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it was surely his true meaning, that he had so foully denied Christ, by denying that holy and good profession which he had so long and so earnestly stuck unto. His liberty Cheke, after all this hard drudgery which they had made an ea ' him pass through, (and yet he must publicly applaud the mercifulness of his enemies,) he was still kept in prison, and afterward forced to consort with them, and sometimes dined among them, and sat upon the bench with Boner, when he was trying some of the professors ; whereby they still made a farther triumph of him. But at length having his liberty, he retired to the house of his old learned friend, Mr. Peter Osborn, living in the parish of St. Alban's, Wood-street, where he fell into exceeding melancholy and trouble of mind, and in great repentances ended his miserable life within less than a year after, and lies buried in the church of the said parish : in the north chapel of the choir of which church there was, before the fire of London, a fair plated gravestone, which lay upon him, with the date of his death, viz. Sept. 13, 1557, and a copy of verses : for the preserv-
Non erat e multis units, sed is omnibus units Prqf'uit, ct patriot lux erat illc sihb. Gemma BritannaJ'uit, tarn magnum nulla tulerunt Tempora thesaurum, tempora nulla fere nt.
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 517 Which verses were composed by his great friend and ac- CHAP. XXXIX quaintance, the elegant Dr. Walter Haddon. I shall make only one remark more on this gentleman ; Anno 1556 * and that is this, that it was but a little before his captivity, that he wrote a letter from Strasbnrgh to one who was thought to have made some kind of compliance with the times. It was Sir William Cecyl, his dear friend and bro- ther ; wherein he did most earnestly require him to hold fast his religion, and to take heed how he did in the least warp and strain his conscience, by any compliance for his worldly security. And yet, when it came to the pinch, how unable was he to take his own counsel ; so that he might say truly with the poet, Et monitis sum minor ipse meis. So weak are the most resolved and best men to Avithstand violent temptations, when they assault them, without the3]^ mighty grace of God. This was the contemplation of Arch- bishop Parker, when he thought of Sir John Cheke's fall : he writing on the margin of his recantation, and letter of sub- mission to the Queen, Homines sum us ; We are but men.
may read his life, written in the year 1705. CHAP. XL. A match intended for the Lady Elizabeth. The Queen writes to King Philip about it. The beginning of the traffi-ch into Russia. A dearth. Ponefs apology.
Savoy for an husband to the Lady Elizabeth, her sister. It^l^beth seemed to be done upon some consideration of policy; per- haps to gain the said Duke, or keep him fast on his side against France, with whose king, Philip was now in hosti- lity. This Duke the ensuing year was the King's general l13 518 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP, at the siege of St. Quintin. The King of Sweden had .lately been a suitor to this lady by his ambassador, without Anno 1 556. acquainting the Queen first with it. The said lady took hold of this absolutely to give an answer of denial, for attempting to move such a thing in such a disorderly manner. Which the Queen, when she was made acquainted with it, did much approve of in her sister, and signified as much to her by her keeper, Sir Thomas Pope ; who at that time took occasion, by some intimation, as it seems, from the Queen, to make another motion, to feel how she stood affected to the Duke of Savoy, by saying to her, that he thought few or none would believe, but that her Grace could be right well contented to marry, so it were some honourable marriage offered her by the Queen's Highness, or by her Majesty's as- sent. To whom she replied, " assuring him, upon her truth " and fidelity, and as God should be merciful unto her, that " she would not change her condition, though she were of- " fered the greatest prince in all Europe. ,, Which answer Pope signified unto the Queen. The Queen This, I suppose, was the cause the Queen was backward to backward to p regg tQ j ier ^ King's desire of her matching with the said Duke. The King had employed some of his friars, and par- ticularly Alphonsus, a Franciscan, and his confessor, to dis- course with her about this marriage : but she let them know, that her conscience was not well satisfied in it, and desired it might be deferred for a little while, and thought it proper to be done by Parliament ; for she feared, without the con- sent of a Parliament, in the end, neither his Highness nor the realm would be well served. Her dissatisfaction in point of conscience doth not appear ; whether it were, that her sister having declared so resolutely her present aversion to marriage, she could not in conscience force her now upon 3 1 8 it ; or that she could not answer it to her conscience, to un- dervalue her sister, in matching her to any under the qua- lity of a crowned head. But Alphonsus (whose office it seems it was to resolve the Queen's conscience in her scru- ple) asked her several odd questions ; as, Who was king in UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 519 Adam's time ? And said, she was bound to make this CHAP, marriage by an article of her Creed. Which were such ob- scure reasonings, that she understood them not ; much less Anno 1556 - could receive satisfaction to her conscience thence, as she signified to the King in a letter, in answer to one from him. Who in a grave, haughty, and not very obliging manner, " bade her examine her own conscience, if it were con- " formable to truth ; and that it might be obstinacy, ra- " ther than conscience ; adding, that if any Parliament " went contrary to this request of his, he would lay the " fault upon her." She, in her answer, right humbly beseeched him to appoint Her letter some person, whomsoever he pleased, to confer with her, and thereupon, she would hear them with all her heart, and protested, upon her fidelity to him, that they should not find her obstinate, nor, she hoped, without reason. But she, in all lowliness, prayed him to defer this matter till his return into England, and then he should judge whether she were blameworthy or no : that otherwise she should live in jealousy of his Highness 1 s affection, which would be worse to her than death ; of which, as she wrote, she had begun to taste already, to her great regret ; and that, in her simple judgment under his Highness's correction, since the Duke of Savoy would be presently in arms, and that some of her council and nobility were abroad with his Highness, the thing could not come to the conclusion he desired, without "his own presence, how- ever well her conscience should be satisfied : therefore she prayed him, in as humble manner as was possible for one who was his most loyal and most obedient wife, which she acknowledged herself most obliged to be, and that above all other women, having such an husband as his Highness was, not to speak of the multitude of his kingdoms, for that was not her principal foundation ; that they both might make their prayers to God, and put their confidence in him, that they should live, and meet together ; and that the same God, who had the hearts of kings in his hands, would, she hoped, without fail, enlighten them in such sort, that the end would tend to God's glory and his content. And in this
520 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP, submissive strain did the Queen's letter run, which may be , read in the Catalogue. Where it may be observed in what A,,no 1556, haughtiness King Philip carried himself towards Queen Numb ' LVI Mary, and with what profound respect and observance she behaved herself towards him ; and from both one may con- clude, that she had no great matter of joy in her marriage. A conjee- But while I weigh well the Queen's letter, it may seem to coming " re late to some more weighty affair than that proposition of the said marriage for the Lady Elizabeth. And if we may allow the letter. . word marriage in the letter to be a Jargon, one might under- stand it to be a secret phrase used between the King and her for the war, which he laboured to induce her to enter into with France, with which realm as yet she was in league, and against her breaking with that mighty crown tended one of the articles of marriage with the King;. Which 319 probably was the cause that she in her letter so much urged her conscience, and so earnestly desired the business might be deferred, and referred to a Parliament. But this must be left to conjecture. It is sure by this means it came about that the Queen, to her cost, proclaimed war with France. The Russia The merchant adventurers to Moscovy were the last year incorpo^ incorporated by the Queen into a company, consisting of rated. four consuls and twenty-four assistants. And Sebastian Cabota, born in Bristow, of Genoese parents, who was the chief setter forth of the first voyage into those parts, was con- stituted the first governor thereof, during his life : for in the year 1553, under King Edward, many of the nobility, as namely, William Marquis of Winchester, lord high trea- surer, Henry Earl of Arundel, lord steward of the house- hold, John Earl of Bedford, lord keeper of the privy seal, William Earl of Pembroke, William Lord Howard of Ef- fingham, with many aldermen and merchants of London, as Sir George Barnes, Sir John Gresham, Sir Andrew Judd, Sir Thomas White, Sir John York, William Garret, Anthony Husie, John Southcote, and divers others, (the King also having made them a corporation,) did at their own adventures, costs, and charges, provide, rig, and tackle three ships; one named the Edward Bonadventure, of 160
UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 521 tons, Richard Chancellor captain and pilot general, a man chap. of a great wit, brought up under Sir Henry Sydney, to dis- XL - cover, descry, and find isles, lands, territories, and domi- Anno 1556. nions unknown, northwards, north-eastwards, and north- westwards : but Sir Hugh Willoughby, a most accomplished gentleman and brave soldier, was the general of the voyage, with command and authority over the rest. He went in the Bona Esperanza, the admiral, of 120 tons. The third ship was called the Confidentia, of 90 tons ; a pinnace and a boat belonging to each. In this voyage Sir Hugh Willoughby was froze to death sitting in his cabin. Chancellor alone arrived safe at St. Nicholas port in Russia ; and travelling to the Emperor's Court, delivered the King's letters to him. He returned safe home, bringing along with him the Emperor's letters, dated in February 1554, to King Ed- ward, granting free leave of traffick in any parts of his domi- nions. In the year 1555, Queen Mary sent letters, dated April 1, to the said Emperor or Great Duke, in answer to his writ the year before ; and Richard Chancellor was des- patched with them upon a second voyage to Russia.
for England, named Osep (or Joseph) Napea Gregoriwich, ror of j Ios " the Emperor's high officer in the town and country of Vo- an ambas- logda. He came on board the Edward Bonadventure, the £ "[J,^ said Chancellor captain, in company with three other ships, viz. the Bona Esperanza, the Philip and Mary, and the Confidentia; but the Bonadventure was forced into a bay in Scotland, and there lost ; the ambassador and a few of his men were narrowly saved ; Chancellor himself most un- happily drowned. The Queen sent Dr. Laurence Hussey, a civilian, and George Gilpin, into Scotland, to wait upon the ambassador in his distress, and to supply him with what he needed : and by them he was conducted into England, and brought to London with all the state that could be, and thence to the Queen with great honour. Soon after, she sent the Bishop of Ely and Sir William Petre, her secretary, 320 to treat and confer with him. The English merchants found that he was not so conformable to reason, as at first 522 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP, they thought he should have been ; being very mistrustful, and thinking every man would beguile him : which made Anno 1556. them afterwards to advise their factors there, that they should take heed how they had to do with the Russes ; to make their bargains plain, and to set them down in writing : for that they were subtile people, and did not always speak the truth, and thought other men to be like themselves. But finally a league was concluded, and articles of amity agreed upon. And Osep being ready to depart, May 1, next year, 1557, the Bishop of Ely and Sir William Petre, on the be- half of the King and Queen, repaired to him, and with the Queen's letters, delivered him noble presents for the Empe- ror, and gifts to himself: and so he went aboard an English ship called the Primrose, Anthony Jenkinson commander, then admiral of the fleet going for Russia, the John Evan- gelist, the Ann and Trinity, being the other.
and Queen " mark it well, you shall find great diversity between them. UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 523 " In the dearths under the gospel, it was not for want of CHAP. " things, that God did not send them plenteously, but " through the wickedness of men, which, in so great plenty Anno1556, " and blessings of God, made a needless dearth : for farms compared. " were raised, that farmers might not foorthe [afford] to sell Ex P osit - ° • » upon Ag- " as they were wont. Many things were gotten into few gee. " men's hands, and they would sell as they list, and not as " things were worth according to charity, being content with " reasonable gains. Corn was carried out of the realm, or " sold through many men's hands or it came to the markets; " and every one would raise the price, and have some part " of gains. Some would feed their hogs with it, or else let " it be foist in their barns, and eaten with mice, rather than " they would bring it to the market to pull down the price. " Men of honour and worship were become sheepmasters " and graziers : tillage was turned into pasture, and towns " into graunges. And all, not to make things cheaper, " which might have been suffered, but dearer, which was 321 " and is devilish. " But since the Pope was restored, 1 ' as he proceeded, " ye " have had unseasonable weather : the earth hath not " brought forth her fruit, and strangers have devoured " much of that which ye had. All your Latin processions " and singing of gospels under bushes, nor yet your Or a pro " nobis, can get you God's blessing, but rather increase his " anger. When were ye compelled to eat acorns for bread, " but in your popery, and falling from God ? When was " London full of gallows to bring in strangers, but in po- " pery ? When was Calais lost, but in popery ? When was " Boloign gotten, and the Scots vanquished so manfully, as " under the gospel ? But this was the greatest plague of " all, and least regarded of you, that the heavenly comfort " of God's word was locked up from you, and the comforta- " ble dew of God's favour did not fall upon you ; nor your " earthly hearts could bring forth good fruits and works of " repentance. And so the curse was fulfilled on you : as it " is written, / will send an hunger into the earth ; not an " hunger of bread, but an hunger to hear the word of God:
524 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL CHAP. " that you shall go from the east unto the west to hear it, XL - " and shall not find it." Anno 1556. Dr. Martin having set forth a book against priests' mar- vonet's riag-e, (mentioned under the year 1554,) and taking upon book in an- T° . V , , , J „ i i i swer to him, in several chapters thereof, to answer to a book pub- Martin. ]i s hed by Dr. Ponet, or Poinet, about seven years ago, in favour of priests'* marriage ; the same Ponet this year pub- lished a treatise, wherein he learnedly confuted his adversary. This was only the first part of his answer, intending shortly to publish the second. It was entitled, An Apology, fully answering, by Scriptures and ancient Doctors, a blasphe- mous book, gathered by Dr. Stephen Gardiner, of late Lord Chancellor, Dr. Smith of Oxford, Pighius, and other Pa- pists, as by their boohs appear eth ; and of late set forth un- der the name of Tho. Martin, Doctor of the Civil Laivs, (as qfhimsefhe saith,) against the godly Marriage of Priests. Wherein divers other matters, which the Papists defend, be so coifuted, that in Martin's overthrow they may see their own impudence and confusion. By John Ponet, D. D. and Bishop of Winchester. Then is added, that the author de- sired the reader would content himself with his first book, until he might have leisure to set forth the next; which should be, by God's grace, shortly : but he shortly after died, and so that book remained in MS. till the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, when, having fallen into the hands of Archbishop Parker, he printed it, concealing the name, with certain large additions of his own. Some ac- The preface to this book now set forth began thus ; " The count of it. « LotcI Jesus help and assist us with his holy Spirit. Where " shall I first begin ? or rather, where may I not begin ? " Both these questions have some little doubt, good reader. " The number of matters, which Martin in his book (as " one that would seem to know all things) taketh upon him " to determine and discuss, causeth my doubting of the " one ; and the multitude of his slights, shifts, and shameful 322 " lies, of the other," Sec. I think it noUimiss to set down some extracts out of this learned book, being now, in effect, after so long a time, lost to the world. UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 525 And first, Whereas Martin has dedicated his book to C[f A P. Queen Mary, then a virgin, Ponet shewed his uncivil, rude XI " language, unbeseeming the modesty of a virgin to see orAnnoisse. hear ; reproving him for offending her ears with such un- He re ~
epistle : as, where he used the terms of detestable bawdry, i/ C Vto the of stinking' lechery, beastly lechery, common concubines, Q ueeiu and common strumpets, lecherous and filthy beasts ; his hea- thenish, and ruffian-like, and abominable talk, in abusing the word camis resurrectionem, being an article of every Christian's faith ; with a number of such like, or more wicked terms. " O Lord," added he, " is honesty so much decayed, " that any man dare be so bold to occupy the chaste ears " of a Christian creature, but chiefly of a Queen, with such " whorish and ethnical talk ?" Martin had been the lord of misrule's buffoon, one Christmas, in Oxon. Ponet took advantage hence to tell him sharply, " that in playing the " Christmas lord's minion, in New college in Oxford, in his " fool's coat, he did learn his boldness, and lost his wit, and " began to put off all shame, and to put on all impudence." He told him moreover, " that though the Queen's pleasure " were, that this evil argument against the holy matrimony " of priests should go abroad under her defence, that so the " same, though it were an ill matter, should have as good a " visor put upon it as might be, and that in such sort, as " the world that now is might perceive how by zeal she " was carried to favour superstition ; yet that the posterity " which should follow this age might understand she rc- " joiced not in such vile and beastly spirits ; though lying " [of which that book abounded] were allowed, by reason " of her ignorance." And for this cause he blamed those that were about the Queen, saying, that this book of Mar- Yüklə 12,09 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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