The History Of England After the Conquest, An Electronic Edition
Henry Ellis, Ed.

A parlement wherein the liuings of the church are restored. The one and twentith of October,a parlement was holden at Westminster,in the which amongst other things the queene being persuaded by the cardinall (and other of hir clergy) that she could not prosper, so long as she kept in hir hands any possessions of the church,did franklie and freelie resigne and render vnto them all those reuenues ecclesiasticall, which by the authoritie of parlement, in the time of king Henrie, had béeue annexed to the crowne, called the first fruits and tenths of all bishopricks, benefices and ecclesiasticall promotions. The resignathon whereof was a A subsidie. I. Stow. great diminution of the reuenues of the crowne. ¶In this parlement was granted to the king and queene a subsidie of the laitie from fiue pounds to ten pounds eight pence of the pound, from ten pounds to twentie pounds twelue pence of the pound, and from twentie pounds vpward sixtéene pence of the pound, and all strangers double,and the cleargie granted six shillings of the pound.

This Storie was executed in quéene Elizabeths time. The death of stephan Gardiner,bishop of Winchester. Doctor Storie and other were appointed by the cardinall,to visit euerie parish church in London and Middlesex,to see their relikes repared,and the images of the crucifix,with Marie and Iohn therevpon to the fixed. During the time of this parlement,Stephan Gardiner bishop of Winchester,and chancellor of of England died at his house called Winchester place,beside saint Marie Oueries in Southworke, the ninth daie of Nouember, whose corps was shortlie after solemnlie from thence conueied to his church of Winchester, and there buried. The maner of whose death Abr.Fl.ex I.F. martyrologin. The reporter of this addition a person of credit. why should I blush to blaze as I find it by report? ¶One mistresse Mondaie, being the wife of one maister Mondaie secretarie sometime to the old lord Thomas duke of Norffolke,a present witnes of this that is testified, thus openlie reported in the house of a worshipfull citizen,bearing office in this citie,in words and effect as followeth. The same daie,when as bishop Rodleie and maister Latimer suffered at Oxford,being about the ninetéenth daie of October, there came to the house of Stephan Gardiner,the old duke of Norffolke with the foresaid Mondaie his secretarie aboue named,reporter héerof. The old aged duke there waiting and tarieng for his dinner, the bishop not yet disposed to dine,deferred the time till three or foure of the clocke at after noone.

At length,about foure of the clocke commeth his seruant posting in all possible spéed from Oxford,bringing intelligence to the bisho what he had heard and séene: of whom the said bishop diligentlie inquiring the truth of the matter,and hearing by his man,that fire most certeinlie was set vnto them,commeth out reioicing to the duke: Now saith he, let vs go to dinner. Wherevpon,they being set downe, Gardiner visited with the sudden stroke of God. meat was immediately brought,and the bishop began merilie to eate: but what followed? The bloudie tyrant had not eaten a few bits,but the sudden stroke of God his terrible hand fell vpon him in such sort, as immediatlie he was taken from the table,and so brought to his bed,where he continued the space of fiftéene daies, in such intollerable anguish and torments, that all that meane while,during those fifteene daies, he could not auoid by order of vrine, or otherwise,any thing that he receiued: whereby his bodie being miserablie inflamed within (who had inflamed so manie good martyrs before) was brought to a wretched end. And thereof no doubt, as most like it is,came the thrusting out of his toong from his mouth so swolne and blacke,with the inflamation of his bodie. A spectacle worthie to be noted and beholden of all such bloudie burning persecutors.

But whatsoeuer he was,séeing he is now gone, I refer him to his iudge, to whom he shall stand or fall. As concerning his death and maner thereof, I would they which were present thereat,would testifie to vs what they saw. This we haue all to thinke,that his death happened so opportunelie, that England hath a mightie cause Stephan Gardiner especiallie hunteth for the life of ladie Elizabeth. Q. Elizabeth preserued. to giue thanks to the Lord therfore: not so much for the great hurt he had doone in times past in peruerting his princesse, in bringing in the six articles, in murthering Gods saints, in defacing Christs sincere religion,&c: as also especiallie for that he-had thought to haue brought to passe in murthering also our noble quéene that now is. For whatsoeuer danger it was of death that she was in, it did (no doubt) procéed from that bloudie bishop,who was the cause thereof. And if it be certeine which we haue heard,that hir highnesse being in the tower, a writ came downe from certeine of the councell for hir execution, it is out of controuersie, that wilie Winchester was the onelie Dedalus and framer of that engine. Who (no doubt) in that one daie had brought this whole realme into wofull ruine, M. Bridges lieutenant the Lords organ in sauing the ladie Elizabeths life. had not the lords most gratious councell, thorough maister Bridges then the lieutenant, comming in hast to the quéene,certified hir of the matter,and preuented Achitophels bloudie deuises. For the which,thanks be to the same our Lord and Sauiour,in the congregation of all English churches, Amen.

The archbishop of Yorke lord chancellor. After whose death, Nicholas Heath archbishop of Yorke, was preferred by the quéene to the office of the chancellor. ¶She likewise gaue the priuie seal to the lord Paget,and made him lord priuie seal,these were both Londoners borne. In this moneth of Februarie, the lord maior of London and the aldermen entered into Bridewell,and tooke possession thereof.according to the gift of king Edward,now confirmed by queene Marie. In the moneth of March next following,there was in maner no other talke, but of the great preparation that was made for the queens lieng in childbed,who had alredie taken vp hir chamber,and sundrie ladies and gentlewomen were placed about hir in euerie office of the court.

Abr.Fl.ex I.F martyrologio. Rockers and nurses prouided for quéene Maries child. ¶And now forsomuch as in the beginning of the moneth of Iune about Whitsuntide,the time was thought to be nie,that this yoong maister should come into the world,and that midwiues,rockers, nurses, with the cradle and all, were prepared and in readinesse,suddenlie vpon what cause or occasion it is vncerteine,a certeine vaine rumor was blowne in London of the prosperous deliuerance of the quéene,and the birth of the child: insomuch that bels were roong, bonefiers and processions made,not onelie in the citie of London,and in most other parts of the realme, but Processions and bonefiresin London for ioy of the yong prince. also in Antwerpe guns were shot off vpon the riuer by the English ships, and the mariners thereof were rewarded with an humdred pistolets or Italian crownes by the ladie regent,who was the quéene of Hungarie. Such great reioising and triumph was for the quéenes deliuerie,and that there was a prince borne. Yea diuers preachers, Triumph at Antwerepe for the same. namelie one the parson of saint Aune within Aldersgate, after procession and Te Deum soong, tooke vpon him to describe the proportion of the child,how faire, how beautifull,and great a prince it was,as the like had not béene seene.

In the middest of this great adoo,there was a simple man (this I speake but vpon information) dwelling within foure miles of Barwike, that neuer had béene before halfe waie to London,which said concerning the bonefires made for quéene Maries Q.Maries child would not come. child; Here is a ioifull triumph, but at length all will not proue worth a messe of pottage,as in déed it came to passe: for in the end all prooued cleane contrarie and the ioy and expectations of men were much deceiued. For the people were certified, that the quéene neither was as then deliuered,nor after was in hope to haue anie child. At this time manie talked diuerslie. Some said this rumour of the quéenes conception What became of Q. Maries child no man can tell. was spread for a policie: some other affirmed that she was deceiued by a tympanie or some other like disease,to thinke hirselfe with child,and was not: some thought shée was with child,and that it did by some mischance miscarie, or else that she was bewitched: but what was the truth therof,the Lord knoweth, to whome nothing issecret. One thing of mine ownehearing and séeing I cannot passe ouer vnwitnessed.

There came to me,whome I did both heare and sée,one Isabel Malt,a woman dwelling in Aldersgate stréet in Horne allie,not farre from the house where this present booke was printed,who before witnesse made this declaration vnto vs, that she being deliuered of a man-child vpon Whitsundaie in the morning, which was the cleuenth daie of Iune Anno 1555, there came to hir the lord North, and another lord to hir vnknowne,dwelling then about old Fist-stréet, demanding of hir if she would part with hir child,and would sweare that she neuer knew nor had no such child. Which if she would,hir sonne (they said) should be well prouided for, she should take no care for it,.with manie faire offers if she would part with the child.

After that came other women also,of whome one (she said) should haue beebe the rocker: but she in no wise would let go hir sonne,who at the writing hereof being aliue and called Timmthie Malt, was of the age of thirtéene yeares and vpward. Thus much (I saie) I heard of the woman hir selfe. What credit is to be giuen to hir Ex testimonio eiusdem puerpere Londinensis. relation, I deale not withall, but leaue it to the libertie of the reader,to beleeue it they that list: to them that list not, I haue no further warrant to assure them. Among manie other great preparations made for the quéenes deliuerance of child, The yoong princes cradle there was a cradle verie sumptuouslie and gorgeouslie trimmed, on the which cra dle for the child appointed,these verses were written,both in Latine and in English, as they are set downe here in record: Verses vpon the cradle.

Quam Maria sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti,
Anglis incolumem redde,tuere,rege.

The child which thou to Marie,
ô Lord of might hast send,
To Englands ioie in health
Preserue, keepe and defend.

About this time there came ouer into England a certeine English booke, giuing warning to the Englishmen of the Spaniards, and disxlosing certeine close practises for recouerie of abbeie lands, which booke was called A warning for England. Whereof ye shall vnderstand much more at large where* we speake of the Spanish *I.Fox in martsub tit.Hen.8. inquisition. So that by the occasion of this booke,vpon the thirteenth daie of this moneth came out a certeine proclamation, set foorth in the name of the king and the quéene, repealing and disanulling all maner of bookes written or printed, whatsoeuer should touch anie thing the impairing of the popes dignitie, wherby not onelie much goldlie edification was hindered, but also great perill grew among the people. This proclamation is recorded at large with other appendents in the Acts and Monuments, vnder the title of quéene Marie.

I. Stow. 1037. Frée scoole at Holt, with other charitable déeds of sir Io.Gresham. ¶In this year died sir Iohn Gresham,who bare the office of lord maior of London 1547,a man of a mercifull nature and good deuotion both to God and his countrie. He founded a frée schoole at Holt,a market towne in Norffolke,and gaue to euerie ward in London ten pounds to be distributed to the poore; and to thresscore poore men and women, euerie one of them thrée yeards of brode cloth of eitht or nine shillings the yard,to be made in gownes readie to their backs. He gaue also to maids mariages,and to the hospitals in London,aboue two hundred pounds in readie Ablasing starre. monie. A blasing starre was seene at all times of the night,the sixt, seuenth, eight,ninth, and tenth of March.

Brookes bishop of Glocester appointed to examine Cranmer. About this time, Brookes bishop of Glocester was by the cardinall sent downe as commissioner from the pope to Oxford, there to sit vpon the examination of Thomas Cranmer archbishop of Canturburie, in such things as should be laid to his charge by Iohn Storie and Thomas Martin, doctors in the lawes,sent speciallie in commission from the quéene. At which time the said archbishop making low obeisance to them that sate in the queenes name, shewed no token of reuerence to the bishop that was the popes commissioner: who neuerthelesse procéeded against him Th.Cranmer archbishop of Canturburie condemned. as iudge,and conuicted him of heresie. According to the which sentence, the one and twentith daie of March next following, he was disgraded by Edmund Boner, and Thomas Thirlebie, bishops of London and Elie,sent downe for that purpose,and He is burnt. he was burned in the place where Ridleie and Latimer before had suffered.

Before his death by the persuasion of a Spanish frier, named frier Iohn, a reader of diuinitie in Oxford, and by the councell of certeine other that put him in hope of life and pardon, he subscribed to a recantation, wherein he submitted himselfe wholie to the church of Rome, and continued in the same mind to outward appearance, vntill he was brought out of prison, to go to the fire. Afore whose The archbishop brought to the place of execution. execution, a sermon was made by doctor Cole deane of Paules, in saint Martins church in Oxford. And in the end of his sermon, the said doctor Cole praied the people to incline their eares to such things as the said Cranmer would declare vnto them by his owne mouth. For (saith he) he is a man verie repentant,and will here before you all reuoke his errors. Neuerthelesse he did clane contrarie. For when he came to the place where the holie bishops and martyrs of God, Iohn Fox. Hugh Latimer and Ridleie were burnt before him, for the confession of the truth, knéeling downe hée praied to God, and not tarieng long in his praiers,putting off his garments to his shir, he prepared himselfe to death. His shirt was made long downe to his féet: his féet were bare. Likewise his head when both his caps were The description of his person. off, was so bare,that one heare could not be séene upon it. His beard was long and thicke,couering his face with maruellous grauitie. Such a countenance of grauitie mooued the hearts both of his frinends and of his enimies.

And as for the recantation aforesaid, with manie tears he protested, that he had subscribed to the same against his conscience,onelie for feare of death,and hope of life. Which seemed true: for when he came to the stake, and the fire kindled, he put his right hand into the fire,and held it there a good space,saieng: that the same hand should first burne bicause it held the pen to subscribe against his Lord God. Vpon the death of this Cranmer I find these reuerend verses:

Infortunatē est fælix, qui numine læso,
Cuiusuis gaudet commoditate boni.
Infælix ille est verō fæliciter, orbi
Inuisus quisquis tristia fato subit.
Hoc Cranmere probas, vitæ præsentis amore,
Dum quæris sanctum dissimulare fidem.
Et dum condilijs tandem melioribus vsus,
Præponis vitæ funera sæua tuæ.

Immediatlie after the death of the said bishop Cranmer,cardinall Poole (a popish Cardinall Poole made archbishop of Canturburie. prelat, and a sore enimie to the religion receined and established in king Henrie the eights time) was made archbishop of Canturburie, who (during the life of the other) would neuer be consecrated archbishop. Who so desireth to see more of this matter, maie see the same at large in the booke of the monuments of the church, Persecution for religion. where you shall also find,that about this time manie were in trouble for religion. The eight and twentith daie of the aforesaid moneth of March, by the negligence Newgate set on fire. of the kéepers maid of the gaile of Newgate in London,who had left a candle where a great deal of straw was,the same was set on fire, and burnt all the timber worke on the northside of the same gate.

A conspiracie. The summer next following was a new conspiracie brought to light,which was,to haue raised war in the realme against the quéene,for maintenance whereof, their I.Stow,pag. 1100. first enterprise was to haue robbed the treasurie of the quéens excheker at Westminster,called the receipt of the excheker,in the which there was of the quéens treasure aboue fiftie thousand pounds the same time,to the intent they might be able to mainteine warre against the queene,as it fell out afterwards in proofe. The vtterer of which conspiracie was one White, who at the beginning was made priuie to the same, The names of the conspirators and their end. Sir Anthonie Kingston departeth this life. Executions for treason fellonie, lsand religion. wherevpon diuerse of the conspiracie, namelie,Henrie Peckham, Daniell, Dethicke, Udall Throckmorton, and capteine Stanton, were apprehended,and diuerse other fled into France. Moreouer,sir Anthony Kingston knight was accused and apprehended of April, Throckmorton and Richard Veale, were drawen to Tioorne and there hanged and quartered. The ninetéenth of Maie Stanton was likewise executed. The eight of Iune, Rosseie, Redike and Bedell suffered at Tiborne for the Iohn Stow. same offense. The eightéenth of Iune,one Sands, yoonger son to the lord Sands, was executed at S. Thomas Waterings,for a robberie committed by him and others to the value of thrée thousand pounds. The seuen and twentith of Iune,eleuen men and two women,were had out of Newgate,and in thrée carts conueied to Stratford the bow, where for religion they were burnt to ashes.