Of the suppression of the Order of Observant Friers, and a preparatory for the dissolution of all the rest.
IT is the practise of advised Physicians, in purging of long corrupted bodies (where the ill humours may prescribe peaceable possession for many years) to proceed not violently, all at once; but gently, by degrees. The same course was embraced by King Henry in dissolving of Abbeys, gradually (and therefore the lesse visibly) to work their subversion, so to avoid the danger of a sudden and extreme alteration. And first He began with the Minorities, or Franciscan-Observant-Friers, whose chief seats were Greenwich, and Canterbury. Two motives mainly incensed Him against this Order; One, because two of their most eminent Fathers, Hugh Rich (Prior of a Covent in Canterbury) and Richard Risby, had tampered with Elizabeth Barton (aliàs the holy maid of Kent) and were convicted, and executed with her for high Treason. A second, because this Order generally manifested most contumacie and contempt against the King, in the matter of Queen Katharine's divorce, inveighing both in their sermons, a and disputations against the unlawfulness thereof, especially Elston and Payton, two famous Friers in London. A greatb Papist beholds it as ominous, and a prognostick of sad successe, that the Lady (afterward Queen) Elizabeth, just eleven moneths before, had been Christened in these Friers Church in Greenwich, as if Her baptizing therein portended, That those Friers should soon after be washed away from this their Covent.
2. Hereupon, in the year of our Lord 1534, the aforesaid whole Order of Friers-Observant were suppressed, and Augustine-Friers substituted in their pla∣ces. Nor were these Observants (like the Canon-Regulars in the last Chapter) disposed of in other Foundations, but totally and finally banished out of all Reli∣gious Societies. For, King Henry his smiles complemented the former out of their Houses, by their own willing condescension; whilst His frowns outed these as Delinquents, by a violent expulsion. Yea, probably, some of them had been expelled their lives, as well as their livings (two hundred of them being at once imprisoned) had not Sir Tho:c Wriotheslie, their great friend and favourer, sea∣sonably interceded for them to the King, on hopes of some of their future con∣formity to His Majesties desires.
3. Immediately after, a famous Petition, called the Supplication of Beggars, came into publick view. It was made some years before by one Mr. Simond Fish a Gentleman of Grays-Inne, and solemnly presented by George Eliot an English-Merchant, and entertained by King Henry for a great rarity: Though indeed the same long since had been tendred Him by Queene Anna Bollen, and the King acquainted with the passages therein. So that possibly, this Supplication might first come from some neer His Majesty, as contrivers thereof. And, as Mosesf was sent to be nursed unto her, who (though generally unknown) was indeed his own Mother which bare him: so Petitions may sometimes be recommended back to the same power that first framed them. Great ones delighting, not onely for the greater solemnity, but also for their better security to transferre their intentions to be other intreaties; their private designes finding more acceptance, when pas∣sing under the notion of a publick desire. The effect thereof was to complain, how a crew of strong, puissant, counterfeit-holy, idle beggars, and vagabonds, by their luxurie starved a number of needy, impotent, blinde, lame, and sick people, which otherwise might comfortably be maintained. As also to discover the foul