the same that I have dely[_vered your lres_] unto my lordis grace who
did immediatly rede over [_the same_] after the redyng wherof his
grace did put theym in ... and so kepte theym always close to hym
self. Th[_is I note_] unto you, bicause I never sawe hym do the like
bifo[_re time_] the which your lettres his grace commaunded me....
And first, the same hertely thankyth you for your ... advertysement
made unto hym from tyme to tyme [_of soche_] things as ye have written
unto his grace wherin I know [_ye have_] don unto his grace singular
pleasur and good service; and as [_for_] the vain bruts which goth
against my lords [_grace_] I assur you as fer as may apper unto my
said [_lord and_] other that be his servaunts, they be mervailous
false, ... and gretely I do mervaile wherof the same shul[_de arise_]
for I assur you that in this vacacion tyme [_dyvers_] lettres wer
written by the kyngs commaundment from [_Mr. Ste_]vyns unto my
said lord, by the which his adv[_ise_] and opinion was at sundry
tymes desired ... in the kyngs causis and affaires, unto the which
lettres [_aunswer_] was made from tyme to tyme, as well by my lords
[_wry_]tyng as also by the sendyng of his servaunts to the[_courte
with_] instructions by mouth to the kyng's highnes as the [_mater_]
and case did requir. Over this the noblemen and gentry [_as well_]
in my lords goyng to the courte as also in his retourne from [_the_]
same dyd mete and incounter hym at many places gently [_and_] humaynly
as they wer wonte to do. On Sonday last my lords grace, with the
Legat Campegius cam unto the courte at Grene[_wiche_] wher they wer
honorably receyved and accompanyed with sundry of the kings counsaile
and servaunts, and so brought bifor masse onto the king's presence,
who graciously and beni[~g]ly after the accustumed goodnes of his
highnes, with very familiar and loving acountenance did welcome theym.
And after communication and talkyng awhiles with my Lorde Campegius,
his grace talked a grete while with my lorde a parte, which don, they
departed all to geder in to chapel. And immediatly after dyner my
lords grace went again unto the kyngs highnes beyng then in his pryvie
chamber wher they wer commonyng and talkyng to geder at the leeste for
the space of ij. houres, no person beyng present, and a friende of
myne beyng of the prive chamber told me at my lords departur that tyme
from thens ther was as good and as familiar accountynaunce shewed and
used betwene theym as ever he sawe in his life heretofor. This don
my lords grace with the legat retourned unto theyr logyng at Maister
Empson's place. On Monday in the mornyng my lord leving the legat at
his logyng went again unto the kyngs grace, and after long talkyng
in his privie chamber to geder, the kyng, my lord, and all the hole
counsaile sate to geder all that for'none aboute the kyngs matiers
and affaires. In the after none, my lords grace having then with hym
the Legat Campegius, went to the kyng's grace, and after talkyng and
communication had a long whilis with the legat a parte they both toke
ther leve of the kyngs highnes in as good fascion and maner, and with
asmoche gentilnes, as ever I saw bifor. This don, the kyngs grace went
huntyng. The legate retourned to Maister Empson, and my lords grace
taried ther in counsaile til it was darke nyght. Further mor my Lord
of Suffolke, my Lord of Rochford, Maister Tuke, and Master Stevyns
did as gently [_be_]have theymselfs, with as moche observaunce and
humy[_lyte to_] my lords grace as ever I sawe theym do at any [_tyme_]
tofor. What they bere in ther harts I knowe n[_ot_.] Of the premissis
I have seen with myne ies; wherfor I boldely presume and thinke that
they be ferre [_furth_] overseen that sowth[243] the said false and
untrewe reports: ascerteynyng you if ye coulde marke som[_e of the_]
chief stirrers therof ye shulde do unto his grace [_moche_] pleasur.
Assone as ye can spede your bysynes th[_ere my_] lord wolde be very
glad of your retourne. My lord wilbe on Monday next at London. And the
Legat [_Cam_]pegius shal departe shortely oute of Englonde. A[_nd
thus_] makyng an ende I commit you to the tuicion and g[_widance of_]
Almyghty God. From Saint Albons the xxiij^{th} S[_ep_]tember.
All the gentilmen of my lords chamber with the... ...[244] of
commendith them hartely unto you.
Yowrs to my lytle [_power_]
THOMAS ALVARD.
FOOTNOTES:
[202] Mrs. Anne Gainsford.
[203] See the Earl of Surrey's character of him, in an Elegy on his
Death, among his poems.
[204] It is presumed that the allusion is here to Sir Thomas Wyatt's
verses entitled "A description of such a one as he would love:"
A face that should content me wonderous well,
Should not be faire, but lovely to behold:
Of lively loke, all griefe for to repel
With right good grace, so would I that it should
Speak, without words, such words as none can tell;
Her tresse also should be of cresped gold.
With wit and these perchance I might be tide
And knit againe the knot that should not slide.
_Songes and Sonettes_, 8_vo._ 1557, _p._ 35. 2.
[205] The King of France's sister.
[206] _Sanders De Origine ac Progressu Schismatis Anglicani. Libri_ 3.
This book was first printed at Cologne, in 1585, and passed through
several editions, the last in 1628. It was subsequently translated
into French, and printed in 1673-4; which induced Burnet to write his
History of the Reformation. In the appendix to his first volume he
gives a particular account of Sanders' book, and refutes the calumnies
and falsehoods contained in it. This called forth a reply from the
catholic party, under the title of _Histoire du Divorce de Henry_ VIII.
_par Joachim Le Grand_. _Paris_, 1688, 3 vols. 12mo. A work not without
interest on account of the documents printed in the third volume, some
of which I have found useful as illustrations of the present work.
[207] Sir Francis Brian was one of the most accomplished courtiers
of his times: a man of great probity and a poet. Wyatt addresses his
third satire to him, and pays a high compliment in it to his virtue
and integrity. He was, like Wyatt, firmly attached to the Protestant
cause: on this account he seems to have drawn on himself the hatred
of the Roman Catholic party. Sanders, in his malevolent account of
the Reformation in England, relates the following absurd and wicked
story of him.--Cum autem Henrici Regis domus ex perditissimo hominum
constaret, cujusmodi erant aleatores, adulteri, lenones, assentatores,
perjuri, blasphemi, rapaces, atque adeò hæretici, inter hos insignis
quidem nepos extitit, Franciscus Brianus, Eques Auratus, ex gente et
stirpe Bolenorum. Ab illo rex quodam tempore quæsivit, quale peccatum
videretur matrem primum, deinde filium cognoscere.--Cui Brianus,
"Omnino," inquit, "tale O rex quale gallinam primùm, deinde pullum
ejus gallinaceum comedere." Quod verbum cum rex magno risu accepisset,
ad Brianum dixisse fertur. "Næ! tu merito meus est Inferni Vicarius."
Brianus enim jam prius ob impietatem notissimam vocabatur, "Inferni
Vacarius." Post autem et "Regius Inferni Vicarius." Rex igitur cum et
matrem prius, et postea filiam Mariam Bolenam pro concubina tenuisset,
demum at alteram quoque filiam, Annam Bolenam, animum adjicere cœpit.
_De Schismate Anglicano_, p. 24.
This disgusting calumny is repeated by the followers of Sanders, and
among others by Davanzati, in his _Schisma d'Inghilterra_, p. 22,
Ed. 1727. And yet that history is presented by the Curators of the
_Studio_ at Padua, to the youth educated there as "una stimabilissima
Storia; descritta con quei vivi e forti colori che soli vagliano a far
comprendere l'atrocita del successo dello Schisma d'Inghilterra." How
(says Dr. Nott, from whom this note is taken) can the bonds of charity
be ever brought to unite the members of the Roman Catholic communion
with those of the reformed church, so long as their youth shall be thus
early taught to consider our Reformation as the portentous offspring
of whatever was most odious in human profligacy, and most fearful in
blasphemy and irreligion?" _Memoirs of Sir Thomas Wyatt_, p. 84.
[208] 32 Henry VIII. A. D. 1540.
[209] A. D. 1532-3.
[210] Tyndal's Obedience of a Christian Man.
[211] This curious and interesting occurrence, which probably had
considerable effect in furthering the progress of the Reformation, is
told with more circumstance by Strype, from the manuscripts of Fox.
It is so entirely corroborated by what is here said, that I think it
incumbent upon me to place it in juxtaposition with Wyatt's narrative.
"Upon the Lady Anne waited a young fair gentlewoman, named Mrs.
Gainsford; and in her service was also retained Mr. George Zouch. This
gentleman, of a comely sweet person, a Zouch indeed, was a suitor
in the way of marriage to the said young lady: and among other love
tricks, once he plucked from her a book in Englishe, called Tyndall's
Obedience, which the Lady Anne had lent her to read. About which time
the Cardinal had given commandment to the prelates, and especially
to Dr. Sampson, dean of the king's chapel, that they should have a
vigilant eye over all people for such books, that they came not abroad;
that so as much as might be, they might not come to the king's reading.
But this which he most feared fell out upon this occasion. For Mr.
Zouch (I use the words of the MS.) was so ravished with the spirit of
God speaking now as well in the heart of the reader, as first it did
in the heart of the maker of the book, that he was never well but when
he was reading of that book. Mrs. Gainsford wept because she could not
get the book from her wooer, and he was as ready to weep to deliver it.
But see the providence of God:--Mr. Zouch standing in the chapel before
Dr. Sampson, ever reading upon this book; and the dean never having
his eye off the book, in the gentleman's hand, called him to him, and
then snatched the book out of his hand, asked his name, and whose man
he was. And the book he delivered to the cardinal. In the meantime, the
Lady Anne asketh her woman for the book. She on her knees told all the
circumstances. The Lady Anne showed herself not sorry nor angry with
either of the two. But, said she, 'Well, it shall be the dearest book
that ever the dean or cardinal took away.' The noblewoman goes to the
king, and upon her knees she desireth the king's help for her book.
Upon the king's token the book was restored. And now bringing the book
to him, she besought his grace most tenderly to read it. The king did
so, and delighted in the book. "For (saith he) this book is for me and
all kings to read." And in a little time, by the help of this virtuous
lady, by the means aforesaid, had his eyes opened to the truth, to
advance God's religion and glory, to abhor the pope's doctrine, his
lies, his pomp, and pride, to deliver his subjects out of the Egyptian
darkness, the Babylonian bonds that the pope had brought his subjects
under. And so contemning the threats of all the world, the power of
princes, rebellions of his subjects at home, and the raging of so many
and mighty potentates abroad; set forward a reformation in religion,
beginning with the triple crowned head at first, and so came down
to the members, bishops, abbots, priors, and such like."--_Strype's
Ecclesiastical Memorials_, vol. i. p. 112.
[212] Mr. George Zouch.
[213] So it is in the Calendars prefixed to the Book of Common Prayer
in Queen Elizabeth's reign. Lord Herbert says it was the sixth, Sanders
the eighth, and Archbishop Cranmer the thirteenth or fourteenth.
[214] A. D. 1534.
[215] Shaxton and Latimer.
[216] To every one of these she gave a little book of devotions, neatly
written on vellum, and bound in covers of solid gold enamelled, with a
ring to each cover to hang it at their girdles for their constant use
and meditation.
One of these little volumes, traditionally said to have been given
by the queen when on the scaffold to her attendant, one of the
Wyatt family, and preserved by them through several generations,
was described by Vertue as being seen by him in the possession of
Mr. George Wyatt of Charterhouse Square, in 1721. Vide _Walpole's
Miscellaneous Antiquities_, printed at Strawberry Hill, 1772, No. II.
p. 13. It was a diminutive volume, consisting of one hundred and four
leaves of vellum, one and seven-eighths of an inch long by one and
five-eighths of an inch broad; containing a metrical version of parts
of thirteen Psalms: and bound in pure gold richly chased, with a ring
to append it to the neck-chain or girdle. It was in Mr. Triphook's
possession in the year 1817.
[217] Cosȳ: this woman's name was Cousyns.
[218] Probably the name of one of her attendants.
[219] unless.
[220] that.
[221] Sir Francis Weston.
[222] they.
[223] note.
[224] accepts.
[225] that.
[226] _i. e._ what.
[227] us.
[228] Anvers, Antwerp.
[229] number.
[230] an hour.
[231] number.
[232] That is his long continuance with the cardinal.
[233] He had probably disobliged the king by his attachment to Anne
Boleyn.
[234] fear.
[235] Carlisle.
[236] William Worm, whom he mentions in a former letter, as the person
who betrayed him.
[237] brought.
[238] out.
[239] Antiphonars, Gralls, Orderlys, Manuals, and Professionaries,
are books containing different portions of the Roman Catholic Ritual.
See Percy's Northumberland Household Book, p. 446, and Burn's
Ecclesiastical Law.
[240] _licence._ There is a tradition at Alnwick that an auditor was
formerly confined in the dungeon under one of the towers till he could
make up his accounts to his lord's satisfaction.
[241] Dr. Augustine, or Agostino, a native of Venice, was physician
to the cardinal, and was arrested at Cawood at the same time with his
master, being treated with the utmost indignity: v. _Life_, pp. 348,
351. In the Cottonian MS. Titus b. i. fol. 365, there is a letter
of his to Thomas Cromwell, in Italian, requiring speedy medical
assistance, apparently for Cardinal Wolsey. It is dated Asher, Jan.
19th, 1529-30. Cavendish describes him as being dressed in a "boistous
gown of black velvet;" with which he overthrew one of the silver
crosses, which broke Bonner's head in its fall.
[242] Premunire.
[243] soweth.
[244] _f._ rest thereof.
A TRUE DESCRIPTION,
OR RATHER
A PARALLEL
BETWEENE
CARDINALL WOLSEY,
ARCH-BISHOP OF YORK,
AND
WILLIAM LAUD,
ARCH-BISHOP OF CANTERBVRIE, &c.
PRINTED IN THE YERE 1641.
_The following parallel between Laud and Wolsey is referred to in a
note at p. 342 of the Life of Wolsey. It was printed at the same time
and for the same purpose as the first garbled edition of that life;
namely--to prejudice Archbishop Laud in the minds of the people. The
press then teemed with pamphlets levelled at him, and in the same
volume I find two others: "The Character of an untrue Bishop, with a
Recipe to recover a Bishop if he were lost." And--"England's Rejoycing
at the Prelates Downfall, written by an Ill-willer to the Romish
Brood:" both of the same date._
A TRUE DESCRIPTION,
OR RATHER
A PARALLEL
BETWENE
CARDINAL WOLSEY AND ARCH-BISHOP LAUD.
There be two primates, or arch-bishops throughout England and
Wales, Canterburie and Yorke, both metropolitans, York of England,
Canterburie of all England, for so their titles runne. To the primate
of Canterburie bee subordinate thirteene bishops in England, and foure
in Wales. But the primate of Yorke hath at this time but two suffragans
in England: namely, the Bishops of Carliele, and Durham: though hee
had in King Lucius dayes, (who was the first Christian king of this
our nation) all the prelacy of Scotland within his jurisdiction:
Canterburie commanding all from this side the River Trent to the
furthest limits of Wales; and York commanding all from beyond the
Trent to the utmost bounds of Scotland, and hitherto, their prime
archiepiscopall prerogatives may (not unproperly) be paralleld.
In the time of Henrie the first were potent two famous prelates,
Anselme of Canterburie, who durst contest against the king, and Girald
of Yorke, who denyed to give place or any precedence at all to Anselme.
Thomas Becket, who was first chancellour, and after Arch-bishop of
Canterburie, in the reigne of Henrie the Second, bore himselfe so
insolently against the king his soveraigne, that it cost him his life,
being slaine in the church as he was going to the altar. But above all,
the pride, tyrannie, and oppression of the Bishop of Ely, in the reigne
of Richard the First, wants example, who was at once Chancellour of
England, and Regent of the land, and held in his hand at once the two
Arch-bishopricks of York and Canterburie, who never rid abroad without
a thousand horse for his guard to attend him, whom we may well parallel
with the now great Cardinall of France: and need hee had of such a
traine to keep himselfe from being pulled to peeces by the oppressed
prelates, and people, equally extorting from the clergie and laietie;
yet he in the end, disguising himselfe in the shape of an old woman,
thinking to passe the sea at Dover, where hee awayted on the Strand,
a pinace being hired for that purpose, he was discovered by a sayler,
and brought backe to abide a most severe sentence. Stephen Lancthon,
Archbishop of Canterburie, in the time King Iohn, would not absolve the
land, being for sixe yeares together indicted by the pope, till the
king had payd unto him and the rest of the bishops, eighteene thousand
markes in gold; and thus I could continue the pride of the prelacie,
and their great tyrannie through all the kings reignes: But I now fall
upon the promist parallel betwixt Thomas Wolsey, Arch-bishop of York,
and Cardinall, and William Laud, Doctor in Divinitie, and Arch-bishop
of Canterburie.
They were both the sonnes of meane and mechanick men, Wolsey of a
butcher, Laud of a cloth worker. The one borne in Ipswich (threescore
miles), the other in Reading, thirtie miles distant from the City of
London, both of them verie toward, forward, and pregnant grammar
schollars, and of singular apprehensions, as suddenly rising to the
first forme in the schoole. From thence, being yong, they were removed
to the Vniversitie of Oxford, Wolsey admitted into Maudlin Coledge,
Laud into St. Iohns; and as they were of different times, so they
were of different statures; yet either of them well shapt according
to their proportions; Wolsey was of a competent tallnesse, Laud of a
lesse size, but might be called a prettie man, as the other a proper
man: both of ingenious and acute aspects, as may appeare by this mans
face, the others picture. In their particular colledges they were alike
proficients, both as active of body as braine, serious at their private
studies, and equally frequent in the schooles, eloquent orators,
either to write, speake, or dictate, daintie disputants, well verst in
philosophy, both morall, physicall, and metaphysical, as also in the
mathematicks, and neither of them strangers to the muses, both taking
their degrees according to their time; and through the whole academie,
Sir Wolsey was called the boy-batchelour, and Sir Laud the little
batchelour.
The maine study that either of them fixt upon was theology: for though
they were conversant in all the other arts and sciences, yet that
they solely profest, and by that came their future preferment; Wolsey
being Batchelour was made schoole-master of Maudlin Schoole in Oxford:
but Laud came in time to be master of St. Iohns Colledge in Oxford,
therein transcending the other, as also in his degrees of Master of
Art, Batchelour of Divinitie, and Doctor of Divinitie, when the other
being suddenly cald from the rectorship of his schoole, to be resident
upon a countrie benefice, he took no more academicall degrees, than
the first of Batchelour, and taking a strange affront by one Sir
Amias Paulet, a knight in the countrie, who set him in the stocks, he
indured likewise divers other disasters: but that disgrace he made the
knight pay dearely for, after he came to be invested in his dignitie.
Briefely, they came both to stand in the princes eye; but ere I proceed
any further, let me give the courteous reader this modest caveat, that
he is to expect from me onely a parallell of their acts and fortune,
but no legend of their lives; it therefore briefely thus followeth.
Both these from academicks comming to turne courtiers; Wolsey, by his
diligent waiting, came to insinuate himselfe into the brests of the
privie counsellours. His first emploiment was in an embassie to the
emperour, which was done by such fortunate, and almost incredible
expedition, that by that only he grew into first grace with King Henry
the Seventh, father to King Henry the Eighth. Laud, by the mediation
and meanes wrought by friends, grew first into favour with King Iames
of sacred memory, father to our now royall soveraigne King Charles.
They were both at first the kings chaplaines, Wolseyes first preferment
was to bee Deane of Lincolne, of which hee was after bishop. Lauds
first ecclesiasticall dignity was to be Deane of Saint Davids, of which
he was after bishop also. And both these prelaticall courtiers came
also to be privie counsellours. Woolsey in the beginning of Henry the
Eighth's raigne, was made Bishop of Tourney in France, soone after
Bishop of Lincoln, and before his full consecration (by the death of
the incumbent) was ended, translated to the Arch-bishoprick of York,
and all this within the compasse of a yeare; Laud, though not so
suddainly, yet very speedily was from St. Davids removed to London,
and from London to Canterburie, and this in the beginning of the reigne
of King Charles. Thus you see they were both arch-bishops, and as Laud
was never cardinall, so Woolsey was never Canterburie.
But in some things the cardinall much exceeded Canterburie, as in
holding all these bishopricks at once, when the other was never
possest but of one at one time. The cardinall also held the bishoprick
of Winchester, of Worcester, Bath and Wells, with a fourth, and two
abbat-ships in commendam: He had besides an hat sent him from Rome,
and made himselfe cardinall, (that being before but Yorke) he might
over-top Canterburie. But our William, howsoever he might have the
will, yet never attained to that power, and howsoever hee could not
compasse a hat from Rome, yet made the meanes to have a consecrated
miter sent from Rome; which was so narrowly watcht, that it came not to
his wearing. Moreover, the cardinall extorted the chancellourship from
Canterburie; but we finde not that Canterburie ever either trencht upon
the jurisdiction, or tooke any thing away from the arch-bishoprick of
York.
Woolsey likewise farre out-went him in his numerous traine, and the
noblenesse thereof, being waited on not onely by the prime gentrie,
but even of earles, and earles sonnes, who were listed in his family,
and attended him at his table, as also in his hospitalitie, his open
house being made free for all commers, with the rare and extraordinarie
state of his palace, in which there were daily uprising and downe-lying
a thousand persons, who were his domestick servants. Moreover in
his many entertainments of the K. with masks, and mightie sumptuous
banquets, his sumptuous buildings, the prince-like state he carried
in his forraigne embassages, into France, to the emperor, &c. in which
he spent more coyne in the service of his king, for the honour of his
countrie, and to uphold the credit of his cardinals cap, than would
(for the time) have paid an armie royal. But I answer in behalfe of
our Canterburie, that hee had never that meanes or imployment, by
which hee might make so vain-glorious a show of his pontificalitie,
or archiepiscopall dignitie: For unbounded mindes may bee restrained
within narrow limmits, and therefore the parallel may something hold in
this too.
They were also in their judiciall courts equally tyrannous; the one
in the chancerie, the other in the high commission: both of them at
the councell boord, and in the starre-chamber alike draconically
supercilious. Blood drawne from Doctor Bonners head by the fall of his
crosse presaged the cardinals downfall. Blood drawne from the eares of
Burton, Prin, and Bastwick, was a prediction of Canterburies ruine;
the first accidentall, the last premeditate and of purpose[245]. The
cardinall would have expelled all the Lutherans and Protestants out of the
realme, this our Canterburie would have exil'd both our Dutch and
French church out of the kingdome. The cardinall took maine delight
in his foole Patch, and Canterburie tooke much delight in his
partie-coloured cats. The cardinall used for his agents Bonner and
others, Canterburie for his ministers, Duck, Lamb, and others. They
both favoured the Sea of Rome, and respected his holinesse in it. The
cardinall did professe it publickly, the arch-bishop did reverence it
privately. The cardinalls ambition was to bee pope, the arch-bishop
strove to bee patriarch, they both bid fairely for it, yet lost their
aime; and farre easier it is for men to descend than to ascend.