An. Reg. 17. was honourablie buried at Thetford. The cardinall trauelled earnestlie with the maior and aldermen of London, about the aid of monie to be granted, and likewise the commissioners appointed in the shires of the realme, sat vpon the same: but the burthen was so gréeuous, that- it was generallie denied, and the commons in euerie place so mooued, that it was like to grow to rebellion.
In Essex the people would not assemble before the commissioners in no houses, but The commissioners for the tax resisted. in open places, and in Huntingtonshire diuerse resisted the commissioners, and would not suffer them to sit, which were apprehended and sent to the Fléet. The duke of Suffolke sitting in commission about this subsidie in Suffolke, persuaded by courteous meanes the rich clothiers to assent therto: but when they came home, and went about to discharge and put from them their spinners, carders, fullers, weauers, and other artificers, A rebellion in Suffolke by the grieuousnesse of the subsidie. which they kept in worke afore time, the people began to assemble in companies. Whereof rwhen the duke was aduertised, he commanded the constables that euerie mans harnes should be taken from him. But when that was knowne, then the rage of the people increased, railing openlie on the duke, and sir Robert Drurie, and threatned them with death, and the cardinall also. And herewith there assembled togither after the maner of rebels foure thousand men of Lanam, Sudberie, Hadleie, and other townes thereabouts, which put themselues in harnesse, and rang the bels alarme, and began still to assemble in great number.
The duke of Suffolke perceiuing this, began to gather such power as he could, but that was verie slender. Yet the gentlemen that were with the duke, did so much that all the bridges were broken, so that the assemblie of those rebels was somewhat letted. The duke of Norffolke being thereof aduertised, gathered a great power in Norffolke, The duke of Norffolke cōmeth with a power against the rebels in Suffolke. and came towards the commons, & sending to them to know their intent, receiued answer, that they would line and die in the kings causes, and be to him obedient. Herevpon he came himselfe to talke with them, and willing to know who was their capteine, that he might answer for them all: it was told him by one Iohn Gréene a man of fiftie yeares of age, that Pouertie was their capteine, the which with his cousine Pouertie and Necessitie capteins of the rebellion. Necessitie, had brought them to that dooing. For whereas they and a great number of other in that countrie, liued not vpon themselues, but vpon the substantiall occupiers, now that they through such paiments as were demanded of them, were not able to mainteine them in worke, they must of necessitie perish for want of sustenance. The duke hearing this matter, was sorie for their case, and promised them, that if they would depart home to their dwellings, he would be a meane for their pardon to the king. Wherevpot they were contented to depart. After this, the duke of Norffolke, and the duke of Suffolke came to Burie, and thither resorted much people of the countrie in their shirts, with halters about their neckes, meekelie desiring pardon for their offenses. The dukes so wiselie demeaned themselues, that the commons were appeased, and the demaund of monie ceased in all the realme, for well it was perceiued that the commons would pay none. Then went the two dukes to London, and The capteins of the rebels committed to prison. brought with them the chiefe capteins of the rebellion, which were put in the Fléet. The king then came to Westminster to the cardinals palace, and assembled there a great councell, in the which he openlie protested, that his mind was neuer to aske anie thing of his commons which might sound to the breach of his lawes, wherefore he willed to know by whose meanes the commissions were so streictlie giuen foorth, to demand the sixt part of euerie mans goods.
The cardinall excused himselfe, and said, that when it was mooued in councell how The cardinall of Yorke excuseth himselfe touching the streict commission for the tax. to leuie monie to the king vse; the kings councell, and namelie the iudges, said, that he might lawfullie demand anie summe by commission, and that by the consent of the whole councell it was doone, and tooke God to witnes that he neuer desired the hinderance of the commons, but like a true councellor deuised how to inrich the king. The king indeed was much offended that his commons were thus intreated, & thought it touched his honor, that his councell should attempt such a doubtfull matter in his name, and to be denied both of the spiritualtie and temporaltie. Therefore he would no more of that trouble, but caused letters to be sent into all shires, that the matter should no further be talked of: & he pardoned all them that had denied the demand openlie or secretlie. The cardinall, to deliuer himselfe of the euill will of the commons, purchased by procuring & aduancing of this demand, affirmed, and caused it to be bruted abrode, that through his intercession the king had pardoned and released all things.
Those that were in the Tower and Fléet for the rebellion in Suffolke, and resisting The rebels pardoned after their appearance in the Star chamber. the commissioners aswell there as in Huntington shire and Kent, were brought before the lords in the Star chamber, and there had their offenses opened and shewed to them: and finallie the kings pardon declared, and thereon they were deliuered. ¶ In this season a great number of men of warre laie at Bullongne, and in other places thereabout, which diuerse times attempted to indamage the Englishmen, and to spoile the English pale: but they could neuer spoile the marishes where the greatest part of the cattell belonging to the inhabitants was kept. Tindale men with aid ot the Scots, Tindale men great robbers. did much hurt in England by robberies, which they exercised: and therefore were sent thither, sir Richard Bulnere, and sir Christopher Dacres, to restreine their dooings. Diuerse came to them, and submitted themselues: but the greatest théeues kept them in the mounteins of Cheuiot, and did much hurt, yet at length they seuered, and manie of them were taken.
The cardinall by his power legantine sent one of his chapleins called doctor Iohn Allen, to visit the religious houses of this realme about this season, which doctor practised amongst them greatlie to his profit, but more to the slander both of himselfe and of his maister. On the eighteenth daie of Iune, at the manor place of Bridewell, K. Henries base sonne created earle and duke in one dale. the kings sonne (which he had begot of Elizabeth Blunt, daughter to sir Iohn Blunt knight) called Henrie Fitzroie, was created first earle of Notingham, and after on the selfe same daie he was created duke of Richmond and Summerset. Also the same daie the lord Henrie Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, and coosine germane to the king, was created marquesse of Excester: and the lord Henrie Brandon sonne to the duke of Suffolke and the French queene, a child of two yeares old, was created earle of Lincolne: and sir Thomas Manners lord Roos was created earle of Rutland, and sir Henrie Clifford earle of Cumberland, and the lord Fitzwater sir Robert Ratcliffe was created vicount Fitzwater, and sir Thomas Bullen treasuror of the kings houshould was created vicount Rochefort.
The French kings mother as then regent of France, procured a safe conduct for an ambassador to be sent into England to treat of peace, and therewith sent Iohn Iokin called monsieur de Vaux, which (as yée haue heard) in the last yeare was kept secret in maister Larks house. By his procurement a truce was granted to indure from the A truce betwéene England & France for fortie dales. thirtéenth of Iulie for fortie daies betwéene England and France both by sea and land. In the later end of Iulie came into England the chéefe president of Rone with suffcient authoritie to conclude anie agreement that should be granted. At his sute the king was contented that a truce should be taken, to endure from the foureteenth of August, till the first of December. This yeare the king sent doctor Henrie Standish bishop of saint Asse, and sir Iohn Baker knight into Denmarke, to intreat with the Ambassadors sent into Deamarks. nobles of that countrie for the reduction of their king Christierne to his realme and former dignitie: but the Danes hated him so much for his crueltie, that they could not abide to heare of anie such matter, and so these ambassadors returned without speeding of their purpose for the which they were sent.
But the French ambassadors did so much both by offers and intreaties, that the king condescended to a peace, which being concluded, was proclamed in London with a A peace proclamed betwéene England & Frāce. trumpet the eight of September. By the couenants of this peace the king of England should receiue at certeine daies twentie hundred thousand crownes, which then amounted in sterling monie to the summe of foure hundred thousand pounds sterling, of which one paiment of fiftie thousand pounds was paid in hand. In October were sent into France, sir William Fitzwilliam treasuror of the kings house, and doctor Tailor, The ladie regent sworne to performe the articles of the league. as ambassadors from the king of England to the ladie regent, whome they found at the citie of Lion, where, of hir they were honorablie receiued: and in their presence the said ladie regent tooke a corporall oth in solemne wise, and according to the custome in such cases vsed, to performe all the articles and couenants passed and concluded in the league and treatie of peace by hir commissioners.
The emperour was nothing pleased, in that the king of England had thus concluded peace with the Frenchmen, and therefore the English merchants were not so courteouslie dealt with, as they had béene afore time. In this winter was great death A winters death. The still Christmasse. 1526 in London, so that the terme was adiourned: and the king kept his Christmasse at Eltham, with a small number, and therefore it was called the still Christmasse. ¶ In Ianuarie was a peace concluded betwixt the realmes of England and Scotland for thrée yeares and six moneths. The cardinall about this time comming to the court, which then laie (as before ye haue heard) at Eltham, tooke order for altering the state of the kings house. Manie officers and other seruants were discharged, and put to their pensions and annuities. In which number were fourescore and foure yeomen of the The cardinall altereth the state of the kings houshold. gard, which before hauing twelue pence the daie with checke, were now allowed six pence the daie without checke, and commanded to go home into their countries. Diuers ordinances were made at that season by the cardinall, touching the gouernance of the kings house, more profitable than honorable, as some said, and were called long after, The statues of Eltham.
The statutes of Eltham.
On Shrouetuesdaie there was a solemne iusts held at the manor of Gréenewich, the king & eleuen other on the one part, and the marquesse of Excester with eleauen other on the contrarie part. I At those iusts by chance of shiuering of a speare sir Francis Brian lost one of his eies. The eleuenth of Februarie being sundaie, the cardinall with great pompe came to the eathedrall church of Paules, where he sat in pontificalibus vnder his cloth of estate of rich cloth of gold, and there doctor Barnes an Augustine frier bare a fagot for certeine points of heresie alleaged against him; and Doct. Barnes and two merchants of the Sthlard bearefagots. two merchants of the Stiliard bare fagots for eating of flesh on a fridaie: and where the bishoj of Rochester doctor Fisher made a sermon against Martine Luther, which certeine yeares before, that is to wit, about the yeare a thousand fiue hundred and eightéene, had begun to preach and write against the authoritie of the pope.
Ye must here note, that the emperour being at Windsor in the fourteenth yeere of the kings reigne couenanted, amongst other things, to take to wife the ladie Marie daughter to the king of England: but now vpon considerations his mind changed, for the which the Englishmen sore murmured against him. On the nine and twentith
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Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Raphaell Holinshed. William Harrison. Richard Stanyhurst. John Hooker. Francis Thynne. Abraham Fleming. John Stow. Henry Ellis. Ellis Edition. J. Johnson. London. 1807.
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