departed this life at his castell of Cawood: a man beside the
worthinesse of his birth highlie estéemed with his prince for his fast
fidelitie and great wisedome. He bestowed great cost in repairing
the castell of Cawood and the manor of Scrobie. His bodie was buried
at Yorke, but he appointed by his testament, that his hart should be
buried at Macclesfield in Cheshire, where he was borne, in a chapell
there of his foundation, ioining to the south side of the church,
meaning to haue founded a college there also, if his purpose had not
béene preuented by death. After him succéeded doctor Benbridge in the
archbishops sée of Yorke, being the fiftie and sixt archbishop that had
sat in that sée.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 184._]
About this same time Lewes the French king, the twelfe of that name
(who succéeded Charles the eighth that died at Amboise the night before
the eighth daie of Aprill, of a catarrhe, which the physicians call an
apoplexie, the same rising in him with such abundance, as he beheld a
match plaied at tennisse, that in a few houres he ended at the same
place his life: during the which, he had with greater importunitie
than vertue troubled the whole world with great appearance of danger
to kindle eftsoones new fiers of innouation and troubles) maried his
eldest daughter named Clare, vnto Francis de Valois Dolphin of Vienne,
and duke of Angolesme, which ladie was promised vnto Charles the king
of Castile: wherevpon by ambassadors sent to and fro betwixt king
Henrie and the said king of Castile, a mariage was concluded betwixt
the said king of Castile, and the ladie Marie, daughter to king Henrie,
being about the age of ten yeares. For conclusion of which mariage,
the lord of Barow, & other ambassadors were sent into England from the
emperor Maximilian which with great rewards returned.
[Sidenote: 1508.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 879._]
[Sidenote: William Capell sued by the king.]
[Sidenote: Tho. Knelsworth imprisoned.]
[Sidenote: Norwich on fier.]
¶ William Browne mercer maior of London, this yeare deceassed, and
foorthwith sir Laurence Ailmer draper was chosen and sworne, and went
home in a graie cloake, with the sword borne before him, on the eight
and twentith daie of March. Item he tooke his oth at the Tower, and
kept no feast. William Capell was put in sute by the king for things
by him doone in his maioraltie. Also Thomas Knelsworth that had béene
maior of London, and his shiriffes, were sent to the kings Bench,
till they were put to their fines of fouretéene hundred pounds. In
the moneth of Iune, the citie of Norwich was sore perished, & néere
consumed with fier, that began in a Frenchmans house named Peter
Iohnson, a surgian, in the parish of saint George.
[Sidenote: Frée schoole at Wlfrunehampton.]
Stephan Genings merchant tailor, maior of London, founded a frée
grammar schoole at Wlfrunehampton in Staffordshire, with conuenient
lodgings for the maister and vsher, in the same place where he was
borne. He gaue lands sufficient for the maintenance, leauing the
ouersight thereof to the merchant tailors in London, who haue hitherto
iustlie dealt in that matter, and also augmented the building there.
Maister Nichols, who maried the onelie daughter and heire of the
aforesaid Stephan Genings, gaue lands to mainteine the pauements of
that towne. Also, Iohn Leneson esquier, about Anno 1556, gaue lands,
whereof foure pounds should be dealt euerie yeare, on good fridaie, to
the poore people of Wlfrunehampton, and six and twentie shillings eight
pence yéerelie, towards the reparation of the church there.
[Sidenote: Iohn Ligh of Wlfruneh[=a]pton, his rare example of charitie.]
Moreouer, about Anno 1566, sir Iohn Ligh, a préest, which had serued in
that church there, the space of thréescore years, for fiue pounds, six
shillings and eight pence the yeare, without anie other augmentation
of his liuing, who would neuer take anie other benefice, or other
preferment, gaue twentie pounds, to purchase twentie shillings the
yeare lands, the same to be giuen yearelie for euer to the poore of
Wlfrunehampton vpon good fridaie; & twelue pounds thirtéene shillings
foure pence, to purchase a marke a yeare lands, the same to be giuen to
the poore of Chifnall, in the countie of Salope, where the said Ligh
was borne. This man liued nigh one hundred years. He bestowed besides
his owne labour which was great (in bearing of stones, &c.) aboue
twentie pounds on the high waies about that towne of Wlfrunehampton.
[Sidenote: Wlfruneh[=a]pton, corruptlie called Wolnerhampton.]
[Sidenote: _Ex charta regia._]
This towne of Wlfrunehampton, is now corruptlie called Wolnerhampton:
for in Anno 996, in king Ethelreds time (who wrote himselfe Rex
Anglorum & princeps Northumbrorum Olympiade tertia regni sui, for so
he wrote the count of his reigne then, which was the fiftéenth yeare)
it was then called Hampton, as appeareth by an old charter written by
the notary of the said king Ethelred, which charter I haue séene and
read. And for that a noble woman named Wlfrune a Widow, some time wife
to Althelme duke of Northampton, did obteine of the said king to giue
lands vnto the church there which she had founded, the said towne
tooke the addition of the same Wlfrune, for that charter so named hir
Wlfrune, and the towne Hampton.
[Sidenote: _Smart._]
[Sidenote: Hospitall of the Sauoie.]
[Sidenote: _Rec. of Canturb. church._]
In this yeare was finished the goodlie hospitall of the Sauoie néere
vnto Charingcrosse, which was a notable foundation for the poore, doone
by king Henrie the seauenth, vnto the which he purchased and gaue lands
for the reléeuing of one hundred poore people. This was first named
Sauoie place, by Peter earle of Sauoie, father to Boniface archbishop
of Canturburie, about the nine and twentith yeare of king Henrie the
third, who made the said Peter erle of Richmond. This house belonged
since to the duke of Lancaster, and at this time was conuerted to
an hospitall, still reteining the first name of Sauoie. King Henrie
also builded thrée houses of Franciscane friers, which are called
obseruants, at Richmond, Gréenewich, and Newarke; and thrée other of
the familie of Franciscane friers which are called conuentuals, at
Canturburie, Newcastell, and Southampton.
[Sidenote: _Fr. Thin._]
[Sidenote: Thomas Ruthall bishop of Durham.]
[Sidenote: The situation of Cicester.]
¶ This yeare was Thomas Ruthall made bishop of Durham by Henrie the
seauenth, touching whose place of birth (being at Cirencester now
Cicester) and himselfe, I will not refuse to set downe what Leland
(about the yeare 1542) hath written, not being vnfit héere to be
recorded. Cirencester (saith he) in Latine called Corinium standeth
on the riuer Churne. "There haue béene thrée parish churches, whereof
saint Cicilies church is cleane downe, being of late but a chappell.
Saint Laurence yet standeth, but it is no parish church. There be two
poore almes women endued with land. There is now but one parish church
in all Cirencester that is verie faire, the bodie of which church
is all new worke, to the which Ruthall bishop of Durham (borne and
brought vp in Cirencester) promised much, but (preuented by death) gaue
nothing. One Anne Aueling aunt to doctor Ruthall by the mothers side,
gaue one hundred markes to the building of that church. King Henrie
the first made the hospitall of saint Iohns at Cirencester. Thus farre
Leland."
[Sidenote: The bishop was one of K. Henrie the eights priuie councell.]
[Sidenote: The king c[=o]mmandeth him to write a booke of the whole
estate of the kingdom.]
This man thus borne at Cicencester in Glocestershire, and made bishop
of Durham, was afer the death of king Henrie the seauenth, one of the
priuie councell to king Henrie the eight; in whose court he was so
continuallie attendant, that he could not steale anie time to attend
the affaires of his bishoprike. But yet not altogither carelesse
(though not so much as he ought to haue béene) of the place and cause
from whence and for which he receiued so great reuenues, as came vnto
his hands from that sée. He repaired the third part of Tine bridge
next vnto the south, which he might well doo; for he was accompted the
richest subiect through the realme. To whome (remaining then at the
court) the king gaue in charge to write a booke of the whole estate
of the kingdome, bicause he was knowne to the king to be a man of
sufficiencie for the discharge thereof, which he did accordinglie.
Afterwards, the king commanded cardinall Woolseie to go to this bishop,
and to bring the booke awaie with him to deliuer to his maiestie. But
sée the mishap! that a man in all other things so prouident, should
now be so negligent: and at that time most forget himselfe, when (as
it after fell out) he had most néed to haue remembred himselfe. For
this bishop hauing written two bookes (the one to answer the kings
command, and the other intreating of his owne priuate affaires) did
bind them both after one sort in vellame, iust of one length, bredth,
and thicknesse, and in all points in such like proportion answering one
another, as the one could not by anie especiall note be discerned from
the other: both of which he also laid vp togither in one place of his
studie.
[Sidenote: The bishops booke of his priuat affaires vnaduisedlie
deliuered in stéed of the kings.]
Now when the cardinall came to demand the booke due to the king: the
bishop vnaduisedlie commanded his seruant to bring him the booke bound
in white vellame lieng in his studie in such a place. The seruant
dooing accordinglie, brought foorth one of those bookes so bound, being
the booke intreating of the state of the bishop, and deliuered the same
vnto his maister, who receiuing it (without further consideration
or looking on) gaue it to the cardinall to beare vnto the king. The
cardinall hauing the booke, went from the bishop, and after (in his
studie by himselfe) vnderstanding the contents thereof, he greatlie
reioised, hauing now occasion (which he long sought for) offered vnto
him to bring the bishop into the king's disgrace.
[Sidenote: The bishops owne booke disaduantageable to himselfe.]
[Sidenote: The bishop dieth of a sorowfull and pensiue conceipt.]
Wherefore he went foorthwith to the king, deliuered the booke into his
hands, and bréefelie informed the king of the contents thereof; putting
further into the king's head, that if at anie time he were destitute of
a masse of monie, he should not néed to séeke further therefore than
to the cofers of the bishop, who by the tenor of his owne booke had
accompted his proper riches and substance to the value of a hundred
thousand pounds. Of all which when the bishop had intelligence (what
he had doon, how the cardinall vsed him, what the king said, and what
the world reported of him) he was striken with such gréefe of the same,
that he shortlie through extreame sorrow ended his life at London,
in the yeare of Christ 1523. After whose death the cardinall, which
had long before gaped after the said bishoprike, in singular hope
to atteine therevnto, had now his wish in effect: which he the more
easilie compassed, for that he had his nets alwaies readie cast, as
assuring himselfe to take a trout: following therein a prophane mans
cautelous counsell, and putting the same in practise; who saith:
[Sidenote: _Ouid._]
Casus vbiq; valet, semper tibi pendeat hamus,
Quo minimè credis gurgite piscis erit.
[Sidenote: 1509.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 24.]
[Sidenote: The death of king Henrie the seuenth.]
The sicknesse which held the king dailie more and more increasing,
he well perceiued that his end drew néere, and therefore meaning to
doo some high pleasure to his people, granted of his frée motion a
generall pardon to all men, for all offenses doone & committed against
anie his lawes or statutes; théeues, murtherers, & certeine other were
excepted. He paied also the fées of all prisoners in the gaoles in and
about London, abiding there onelie for that dutie. He paied also the
debts of all such persons as laie in the counters of Ludgate for fortie
shillings & vnder; and some he reléeued that were condemned in ten
pounds. Herevpon were processions generallie vsed euerie daie in euerie
citie and parish, to praie to almightie God for his restoring to health
and long continuance of the same. Neuerthelesse, he was so wasted with
his long maladie, that nature could no longer susteine his life, and
so he departed out of this world the two and twentith of Aprill, in
his palace of Richmond, in the yéere of our Lord 1509. His corpse was
conueied with all funerall pompe to Westminster, and there buried by
the good quéene his wife in a sumptuous chapell, which he not long
before had caused to be builded.
[Sidenote: What children he had.]
[Sidenote: The description of king Henrie the seuenth.]
He reigned thrée and twentie yeares, and more than seuen moneths, and
liued two and fiftie yeares. He had by his quéene Elizabeth foure
sonnes, and foure daughters, of the which thrée remained aliue behind
him. Henrie his second son prince of Wales, which after him was king,
Margaret quéen of Scots, and the ladie Marie promised to Charles king
of Castile. He was a man of bodie but leane and spare, albeit mightie
and strong therewith; of personage and stature somewhat higher than
the meane sort of men, of a woonderfull beautie and faire complexion,
of countenance merie and smiling, especiallie in his communication,
his eies graie, his téeth single, and haire thin, of wit in all things
quicke and prompt, of a princelie stomach and hautie courage. In great
perils, doubtfull affaires, and matters of importance, supernaturall
and in maner diuine; for he ordered all his dooings aduisedlie and with
great deliberation.
[Sidenote: Iustice mingled with mercie.]
Besides this, he was sober, moderate, honest, courteous, bountious,
and so much abhorring pride and arrogancie, that he was euer sharpe
and quicke to them that were noted with that fault. He was also an
indifferent and vpright iusticer, by the which one thing he allured
to him the hearts of manie people, and yet to this seueritie of his
he ioined a certeine mercifull pitie, which he did extend to those
that had offended the penall lawes, and were put to their fines by
his iustices. He did vse his rigour onelie (as he said himselfe) to
dant, bring low, and abate the high minds and stout stomachs of the
wealthie and wild people, nourished vp in seditious factions and ciuill
rebellions, rather than for the gréedie desire of monie; although such
as were scourged with amerciaments cried out, and said it was rather
for the respect of gaine, than for anie politike prouision. Indéed he
left his coffers well stuffed, for he was no wastfull consumer of his
riches by anie inordinat meanes.
[Sidenote: Out of the bishop of Rochesters funerall sermon preached in
Paules church at London.]
To conclude, he had asmuch in him of gifts both of bodie, mind and
fortune, as was possible for anie potentate or king to haue. His
politike wisedome in gouernance was singular, his wit alwaie quicke
and readie, his reason pithie and substantiall, his memorie fresh and
holding, his experience notable, his counsels fortunate and taken by
wise deliberation, his spéech gratious in diuerse languages, his person
(as before ye haue heard) right comelie, his naturall complexion of the
purest mixture, leagues and confederations he had with all christian
princes. His mightie power was dread euerie where, not onelie within
his realme but without. Also his people were to him in as humble
subjection as euer they were to king; his land manie a daie in peace
and tranquillitie, his prosperitie in battell against his enimies was
maruellous, his dealing in time of perils and dangers was cold and
sober, with great hardinesse. If anie treason were conspired against
him, it came out wonderfullie. His buildings most goodlie, and after
the newest cast, all of pleasure.
And so this king liuing all his time in fortunes fauour, in high
honour, wealth and glorie, for his noble acts and prudent policies is
woorthie to be registred in the booke of fame, least time (the consumer
of all worthie things) should blot out the memorie of his name here in
earth, whose soule we trust liueth in heauen, enioieng the fruition
of the godhead, & those pleasures prepared for the faithfull. [In
memorie of whome, his manifold vertues, with the fortunate successe
of his affaires, and the gratious descent of his loines, as they
procured a famous report in nations farre and néere; so haue some at
the contemplation of his princelinesse, and euerie waie crowned with
felicitie, made memorials of his magnificence; to the immortalitie of
his high praise and vnblemishable renowme: among whome (for the truth
of the report iustifiable by the contents of this historie) one commeth
to mind, which may well serue for an epitaph:
Septimus Henricus factis est nomen adeptus
Præclarum claris ventura in secula famæ:
Ciuibus ille suis fuerat charissimus, hostes
Omnes iure ipsum metuebant: numinis almi
Relligiosus erat cultor, pietatis & æqui,
Versutos hominésque malos vehementiùs odit.
Viginti totos charus trésque ampliùs annos
Regibus externis in summo vixit honore:
Magnanimus, iustus rex, prudens atque modestus,
Henrico hæredi moriens sua regna reliquit,
Diuitiásque, immensum argenti pondus & auri.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 892._]
[Sidenote: Sepulture of Henrie the seuenth.]
[Sidenote: Executors to Henrie the suenth.]
¶The altar and sepulture of the same king Henrie the seuenth, wherein
he now resteth, in his new chappell at Westminster, was made and
finished in the yeare of our Lord 1519, by one Peter T. a painter of
the citie of Florence, for the which he receiued one thousand pounds
sterling for the whole stuffe and workemanship, at the hands of the
king executors, Richard bishop of Winchester, Richard Fitz Iames bishop
of London, Thomas bishop of Duresme, Iohn bishop of Rochester, Thomas
duke of Norffolke treasuror of England, Edward earle of Worcester the
kings Chamberleine, Iohn F. knight, chiefe iustice of the kings Bench,
Robert R. knight chiefe justice of the common plées, &c.]
Of learned men that liued in this kings daies (as maister Bale noteth
them) these are recorded. First George Rppeleie a Carmelite frier at
Boston, séene in the mathematikes, he wrote diuerse treatises, and
after his decease was accounted a nekromancer; Iohn Erghom borne in
Yorke, a blacke frier, a doctor of diuinitie professed in Oxford,
studious of prophesies, as by the title of the works which he wrote
it may appeare; Iohn Persiuall a Chartreux monke; Thomas Maillorie a
Welshman borne, he wrote (I wote not what) of king Arthur, and of the
round table; Iohn Rousse borne in Warwikeshire, a diligent searcher
of antiquities, whervpon few libraries were any where to be séene in
England and Wales, where he made not search for the same, and wrote
sundrie treatises of historicall arguments. He deceassed at Warwike the
fourtéenth of Ianuarie in the yeare 1491, and was buried in our ladie
church there.
[Sidenote: _Dromorensis episcopus._]
Thomas Scroope, otherwise surnamed Bradleie, descended of the noble
familie of the Scroops, professed sundrie kinds of religions, as
that of the order of saint Benet, and saint Dominike, and likewise
he became a Carmelite, and last of all he fell to and preached the
gospell in haire and sackecloth, till he vnderstood himselfe to be in
the displeasure of Walden and other, that could not awaie with such
singularitie in him or other, sounding (as they tooke it) to the danger
of bringing the doctrine of the Romish church in misliking with the
people; for then he withdrew himselfe to his house againe, and there
remained twentie yeares, leading an anchors life, but yet after that
time he came abroad, and was aduanced to be a bishop in Ireland, and
went to the Roades in ambassage, from whence, being returned, he went
barefooted vp and downe in Norffolke, teaching in townes and in the
countrie abroad the ten commandements, he liued till he came to be at
the point of an hundred yeares old, & departed this life the fiftéenth
day of Ianuarie in the yeare of our Lord 1491, and was buried at
Lestolfe, in Suffolke.
Iohn Tonneis, a diuine and an Augustine frier in Norwich, wrote
certeine rules of grammar, and other things printed by Richard Pinson;
Gefferie surnamed the Grammarian; Iohn Alcocke bishop of Elie, changed
a nunrie at Cambridge into a college named Iesus college, about the
yéere of Christ 1496. The chiefe cause of suppressing the nunrie is
noted to be, for that the abbesse and other of the conuent liued
dissolute liues; Stephan Hawes a learned gentleman, and of such
reputation, as he was admitted to be one of the priuie chamber to king
Henrie the seuenth; William Bintrée, so called of a towne in Norffolke
where he was borne, by profession a Carmelite frier in Burnham, a great
diuine; William Gallion an Augustine frier in Lin, and at length became
prouinciall of his order.
Robert Fabian a citizen and merchant of London, an historiographer,
he was in his time in good estimation for his wisedome and wealth
in the citie, so that he bare office and was shiriffe in the yeare
1493; William Celling, borne beside Feuersham in Kent, a monke of
Canturburie; Thomas Bourchier descended of the noble linage of the
earles of Essex, was first bishop of Elie, and after remooued from
thense to Canturburie, succéeding Iohn Kemp in that archbishops sée, at
length created by pope Paule the second a cardinall; Philip Bromierd
a Dominicke frier a diuine; Iohn Miles a doctor of both the lawes,
ciuill and canon, he studied in Oxenford in the college of Brasen nose,
newlie founded in the daies of this king Henrie the seuenth by William
Smith bishop of Lincolne; Richard Shirborne bishop of Chichester, and
imploied in ambassage to diuerse princes, as a man most méet thereto
for his singular knowledge in learning and eloquence.
Robert Viduus vicar of Thakestéed in Essex, and a prebendarie canon
of Welles, an excellent poet; Peter Kenighall a Carmelit frier, but
borne of worshipfull linage in France, hauing an Englishman to his
father, was student in Oxenford, and became a notable preacher; Iohn
Morton first bishop of Elie, and after archbishop of Canturburie the
sixtie and fourth in number that ruled that sée, he was aduanced to
the dignitie of a cardinall, and by king Henrie the seuenth made
lord chancellor, a worthie councellor and a modest, he was borne of
worshipfull parents in Cheshire, & departed this life in the yeare of
our Lord 1500; Henrie Medwall chapleine to the said Morton; Edmund
Dudleie borne of noble parentage, studied the lawes of this land, and
profited highlie in knowledge of the same, he wrote a booke intituled
Arbor rei publicæ, the trée of the common wealth: of this man ye haue
heard before in the life of this king, and more (God willing) shall be
said in the beginning of the next king, as the occasion of the historie
leadeth; Iohn Bokingham an excellent schooleman; William Blackeneie a
Carmelit frier, a doctor of diuinitie, and a nekromancer.
Thus farre Henrie the seuenth, sonne to Edmund earle of Richmond.
Transcriber's Notes:
Simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors in the prose
were corrected.
Punctuation normalized.
Archaic, colloquial, and non-standard spellings retained as
printed.
Italics markup is enclosed in _underscores_.
Characters with a macron are indicated as [=x] where "x" is the
character with a macron.
P. 528 changed 1468 to 1498.