Religious Principles of the People-of the King-of the Ministers. -Further Progress of the Reformation.-Sir Thomas More.- The Maid of Kent.-Trial and Execution of Fisher, Bishop of Rochester-of Sir Thomas More.- King excommunicated.— Death of Queen Catherine.-Suppression of the lesser Monas- teries. A Parliament.-A Convocation.-Translation of the Bible.-Disgrace of Queen Anne.-Her Trial-and Execution.— A Parliament.-A Convocation.-Discontents among the People. -Insurrection.-Birth of Prince Edward, and Death of Queen Disputation with Lambert.-A Parliament.-Law of the Six Arti- cles.-Proclamations made equal to Laws.-Settlement of the Succession. King's Projects of Marriage.-He marries Anne of Cleves. He dislikes her.-A Parliament.-Fall of Cromwell.- His Execution. King's Divorce from Anne of Cleves.-His Marriage with Catherine Howard.-State of Affairs in Scotland.— Discovery of the Queen's dissolute Life.-A Parliament.-Eccle- War with Scotland.-Victory at Solway.-Death of James V.-- Treaty with Scotland.-New Rupture.-Rupture with France.- A Parliament.-Affairs of Scotland.-A Parliament.-Campaign in France. A Parliament.-Peace with France and Scotland.- Persecutions.-Execution of the Earl of Surrey.-Attainder of State of the Regency.-Innovations in the Regency.-Hertford Pro- tector.-Reformation completed.-Gardiner's Opposition.-Fo- reign Affairs.-Progress of the Reformation in Scotland.-Assas- sination of Cardinal Beaton.-Conduct of the War with Scotland. -Battle of Pinkey.-A Parliament. - Further Progress of the Reformation.-Affairs of Scotland.-Young Queen of Scots sent into France.-Cabals of Lord Seymour.-Dudley, Earl of War- Discontents of the People.-Insurrections.-Conduct of the War with Scotland-with France.-Factions in the Council.-Con- spiracy against Somerset.-Somerset resigns the Protectorship.— A Parliament.-Peace with France and Scotland.-Boulogne surrendered.-Persecution of Gardiner.-Warwick created Duke of Northumberland.-His Ambition.-Trial of Somerset.-His Lady Jane Gray proclaimed Queen.-Deserted by the People.—The Queen proclaimed and acknowledged. - Northumberland exe- cuted.-Catholic Religion restored.-A Parliament. - Delibera- tions with regard to the Queen's Marriage.-Queen's Marriage Reasons for and against Toleration.-Persecutions.-A Parliament. -The Queen's Extortions.-The Emperor resigns his Crown.— Execution of Cranmer.-War with France.—Battle of St. Quintin. Calais taken by the French.-Affairs of Scotland.-Marriage of Queen's Popularity.-Re-establishment of the Protestant Religion.- A Parliament.-Peace with France.-Disgust between the Queen and Mary, Queen of Scots.-Affairs of Scotland.-Reformation in Scotland.-Civil Wars in Scotland.-Interposal of the Queen in the Affairs of Scotland.-Settlement of Scotland.-French Parliament.-Murder of Darnley.-Queen of Scots marries Both- well. Insurrections in Scotland. - Imprisonment of Mary.- Character of the Puritans.-Duke of Norfolk's Conspiracy.-Insur- rection in the North.-Assassination of the Earl of Murray.- A Parliament.-Civil Wars of France.-Affairs of the Low Coun- tries.-New Conspiracy of the Duke of Norfolk.-Trial of Nor- folk. His Execution.-Scotch Affairs.-French Affairs.-Mas- THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND. CHAPTER XXVIII. WOLSEY'S ADMINISTRATION. - SCOTCH AFFAIRS. PROGRESS OF FRANCIS I.— XXVIII. 1515. tration. THE numerous enemies whom Wolsey's sudden eleva- CHAP. tion, his aspiring character, and his haughty deportment had raised him, served only to rivet him faster in Henry's Wolsey's confidence; who valued himself on supporting the choice adminiswhich he had made, and who was incapable of yielding either to the murmurs of the people, or to the discontents of the great. That artful prelate, likewise, well acquainted with the king's imperious temper, concealed from him the absolute ascendant which he had acquired; and while he secretly directed all public councils, he ever pretended a blind submission to the will and authority of his master. By entering into the king's pleasures, he preserved his affection; by conducting his business, he gratified his indolence; and by his unlimited complaisance in both capacities, he prevented all that jealousy to which his exorbitant acquisitions, and his splendid ostentatious train of life, should naturally have given birth. The archbishopric of York falling vacant by the death of Bambridge, Wolsey was promoted to that see, and resigned the bishopric of Lincoln. Besides enjoying the VOL. III. B 1515. CHAP. administration of Tournay, he got possession, on easy XXVIII. leases, of the revenues of Bath, Worcester, and Hereford, bishoprics filled by Italians, who were allowed to reside abroad, and who were glad to compound for this indulgence, by yielding a considerable share of their income. He held in commendam the abbey of St. Albans, and many other church preferments. He was even allowed to unite with the see of York, first that of Durham, next that of Winchester; and there seemed to be no end of his acquisitions. His farther advancement in ecclesiastical dignity served him as a pretence for engrossing still more revenues. The pope, observing his great influence over the king, was desirous of engaging him in his interests, and created him a cardinal. No churchman, under colour of exacting respect to religion, ever carried to a greater height the state and dignity of that character. His train consisted of eight hundred servants, of whom many were knights and gentlemen: some even of the nobility put their children into his family as a place of education; and in order to gain them favour with their patron, allowed them to bear offices as his servants. Whoever was distinguished by any art or science paid court to the cardinal; and none paid court in vain. Literature, which was then in its infancy, found in him a generous patron; and both by his public institutions and private bounty, he gave encouragement to every branch of erudition". Not content with his munificence, which gained him the approbation of the wise, he strove to dazzle the eyes of the populace by the splendour of his equipage and furniture, the costly embroidery of his liveries, the lustre of his apparel. He was the first clergyman in England that wore silk and gold, not only on his habit, but also on his saddles and the trappings of his horses. He caused his cardinal's hat to be borne aloft by a person of rank; and when he came to the king's chapel, would permit it to be laid on no place but the altar. A priest, the tallest and most comely he could find, carried before him a pillar of silver, on whose top was placed a cross: but not satisfied with this parade, to which he thought himself entitled as car a Erasm. Epist. lib. 2. Epist. i. lib. 16. Epist. 3. b Polydore Vergil, lib. 27. Stowe, p. 501. Hollingshed, p. 847. |