Anglorum speculum, or The worthies of England, in church and state Alphabetically digested into the several shires and counties therein contained; wherein are illustrated the lives and characters of the most eminent persons since the conquest to this present age. Also an account of the commodities and trade of each respective county, and the most flourishing cities and towns therein.

Statesmen.

Sir Th. More, Son to Sir Jo. one of the Justices of the K. Bench, was bred in Oxford. He became Barrister and Judge in the Sheriff of London's Court, and never took a Fee from the Poor or Widow, &c. Being Member of the House of Commons, he ob∣structed H. 7. about Money for the Marriage of his Daughter Marg. a Courtier telling the K. that a Beardless Boy had obstructed his desires. K. Hen. 8. coming to the Crown, Knighted him and made him Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster, then Lord Chancellor of England. He demeaned himself with great Integrity. Refusing a complyance a∣bout the Queens Divorce, he resigned his Place. It was against his Mind that any should suffer for their Consciences; He rather soiled his Fingers than dirted his Hands, in the matter of the Holy Maid of Kent. He used to say, that his Natural Temper was so tender that he could not endure a Philip; yet he suffered 16 Months Imprisonment for refusing the Oath of Supremacy. When the Lieutenant of the Tower told him he was sorry his Commons were no better, I like (said Sir Th.) your diet very well, and if I dislike it, I pray turn me out of Doors. He was beheaded 153. He left but 100 l. per An. Estate, having perfectly hated Covetousness, as appears by his refusing of 4 or 5000 l. offered him by the Clergy. Of his Latine Books, Ʋtopia is the most considerable. His Daugh. Marg. for all Lear∣ning and Languagues the Miracle of her Age, was for her secresie entrusted by her Father with his most important Affairs. Erasmus hath dedicated some Epistles to her. Being well red in the Fa∣thers, she mended a depraved Place in St. Cyprian

(nisi vos sinceritatis) making it Nervos Sincerita∣tis. She translated Eusebius out of Greek, which (because done before) was not Printed. She bought her Fathers Head and kept it for a Relique till she was Questioned before the Council for the same.

Th. Wriothesley, Knight of the Garter, was bred in Cambridge. He became an Eminent Lawyer. He was by Henry 8. created Baron of Tichborne 1543, and a year after Chancellor of England. From which Place being afterwards removed by Edward 6. he was created Earl of Southampton. He died 1550, and lyes buried at St. Andrews in Holbourn.

William Paget, Knight, Privy Councellor to 4 successive Princes. King Henry 8. made him Secre∣tary, and employed him Ambassador to Ch. 5. Em∣peror and the King of France. King Edward 6. made him Chancellor of the Dutchy, Comptroller of his House and created him Baron of Beaude∣sert. Queen Mary made him Keeper of the Privy-Seal. Queen Elizabeth dispenced with his attendance at Court, in favour to his great age and highly re∣spected him. Duke Dudley in the daies of King Edward, ignominiously took from him the Garter of the Order, quarrelling that by Extraction he was not qualified for the same, no wonder if his Pride wrongfully snatched a Garter from a Subject, whose Ambition endeavoured to deprive 2 Princes of a Crown. This was restored to him by Queen Mary, as to a person who by his Prudence, had merited much of the Nation. He died 1563. and was bu∣ried in Lichfield.

Th. Went••orth (of York-shire parentage) was bred in Cambridge, became a Champion Patriot on all occasions, and seemed to have a casting voice in the House of Commons. He was created Bar. and

Visc. Wentworth, Earl of Strafford and Lord Dep. of Ireland; where he vigorously endeavored the re∣duction of the Irish to Obedience to the King and profit to the Exchequer, but some believe the means he used for that good end were not Legal. Being charged in Parliament with many Crimes, he plea∣ded, that they amounted not to Treason. But the Parliament found an Almighty expedient of gi∣ving the Name and stamping the signature of Ac∣cumulative Treason on that Brave Gentleman's past Actions. By a Clause in the 25 of Edward 3. after an enumeration of many particular Treasons, it is in general Enacted, that whatsoever the Parlia∣ment should (hereafter) declare to be Treason should be accounted so, by Vertue of that Statute. It seems the Parliament did only pursue their pow∣er given them by that Act. But there are two things worth the consideration in this Case, first, According to the aforesaid Statute, Such Crimes as were afterwards to be declared Treasonable, ought to be of like Nature with those Treasons which are specified in the said Act. Secondly, If the Parliament had made those Misdemeanors Constructive Trea∣son before that my Lord Strafford had committed them, he could have had no colour for the Plea he made; But seeing where there is no Law, there is no Transgression; my Lord of Strafford at the time of his Misdemeanours committed was guilty of no Trea∣son; and if it was possible for him to become guil∣ty of the same, ex post facto, I leave to the Learned to determine. The Parliament provided his Con∣demnation should not pass into Precedent. Some hours before his suffering he fell fast asleep, al∣ledged by his Friends as an Evidence of the clearness of his Conscience. He was beheaded 1641. He hath an everlasting Monument in the great

Character given him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Med. 2. p. 6. I looked upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentelman whose Abilities might make a Prince rather affraid than ashamed in the greatest Affairs of State, &c. King Charles II. hath made his Son a Knight of the Garter.

Lyonel Cranfield, Merchant, Man of a great Sense, was made by King James Lord Treasurer, Baron of Cranfield and Earl of Middlesex. Having lost the Treasurers Place by the means of the D. of Buckingham, into whose displeasure he had fallen, he was wont to say that the way to preserve Life was to get to be Lord Treasurer of England, for they never dye in their Place, which was true for 4 Successions. He was a Wise and Good Man. He dyed about 1644.