+Source.+--Burnet's _History of the Reformation_, Part I., Book III.;
_Collection of Records_, No. 16; from the _Parliament Rolls_, Act 60,
32 H. VIII.
Thomas Cromwell, now Earl of Essex, whom your Majesty took and
received into your trusty service, the same Thomas then being a man of
very base and low degree, and for singular Favour, Trust and
Confidences which your Majesty bare and had in him, did not only erect
and advance the same Thomas unto the state of an Earl, and enriched
him with manifold gifts, as well of Goods, as of Lands and Offices,
but also him, the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, did erect and
make one of your most trusty Counsellors, as well concerning your
Graces most supreme jurisdictions Ecclesiastical, as your most high
secret affairs temporal. Nevertheless, your Majesty now of late hath
found, and tried, by a large number of witnesses, being your faithful
subjects and personages of great honour, worship and discretion, the
said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex contrary to the singular trust and
confidence your Majesty had in him, to be the most false, and corrupt
Traitor, Deceiver, and Circumventor against your most Royal Person,
and the Imperial Crown of this your realm, that hath been known, seen
or heard of in all the time of your most noble reign: Insomuch that it
is manifestly proved and declared, by the depositions of the witnesses
aforesaid that the same Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, usurping upon
your Kingly Estate, Power, Authority, and Office: without your grace's
command or assent hath taken upon him to set at liberty divers
persons, being convicted and attained of Misprision of High Treason;
and divers other being apprehended, and in Prison, for Suspection of
High Treason, and over that, divers and many times, at sundry places
in this your Realm, for manifold sums of money to him given, most
traitorously hath taken upon him by several writings to give and
grant, as well unto aliens, as to your subjects, a great number of
licences for conveying and carrying of Money, Corn, Grain, Beans,
Beer, Leather, Tallow, Bells, Metals, Horses, and other commodities of
this your Realm, contrary to your Highness' most Godly and Gracious
Proclamations made for the Commonwealth of your people of this your
realm in that behalf, and in derogation of your Crown and Dignity. And
the same Thomas Cromwell, elated, and full of pride, contrary to his
most bounden Duty, of his own authority and Power, not regarding your
Majesty Royal; and further taking upon him your power, Sovereign Lord,
in that behalf, divers and many times most traitorously hath
constituted, deputed, and assigned, many singular persons of your
subjects to be Commissioners in many your great, urgent, and weighty
causes and affairs, executed and done in this your realm, without the
assent, knowledge, or consent of your highness. And further also,
being a person of as poor and low degree, as few be within this your
realm; pretending to have so great a stroke about you, our, and his
natural Sovereign Liege Lord, that he let not to say publickly, and
declare that he was sure of you, which is detestable, and to be
abhorred amongst all good subjects in any Christian realm, that any
subject should enterprise or take upon him so to speak of his
Sovereign Liege Lord and King. And also of his own Authority and
Power, without your Highness' consent, hath made and granted, as well
to strangers as to your own subjects, divers and many pass-ports, to
pass over the seas, with horses, and great sums of money, without any
search. Most Gracious Sovereign Lord, the same Thomas Cromwell, Earl
of Essex, hath allured and drawn unto him by retainours, many of your
subjects sunderly inhabiting in every of your said shires and
territories, as well as erroneously persuading and declaring to them
the contents of false erroneous books, to be good, true, and best
standing with the most Holy Word and Pleasure of God; as other his
false and heretical opinions and errors; whereby, and by his
confederacies therein, he hath caused many of your faithful subjects
to be greatly infected with heresies, and other errors, contrary to
the right laws and pleasure of Almighty God. And the same Thomas
Cromwell, Earl of Essex, by the false and traitorous means
above-written, supposing himself to be fully able, by force and
strength, to maintain and defend his said abominable treasons,
heresies, and errors, not regarding his most bounden duty to Almighty
God, and his laws, nor the natural duty of Allegiance to your Majesty,
in the last day of March in the 30th year of your most gracious reign,
in the parish of St. Peter the Poor, within your City of London, upon
demonstration and declaration then and there made unto him, that there
were certain new preachers, as Robert Barnes, clerk, and others,
whereof part were committed to the Tower of London, for preaching and
teaching of lewd learning against your Highness' Proclamations; the
same Thomas affirming the same preacher to be good, most detestably,
arrogantly, erroneously, wilfully, maliciously, and traitorously,
expressly against your Laws and Statutes, then and there did not let
to declare, and say, these most traitorous and detestable words
ensuing, amongst other words of like matter and effect; that is to
say, That _if the King would turn from it yet I would not turn; and if
the King did turn, and all his people, I would fight in the field in
mine own person, with my sword in my hand, against him and all
others_; and then and there, most traitorously pulled out his dagger,
and held it on high, saying these words: _Or else this dagger thrust
me to the heart, if I would not die in the quarrel against them all;
and I trust, if I live one year or two, it shall not lie in the King's
power to resist or let it if he would_. And further, then and there
swearing by a great oath, traitorously affirmed the same his
traitorous saying and pronunciation of words saying, _I will do so
indeed_, extending up his arm, as though he had had a sword in his
hand; to the most perilous, grievous, and wicked Example of all other
your loving, faithful and obedient Subjects in this your Realm, and to
the peril of your most Royal Person. And moreover, our most gracious
Sovereign Lord, the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, hath acquired
and obtained into his possession, by Oppression, Bribery, Extort,
Power, and false promises made by him, to your Subjects of your Realm,
innumerable Sums of Money and Treasure; and being so enriched, hath
had your nobles of your realm in great disdain, derision, and
detestation, as by express words by him most opprobriously spoken hath
appeared. And being put in remembrance of others, of his estate, which
your Highness hath called him unto, offending in like treasons, the
last day of January, in the 31 year of your most noble reign, at the
Parish of St. Martin's in the Field, in the County of Middlesex, most
arrogantly, willingly, maliciously, and traitorously, said, published,
and declared, that _if the Lord would handle him so, that he would
give them such a breakfast as never was made in England, and that the
proudest of them should know_; to the great peril and danger, as well
of your Majesty, as of your Heirs and Successors. For the which his
most detestable and abominable heresies and treasons, and many other
his like offences and treasons over-long here to be rehearsed and
declared: Be it enacted, ordained, and established by your Majesty,
with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons
in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the
same, that the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, for his abominable
and detestable heresies and treasons, by him most abominably,
heretically, and traitorously practised, committed, and done, as well
against Almighty God, and against your Majesty, and this your said
Realm, shall be, and stand, by authority of this present Parliament,
convicted and attainted of Heresie and High Treason, and be adjudged
an abominable and detestable Heretick and Traitor; and shall have and
suffer such pains of Death, losses and forfeitures of Goods, Debts and
Chattels, as in cases of heresy and high treason, or as in cases of
either of them, at the pleasure of your most Royal Majesty.