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  HISTORY OF ENGLAND

  FROM

  THE FALL OF WOLSEY

  TO

  THE DEATH OF ELIZABETH.

  BY

  JAMES ANTHONY FROUDE, M.A.

  LATE FELLOW OF EXETER COLLEGE, OXFORD.

  VOLUME II.

  NEW YORK:
  CHARLES SCRIBNER AND COMPANY.
  1872.


[Illustration:

Charles Scribner and Co of No 654 Broadway New York have authority from
me to publish all works which I have chiefly written and may hereafter
write. J A Froude.

London. Jan. 29. 1871.]




  CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.


  CHAPTER VI.

  THE PROTESTANTS.

                                                                PAGE

  The Lollards                                                    16

  Presentation to Religious Benefices in the Fourteenth Century   17

  Statutes of Provisors                                           21

  Rise of the Lollards                                            25

  John Wycliffe                                                   26

  Theory of Property                                              28

  Insurrection of Wat Tyler                                       29

  Wycliffe's Influence declines                                   30

  Death of Wycliffe                                               31

  Insurrection of Oldcastle                                       34

  Close of the Lollard Movement                                   35

  New Birth of Protestantism                                      37

  The Christian Brothers                                          38

  Luther                                                          39

  Multiplication of Testaments                                    40

  William Tyndal                                                  41

  The Antwerp Printing-Press                                      42

  The Christian Brothers                                          43

  Wolsey's Persecutions                                           49

  Story of Anthony Dalaber                                        57

  Escape of Garret                                                69

  Perplexity of the Authorities                                   70

  The Ports are set for Garret's Capture                          71

  Garret goes to Bristol, and is taken                            72

  The Investigation at Oxford                                     73

  Doctor London's Intercession                                    74

  The Bishop of Lincoln                                           75

  Oxford is Purged                                                76

  Temper of the Protestants                                       77

  The Fall of Wolsey brings no Relief                             78

  Sir Thomas More as Chancellor                                   79

  Contrast between Wolsey and More                                88

  Martyrdom of Bilney                                             89

  Martyrdom of James Bainham                                      90

  Feelings of the People                                          92

  Pavier the Town Clerk                                           93

  The Worship of Relics                                           94

  Roods and Relics                                                95

  The Rood of Dovercourt                                          96

  The Paladins                                                    97

  Early Life of Latimer                                           98

  He goes to Cambridge                                           100

  Latimer's Education                                            101

  His Fame as a Preacher                                         102

  He is appointed Chaplain to the King                           103

  His Defence of the Protestants                                 104

  He is cited before the Bishops                                 105

  Latimer before the Bishops                                     106

  Thomas Cromwell                                                109

  Will of Thomas Cromwell                                        116


  CHAPTER VII.

  THE LAST EFFORTS OF DIPLOMACY.

  Mary of Hungary                                                125

  The King is cited to Rome                                      127

  Clement refuses further Delay                                  128

  Isolation of England                                           129

  Henry urgent against the Interview                             130

  He appeals to a Council                                        132

  Terms of the Appeal                                            134

  Legal Value of the Appeal                                      136

  Cranmer's Sentence known at Rome                               137

  Measures of the Consistory                                     138

  Henry again calls on Francis                                   140

  He will not surrender his Marriage                             141

  He will not repeal his Legislation                             142

  He urges the Rupture of the Interview                          143

  Recal of the Embassy                                           144

  England and Germany                                            145

  Birth of Elizabeth                                             149

  Clement arrives at Marseilles                                  150

  The Interview                                                  151

  Bonner at Marseilles                                           152

  Bonner and the Pope                                            153

  The Pope rejects the Appeal                                    157

  Proposal for a Court to sit at Cambray                         158

  Francis implores Henry to consent                              159

  Henry refuses to revoke the Laws against the Papacy            160

  State of England                                               162

  The Princess Mary                                              165

  Queen Catherine                                                168

  The Nun of Kent                                                170

  State of Feeling in England                                    178

  Proposed Marriage of the Princess Mary                         181

  The Nun of Kent                                                183

  Disgrace of Mary                                               184

  The Countess of Salisbury                                      185

  The Nevilles                                                   187

  General Superstition                                           191

  Proposals for a Protestant League used as a Menace to Francis  192

  The Protestant League                                          194

  The Court of Brussels                                          196

  Meeting of Parliament                                          197

  Perils of the Reformation                                      198

  Cromwell                                                       199

  Opening Measures                                               200

  The Conge d'Elire                                              201

  Abolition of Exactions                                         204

  Closing Protest                                                205

  Apology of Sir Thomas More accepted by the King                206

  Obstinate Defence of Fisher                                    208

  The Bill proceeds                                              209

  Execution of the Nun                                           210

  Her last Words                                                 211

  The Act of Succession                                          212

  The first Oath of Allegiance                                   216

  Clement gives final Sentence against the King                  218

  Obscurity of the Pope's Conduct                                222

  Mission of the Duke of Guise                                   223

  The French Fleet watch the Channel                             224

  The Commission sits to receive the Oath                        225

  More and Fisher                                                226

  More before the Commission                                     227

  He refuses to Swear                                            228

  Debate in Council                                              229

  The Government are peremptory                                  230

  Concession not possible                                        231

  Royal Proclamation                                             232

  Circular to the Sheriffs                                       233

  Death of Clement VII.                                          236


  CHAPTER VIII.

  THE IRISH REBELLION.

  State of Ireland                                               237

  The Norman Conquest                                            238

  Absentees                                                      239

  The Norman Irish                                               241

  Weakness of the English Rule                                   248

  Distribution of the Irish Clans                                249

  The Irish Reaction                                             251

  Condition of the People                                        253

  English and Irish Estimates                                    254

  Ireland for the Irish                                          255

  Coyne and Livery                                               256

  The Geraldines of Kildare                                      257

  Deputation of Lord Surrey                                      261

  Return of Kildare                                              265

  Foreign Intrigues                                              266

  Desmond intrigues with the Emperor                             267

  Geraldine Conspiracy                                           268

  Kildare sent to the Tower                                      270

  The Irish Rise                                                 271

  The Duke of Richmond Viceroy                                   272

  Third Deputation to Kildare                                    273

  Ireland in its Ideal State                                     274

  New Aspects of Irish Rebellion                                 275

  Ireland and the Papacy                                         276

  Kildare is sent to the Tower                                   277

  Desmond and the Emperor                                        278

  Corny O'Brien                                                  279

  The Holy War of the Geraldines                                 280

  General Rebellion                                              281

  Siege of Dublin                                                282

  Murder of Archbishop Allen                                     284

  Fitzgerald writes to the Pope                                  285

  Dublin saved by the Earl of Ormond                             286

  A Truce agreed to                                              287

  Delay of the English Deputy                                    288

  Ormond again saves Dublin                                      289

  The Deputy sails from Beaumaris                                290

  Mismanagement of Skeffington                                   291

  Delay and Incapacity                                           292

  Burning of Trim and Dunboyne                                   293

  Skeffington will not move                                      294

  General Despondency                                            295

  Disorganization of the English Army                            296

  The Campaign opens                                             297

  Siege of Maynooth                                              298

  Storming of the Castle                                         299

  The Pardon of Maynooth                                         300

  The Rebellion collapses                                        301

  Lord Leonard Grey                                              302

  Fitzgerald surrenders                                          303

  Dilemma of the Government                                      304

  Execution of Fitzgerald                                        305

  End of the Rebellion                                           306


  CHAPTER IX.

  THE CATHOLIC MARTYRS.

  State of England in 1534                                       307

  Temper of the Clergy                                           308

  Order for Preaching                                            310

  Secret Disaffection among the Clergy                           312

  The Confessional                                               313

  Treasonable Intrigues                                          317

  Catholic Treasons                                              318

  Persecuting Laws against the Catholics                         319

  The Act of Supremacy                                           322

  The Oath of Allegiance                                         326

  Election of Paul the Third                                     328

  Anxiety of the Emperor                                         330

  Proposals for a Catholic Coalition                             331

  Counter-Overtures of Francis to Henry                          332

  Attitude of Henry                                              333

  Distrust of France                                             335

  England and the Papacy                                         336

  The Penal Laws                                                 337

  The Battle of the Faiths                                       338

  The Charterhouse Monks                                         339

  The Anabaptist Martyrs                                         357

  Fisher and More                                                359

  Fisher named Cardinal                                          364

  The Pope condescends to Falsehood                              365

  Fisher Tried and Sentenced                                     366

  Execution of Fisher                                            367

  Sir Thomas More                                                368

  Effect upon Europe                                             377

  Letter to Cassalis                                             382

  Reply of the Pope                                              385

  Bull of Deposition                                             386

  Intrigues of Francis in Germany                                388

  England and Germany                                            390


  CHAPTER X.

  THE VISITATION OF THE MONASTERIES.

  Visitation of the Monasteries                                  396

  The Abbey of St. Albans                                        402

  Commission of 1535                                             407

  The Visitors at Oxford                                         409

  Progress of the Visitors                                       413

  Visit to Langden Abbey                                         415

  Fountains Abbey                                                417

  The Monks at Fordham                                           419

  The Monks of Pershore                                          421

  Rules to be observed in all Abbeys                             423

  The Black Book in Parliament                                   427

  Discussion in Parliament                                       429

  Conflicting Opinions                                           431

  Smaller Houses suppressed                                      433

  The Protestant Bishops                                         435

  State of London                                                437

  The Vagrant Act                                                439

  Remission of Firstfruits                                       440

  Dissolution of Parliament                                      441

  The Work accomplished by Parliament                            442


  CHAPTER XI.

  TRIAL AND DEATH OF ANNE BOLEYN.

  Death of Queen Catherine                                       443

  Anne Boleyn                                                    446

  Anne Boleyn committed to the Tower                             454

  The Tower                                                      457

  Cranmer's Letter to the King                                   459

  Cranmer's Postscript                                           461

  Preparations for the Trial                                     468

  True Bills found by the Grand Juries                           469

  The Indictment                                                 470

  The Trials                                                     476

  The opposite Probabilities                                     480

  Execution of the five Gentlemen                                483

  The Divorce                                                    484

  The Execution                                                  486

  The Succession                                                 488

  The King's Third Marriage                                      490

  Opinions of Foreign Courts                                     491

  Meeting of Parliament                                          492

  Speech of the Lord Chancellor                                  493

  Second Act of Succession                                       495




CHAPTER VI.

THE PROTESTANTS.


Where changes are about to take place of great and enduring moment, a
kind of prologue, on a small scale, sometimes anticipates the true
opening of the drama; like the first drops which give notice of the
coming storm, or as if the shadows of the reality were projected
forwards into the future, and imitated in dumb show the movements of the
real actors in the story.

[Sidenote: Prelude to the Reformation in the fourteenth century.]

Such a rehearsal of the English Reformation was witnessed at the close
of the fourteenth century, confused, imperfect, disproportioned, to
outward appearance barren of results; yet containing a representative of
each one of the mixed forces by which that great change was ultimately
effected, and foreshadowing even something of the course which it was to
run.

[Sidenote: The Lollards forerunners, not fathers, of the Reformation.]

There was a quarrel with the pope upon the extent of the papal
privileges; there were disputes between the laity and the
clergy,--accompanied, as if involuntarily, by attacks on the sacramental
system and the Catholic faith,--while innovation in doctrine was
accompanied also with the tendency which characterized the extreme
development of the later Protestants--towards political republicanism,
the fifth monarchy, and community of goods. Some account of this
movement must be given in this place, although it can be but a sketch
only. "Lollardry"[1] has a history of its own; but it forms no proper
part of the history of the Reformation. It was a separate phenomenon,
provoked by the same causes which produced their true fruit at a later
period; but it formed no portion of the stem on which those fruits
ultimately grew. It was a prelude which was played out, and sank into
silence, answering for the time no other end than to make the name of
heretic odious in the ears of the English nation. In their recoil from
their first failure, the people stamped their hatred of heterodoxy into
their language; and in the word _miscreant_, misbeliever, as the synonym
of the worst species of reprobate, they left an indelible record of the
popular estimate of the followers of John Wycliffe.

[Sidenote: Changes in the mode of presentation to bishopricks.]

[Sidenote: Right of free election conceded in the great charter to the
chapters and the religious houses.]

The Lollard story opens with the disputes between the crown and the see
of Rome on the presentation to English benefices. For the hundred and
fifty years which succeeded the Conquest, the right of nominating the
archbishops, the bishops, and the mitred abbots, had been claimed and
exercised by the crown. On the passing of the great charter, the church
had recovered its liberties, and the privilege of free election had been
conceded by a special clause to the clergy. The practice which then
became established was in accordance with the general spirit of the
English constitution. On the vacancy of a see, the cathedral chapter
applied to the crown for a conge d'elire. The application was a form;
the consent was invariable. A bishop was then elected by a majority of
suffrages; his name was submitted to the metropolitan, and by him to the
pope. If the pope signified his approval, the election was complete;
consecration followed; and the bishop having been furnished with his
bulls of investiture, was presented to the king, and from him received
"the temporalities" of his see. The mode in which the great abbots were
chosen was precisely similar; the superiors of the orders to which the
abbeys belonged were the channels of communication with the pope, in the
place of the archbishops; but the elections in themselves were free, and
were conducted in the same manner. The smaller church benefices, the
small monasteries or parish churches, were in the hands of private
patrons, lay or ecclesiastical; but in the case of each institution a
reference was admitted, or was supposed to be admitted, to the court of
Rome.

[Sidenote: Privilege of the pope and of the superiors of the religious
orders in controlling the elections.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 1306-7.]

There was thus in the pope's hand an authority of an indefinite kind,
which it was presumed that his sacred office would forbid him to abuse,
but which, however, if he so unfortunately pleased, he might abuse at
his discretion. He had absolute power over every nomination to an
English benefice; he might refuse his consent till such adequate
reasons, material or spiritual, as he considered sufficient to induce
him to acquiesce, had been submitted to his consideration. In the case
of nominations to the religious houses, the superiors of the various
orders residing abroad had equal facilities for obstructiveness; and the
consequence of so large a confidence in the purity of the higher orders
of the Church became visible in an act of parliament which it was found
necessary to pass in 1306-7.[2]

[Sidenote: Act to prevent the superiors resident abroad from laying
taxes on the English houses.]

"Of late," says this act, "it has come to the knowledge of the king, by
the grievous complaint of the honourable persons, lords, and other
noblemen of his realm, that whereas monasteries, priories, and other
religious houses were founded to the honour and glory of God, and the
advancement of holy church, by the king and his progenitors, and by the
said noblemen and their ancestors; and a very great portion of lands and
tenements have been given by them to the said monasteries, priories, and
religious houses, and the religious men serving God in them; to the
intent that clerks and laymen might be admitted in such houses, and that
sick and feeble folk might be maintained, hospitality, almsgiving, and
other charitable deeds might be done, and prayers be said for the souls
of the founders and their heirs; the abbots, priors, and governors of
the said houses, _and certain aliens their superiors_, as the abbots and
priors of the Cistercians, the Premonstrants, the orders of Saint
Augustine and of Saint Benedict, and many more of other religions and
orders have at their own pleasure set divers heavy, unwonted heavy and
importable tallages, payments, and impositions upon every of the said
monasteries and houses subject unto them, in England, Ireland, Scotland,
and Wales, without the privity of the king and his nobility, contrary to
the laws and customs of the said realm; and thereby the number of
religious persons being oppressed by such tallages, payments, and
impositions, the service of God is diminished, alms are not given to the
poor, the sick, and the feeble; the healths of the living and the souls
of the dead be miserably defrauded; hospitality, almsgiving, and other
godly deeds do cease; and so that which in times past was charitably
given to godly uses and to the service of God, is now converted to an
evil end, by permission whereof there groweth great scandal to the
people." To provide against a continuance of these abuses, it was
enacted that no "religious" persons should, under any pretence or form,
send out of the kingdom any kind of rent, tax, or tallage; and that
"priors aliens" should not presume to assess any payment, charge, or
other burden whatever upon houses within the realm.[3]

The language of this act was studiously guarded. The pope was not
alluded to; the specific methods by which the extortion was practised
were not explained; the tax upon presentations to benefices, either
having not yet distinguished itself beyond other impositions, or the
government trusting that a measure of this general kind might answer the
desired end. Lucrative encroachments, however, do not yield so easily to
treatment; nearly fifty years after it became necessary to reenact the
same statute; and while recapitulating the provisions of it, the
parliament found it desirable to point out more specifically the
intention with which it was passed.

The popes in the interval had absorbed in their turn from the heads of
the religious orders, the privileges which by them had been extorted
from the affiliated societies. Each English benefice had become the
fountain of a rivulet which flowed into the Roman exchequer, or a
property to be distributed as the private patronage of the Roman bishop:
and the English parliament for the first time found itself in collision
with the Father of Christendom.

[Sidenote: Statute of provisors forbidding the attempts of the popes to
present to benefices in England.]

"The pope," says the fourth of the twenty-fifth of Edward III.,
"accroaching to himself the signories of the benefices within the realm
of England, doth give and grant the same to aliens which did never dwell
in England, and to cardinals which could not dwell here, and to others
as well aliens as denizens, whereby manifold inconveniences have
ensued." "Not regarding" the statute of Edward I., he had also continued
to present to bishopricks, abbeys, priories, and other valuable
preferments: money in large quantities was carried out of the realm from
the proceeds of these offices, and it was necessary to insist
emphatically that the papal nominations should cease. They were made in
violation of the law, and were conducted with simony so flagrant that
English benefices were sold in the papal courts to any person who would
pay for them, whether an Englishman or a stranger. It was therefore
decreed that the elections to bishopricks should be free as in time
past, that the rights of patrons should be preserved, and penalties of
imprisonment, forfeiture, or outlawry, according to the complexion of
the offence, should be attached to all impetration of benefices from
Rome by purchase or otherwise.[4]

[Sidenote: The statute fails, and is again enacted in fresh forms.]

If statute law could have touched the evil, these enactments would have
been sufficient for the purpose; but the influence of the popes in
England was of that subtle kind which was not so readily defeated. The
law was still defied, or still evaded; and the struggle continued till
the close of the century, the legislature labouring patiently, but
ineffectually, to confine with fresh enactments their ingenious
adversary.[5]

[Sidenote: The popes threaten the censures of the church.]

[Sidenote: The parliament declares that to bring any such censures into
the realm shall be punished with death and forfeiture.]

At length symptoms appeared of an intention on the part of the popes to
maintain their claims with spiritual censures, and the nation was
obliged to resolve upon the course which, in the event of their
resorting to that extremity, it would follow. The lay lords[6] and the
House of Commons found no difficulty in arriving at a conclusion. They
passed a fresh penal statute with prohibitions even more emphatically
stringent, and decided that "if any man brought into this realm any
sentence, summons, or excommunication, contrary to the effect of the
statute, he should incur pain of life and members, with forfeiture of
goods; and if any prelate made execution of such sentence, his
temporalities should be taken from him, and should abide in the king's
hands till redress was made."[7]

[Sidenote: A "great council" addresses the pope, with a desire for an
arrangement.]

[Sidenote: The question is brought to an issue by the excommunication of
the bishops.]

So bold a measure threatened nothing less than open rupture. The act,
however, seems to have been passed in haste, without determined
consideration; and on second thoughts, it was held more prudent to
attempt a milder course. The strength of the opposition to the papacy
lay with the Commons.[8] When the session of parliament was over, a
great council was summoned to reconsider what should be done, and an
address was drawn up, and forwarded to Rome, with a request that the
then reigning pope would devise some manner by which the difficulty
could be arranged.[9] Boniface IX. replied with the same want of
judgment which was shown afterwards on an analogous occasion by Clement
VII. He disbelieved the danger; and daring the government to persevere,
he granted a prebendal stall at Wells to an Italian cardinal, to which a
presentation had been made already by the king. Opposing suits were
instantly instituted between the claimants in the courts of the two
countries. A decision was given in England in favour of the nominee of
the king, and the bishops agreeing to support the crown were
excommunicated.[10] The court of Rome had resolved to try the issue by a
struggle of force, and the government had no alternative but to
surrender at discretion, or to persevere at all hazards, and resist the
usurpation.

[Sidenote: A.D. 1392-3.]

[Sidenote: The House of Commons declare that they will stand with the
Crown to live and die,]

[Sidenote: And desire the king to examine the lords spiritual and
temporal how they will stand.]

[Sidenote: The lay lords answer directly, and the spiritual lords
indirectly, to the same effect with the Commons.]

The proceedings on this occasion seem to have been unusual, and
significant of the importance of the crisis. Parliament either was
sitting at the time when the excommunication was issued, or else it was
immediately assembled; and the House of Commons drew up, in the form of
a petition to the king, a declaration of the circumstances which had
occurred. After having stated generally the English law on the
presentation to benefices, "Now of late," they added, "divers processes
be made by his Holiness