross to signifie his approbation of the present estate of the Church; which he accordingly did on the nine and twentieth of June, but so ambiguously and obscurely, that he satisfied them not. And being expresly forbidden to speak any thing concerning the Eucharist, he knowing that by the Laws no∣thing was definitively determined in that point, did so eargerly assert that Papistical (I will not say Capernaitical) Corporal and Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament, that he wonder∣fully offended the minds of many, but especially of the Lords of the Council. Wherefore he was on the thirtieth of June com∣mitted, and obstinately refusing to acknowledge his errour, was two years after deprived of his Bishoprick, and (as he was of a turbulent spirit) lest he should practise any thing against the Estate, detained nevertheless in prison until the death of Edward. In the mean time Archbishop Cranmer by writing oppugned that gross and carnal assertion of the Church of Rome concerning Christ's Presence in the Sacrament; whom Gardiner secretly an∣swered under the fictitious name of M. Constantius.

Neither did that Blood-sucker Boner Bishop of London (who in Queen Maries Reign so heated the Kingdom with the Funeral Piles of so many Saints) speed any better than Winchester. For being likewise enjoyned to Preach at the Cross, he did it so coldly, omitting many of those points whereof he was commanded to speak, that he was likewise committed, deprived of his Bi∣shoprick, and so lived until Queen Mary set them both at liberty. What the Objections were against Cutbert Tonstall Bishop of Du∣resm, and George Day Bishop of Chichester, I do not find, but that they ran the same fortune is manifest. They were both very Learned Prelates, but especially Tonstall, a mild man, and of most sweet conditions, in regard whereof I do not a little won∣der that he was so hardly dealt with. But the drift of the pu∣nishments of such men, who in Henry's time were accounted the chief Lights of our Church, I conceive to have been, that the rest of that Order might by their example be admonished, with∣out dissimulation either to resign their Bishopricks to others that were thought more worthy, or be induced to conform themselves to the present Reformation of the Church, according to the pre∣script of the Laws in that behalf lately Enacted. And yet I would there were not sufficient cause to suspect, that this was

but a made opportunity, the removal of these obstacles making [ 1548] way for the Invasion of these widow Seas. For as soon as Tonstall was exautorated, that rich Bishoprick of Duresm by Act of Par∣liament was wrecked, the chief revenues and customs of it being incorporated to the Crown, and the rest in despight of the Te∣nants so gelded, that at this day it scarce possesseth the third part of its antient Revenues. Yet did Queen Mary seriously endeavour the restitution of those religious portions: Queen Elizabeth would hardly consent that it should lose any of its plumes, (yet some it did) and King James hath lately enacted against the Alienation of Church-lands, yea even to the Crown, otherwise than upon reservation of a reasonable Rent, and the return of them to the Church after the expiration of three lives or one and twenty years. The hungry Courtier finding how good a thing the Church was, had now for some years become acquainted with it out of a zealous intent to Prey: Neither could the horridness of her sacred Skeleton as yet so work on him, as to divert his resolutions, and compassionately to leave the Church to her reli∣gious poverty. Beside, the infancy of the King in this incertain ebb and flow of Religion, made her opportune to all kind of Sa∣criledge. So that we are deservedly to thank the Almighty Guar∣dian of the Church, that these Locusts have not quite devoured the Maintenance of the Labourers in this English Vineyard. For we yet retain that antient form of government in the Primitive Church by Bishops, who have for the most part wherewith to support their honourable Function, as likewise have other those subordinate Prelates, Deans, Archdeacons, and Canons of Ca∣thedral Churches: And as for our Preachers of the more polite and learned sort, we think him little befriended by Fortune, who long liveth in expectation of a competent preferment. I would the residue of the Reformed Churches of Christendom had not been pared so near the quick by precise hands, that but some few of them might in this kind be paralleled with ours.

And now behold two Brothers acting their several Tragedies. Jealousie, Envy, and Ambition infernal Furies, had armed them against each other, and the Pride of the Feminine Sex prepared them for the Lists. A lamentable exigent, wherein the loss of his Adversary must be the destruction of each, wherein the King∣dom must groan at the loss of one, both being in the Estate in∣compatible; wherein the King himself must (as most suspect he did) suffer, that he might not suffer. Thomas Seymour Lord Admiral had married Catharine Parr the Widow of the deceased King. What correspondence there might be between Her (who had been the Wife of the late Sovereign) and the Duchess of Somerset, whose Husband being Protector of the Realm, in point of command little differed from a Sovereign, and had over his Brother the Admiral the Advantages of Age, Dignity, and

general Esteem, if any man cannot without difficulty conjecture, [ 1548] I refer him to the first Book of Herodian, where let him observe the contentions arising between Crispina the Wife of Commodus, and Lucilla, who had been formerly married to L. Verus the Empe∣rour. But in this the divers dispositions of the Brothers set on edge on the emulous humours of their Wives. The Duke was mild, affable, free, open, and no way malicious; the Admiral was naturally turbulent, fierce, ambitious, and conceived him∣self to be of the two the fitter for Publick Government. Pre∣sently after the death of Henry, the Admiral thrust on by the flat∣tery of his overweening conceits, resolved to add a lustre to his good parts, by marrying the Lady Elizabeth, as yet indeed scarce marriageable. But the Protector wisely considering how rash and perilous this project was, frustrated that design. By his after marriage with Catharine a most beautiful and noble Lady, and abounding with wealth befitting her dignity, moft men were confident, that the gulf of his vast desires would have been satis∣fied; but the Law whereby he was condemned (though perad∣venture Enacted by strength of Faction) will manifest the con∣trary. What notice I have received, and what the publick Re∣cords testifie concerning this, being perswaded, that they swerve not much from the truth, I think I may without blame relate. The Admiral having now fortified himself with money and friends, and deeming his Brother's Lenity, Sluggishness; began to behold him with the eye of contempt, and to cast about how to dispossess him of the saddle, and (being of like degree of con∣sanguinity to the King) to enjoy the seat himself. To the fur∣therance of this project it would be conducible, secretly to vilisie and traduce the Protector's actions, to corrupt the King's Ser∣vants, especially if in any degree of favour, by fair words and large promises by degrees to assure himself of the Nobility, to secure his Castle of Holt with a Magazin of warlike provision but above all to take care for money the nerves of War and assu∣rance of Peace. These things having been ordered with exact diligence, and for supply of coin the Exchequer mightily pilled, he unmasks himself to some of the Nobility, signifying his intent of setling himself at the Stern, by forcibly seising on the King's person. Nay his madness so far transported him, that to one of them, conditionally that his assistance were not wanting to the advance∣ment of his designs, he promised that the King should marry his Daughter. In the mean time the Queen his Wife being in Septem∣ber delivered of a Daughter, died in child-bed, and that not with∣out suspition of Poison. For after her death he more importu∣nately sought the Lady Elizabeth than ever, eagerly endeavouring to procure her consent to a clandestine Marriage (as was that with the deceased Queen) and not until after the Nuptials, to crave the assent of the King or the Lords of the Council.

Notes

• The Scots and French besiege Hadinton.
• The Queen of Scots trans∣ported into France.
• Humes Castle and Fastcastle gained by the Enemy.
• Gardiner Bi∣shop of Win∣chester com∣mitted to the Tower.
• Gardiner de∣prived of his Bishoprick.
• Boner Bishop of London committed also.
• Discord 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Duke of So∣merset and his Brother the Lord Admiral.