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and granting a general pardon to all his fubjects, to make an atonement for the errors of his reign. It was in this difpofition that he died of the gout in his ftomach, having lived fifty-two years

A. D. and reigned twenty-three. Since the 1509. times of Alfred, England had not seen fuch another king. He rendered his fubjects powerful and happy, and wrought a greater change in the manners of the people, than it was poffible to fuppofe could be effected in so fhort a time. If he had any fault that deferves to be marked with reproach, it was that having begun his reign with economy, as he grew old his defires feemed to change their object from the ufe of money, to the pleafure of hoarding it. But he ought in this to be pardoned, as he only faved for the public; the royal coffers being then the only treafury of the ftate; and in proportion to the king's finances, the public might be faid to be either rich or indigent.

About this time all Europe, as well as England, feemed to roufe from the long lethargy, during which it continued for above twelve hundred years. France, Spain, Portugal and Sweden enjoyed excellent monarchs; who encouraged and protected the rifing arts, and fpread the means of happiness. The Portuguese failed round the Cape of Good Hope under the command of Vafquez de Gama; and the Spaniards, under the conduct of Columbus, had made the difcovery of the new world of America. It was by accident only, that Henry had not a confiderable share in those great naval difcoveries; for Columbus after meeting with many repulfes from the courts of Portugal and Spain, fent his brother Bartholomew into England in order to explain his projects to the king, and to crave his protection for the execution of them. Henry invited Columbus to England; but his brother in returning being taken by pirates,

was

A. D.

1498.

was detained in his voyage, and Columbus in the mean time, fucceeding with Ifabella, happily effected his enterprize. Henry was not difcouraged by this disappointment; he fitted out Sebaftian Cabot, a Venetian dwelling at Bristol, and sent him weftward in search of new countries. This adventurer difcovered the main land of America to the North; then failed Southward along the coaft, and difcovered Newfoundland and other countries; but returned without making any fettlement. The king, foon after, expended fourteen thousand pounds in building one fhip, called the GREAT HARRY. This was, properly speaking, the first ship in the Englifh navy. Before this period, when the king. wanted a fleet, he had no other expedient but to hire hips from the merchants.

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CHAP. XXIII.

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A. D.

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O prince ever came to the throne with a conjuncture of circumstances more in his favour than Henry VIII. who now, in the eighteenth year of his age, undertook the government of the kingdom. His prudent father left him 15c9. a peaceful throne, a well ftored treasury, and an undifputed fucceffon. By his father's fide he claimed from the houfe of Lancafter, and by his mother's from that of York. He was in friendfhip with all the powers of Europe, and his fubjects were every day growing more powerful and more wealthy; commerce and arts had for fome time been introduced into the kingdom, and the English feemed willing to give them a favourable reception. The young king himself was beautiful in perfon, expert in polite exercifes, open and liberal in his air, and loved by all his fubjects. The old king, who was himself a fcholar, had him inftructed in all the learning of the times; fo that he was an adept in fchool-divinity before the age of eighteen.

But favourable as thefe circumftances were, Henry foon fhewed that they went but a short way in forming a good character, they were merely the gifts of nature, or accomplishments, implanted by the affiduity of his father; but he wanted the more folid advantages, which were to be of his own formation, a good heart and a found underftanding. The learning he had, if it may deferve that appellation, ferved only to inflame his pride, but not control his vicious affections; the love of

his

His fubjects broke out in their flattery, and this was another meteor to lead him aftray. His vaft wealth instead of relieving the public, or encreafing his power, only contributed to fupply his debaucheries, or gratify the rapacity of the minifters of his pleasures. But it had been happy for his people if his faults had refted here; he was a tyrant, humanity takes the alarm at his cruelties; and however fortunate fome of his measures might prove in the event, no good man but muft revolt at his motives, and the means he took for their ac complishment.

The first action which fhewed that the prefent reign was to be very different from the former, was the punishment of Empfon and Dudley, who were obnoxious to the populace for having been the ready inftruments of the late king's rapacity. They were immediately cited before the council, in or der to answer for their conduct; but Empfon, in his defence, alleged that fo far from deferving cenfure for his paft conduct, he was confident his actions rather merited reward and approbation. Tho' a ftrict execution of the law was the crime of which he and Dudley were accufed; although thefe laws had been established by the voluntary confent of the people; notwithstanding all their expoftulations, Empfon and Dudley were fent to the Tower, and foon after brought to their trial. As the ftrict difcharge of their duty, in executing the laws, could not be alleged against them as a crime, to gratify the people with their punishment, they were accufed of having entered into a confpiracy against the present king; and of intentions to feize, by force, the adminiftration of government. Nothing could be more improbable and unfupported than fuch a charge; nevertheless the jury were fo far infected with popular preju

dice, that they gave a verdict against them, and they were both executed, fome time after, by a warrant from the king.

This measure, which betrayed an unjuft compliance with popular clamour, was followed by another ftill more detrimental to the nation, although ftill more pleafing to the people. Julius the fecond was at that time pope, and had filled all Europe with his intrigues and ambition; but his chief refentment was levelled against Lewis, king of France, who was in poffeffion of fome valuable provinces of Italy, from which he hoped, by his intrigues, to remove him. For this purpofe he entered into a treaty with Ferdinand, king of Spain, and Henry of England; to each of whom he offered fuch advantages as were most likely to enflame their ambition, in cafe they fell upon Lewis on their refpective quarters; while he undertook himself to find him employment in Italy. Henry, who had no other motives but the glory of the expedition, and the hopes of receiving the title of the Most Christian king, which the pope aflured him would foon be wrefted from Lewis, to be conferred upon him, readily undertook to defend his caufe; and his parliament being fummoned, as readily granted fupplies for a purpose fo much favoured by the people. The fpirit of chivalry and foreign conqueft was not yet quite extinguifhed in England; the kingdom of France was still an object they defired to poffefs, and Henry, in compliance with their wishes, gave out that he intended ftriking for the crown. was in vain that one of his old prudent counfellors objected, that conquefts on the continent would only drain the kingdom without enriching it and that England, from its fituation, was not htted to enjoy extenfive empire: the young king, deaf to all remonftrances, and burning with mili

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tary

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