Search York

very evil days for the light of the Gospel to be brought in,

for the reforming and amending the wretched looseness of

the age. The reason of his dedicating this book to this

gentleman, he expressed in these words : '"' I dedicate it to

" you, good Master Tracie, not that I think it a thing fit for

" you, (inasmuch as you have bestowed the most part of

" your time in the fruitful studies of holy Scriptures,) but

" that at this time it may be a monument and token of

" my mind towards you, which cannot be (except I were

" changed into a worse nature than any barbarous Scythian

" is of) but most loving. For when I was destitute of fa-

" ther or mother, you conceived a very fatherly affection

" toward me, and not only brought me up in the Universities

" of this and foreign realms, with your great cost and

" charges, but also most earnestly exhorted me to forsake

" the puddles of sophisters, and to fetch water from the

" pure fountains of the Scripture. Wherefore, seeing you

" have been the author and cause of that simple learning

" that I have obtained, I thought it my duty to render the

" fruits thereof unto you. And albeit that both you desire,

" and I dehght, more to travail in the holy writings,**"* &c.

I set down this the more at large, to retrieve the memory, as

much as may be, of worthy men in former times, and to

revive some knowledge of them and their good deeds. Such

an one was this Richard Tracie, son, as it seems, of him of

that surname in Glocestershire, who in Henry VIIIth\s time

was, for his good religion, digged out of his grave after his

E e3

422 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK death, and burnt. From whom this gentleman did not de-
' generate in learning or piety,

lino 1550. Lastly, to all the rest I add one book more, that came

Debate abroad this same year, which was entitled, J debate between
jtweenthe ¦J ^ -i i i t i
[eraidsof tlw lieraUs of England and France. Compiled by John

"lFr"ance.Coke, Clerk of the Statutes of the Staple of Westminster.

Imprinted by Richard Wier. The occasion and subject of

this book he sets down in his preface : viz, that being one

day in Brussels in Brabant, and being then secretary to the

worshipful company of merchant adventurers of the Eng-

lish nation, he chanced in a printer's shop to find a little

pamphlet in French, called The debate of heralds of Eng-

land and France : wherein were contained the commodities

in effect of both the said realms, with the victorious acts

and prowesses of sundry noble princes, ruling in times past

over the said regions. Which after he had perused, he

perceived the French herald wholly without desert to give

the honour to France, and in all things debased this noble

realm and people of England : and further found the said

book to be compiled of hearty maUce, little or nothing

tracing the chronicles of the one realm or the other. There-

fore out of zeal to his country, this author pretends to shew

the truth, touching the said debate, out of a great many

ancient historians which he had diligently consulted, in the

behalf of England, as Eutropius, Colman, Bede, Gildas,

Orote, Chronica Chronicorum, &c. The book begins thus :

" Prudence upon a day for pleasure passed her time in a

(270) " garden, where finding herself accompanied with two he-

" raids, the one of England and the other of France, and

" minding to put unto them a question, to know if they

" were expert in their offices, reasoned with them in this

'' manner : Prudence speaketh. Fair Sirs, said she, you

" have a goodly office, which all noblemen ought to love and

" favour. For to your reports, emperors, kings, princes,

" ladies, and other great lords, submit themselves. You

" are judges of worldly honours, be it in arms, as in as-

*' saults, battles, rencounters, sieges, justs, tourneys, or in

OF KING EDWARD VI. 423

*< shows, pomps, feasts, and obsequies, and in all other CHAP.

" things done in magnificence, and tending to honour: by ^^^^^•

" you they ought to be published,"" &c. Anno 1550

An endeavour and intent there was to let the world see Diacosio-

another tract about this year, (though it as yet came not ^ "^'^y"^"*

forth.) It was a book in verse, called Diacosio-Martyrio7i^

writ by White, Warden of Winchester, with some assistance:

in truth a very trifling piece, levelled against Peter Martyr.

He sent it to Lovain, to be printed there. But upon the

knowledge that such a book was by him sent thither, he

was imprisoned ; and other his friends, who assisted in the

making or transporting of it, were in great danger of suf-

fering by it. Hereupon the Lovain printer stopped or sup-

pressed it, and sent it back, Nov. 1, 1553 : and then it was

printed and published in London. This account is told of

it in the preface to the reader. It was dedicated. Ad sere-

7iissimam illustrissimamque Principem Marlam Regis Ed-

war di VI. sororem. And this dedication was not altered,

though pubKshed, when she was actually Queen. Before it

is an epistle to Peter Martyr, full of reproaches for his te-

nets about the Eucharist, his lectures at Oxford, and his

refusing to dispute with Dr. Smith, when he was challenged.

And he says there, that Peter Martyr, to avoid the dispute,

complained to the government against Smith, and forced

him to flee, to escape imprisonment. But the Memorials of

Cranmer, chap. xiv. will give a true representation of that

affair.
John Voisey, or Veyzey, alias Harman, was Bishop ofBp.Voisey

Exeter, and so continued to this year ; but seldom resided '^^^'S'ls-

upon his bishopric, living for the most part in Warwick-

shire, where he minded secular matters, tending chiefly to

the improvement of the town of Sutton Coldfield, his native

place. To whose absence from his diocese the rebellion in

the west was partly attributed. The King and Court had

an honour for the man, having been King Henry Vlllth's

chaplain, dean of his chapel, employed by him in honour-,

able employments abroad in embassies ; and at home he

had been governor to the Lady Mary, when she was the

E e 4

424, MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK King's only daughter, and entitled Princess of Wales, lord

president of Wales, and one of those that assisted at the

Anno 1550. consecration of Archbishop Cranmer. He was now grown

very ancient, and so the less fit to look after his great dio-

cese. And therefore, having made good provisions for him-

self out of the temporalities thereof, did now in November

resign it into the King's hands by word of mouth, as it

seems, to the Earl of Bedford, being lord lieutenant of

those western countries. Which resignation was so accept-

able and well taken at this juncture, when there was such

need there of an active and preaching Bishop, that a letter

The Council of thanks was written from the Kinff and Council to the
thanks him. . i ,^. , p , . , _^. ¦, . ^
Warn Book, said JBishop, tor surrendering to the King his office or

(271) charge, by reason of his age, not able to discharge the same

according to his conscience, as it was reported by the Earl

of Bedford, keeper of the privy seal. Yet he outliving

King Edward, was replaced by Queen Mary in his old see,

though unable to mind it. And then Dr. Moreman was

his coadjutor : as Coverdale was under King Edward, and

upon his resignation, his successor, as we shall see under

the next year.

Sir Martin Sir Martin Bows, Knight, that had been long under-trea-

mint sur- surer of the mint, and faithful in his place, did now about

renders his January surrender his office in the State, as the Bishop had

surrendered his in the Church. Which I the rather men-

tion here, because John Stow, in his catalogue of citizens

that had been benefactors, leaves him wholly out, as also

doth Dr. Willet in his catalogue. For as he was a very

wealthy man, so was he largely charitable. He built an

hospital at Woolwich in Kent, where he had an house and

lands. He appointed a sermon to be preached yearly at the

church of St. Mary Woolnoth, (where he lived, and where

he was buried,) at or near St. Martin's day. At which

sermon the company of goldsmiths (whom he made his

trustees) are to be present ; and certain of his gifts are then

and there to be disposed by them : whose streamers and

cognisances hang still up (or lately did) in the said church,

and are to be renewed from time to lime by the said com-

OF KING EDWARD VI. 425

pany as they decay: whicli they are to do in memory of CHAP,

his large benefactions towards them. For he gave them

much plate, and curiously wrought, and many houses and^^^^^^^^-

lands. He was Lord Mayor, anno 1545, 37 Henry VIII.

and Sheriff five years before. But to return to the surrender

of his office : the commissioners appointed to hear and deter-

mine all accounts and reckonings of the King's mints, within

the realm, {viz. the Earl of Warwick, Sir William Herbert,

and Sir Walter Mildmay,) found him in debt to the King

10,000Z. And for his honest and faithful managery of his

place, and surrender of his fee of 200 marks, first, he had

an annuity granted him of 200 mark, and the confirmation

of 661. ISs. ^d. granted him by King Henry for his good

service done in the said office. Secondly, he had a grant to

pay and discharge the foresaid debt as followeth, that is

to say, in hand 3,000Z. and so yearly 1,000Z. till all were

paid. Lastly, a pardon of all treasons, trespasses, contempts,

&c. done and committed by the said Martin, concerning

money and coin of the King's Majesty and his father, and

of all unjust and false making of money, and payments of

the same : and of all other offences done contrary to the ef-

fect of the common law, and to any statute, act, provision,

proclamation, &c. or to any prescriptions, customs, or any

other conventions, concerning the making and coining of

the said money ; and of all forfeitures of goods, chattels,

lands, and tenements, and pains of death ; and of all impri-

sonments, and other pains whatsoever ; and of all prosecu-

tions, condemnations, judgments, and indictments, and the

execution of them, which by reason of any of them he

should run in the King's danger ; and of all manner of

debts, accounts, arrearages of accounts, acts, and demands,

that against the said Martin, or Thomas Shepwith, or either

of them, as executors of the last will and testament of Rafe

Rowlet, Esq. [to whom it seems Sir Martin succeeded in the

mint,] or against Sir Rafe Rowlet, Knt. as son and heir of

the said Rowlet, by reason of any recognisances, obligations,

bills, &c. .

426 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK
^- CHAP. XXXIII.

nno 1550. j,^^ King's good progress in learning and virtue. The

yp'l^) Marquis of Northampton. Commissioners for French
matters. French crowns. A Scotch ship stayed. Fail
of Southampton ; a ward. Thomas Lord Howard.
Mines founds &c.
The King's _L HE Kinff was now thirteen years of a^e, and by this
progress in . tit- i • • i i -ly n
his studies, time vmderstood Latin, spake it, wrote it properly, skiiiuJJy,

fluently, and all this with judgment too. He made also

good progress in the Greek tongue, and with great ease

turned Latin into Greek. He had learnt over logic, and

was now entering into Aristotle^s Ethics in Greek, (for Ci-

cero''s philosophy he was also versed in.) For being once

instructed in those universal precepts and parts of virtue

and vice, he would be able to bring a steady judgment to

look into the various manners of men, which he should meet

with plenteously in reading of history : which was the rea-

son his learned tutor Cheke assigned for this course of study,

in his answer made to Ascham ; who had asked him, why

he had not rather put him upon reading the Institution of

Cyrus, a book very proper for a king to read. When these

Ethics were done with, which would take the King up but

a little time, then he was to peruse Aristotle's Rhetoric.

And in vir- But together with his aptness and great progress in learn-

ing, he had a great disposition to virtue, a love of religion,

a good judgment, and other excellent qualifications. As-

cham, who knew him well, and lived then at the Court,

in a letter dated in December to the learned Sturmius at

Argentine, gave this account of him : " that his nature

" equalled his fortune; but his virtue, or, to speak as a Chris-

*' tian, the manifold grace of God in him, exceeded both.

" That he did to admiration outrun his age in his desires

" of the best learning, in his study of the truest religion, in

" his will, his judgment, and his constancy.^

Some en- Though there wanted not for some about his person,

take the "^vlio laboured to divert him from his studies and care of his

OF KING EDWARD VI. 427

kingdom, to pastime and gaiety, which therefore the graver CHAP.
sort, as they had opportunity, endeavoured to arm the good ^^^^^^'
King against. One whom we have mentioned before, took Anno 1550.
the confidence from the pulpit to bespeak him with respect J^'"» *^.^
hereunto, ^fter this manner : " It is not unhke, but if your present
" Majesty with your Council speak unto your nobles for^'^'jj.gg
*' provision, now to be made for the poor people, ye shall Lever's ser-
^' find some that, setting afore your eyes the hardness of the "hg^^ju^^'^^
'' matter, the tenderness of your years, and the wonderful on the third
*' charges that should be requisite, will move and counsel Lentf^ "
*' you to quiet yourself, to take your ease, yea, to take your
'' pastime in hawking, hunting, and gaming." And then turn- (273)
ing his speech to such an one, he thus accosted him: " Thou
*' hast no taste nor savour, how delicious God is unto a pure
*' conscience in godly exercise of good works. But all that
*^ thou regardest and feelest is voluptuous pleasures in
'^ worldly vanities. And therefore thou dost not perceive,
*' how that they which be endowed with a special grace of
" God, may find more pleasure and pastime in godly go-
*' vernance, to keep together and save simple men, than in
" hawking and hunting, to chase and kill wild beasts. Yea,
*' a godly king shall find more pleasure in casting lots for
" Jonas, to try out offenders which trouble the ship of this
*' commonwealth, than in casting dice at hazard, to allow
*' and maintain by his example such things as should not
'' be suffered in a commonwealth. Yea, surely a good king
'' shall take far more delight in edifying with comfort, and
'' decking with good order, the congregation of his people,
" the Church and house of God, the heavenly city of Je-
" rusalem, than in building such houses as seem gay and
<« gorgeous, and be indeed but vile earth, stones, timber,
" and clay. Such like answer ought your Majesty and all
'' noblemen to make, if ye find any of your counsellors
" more carnal than spiritual, more worldly than godly."
I shall now set down some matters of more public con-

cern, or special remark, that passed, and were signed by the

King and his Council, beginning at the month of October,

428 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK William Parr, Marquis of Northampton, brother to King

' Henry's last wife, (being therefore one whom King Edward

Anno 1550. called uncle,) was one of the favourites of this reign. Be-

crantedto ^^^^^ ^^^ advancement to be Lord High Chamberlain of

the Mar- England, he had a grant, dated October 20, of the office of

Nortbanip- keeping the park of Hendley, and the little park of Wind-

^°"- sor, together with the constableship of the castle of Wind-

sor ; and the keeping of all the forests, parks, warrens, and

other places belonging to every of the same offices, for life,

with all profits thereto belonging; with the fee of six-

pence per day for keeping Hendley park, and four pence

per day for keeping the little park of Windsor. To him

also was granted by patent, dated the same day, the office

of keeping the laund of Benfield in the forest of Rocking-

ham, in the county of Northampton, and of the game within

the said laund, with the outwoods of Thornehaw, Woodhaw,

and Corbe woods, within the said forest ; and the keeping

of Gratton woods, and of the west bailifwick within the said

forest, with all fees and profits. Also he had a grant for

life of all the chief messuage called the Laund Lodge ^ with-

in the said laund ; together with a lease to him for life of the

herbage and panage. Of the same date was granted also

to this lord, the office of bailiff of Surrey, alias Bagshots

Bailes, in the forest of Windsor ; and the office of steward

and bailif of the manor of Godalming, and the hundred of

Godalming, in the county of Surrey; with the gubernance

of all the King's tenants and subjects within the said manor

and hundred, inhabitant; with the keeping of the chief

house and scite of the late prior's farm of Guildford in the

Formerly said county, and the master of the game within the park of

held by Whitlev, for life. All which offices were surrendered by

Sir Michael . . , , ,
Stanhop. Sir Michael Stanhop.
(274) A commission was issued out, November 16, to John

In^'forihe Wallop, Thomas Wyat, and Richard Rede, Knights, Wil-

controver- Ham Cook, LL. D. and Francis Hall, Esquires, or to any

the French four, three, or two of them, to hear and determine with the

about the French Kind's commissioners all controversies between the
borders. °

OF KING EDWARD VI. 4^9

King's Majesty and the said French King; touching as CHAP.

well the right of title of lands and possessions, as also of J2____

lordships and territories, as well within the King's Majesty's Anno 1550.

limits, as within the French King's, upon the marches of

Calais.
A new commission, but to the same tenor and purport,

was made, only leaving out Sir Thomas Wyat, upon some

reason of sickness, or the like, and putting Sir Richard

Blount in his room. A memorial was then given by the

King, with the advice of his Council, to the said commis-

sioners, concerning the aforesaid controversies. And there

was a warrant to Sir Edmund Peckham, cofferer, to pay to

Sir Richard Rede, a learned common lawyer, and a judge,

forty shillings per diem, until his return unto the King's

presence, advancing him two months beforehand ; and to

allow him for all such sums of money as by his bills should

be signified unto him, to be laid out about sending letters

to the King's Majesty, or otherwise about the said affairs.

The like warrant to the said Peckham was directed to pay

Dr. Cook, a learned civilian, for his diet, the sum of thirty-

three shillings four pence per day, and to advance him two

months.
A proclamation came forth dated November 27, com- A procia-

manding all the King's subjects, and every other person p^^g^^jj ^^

having traffic within the realm, that from the last of De- crowns,

cember next ensuing, they should not utter or receive any

crowns, commonly called French crowns^ above the value

of six shilUngs and four pence of current money of England,

upon pain of forfeiture of the same. Whereof the one half

should be to the King's Majesty, and the other to the ac-

cusers : with a proviso, that whosoever before the last day

of December should bring any of the French crowns into

the King's mints, should receive for every of them seven

shillings, according to the value before limited.
The Princess of Scotland had sent a letter of complaint A com-

to the King in this month of November, advertising the |J,^\°*j,°g^Jp

King, that a ship called the Trinity, appointed to help some stayed.

part of the train of the Queen her mother in her voyage to

430 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK France, was stayed in the King''s port of Hull, contrary to

* the amity and late peace. But all this was but a glozing

Anno 1550. surmise, and perhaps this ship was no better in truth than

a pirate. For to this import did the King''s answer to the

Princess run, that there was no such ship stayed in that port of

Hull ; but in the port of Grimsley, in the river of Humber,

there was a Scotch ship stayed ; yet none of the ships that

appertained to the said train, as appeared by the deposition

of the mariners, and of Davy Simner, master and owner

thereof. And that it was stayed there, because it was en-

tered without any safe conduct, or other licence, contrary to

law and the ancient customs of both realms. Wherewith,

the King said, he nothing doubted but that she would be

satisfied.

Earl of Henry, the young Earl of Southampton, being the King's

ton warTto godson, and now his ward, was in December committed to

Sir William gir William Herbert. His father Sir Thomas Wriothesly

was created Earl the first year of this King, and Lord

Chancellor, a man very inward with Stephen Gardiner, late

Bishop of Winchester, and much addicted to his principles,

(275) an enemy to the Duke of Somerset, and assistant to War-

wick in his practices against him. Being thrown out of the

Court and his places, and in some apprehension of being

called in question for his life, was thought to take it to

heart, and retiring to his own house, died in discontent, or,

as some said, by giving himself a dose. To Sir William

Herbert, with his ward, was committed the keeping of the

manor of Blumesbury, (where, if I mistake not, the Earl

had his house,) and all the messuages, lands, and tenements

in Milfield and Culverclose, with their appurtenances, in the

county of Middlesex, and of the manor of Sutton with the

appurtenances in the county of Somerset, to the yearly va-

lue of 200Z. with the wardship and marriage of the said