mend me, said he, to the king, and tell him, by that he bath so well tried, and thoroughly proved you as I have done, he shall find you as false a man as ever came about him.-Besides this, he wrote also a Letter from the Tower to the king, whereof when none durst take the carriage upon him, sir Ralf Sadler, (whom he also had preferred to the king before, being ever trusty and faithfull unto him) went unto the king to understand his pleasure, whether he would permit him to bring the letter or not, which when the king had granted, the said master Sadler, as he was required, presented the Letter unto the king, which he commanded thrice to be read unto him, insomuch as the king seemed to be moved therewith. The Lord Cromwell brought to the Scaffold. Notwithstanding, by reason of the Act of Parliament afore passed, the worthy and noble lord Cromwell, oppressed by his enemies, and condemned in the Tower, and not coming to his Answer, the 28th of July 1541, was brought to the scaffold on Tower-hil!, where he said these words following; "I am come hither to die and not to purge myself, as some think peradventure that I will. For if I should so do, I were a very wretch and a miser. I am by the law condemned to die, and thank my Lord God, that has appointed me this death for mine offence. For sithence the time that I have had years of discretion, I have lived a sinner, and offended my Lord God, for the which I ask him heartily forgiveness. And it is not unknown to many of you, that I have been a great traveller in this world, and being but of a base degree, was called to high estate, and sithence the time I came thereunto I have offended my prince, for the which I ask him heartily forgiveness, and beseech you all to pray to God with me, that he will forgive me. And now I pray you that be here, to bear me record, I die in the Catholic faith, not doubting in any article of my faith, no nor doubting in any Sacrament of the Church. Many have slandered me, and reported that I have been a bearer of such as have maintained evil opinions, which is untrue. But I confess, that like as God by his holy spirit doth instruct us in the truth, so the devil is ready to seduce us, and I have been seduced; but hear me witness that I die in the Catholic Faith of the holy Church and I heartily desire you to pray for the kings grace, that he may long live with you in health and prosperity; and that after him his son, prince Edward that goodly impe, may long reign over you. And once again I desire you to pray for me, that so long as life remaineth in this flesh, I waver nothing in my Faith." And so making his prayer, kneeling on his knees he spake these words, the effect whereof here followeth : A Prayer that the Lord Cromwell said at the hour of his Death. "O Lord Jesus, which art the only health of all men living, and the everlasting life of them which die in thee; I wretched sinner do submit myself wholly unto thy most blessed will, and being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed unto thy mercy, willingly now I leave this frail and wicked flesh, in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the just. I beseech thee, most merciful Lord Jesus Christ, that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soul against all temptations, and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the devil. I see and acknowledge that there is in myself no hope of salvation, but all my confidence, hope and trust is in thy most merciful goodness. I have no merits nor good works, which I may alledge before thee. Of sins and evil works (alas) I see a great heap; but yet through thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sins; but wilt take and accept me for righteous and just, and to be the inheritor born for my sake, thou didst suffer both hunger of everlasting life. Thou merciful Lord was and thirst for my sake; thou didst teach, pray, and fast for my sake: all thy holy actions and works thou wroughtest for my sake; thou sufferedst most grievous pains and torments for my sake: finally, thou gavest thy most precious body and thy blood to be shed on the Cross for my sake. Now most merciful Saviour, let all these things profit me, that thou freely hast done for me, which hast given thyself also for me. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of my sins. Let thy righteousness hide and cover my unrighteousness. Let the merits of thy passion and blood-shedding be satisfaction for my sins. Give me Lord thy grace, that the faith of my salvation in thy blood waver not in me, but may ever be firm and constant. That the hope of thy mercy and life everlasting never decay in me, that love wax not cold in me. Finally, that the weakness of my flesh be not overcome with the fear of death. Grant me merciful Saviour, that when death hath shut up the cyes of my body, yet the eyes of my soul may still behold and look upon thee, and when death hath taken away the use of my tongue, yet my heart may cry and say unto thee, Lord into thy hands I commend my soul, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Amen." And thus his prayer being made, after he had godly and lovingly exhorted them that were about him on the scaffold, he quietly committed his soul into the hands of God, and so patiently suffered the stroke of the ax, by a ragged and butcherly miser, which very ungodly performed his office. To this end came Cromwel, who from being but a blacksmiths son, found means to travel into divers foreign countries, to learn their languages, and to see the wars, (being a soldier of Bourbon at the sacking of Rome;) whence returning, he was received into the cardinal Wolsey's service: to whom he so approved himself by his fidelity and diligence, that the king after his fall voluntarily took him for his ser vant; in which place he became a special instrument for dissolving the Abbies, and other religious houses, and keeping down the clergy; whom in regard of their oath to the pope, he usually termed the king's half subjects: And for expelling the monks, he said it was no more than a restoring them to the first institution of being lay and labouring persons. Neither did it move him, that so much strictness and austerity of life was enjoined them in their several orders, since he said they might keep it in any condition. But as these reasons again were not admitted by divers learned and able persons, so he got him many enemies, who at last procured his fall; but not before he had obtained successively the dignities of Master of the Rolls, Baron, Lord Privy-Seal, Vicegerent to the king in Spiritualities, Knight of the Garter, Earl of Essex, Great Chamberlain of England, &c. He was noted in the exercise of his places of judicature to have used much moderation; and in his greatest pomp, to have taken notice, and been thankful to mean persons of his old acquaintance, and therein had a virtue which his master the cardinal wanted: as for his other descriptions, I leave them to be taken out of Cranmer's letter formerly mentioned, with some deduction; for it seems written to the king in more than ordinary favour of his ancient service. At the same time with Cromwel, Walter lord Hungerford suffered. The crines objected to him were, For taking into his house as chaplain one William Bird, who had called the king Heretick, &c. That he had procured certain persons to conjure, to know how long the king should live; also, that he had used the sin of buggery. Rapin observes, that the care Cromwel took when he came to die, to say nothing which might offend the king, proved to the advantage of his son Gregory, who was that very year created a peer by the title of lord Cromwel. Shortly after this followed the countess of Salisbury's Execution, who had with Cromwel been excepted from the general Act of Pardon, which, whether occasioned by the late Rebellion, (as being thought of cardinal Pool's instigation) or that she gave some new offence, is uncertain: The old lady being brought to the scaffold, set up in the Tower, was commanded to lay her head on the block; but she (as a person of great quality assured me) refused; saying, 'So should Traytors do, and I am none:' Neither did it serve that the executioner told her it was the fashion; so turning her gray head every way, she bid him, if he would have her head, to get it as he could: So that he was constrained to fetch it off slovenly. She was daughter of George duke of Clarence, brother of Edward the 4th. She had four sons: cardinal Pole was the youngest. The eldest was Henry lord Montacute, from a daughter of whom the present earl of Moira is descended. 35. The Trial of Lord LEONARD GREY, at Westminster, for High Treason: 33 Hen. VIII. A. D. 1541. [Holling. Chron. in the Irish Hist. 102. 1 Cox's Ireland, 264.] ["Hall, Grafton, Stow, and lord Herbert, all make mention of this Trial. It is also noticed in Ware's Annals of Ireland. But Hollingshead in the Chronicles of Ireland, and sir Richard Cox in his History of Ireland, are most particular; and therefore what we shall give will be an extract from these latter writers.-In the earl of Strafford's case, Mr. St. John, arguing before the lords for the bill of attainder against the earl, cited this Trial of lord Leonard Grey, particularly to prove, that treasons committed in Ireland are triable here; and said, that he had read the whole record of the case. 8 Rushw. 689, 694, 695. But Mr. St. John represents the charges against lord Leonard Grey differently from the author of the Irish Chronicles and sir Richard Cox ; for, according to Mr. St. John, lord Leonard was attainted of High Treason, for letting diverse rebels out of the Castle of Dublin, and discharging Irish hostages given to secure the king's peace, and for not punishing one, who said, that the king was an heretick. It is observable, too, that Mr. St. John argues for a trial in England, independently of any statute; and to prove his point, takes notice, that lord Leonard Grey's case was before the 35 Hen. 8, c. 2, as if that was the only statute for trying foreign treasons in England. But there are two other statutes about the trial of foreign treasons, which, being prior to lord Leonard Grey's case, were material to be considered. See 26 Hen. 8, c. 13. § 4. 32 Hen. 8, c. 4. The 33 Hen. 8, c. 24, on the same subject, seems subsequent several months; otherwise that also would have required observation. We are the more particular in adverting to this omission of Mr. St. John; because there is a like one in our principal writers on Criminal Law, not one of whom, as well as we can recollect, pointedly attends to all the statutes. We do not even except Staundford, though his work contains a chapter on the trial of crimes committed out of the realm. See Staundf. Pl. c. 89. a." Hargrave.] Extract from Hollingshead's Chronicle in the Irish History, p. 102. THE gouernor, lord Leonard Grey, turning the oportunitie of this skirmish (with some Irish revolters) to his aduantage, shortlie after rode to the north, preiding and spoiling Oneale ritie with perils menaced, liberalitie with thanklesse vnkindnesse contemned, conference to vndermining framed, flatterie to destruction forged, each in countenance smiling, diuerse in heart pouting, open fawning, secret grudging, gaping for such as shall succeed in gouernment, honouring magistrates with cap and knee as long as they are present, and carping them with toong and pen as soone as they are ab sent. Extract from 1 Cox's History of Ireland, 264. as to give some account of his misfortunes and with his confederats, who by reason of the late | prouinces, wherein diligence is twhackt with ouerthrow were able to make but little resist-hatred, negligence is loden with tawnts, seueance. In this iornie he rased Saint Patrike his church in Downe, an old ancient citie of Ulster, and burnt the monuments of Patrike, Brigide, and Colme, who are said to haue beene there intoomed, as before is expressed in the description of Ireland. This fact lost him sundrie harts in that countrie, alwaies after detesting and abhorring his prophane tyrannie, as they did name it. Wherevpon conspiring with such of Mounster as were enimies to his gouernment, they booked vp diuerse Complaints against him, which they did exhibit to the king and councell. The Articles of greatest importance laid to his charge were these. 1 Inprimis, "That not-memory of the late lord deputy, the lord Grey, withstanding he were strictlie commanded by the king his maiestie, to apprehend his kinsman the yong Fitzgirald, yet did he not onlie disobeie the kings letters as touching that point by plaieng bopeepe, but also had priuie conference with the said Fitzgirald, and laie with him two or three seuerall nights before he departed into France.-2 Item, That the cheefe cause that mooued him to inuegle Thomas Fitzgirald with such faire promises, proceeded of set purpose to haue him cut off, to the end there should be a gap set open for the yong Fitzgirald to aspire to the earledome of Kildare.-3 Item, That he was so greedilie addicted to the pilling and polling of the king his subjects, namelie of such as were resiant in Mounster, as the beds he laie in, the cups he 1. "That O Conner feasted him, and menddranke in, the plate with which he was serued ed Toghercroghan for him; and that in favour in anie gentlemans house, were by his seruants of O Molloy, a rebel, he took a castle from against right and reason packt vp, and carried Dermond O Molloy, whose father-in-law O with great extortion awaie.-4 Item, That Carol was a good subject; for which the lord without anie warrant from the king or coun- Grey had a bribe, and Stephen ap Harry had cell, he prophaned the church of Saint Patrikes twenty cows. 2. That he took the castle of in Downe, turning it to a stable, after plucked Bir from a loyal O Carol, and gave it to a rebel it downe, and shipt the notable ring of bels O Carol, who married the earl of Kildare's that did hang in the steeple, meaning to haue daughter, and also took Moderhern, a castle sent them to England: had not God of his belonging to the earl of Ormond, and gave it to justice preuented his iniquitie, by sinking the the rebel O Carol, and wasted the earl of Orvessell and passengers wherein the said belles mond's lands: for which, he had an hundred should haue beene conueied.”—These and the and forty kine and Stephen ap Harry had like Articles were with such odious presump- forty, and Girald Mac Gerrot had a black tions coloured by his accusers, as the king hackny. 3. That he took forty kine from O and councell remembring his late faults, and Kenedy, a tenant of the earl of Ormond's, and forgetting his former seruices (for commonlie his son for hostage. 4. That he held secret all men are of so hard hap, that they shall be and private familiar correspondenee with sooner for one trespasse condemned, than for James of Desmond, and went to visit him in a thousand good deserts commended) gaue his tents in his night-gown, and forced the abcommandement, that the lord Greie should bot of Owny to give him forty pounds sterling not onelie be remooued from the gouernment to preserve that abby from ruine, and O Brian of the countrie, but also had him beheaded on to give him thirty kine and hostages; and the Tower-hill, the 28th of June. But as Ulick Bourk, a bastard, gave him 100 marks touching the first Article, that brought him to have Ballimacleere-Castle, and to be made most of all out of conceipt with the king, I Mac William; and that he carried the artilmooued question to the erle of Kildare, whe-lery in a small vessel to Galway, and made ther the tenor therof were true or false? His the town of Galloway pay thirty-four pounds lordship thereto answered bona fide, that he for that carriage. 5. That the exploits at neuer spake with the lord Greie, neuer sent mes- Bryans bridge, &c. were in favour of O Bryan senger to him,nor receiued message or letter from a rebel, Desmond's son-in-law, and to the prehim. Whereby maie be gathered, with how judice of Donough O Bryan, a good subject manie dangers they are inwrapped that gouerne and that he took a bribe of eighty kine from ; Macnemarra. 6. That trusting Desmond and O Bryan, he hazarded the king's army in a long and dangerous journey, wherein Desmond quarrelled, and deserted him, and O Bryan sent but one man with a battle-ax to guide him. 7. That he rifled the abby of Ballyclare, and left neither chalice, cross nor bell in it. 8. That he destroyed the castles of Lecagh and Derriviclaghny, in favour of Ulick Burk, though the rightful proprietor offered submission and rent to the king. 9. That he had secret conference with and received a horse from O Connor Roe, who was the chief instrument in conveying away the young Fitz-Girald. 10. That he took eighty kine from O Maddin, and forced O Mlaghlin's son from Mr. Dillon, whose lawful prisoner he was; for which he had seventy kine." And there was a Commission sent to Ireland, to examine witnesses; and they say that these Articles were proved by the testimony of above 70 persons; whereof some were of quality, that is, some of them swore to one article, and some to another; so that the lord Grey, who was son to the marquess of Dorset, and viscount Grany in Ireland, but no peer in Eng land, being tried by a common jury, thought it his best way to confess the indictinent, in hopes of the king's grace and pardon: but in that he was mistaken; and although his services did infinitely over-balance his faults, yet he was publickly executed on the 28th of July 1541. There are four other Articles mentioned by others, to be laid to his charge. 1. “ His partiality to his nephew Fitz-Girald, afterwards earl of Kildare, whom they say he might have taken. 2. That his servants pillaged the gentlemen in Munster, that entertained them. 3. That he had inveigled Thomas Fitz-Gerald to submit, by promises which he had no commission to perform; and that he did it, to destroy that lord, that his own nephew might come to be earl of Kildare (as afterwards he did.) 4. His sacrilege at Down; but however that be, it was not long after his execution, before a commission was directed to archbishop Brown, and Cowley master of the rolls, to make an estimate or survey of the lord Grey's estate in Ireland, and to deliver it to the lord deputy Saintleger, to be disposed of as the king shall direct.' 36. The Trial of Sir EDMOND KNEVET, knight, at Greenwich, for striking a Person within the King's Palace there: 33 Henry VIII. A. D. 1541. [Stowe's Annals, 581.] is also taken notice of in Brooke's Abridgment,' under the title Pain and Penance, pl. 16. It occurred a few months after the statute of 33 Hen. 8. by which, malicious striking in the palace where the king resides, so as to draw blood, is punishable, not only by imprisonment for life and fine at discretion, but further by cutting off the right hand of the offender. Whether the prosecution was grounded on the statute, is not explained by Stowe; and what renders it more doubtful is, that by the statute, drawing of blood is essential, which circumstance neither Brooke nor Stowe states as part of sir Edmond Knevet's case.--Cutting off the hand is a rare punishment by the English law; and the cruelty of it being considered, it must give pleasure to the humane reader to know, that there are very few instances of inflicting it. We are not aware, that there are any crimes, which by our law are liable to be so punished, except drawing a weapon on one of the king's judges, and striking in the king's courts or his palaces; and so unfrequent have been both those crimes, that perhaps all our books do not furnish ten cases of the sort. 3 Inst. 140. Dy. 188. and the marginal cases in the edition of 1688.-The manner in which sir Edmond Knevet obtained a pardon of his offence, must strike every reader of sensibility. The circumstances do equal honour to sir Edmond and bis sovereign; to the former for his manly request to pay the forfeit by his left hand instead of his right, that he might be better able to serve his king and country; to the latter, for feeling the greatness of mind which such a request denoted." Hargrave.] Extract from Stowe's Annals, 581. THE 10th of June, sir Edmond Knevet, knight of Norfolke, was arraigned before the kings justices, sitting in the great hall at Greenewich, master Gage comptrollor of the kings houshold, master Suthwell, sir Anthony Browne, sir Anthony Winkfield, master Wrisley, and Edmond Pecham cofferer of the kings housholde, for striking of one master Clere of Norffolke, servant with the earle of Surrey, within the kings house in the Tenice court. There was first chosen to goe vpon the said Edmond, a quest of gentlemen, and a quest of yeomen, to enquire of the said stripe, by the which inquests he was found Guilty, and had Judgement to loose his right hand; whereupon was called to do the execution, first the serjeant chirurgion, with his instrument appertaining to his office: the sergeant of the woodyard with the mallet and a blocke, whereupon the hand should lie the master cooke for the king with the knife: the sergeant of the larder to set the knife right on the ioynt: the sergeant farrier with his searing yrons to seare the veines: the : sergeant of the poultry with a cocke, which iudged to loose bis hand, but also his body to recocke should have his head smitten off vpon maine in prison, and his landes and goods at the the same blocke, and with the same knife: the kings pleasure. Then the sayd sir Edmond Kneyeoman of the chandry with seare clothes: the vet desired that the king of his benigne grace, yeomen of the scullery with a pan of fire to would pardon him of his right hand, and take heat the yrons: a chafer of water to coole the the left: for (quoth he) if my right hand be ends of the yrons: and two fourmes for all spared, I may heareafter doe such good seruice officers to set their stuffe on the sergeant of to his grace, as shall please him to appoint. the seller with wine, ale, and beere: the yeo-Of this submission and request the justices men of the ewry in the sergeants steed, who was forthwith informed the king, who of his goodnes, absent, with bason, ewre, and towels. Thus considering the gentle heart of the said Edevery man in his office ready to doe the execu- mond, and the good report of lords and ladies, tion, there was called forth sir William Picker- | granted him pardon, that he should loose neiing knight marshall, to bring in the said Ed- ther hand, land, nor goods, but should go free mond Kneret, and when hee was brought to at liberty. (a) the barre, the cheife justice declared to him his trespasse, and the said Knevet confessing himselfe to be guilty, humbly submitted him to the kings mercy for this offence he was not onely (a) See the Case of the duke of Devonshire, A. D. 1687; and of lord Thanet and Mr. Fergusson, A. D. 1799. 37. Proceedings against Queen CATHARINE HOWARD, for Incontinency: 33 Henry VIII. A. D. 1542. [Lord Herbert's Life of Hen. VIII. in 2 Kenn. Comp. Hist. 228. 1 Rapin, 831. 1 Cobb. Parl. Hist. 550.] BUT our king encountered a greater vexation; for the queen was supposed to offend in Incontinency; some particulars whereof being extant in our Records, I have thought fit, says lord Herbert, to transcribe, rather than to make other narration; the family of which she came being so noble and illustrious, and the honour of her sex (which is tender) being concerned therein. The Letter sent from divers of the Council to William Paget, our ambassador then in France, was this: brought forth the desired fruit of marriage, like as the whole realm thought the semblable, and in respect of the virtue and good behaviour which she shewed outwardly, did her all honour accordingly. But this joy is turned into extream sorrow; for when the king's majesty receiving bis Maker on Alhallows day last past, then gave him most humble and hearty thanks for the good life he led and trusted to lead with her, and also desired the bishop of Lincoln, his ghostly father, to make like prayer, and give "After our hearty commendations, by these like thanks with him; on All-souls day being our letters, we be commanded to signify unto at mass, the archbishop of Canterbury having a you, a most miserable case, which came lately little before heard, that the same mistress Cato revelation, to the intent that if you shall hear tharine Howard was not indeed a woman of the same spoken of, you may declare the truth that pureness and cleanness that she was esas followeth: Where the king's majesty upon | teemed; but a woman, who before she was the Sentence given of the Invalidity of the pre-joined with the king's majesty, had lived most tended Matrimony between his highness and corruptly and sensually; for the discharge of the lady Anne of Cleve, was earnestly and hum- his duty opened the same most sorrowfully to bly solicited by his council, and the nobles of his majesty, and how it was brought to his knowthis realm, to frame his most noble heart to the ledge, which was in this form following.-While love and favour of some noble personage to be the king's majesty was in his Progress, one John joined with him in lawful Matrimony, by whom Lossels came to the said abp. of Canterbury, his majesty might have some more store of fruit, and declared unto him, that he had been with and succession to the comfort of this realm; it a sister of his married in Sussex, which somepleased his highness upon a notable appearance times had been servant with the old dutchess of of honour, cleanness and maidenly behaviour, Norfolk, who did also bring up the said misto bend his affection towards mistress Catharine tress Catharine, and being with his said sister, Howard, daughter to the late lord Edmond chanced to fall in communication with her of Howard, brother to me the duke of Norfolk, the queen, wherein he advised her (because she insomuch as his highness was finally contented was of the queen's old acquaintance) to sue to to honour her with his Marriage, thinking now be her woman; where unto his sister answered, in his old days, after sundry troubles of mind, that she would not so do; but she was very which have happened unto him by Marriages, sorry for the queen; Why, quoth Lossels? to have obtained such a jewel for womanhood, Marry, quoth she, for she is light both in living and very perfect love towards him, as should and condition: How so, quoth Lossels? Marry, not only have been to his quietness, but also quoth she, there is one Francis Derrham, who |