State-worthies, or, The states-men and favourites of England since the reformation their prudence and policies, successes and miscarriages, advancements and falls, during the reigns of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, King James, King Charles I.

Observations on the Life of Sir Tho∣mas Howard.

SIr Edward's Brother in Worth, as well as Blood: His Fathers Interest set him up, and his own Industry kept him so: All the Children were brought up for Sea-Services, this Gentleman for Sea Commands. He immediatly succeeds his younger Brother in the Admiralty; and wisely considering the advantage of the French Gallies in a calm, the number of their ships, the danger of their winds for us, if they blew South-west, desir∣ed of the King so many Souldiers as might man the ships, and make good the landing, wherewith he scoured the seas, and secured the Kings passage, with so much Honour, that he was able to assist his Father at Court, as much as Wolsey did Fox: his Gallantry being no less pleasing to his Master, than the other young Favou••ites Compliance; and both these young men had no less Art to govern his Prince, than he had to govern his Kingdom: These Arts, which all other Favourites use, being Hopes and Fears, which as Doors & Passages to the heart, a••e so guarded by their vigilancy, that they c••n

both let themselves in, and keep all others out: the two Ends upon which the Thread of Govern∣ment depends. His Father is made Duke of Nor∣folk, and he Earl of Surrey; both are an eye-sore to the Cardinal, who••e Fortune h••d no Superior in the Ki••gs Favour, whose Ambition would en∣dure no Equal The Old Mans years and cares are fitted with a Retirement in the Country; the Young Mans ambition and activity, with a Go∣vernment in I••eland, which he reduced as speedily to obedience (notwithstanding Desmond's Rebelli∣on) as he had to civility, had it not been for Wol∣sey's Underminings, who endured no publick ser∣vice but what he did himself; and would chuse ra∣ther that the Kingdom should perish by a Traytor, then be saved by a Nobleman. Beloved he was by that Country (where he left a Peace and a Parlia∣ment, Anno 1521.) so that they were loth to part with him: Wanted he was by the King, to scour the narrow seas for the French War; so that he must have him. The King hath made him for∣merly His Admiral, the Emperour upon his return from England makes him his; and with both their Commissions he lands in Normandy, wastes the ad∣jacent Countries, (sparing only Religious Houses) takes and sacks Morlais in Bretaign (which he en∣tered under the smoak) burns their ships, com∣mands the sea, and sets the Emperour safe in Spain; advising his Majesty from thence to make a gene∣ral Muster of his Subjects for his own satisfaction and others terrour, March 27, 1522. The trou∣bles in Scotland required an able Head and a stout Heart, two Endowments that no man was more Master of than the Earl of Surrey, now Duke of

Norfolk (upon his beloved Fathers decease) whose Prudence toyled the Scots to deliver up their King, as his Prowess frighted them to yeild up themselves, as they did in that most exquisi••e Treaty, where the Earl of Worcester beat the Bush, saith my noble Author, and our Duke catched the Hare.

A while after he is Earl Marshal, and Embassa∣dor to King ••rancis about t••ose two grand poin••s:

• 1. That the French King should set up a Patriarch:
• 2. That he should stop up all the payments made to Rome, wi••h fair promises of that supply of men and money he then most wanted

When the Pope stuck to Queen Katherine, three things he advised the King to:

• 1. To teach the people that a general Council was above the Pope, and proclaim that he did ap∣peal to it.
• 2. To fix upon every Church-Door the Dowa∣gers Appeal to Rome, and the late Statute against it.
• 3. To confederate with the Kings of Hunga••y and Poland, the Estates of the Empire and the Hanse Towns. Three things that would settle his People at home, and strengthen his Interest a∣broad: To which he added the Statute of Suc∣cession, the Oath of Supremacy, Sir William Ho∣ward's Embassy to the Scotch King, the suppression of Religious Houses, the War in Ireland under Sir William Sheffington, and a thorow search into the bottom of the Rebellion in the North, by a con∣nivance and delay.

But all his services could not quit him from su∣spicion, nor his popularity from envy: The Lord Da••cy accuseth him to excuse himself, and Cromwel seconds him ••o secure himself: & (as unhappinesses follow one another in the same order as one wave flowe••h after another) his Nieces miscarriages threatned his fall; but that the honest man (as ap∣pears from a Letter the whole Council sent to Sir William Paget then resident in France) was the first that declared against her, and put the King up∣on the most safe & honourable ways of trying her; which sati••fied his Majesty so far, that he employed him as c••ief in the Treaty upon the Borders, and General in the War when that Treaty failed; Sir Anthony Brown, upon his Recommendation, being added to the Commissioners in Scotland, and to the Privy-Council in England, ••s Master of the King's Horse, as Sir Iohn Gages was Compt••oller of his House.

Several Persons came to London for a Reward of their Scotch service••; this Duke gave the King a wa••y and grave counsel, to bestow upon them as much Land as they could win in Scotland.

But Greatness is fatal: The King is old and testy, the Government disordered & irregular, the Duke too stifly honest to comply, the Council envy him; and in this Juncture his Wives passion discovereth his Minions, and they, to save themselves, his pri∣vacies and secrets: His son, a man of a deep unde••∣standing, of a sharp wit and great valour, bred up with Henry Fitz-roy at Windsor, and afterwards at Paris, was beheaded before his face. His Favourite M••s. Holland deposed, That he said many, looked for the Protectorship (when the King, who lived and

moved by Engines and Art, rather than by Nature, should die) but he would carry it: That the King did not love him because he was loved by his Coun∣try; but he would follow his Fathers Lesson, which was, That the less others set by him, the more he would set by himself: That he had a Daughter for the King as well as others•• &c. His Estate was great, his pow∣er greater; the King's occasions had swallowed up the one, and his Enemies ambition the other, not∣withstanding his humble submission before the Council, and his many services to the King, had not his Majesties Death saved his Life.

As the deepest Hate is that which springs from violent Love, so ••he greatest Discourtesies oft arise from the largest Favours. It is indiscreet to op∣press any, dangerous a Prince with Kindnesses; which being Fetters, are Treason on that Person: But Suspicion! Ah sad Suspicion! The Companion of the Weak or Guilty! The Cloud of the Mind! The Forfeiture of Friends! The check of Busine••s! Thou that disposest Kings to Tyranny! Husbands to Jealousie! Wise men to Irresolution and Melan∣choly! Trust, and you need never suspect: But Policy and Friendship are incompatible, I see; where Norfolk begs that Life from the Block at last, which he had ventured two and thirty times for his Sove∣reign. Who knows the Cares that go to Bed with Statesmen! Enemies Abroad, Treache••ies at Home, Emulations of Neighbours, Dissatisfaction of Friends; Jealousies of most, Fear of all: unwel∣come Inventions to palliate unjust Courses: fears of Miscarriage and Disgrace; with Projects of Honour and Plausibility, with restless thoughts how to dis∣cover, prevent, conceal, accommodate the Adver∣saries,

or his own Affairs. Let us live, and love, and say, God help poor Kings!