XXVIII. 1520. THA P. to poffefs, his revenues were computed nearly to equal those which belonged to the crown itfelf; and he spent them with a magnificence, or rather an oftentation, which gave general offence to the people; and even leffened his master in the eyes of all foreign nations ". War be 26 THE violent perfonal emulation and political jealoufy, which had taken place between the Charles and emperor and the French king, foon broke out tween Francis. Mediation in hoftilities. But while thefe ambitious and warlike princes were acting against each other in almost every part of Europe, they ftill made profeffions of the strongest defire of peace; and both of them inceffantly carried their complaints to Henry, as to the umpire between them. The of Henry. king, who pretended to be neutral, engaged them to fend their ambaffadors to Calais, there to negociate a peace under the mediation of Wolfey and the pope's nuncio. The emperor was well apprized of the partiality of these mediators; and his demands in the conference were fo unreasonable, as plainly proved him confcious of the advantage. He required the restitution of Burgundy, a province, which many years before had been ceded to France by treaty, and which, if in his poffeffion, would have given him entrance into the heart of that kingdom: And he demanded to be freed from the homage, which his ancestors had always done for Flanders and Artois, and which he himself had, by the treaty of Noyon, 26 Polydore Virgil. Hall. engaged engaged to renew. On Francis's rejecting these c HA P. terms, the congrefs of Calais broke up, and Wol. xxvIII. fey, foon after, took a journey to Bruges, where 1521. he met with the emperor. He was received with 24th Nov. the fame state, magnificence, and refpect, as if he had been the king of England himself; and he concluded in his mafter's name an offenfive alliance with the pope and the emperor against France. He ftipulated, that England fhould next fummer invade that kingdom with forty thoufand men; and he betrothed to Charles the princess Mary, the king's only child, who had now fome profpect of inheriting the crown. This extravagant alliance, which was prejudicial to the interests and might have proved fatal to the liberty and independence of the kingdom, was the refult of the humors and prejudices of the king, and the private views and expectations of the cardinal. THE people faw every day new inftances of the uncontrouled authority of this minifter. The duke of Buckingham, conftable of England, the first nobleman both for family and fortune in the kingdom, had imprudently given disgust to the cardinal; and it was not long before he found reafon to repent of his indifcretion. He feems to have been a man full of levity and rafh projects; condemna. and being infatuated with judicial aftrology, he entertained a commerce with one Hopkins, a Bucking carthufian friar, who encouraged him in the notion of his mounting one day the throne of England. He was defcended by a female from the duke of Gloucefter, youngest fon of Ede tion of the duke of hain, CHAP. ward III.; and though his claim to the crown XXVIII. was thereby very remote, he had been fo unguarded as to let fall fome expreffions, as if he thought himself beft entitled, in cafe the king fhould die without iffue, to poffefs the royal dignity. He had not even abstained from threats against the king's life, and had provided himfelf with arms, which he intended to employ, in cafe a favorable opportunity fhould offer. He was brought to a trial; and the duke of Norfolk, whofe fon, the earl of Surrey had married Buckingham's daughter, was created lord fteward, in order to prefide at this folemn procedure. The jury confifted of a duke, a marquis, feven earls, and twelve barons; and they gave their verdict against Buckingham, which was foon after carried into execution. There is no reafon to think the sentence unjust "; but as Buckingham's crimes feemed to proceed more from indifcretion than deliberate malice, the people who loved him, expected that the king would grant him a pardon, and imputed their difappointment to the animofity and revenge of the cardinal. The king's own jealoufy, however, of all perfons allied to the crown, was, notwithstanding his undoubted title, very remarkable during the whole courfe of his reign; and was alone fufficient to render him implacable against Buckingham. The office of conftable, which this nobleman inherited from the Bohuns, earls of Hereford, was forfeited, and was never after revived in England. 27 27 Herbert Hall. Stowe, p. 513. Hollingfhed, p. 862. CHA P. XXIX. Digreffion concerning the ecclefiaftical state- Origin of the reformation--Martin Luther-Henry receives tha title of defender of the faith-Causes of the progress of the reformation-War with France-Invafion of FranceWar with Scotland-A parliament-Invasion of France —Italian wars-The king of France invades Italy— Battle of Pavia and Captivity of Francis-Francis recovers his liberty-Sack of Rome League with France. DURING XXIX. 1921. URING fome years, many parts of Europe c HA P. had been agitated with thofe religious controverfies, which produced the reformation, one of the greatest events in history: But as it was not till this time, that the king of England publicly took part in the quarrel, we had no occafion to give any account of its rife and progrefs. It will now be neceffary to explain thefe theological difputes; or what is more material, to trace from their origin thofe abuses, which fo generally diffufed the opinion, that a reformation of the church or ecclefiaftical order was become highly expedient, if not abfolutely neceffary. We fhall be better enabled to comprehend the fubject, if we take the matter a little higher, and reflect a moment on the reafons, why there must be an ecclefiaftical order, and a public establishment of CHA P. religion in every civilized community. The importance of the present occafion will, I hope, excufe this fhort digreffion. XXIX. 1521. Digreffion concerning sical state. Most of the arts and profeffions in a state are of fuch a nature, that, while they promote the the ecclefiaf interests of the fociety, they are also useful or agreeable to fome individuals; and in that cafe, the conftant rule of the magiftrate, except, perhaps, on the first introduction of any art, is, to leave the profeffion to itself, and truft its encouragement to those who reap the benefit of it. The artifans, finding their profits to rife by the favor of their customers, increase, as much as poffible, their fkill and industry; and as matters are not disturbed by any injudicious tampering, the commodity is always fure to be at all times nearly proportioned to the demand. BUT there are alfo fome callings, which, though useful and even neceffary in a ftate, bring no particular advantage or pleasure to any individual; and the fupreme power is obliged to alter its conduct with regard to the retainers of those profeffions. It must give them public encouragement in order to their fubfiftence; and it muft provide against that negligence, to which they will naturally be fubject, either by annexing peculiar honors to the profeffion, by establifhing a long fubordination of ranks and a strict dependence, or by fome other expedient. The perfons, employed in the finances, armies, fleets, and magiftracy, are inftances of this order of men. |