factum est hoc a Domino_, we must needes confessse, and I hope wee may
truly say, _nobis parta quies_. The people is full of expectacion, and
great with hope of his worthines, of our nations future greatnes; every
one promises himselfe a share in some famous action to be hereafter
performed for his prince and country. They assure themselves of the
continuance of our Church goverment and doctrine. Their talke is of
advauncement of the nobility, of the subsidies and fifteenes taxed in
the Queenes tyme; howe much indebted shee died to the Commons,
notwithstanding all those charges layed upon them. They halfe despayre
of payment of their privey seales, sent in Sir William Ceciles tyme;
they will not assure themselves of the lone. One wishes the Earl of
Southampton and others were pardoned and at liberty; others could be
content some men of great place might pay the Queenes debts, because
they beleeve they gathered enough under hir. But all long to see our
newe king.
This evening prayer at Paules the King was publikely prayed for in forme
as our Queene used to be.
The Lord Hunsdon was in his coache at Paules Hill beyond Ludgate, to
attend the proclamacion.
It is observed that one Lee was Maior of London at hir Majesties comming
to the crowne, an[d] nowe another Lee at hir decease.[171]
[Footnote 171: Persons fond of noticing such coincidences remarked
also that Thursday had been a fatal day to Henry VIII. and the
succeeding Tudor sovereigns, he himself, Edward VI., Mary, and
Elizabeth having all died on that day. (Stowe's Chronicle, ed.
Howes, p. 812.)]
[Sidenote: 25.]
This day the Proclamacions were published in print, with names of many
noblemen, and late counsellors.[172]
[Footnote 172: As printed in the Book of Proclamations (fol. Lond.
1609, p. 1.) there are thirty-seven signatures appended to it,
headed, according to ancient custom upon such occasions, by Robert
Lee, Maior. The others were Archbishop Whitgift, Lord Keeper
Egerton, Lord Treasurer Buckhurst, and the principal nobility,
officers of state and of the household then in town. The honourable
roll was closed by Sir John Popham, the Lord Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas.]
[Sidenote: 26.]
The feares of wise men are the hopes of the malitious.
Mr. Francis Curle told me howe one Dr. Bullein, the Queenes kinsman, had
a dog which he doted one, soe much that the Queene understanding of it
requested he would graunt hir one desyre, and he should have what soever
he would aske. Shee demaunded his dogge; he gave it, and "Nowe, Madame,"
quoth he, "you promised to give me my desyre." "I will," quothe she.
"Then I pray you give me my dog againe."
A foole will not loose his bable for a [_imperfect_].
[Sidenote: fo. 113.
26 Mar. 1603.]
Quod taceri vis, prior ipse taceas. Arcanum quid aut celandum maxime
amico quum committis, cave ne jocum admisceas, ne ille jocum ut referat
occultum retegat. (Ludovic. Vives; Ad Sapient. Introd. 487.)
[Sidenote: 29.]
Corrumpitur atque dissolvitur officium imperantis, si quis ad id quod
facere jussus est, non obsequio debito, sed consilio non desiderato
respondeat. (_Agellij._)[173]
[Footnote 173: Aulus Gellius; Noct. Atticæ, i. xiv.]
He that corrupts a Prince and perverts his government is like one that
poisons the head of a conduit; all inquire after him to have him
punished.
[Sidenote: 30.]
Three things which make others poore make Alderman Lee, nowe
Maior,--riche, wine, women, and dice; he was fortunat in marrying riche
wives, lucky in great gaming at dice, and prosperous in sale of his
wines. (_Pemberton._)
[Sidenote: fo. 113^b.
27.]
At White Hall;
DR. THOMPSON, Deane of Windsore, whoe at thys tyme attendes still with
Dr. Parry as Chaplein, was by course to have preached this day, but DR.
KING was appointed and performed that duty.
His text was the Gospell for this day, the xi. of Luke and the 14.
verse, and soe forward. He prayed for the King, that as God had given
him an head of gold, soe hee would give him a golden brest, golden legs
and feet alsoe; that as he had a peaceable and quiet entrance, soe he
would graunt him a wise and happie goverment, and a blessed ending,
whensoever he should take him from us. That it would please God to laye
his roote soe deepe that he may flourishe a long tyme, and his braunches
never fayle. The summe of his text in these parts; 1. A diuel cast out.
2. The dumb speake. 3. The multitude wonder. 4. The Scribes and
Pharisees slander. 5. Christ confuteth. 6. A woman confesseth. The ende
of Christs comming was to dissolve the workes of the diuel, whereof
possession was not the meanest. Can there be a greater then to take the
temple of the Holy Ghost, and make it the sell and shrine of the diuels
image?
_Non requiritur intelligendi vivacitas, sed credendi simplicitas._
_Indocti coelum rapiunt, dum nos cum doctrina nostra trudimur in
infernum._
The workes of Christ, his miracles, were manifest, _posuit in sole
tabernaculum_: he cast out a diuel, they sawe it, they could not deny
it, but then, what malice could, they deprave the fact or diminishe and
eclipse his glory.
_Judei signum quærunt._ Julian cals it the rusticity of fayth, as though
none but the simple rude multitude beleeve.
[Sidenote: fo. 114.
27 Mar. 1603.]
_Invidia non quærit quid dicat, sed tantum ut dicat._
The envious and malitious live onely in contradiction, like the bettle
in dung and filthines. They said not that Christ could not cast out a
diuel, and soe denyed his power, which is a synn against the Holy Ghost,
but they said himselfe was possessed, nay more that he was Belzeebub.
Beelzebub signifies an idoll of flyes: because there was soe much bloud
spilt in sacrifice before it that many flyes bred and lived upon it.
Christ confuted them by four reasons: 1. From autority; a maxime and
rule in all policy, that a kingdome divided against itselfe cannot
stand. 2. From example. By whom doe your children, his apostles and
disciples he meanes, cast them out? Yf they doe it by the finger of God,
then must I, except the same thing be not the same, yf other persons doe
it. Atticus and Ru ... (_idem non idem si non per eundem_) unles they
will allowe the thing and condemne the person. But he said, _testes mei
judices vestri_. 3. From a similitude of a stronge and a stronger man,
two warlike men, yf one keepe possession, he must be stronger that puts
him out: soe he must be greater than the diuel that can cast him out. 4.
From the contrary; the repugnancy betwixt Christ and the diuel.
[Sidenote: fo. 114^b.
27 Mar. 1603.]
He insisted most upon his first reason, of intestine discord: which he
said is like a consumption; as yf the head should pull out the eye, or
the mouth refuse to eate because the belly receives it, &c. This is that
plague that Aegypt shall fight against Aegypt, brother against brother.
In the 11 of Zacharia there are two staves mentioned, the one of beauty,
the other of bonds; it is a grevous plague which is there threatened,
_dissolvam germanitatem eorum_, their brotherhood of Judah and Israel.
Ephraim against Manasse and Manasse against Ephraim, two tribes of the
same family: the incomparable miseryes of Jerusalem by intestine
sedicion. _Auxilia humana firma consensus facit._ Agesilaus shewed his
armed men, a mind in consent for defence of the city, and said, _Hij
sunt muri Spartæ, scutum hærens scuto, galeæ galea, atque viro vir_.
Friends at discord are most deadly enimyes, and those thinges which
before were _ligamenta amoris_ became then _incitamenta furoris_. The
greatest wrongs are most eagerly pursued; such are commonly the causes
for which frends fall out. _Quasi musto inebrientur sanguine._
Even the diuel must have his due; it was commendable that a legion of
them could dwell togither in one man without discord amongst themselves;
scarse a few in one house but some jar betwixt them. Yet their concord
was not _ex amicitia, sed ex communi malitia_, like Herod and Pilat.
_Aliquod bonum absque malo, sed nullum malum absque aliquo bono_, even
in the diuels their essence and their order is good.
There is a tyme to gather, said he, and a tyme to scatter, but he had
scattered what he had scarce any tyme to gather; his comming up to this
place being _tanquam fungus e terra_, an evening and a morning being the
whole tyme allotted for meditacion, and disposicion.
[Sidenote: fo. 115.
27 Mar. 1603.]
Wee may not be unmindefull of our late Soverayne whom God hath called to
his mercy, nor ought wee be unthankefull for our newe suffected joy, by
the suddein peaceable succession of our worthy king.
The finger of the Spirit directed the Churche, and the order of [the]
Church leads me (said he) to the choise of this text, being the Gospell
for this day. There are that have slandered, but they are Scribes and
Pharisees; and that being the worst part of this text, he would passe
over it. There were feares and foretellinges of miseries like to fall
upon us at these times, but blessed be the God of peace, that hath
settled peace amongst us. Blessed be the God of truth that his kingdome
came unto us long since, and I hope shall continue even till the comming
of Christ; and blessed be the father of lights, that wee see the truth,
and be not scattered.
The miracle of dispossession. Wee have seene the exile of the diuel out
of our country, his legends, his false miracles, exorcismes,
superstitions, &c. and lett him goe walking through dry places, wee are
watered with heavenly deawe, and wee hope he shall never returne againe;
but the favour of God towards us shall be like the kindenes of Ruth,
more at the latter end than it was at the beginning.
[Sidenote: fo. 115^b.
27 Mar. 1603.]
Our State hath sustayned some division of late. "I meane not," sayd he,
"of the myndes of great nobles and counsellors, wherein to our good and
comfort wee have found _idem velle et idem nolle_, but such a division
as of the body and soule, of the vine and the branches, of the husband
and the wife, of the head and the body. The prince and the land hath bin
divided by hir death, a division without violence. This applying the axe
to the roote made the tree bleed at the verry heart."
[Sidenote: fo. 116.
27 Mar. 1603.]
[Sidenote: fo. 116^b.
27 Mar. 1603.]
This Gospell makes mention of an excellent woman that sang not to hir
selfe and hir muses, but went amongst the multitude, and blessed an
other woman more excellent then hirselfe; yet soe blessed hir as a
mother for hir babes sake. Soe there are two excellent women, one that
bare Christ and an other that blessed Christ; to these may wee joyne a
thrid that bare and blessed him both. Shee bare him in hir heart as a
wombe, shee conceived him in fayth, shee brought him forth in
aboundaunce of good workes, and nurst him with favors and protection:
shee blessed him in the middest of a froward and wicked generacion, when
the bulls of Bazan roared, and the unholie league, and bound themselves
with oathes and cursings against the Lord and his annoynted. "And am I
entred into hir prayses," said he; "and nowe is the tyme of prayse, for
prayse none before their death; and then _gratissima laudis actio cum
nullus fingendi aut assentandi locus relinguitur_. Yet such prayses are
but like a messe of meate sett upon a dead mans grave which he cannot
tast, or like a light behind a mans back which cannot him direct." He
would say little, _non quod ingratus, sed quod oppressus multitudine et
magnitudine rerum dicendarum_. Onely he would say that hir government
had bin soe clement, temperat and godly, that he may say _sic imbuti
sumus, non possumus nisi optimum ferre_. Those which in Theodosius the
Emperours tyme went to Rome called their travel _felix peregrinatio_,
because they had seen Rome, they had seen Theodosius, they had seene
Rome and Theodosius togither; soe have and may strangers that have bin
to visit our kingdome thinke them selves happie that [they] had seene
England and Queen Elizabeth, and England and Queene Elizabeth togither.
But there are panegyricks provided for hir, faythfully registred, and as
she merited. Shee was _preteritis melior_, better then those which went
before hir, and may be a precedent to those that shall followe hir; the
taking hir from us was a great division, but God hath sowed it up
againe; it was a grevious sore, but God hath healed it; he hath given us
a worthy successor, a sonne of the nobles; one that is fleshe of our
fleshe. God seemes to say unto us, "Open thy mouth wide and I will fill
it with aboundant blessing;" he may say as he did to his vine, "what
should I have done that I have not done unto thee, O England?" Noe
vacancy, noe interregnum, noe interruption of goverment, as in Rome
an[d] other places, where in such tymes the prisons fly open, &c. but a
quiet, a peaceable, and present succession of such a King, _quem populus
et proceres voce petebant_; the best wished and the onely agreed upon.
The Lord from his holy sanctuary blesse him in his throne! It was noe
shame for Solomon to walke in the wayes of his father David; neither can
it be a dishonour for our King to walke in the steps of his mother and
predecessor. Lett the foster-sonne and sonnes sonne continue their
glory, grace, and dignity, and never lett him want one of his seede to
sit upon his seate.
Then to the nobles for their wise menaging those greate affayres,
"_Utinam retribuat Dominus_," said he, "and, as Nehemias prayed for
himselfe, 'Remember them, O God! in goodnes.' Your peace," said he,
"continued ours, and long may you continue in firme alledgeance to doe
your prince and country service in wisdome, honour, and piety." And this
is noe _detractio, sed attractio; impius in tenebris latet_, he holds
his peace, but Lord open thou our lips, and our mouth shall shewe forth
thy prayse; _Paratum est cor meum_, My heart is ready, my heart is
ready, &c.
[Sidenote: fo. 117.
27 Marche.]
[Sidenote: 28.]
It was bruited that the Lord Beauchamp, the Earl of Hartfords sonne, is
up in armes,[174] and some say 10,000 strong. Mr. Hadsor told me the
Lords sate about it upon Satterday night, and have dispatcht a messenger
to entreat him to come unto them, or els to be in danger of proclamacion
of treason. An other bruit, that Portsmout is holden for him, that the
Frenche purpose against us, that the Papists are like to rise with
Beauchamp; they may trouble us, but I hope shall not prevaile.
[Footnote 174: The way in which the exuberance of Lord Beauchamp's
loyalty occasioned this report will appear in a subsequent entry.
This Lord Beauchamp was the father, as our readers will be aware, of
the Marquess of Hertford, who was the faithful servant of Charles
I., faithful even to death, and after the Restoration was created
Duke of Somerset.]
"He is up," said one. "He is risen," said an other. "True, I thinke,"
said I, "he rose in the morning, and meanes to goe to bed at night."
Ch. Davers said he could tell the King what he were best to doe; not to
chaunge his officers. "Nay then, it were best to choose you first for a
counsellor," said I.
I sawe this afternoone a Scottishe Lady at Mr. Fleetes in Loathebury;
shee was sister to Earl Gowre, a gallant tale gent, somewhat long
visage, a lisping fumbling language. Peter Saltingstone came to visit
hir.
[Sidenote: 29.]
I askt Mr. Leydall whether he argued a case according to his opinion. He
said, noe! but he sett a good colour upon it. I told him, he might well
doe soe, for he never wants a good colour; he is Rufus.
Mr. Rudyerd tels that to muster men in these tymes is as good a colour
for sedicion, as a maske to robbe a house, which is excellent for that
purpose.
[Sidenote: fo. 117^b.
29 Mar. 1603.]
Mr. Rous said that the Queene began hir raigne in the fall, and ended in
the spring of the leafe. "Soe shee did but turne over a leafe," said B.
Rudyerd.
[Sidenote: 30.]
Was reported that the King had sent for some 5,000_l._ to bring him into
England; it is said the Queenes jewes [jewels] shee left were worth 4
millions [?], _i. e._ 400,000_l._; in treasury present 50,000_l._, noe
soe much this long tyme.
The Kings booke Basi[li]con Doron came forth with an Epistle to the
reader apologeticell.
A man may do another a good turne though he cannot performe it for
himselfe, as the barber cannot trimme himselfe though he can others.
(_Pim._)
It was sayd our King is proclaymed nowe Duke of Gelderland.
[Sidenote: 29.]
Jo. Grant told me that the King useth in walking amongst his nobles
often tymes to leane upon their shoulders in a speciall favour, and in
disgrace to neglect some in that kindenes.
[Sidenote: 30.]
It is sayd Sir Robert Cary, that went against the Counsells directions
in post toward the King to bring the first newes of the Queenes death,
made more haste then speede, he was soe hurt with a fall from his horse
that an other prevented his purpose, and was with the King before him;
this Cary had an office in the Jewell house.[175]
[Footnote 175: The particulars of Cary's wonderful ride are related
by himself in his Memoirs. "He took horse," apparently at the
lodging of the Knight Marshal at Charing Cross (probably at the old
Mews), "between nine and ten o'clock," on the morning of Thursday
the 24th of March, "and that night rode to Doncaster," about 160
miles. On Friday night he came to his own house at Widdrington,
about another 135 miles. "Very early on Saturday he was again on
horseback and reached Norham on the Tweed about noon." This was
about 50 more miles, and left only about another 50 miles, "so
that," he says, "I might well have been with the King at supper
time: but I got a great fall by the way, and my horse, with one of
his heels, gave me a great blow on the head, that made me shed much
blood. It made me so weak that I was forced to ride a soft pace
after, so that the King was newly gone to bed by the time that I
knocked at the gate" [of Holyrood House.] (Memoirs of Robert Cary,
Earl of Monmouth, ed. Edinb. 1808. pp. 126-128.)]
[Sidenote: 31.]
This night there came a messenger from the Kinges Majestie with letters
directed to the Nobles and Counsellors of his late sister the deceased
Queen, all to continue their places and keepe house and order matters
according to their discretion till he came. (_Isam._)
A puritane is such a one as loves God with all his soule, but hates his
neighbour with all his heart. (_Mr. Wa. Curle._)
[Sidenote: fo. 118.
31 Mar. 1603.]
_Of a beggar that lay on the ground drunk._
He cannot goe, nor sitt, nor stand, the beggar cryes;
Then, though he speake the truth, yet still he lyes.
I was in Mr. Nich. Hares companie at the Kings Head. A gallant young
gentleman, like to be heir to much land: he is of a sweet behaviour, a
good spirit, and a pleasing witty discourse.
It was soe darke a storme, that a man could never looke for day, unles
God would have said againe _Fiat lux_.
* * * * *
A gentlemans nose fell a bleeding verry late in a night, and soe causing
his boy to light him downe to a pumpe to washe the bloud away, he spied
written upon the pump, that it was built at the proper cost and charges
of a physician which lay nere the place, whom he presently sent for, to
come to a lady that was dangerously sicke; but when he came he shewed
that his nose was bloudy, that he went downe to have washt at the pompe,
but espying it to be built at his proper costs and charges, he thought
good manners to aske leave of him, before he would washe it. (_Mr. N.
Hare._)
[Sidenote: fo. 118^b.
1 Aprill, 1603.]
Dr. Some,[176] upon a tyme speaking of the Popes in a sermon, said that
Pius V. sent out his bulles against the Queene like a calfe as he was.
(_Mr. Isam._)
[Footnote 176: Dr. Ralph Some, Master of Peter House, Cambridge,
elected 1589. (Hardy's Le Neve, iii. 668.)]
I heard that one Griffin, Queene Marys Attorney, purchased some 24
mannors togither; his sonne hath sold 10 of them, and yet is in debt;
_male parta male dilabuntur_.
One Mr. Marrow, late Sherife of [Warwickshire], useth his wife verry
hardly, would not allow hir mony nor clothes fit for hir, nor trust hir
with any thing, but made hir daughter sole factres. (_Mr. Wagstaffe._)
A covetous fellowe had hangd himselfe, and was angry with him that cutt
the rope to save his life. A covetous man rather will loose his lyfe
then his goods.
One when the house was on fyre, and himselfe ready to be burnt, fell a
seeking for his girdle, amidst the fyre.
Homo impius quid aliud quam immortale pecus. (_Ludovicus Vives._)
Felices essent artes, si nulli de eis judicarent nisi artifices. (_Mr.
Maynard._)
He thinks the statut of wills will be as greate a nurse of controversies
as the statut of tayles and uses in common. The eggs are layd, and are
nowe in hatching. (_Idem._)
[Sidenote: fo. 119.
1 Aprill.]
Wee are purged from our corruption, _non per gratiam naturæ, sed per
naturam gratiæ_. (_Dr. Dod._)
Wee worshipt noe Saints, but wee prayd to Ladyes, in the Queenes tyme.
(_Mr. Curle._) This superstition shall be abolished we hope in our Kings
raigne.
One reading Horace happened upon that verse:
_Virtus est vitium fugere, et sapientia prima
Stultitia caruisse._[177]
[Footnote 177: Epist. lib. i. 41.]
"Here is strange matter," said he, "_Virtus est vitium_." "Read on,"
said another. "Nay first lett us examine this;" and would not goe a word
further. "Nay," said the other, "yf you gather such notes, I will find
another as strange as that in the same verse, '_Et sapientia prima
stultitia_.'" (_T. Cranmer._)
_Natura brevium._ (_Fitch._) The nature of pigmies (said _B. Rudyerd_).
[Sidenote: 3.]
DR. SPENSER upon the 1 Mark, v. 29 to the 36.
Christs Sabboths dayes work, to cure the diseased; a miracle, a work of
his mercy, that he would of his power that he could.
A man must take the tyme that Christ offereth himselfe: yf he was with
Simon and Andrew at night, he parted into the wildernes in the morning.
The feuer left hir, and shee ministred, v. 31, hence he collected the
conveniency of church-going for women to give publique thanks for safe
deliverance.
[Sidenote: fo. 119^b.
3 Aprill, 1603.]
In the afternoone CLAPHAM. He prayed for the King and his sonne Henry
Frederick and Frederick Henry; prayed for a further reformacion in our
Churche.
Note: the 7 moneth amongst the Jewes, according to their civil
computacion, was but the first in their ecclesiasticall.
Close fisted, that will give nothing to the ministers and musty doctors
that lett learning mould and rust in them for want of use.
[Sidenote: 4.]
Gluttony and lechery dwell togither, _Venter et genitalia sunt membra
vicina_. (_Mr. Key._) As they are placed in that prayer, Ecclesiasticus
xxiii. _v._ 6. "Lett not the gredines of the belly, nor the lust of the
flesh, hold me." A great spender in leachery must be a great ravenor in
glutony, to repayre what he looseth.
Dr. Parry told me the Countess Kildare assured him that the Queene
caused the ring wherewith shee was wedded to the crowne, to be cutt from
hir finger some 6 weekes before hir death, but wore a ring which the
Earl of Essex gave hir unto the day of hir death.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: fo. 120.
5 Aprill.]
I heard that Sir Robert Carewe lay in the Kinges chamber the first night
he brought the newes of hir Majesties death, and there related the whole
discourse; whereupon he was made one of his chamber, a place of
confidence and means to preferment.[178]
[Footnote 178: The curious admixture of fact and fiction in our
Diarist's memoranda relating to Sir Robert Cary will be observed by
every one who turns to his Memoirs before referred to. The principal
fact in this entry is that James was foolish enough to reward the
bringer of good tidings with an appointment as gentleman of his
bed-chamber. The thing was so silly, and so much in the nature of an
affront to the English Council, that the over-delighted monarch was
obliged to withdraw the appointment, much to Cary's annoyance.
(Cary's Memoirs, ed. 1808, p. 132.)]
It is certaine the Queene was not embowelled, but wrapt up in cere
cloth, and that verry il to, through the covetousnes of them that
defrauded hir of the allowance of cloth was given them for that
purpose.
[Sidenote: 6 April.]
There was a proclamacion published in the Kinges name conteining his
thankefullnes to the people for continuance in their duty, in
acknowledging him and receiving him as their rightfull successor, and a
restraint of concurse unto him, especially such as were in office and
had great place in their countryes, with a clause for continuing
officers of justice in their place.[179]