ALthough I haue ben minded diuers times (my very good lord) for to haue writtē to your Lordeship, such newes as haue occurred here, in time of peace, or els where: yet neuertheles, by reason of vnnatu­rall warres betwixt both these Realmes of Englande & Scot­lande, at whiche tyme I woulde not presume to wryte to forē pla­ces and partly, because I could [Page] mete with none, which had ac­cesse to the place where you re­mained, I haue therfore been let ted from so doing hetherto from tyme to tyme. And where as I haue good occasion ministred now to write, by reason of suche most noble newes as are in Eng land at this presēt, I wil so brief­ly as I maye aduertis you of the same. Therfore your Lordeship shall vnderstande, That Philip by the grace of god king of Eng­land, Fraunce Naples, Hierusa­lem and Irelande, and sonne to the most fortunate and most vic­torious Monarche Charles the fifte of that name, nowe Empe­rour of rome, arriued to the coast of Englande, with a nauy of. vii The kynge landed at southamptō the. xx. of Iu ly▪ M Diiiii score saile, and landed at South hāpton in Hamshire, within ten [...]le of the Citie of Winchester [Page] on friday the. xx. day of Iuly last at. iii. of the clocke at after none. At whiche towne, the Quenes maiestie being seuen mile from thens, the Lordes of the counsel & diuerse other Noble men, most louyngly welcomed him: where in the meane season, my lord the Erll of Arundel, lord Steward of Englande, put a very riche garter about his left legge. And there to recreat him selfe after the Sea, with suche noble men as came with him, he continued friday, satterday, and Sundaye How lōg he remayned at Southhamp ton. Thā the next mūday which was the. xxiii. of Iuli, his highnes came to the Citie of winchester at. vi. of the clocke at nighte, the noble men of Englande and his His cum­ming to the Citie of [...] chester. nobles riding, one with an other before him, in good order through the Citie, euery one placed accor­ding [Page] to his vocacion and office, he riding on a faire white horse in a riche coate embrodred with gold, his doubl [...]t, hosen, and hat suite like, with a white fetherin his hat, very faire. And after he lighted▪ he came the hie waye to­wardes the weast dore of the ca­thedrall [...]owe he was recey­ued wyth procession b [...] my lord Chauncel­ler in the [...] be all churche of winchestre. churche, where he was most reuerently receiued wyth professiō by my lorde the Bishop of winchester now lord Chan̄cel­ler of Englād, &. v. other Bishops mitred, coped, and staued, where also, after he had kneled, kissed [...]he Crucifix, and done his praier [...]e ascended from thens. v. steps vpon a skafholde whiche was [...]ade for the solemnizaciō of his [...]ariage: and vntill he came to [...]he Quere doore, the procession [...]ong, Laus, honor, et Virtus. And after [...]e had entred the Quere, & per­ [...]eiued the moste holy Sacra­ment, [Page] he put of his cap, and went His humi­litie and re uerence in syght of the most bles­sed [...] ­ment of the aulter. bare headed with greate humili­tie vntil he entred his seat or tra ues, as they cal it. where after he had kneled, my Lorde Cauncel­ler began Tedeum Laudamus, and the Quere together with the Orgās song and plaied the rest. Whiche beig doen, he was brought with torch light to the Deanes house, the lordes going before him, and the Quenes garde in their riche coates, stāding al the way: which house was very gorgeously pre­pared for him adioining to my lorde the Bishop of winchesters palaice, where the Quenes high­nes then lay, not passing a paire Howe he was brought by the Lordes of the coun­sell to the Quenes maiestie a priuy [...]ay. of but lengthes betwene. Thys nighte, after he had sopped, at. x. of the clocke (as I am crediblye informed) he was brought by the counsell, a priuie waye, to the quene, Where her grace verye [Page] louingly, yea and most ioyfullye receyued him. And after that thei had talked together half an hour they kissed, and departed. I am crediblie informed also that at his departing, he desired the quenes highnes to teache hym what he should say to the lordes in English at his departing: and she tolde him he should say Good night my Lordes all. And as he came by the lordes, he [...]aid as the Quene had taught him. So the [...]ow he wēt to the Quene o [...]enly wher al m [...] mighe see▪ hym. nexte Tuesdaye at three of the clocke he went to the Quene frō the Deanes house a fote, where euery body mighte see him, The Lorde Stewarde, The Erle of Darbey, the Erll of Penbroke, with diuers other lordes and no­ble menne, as well Englishe as others, wēt before him, he going alone in a cloke of blacke cloth [Page] enbroidred with siluer, & a paire of white hose. And after that he had entred the Courte, where all kinde of Instrumentes played very melodiously, and came with in the hal, wher the Quenes ma gestie was standyng on a skaf­hold, hir highnes descended, and How ioyful ly the Que­nes mage stie recea­ued hym in presence of all the peo ple. [...] amiably receauing him, did kisse him in presense of all the people. And thē taking him by the right hande, they went together in the chaumber of presence, where af­ter they had in sighte of all the lordes and ladies, a quarter of an houre pleasantly talked & cōmu­ned together, vnder the cloth of Estate, and eche of them merily smylyng on other, to the greate comforte and reioising of the be­holders, he toke his leue of her grace, & departed towardes the Cathedrall churche to Euen­sōg, [Page] al the lordes (as I haue said) going before him: where also frō the Courte hal dore to the courte gate, all the pensioners, and the garde (as he and the lordes wēt) stode all along on both sides the wape. [...]uensong being done he was very princely broughte frō the churche with torche lyghte vnto the Deanes house agayne. Then wedins daye being [...]āct The day of their moste Noble ma riage. Iames daie, and the. xxv. of Iu ly, his highnes (at. x. of the clocke) and his nobles before him, went to the Cathedral churche, and re­mayned there (the dores beyng very straightlie kepte) vntyll the Quenes highnes came: whose magestie with al her counsel and nobilitie before her, came thyther at half houre to a leuen. And en­tring at the west dore of the said Cathedrall churche (where her [Page] grace was receaued the satterday before, in like maner as his high­nes was the munday following) her maiestie ascended the fore said steps, and came towardes the quere dore: where a little without the same dore was made a round mount of bordes, ascendyng also fiue steps aboue the skafholde. On which mount immediatlye after her magestie and the king were shreuen, they were maried by my lord the bishop of winche­ster, The quenes magestie and the king were shre­uen before they were maried. lord chauncellour of Ing­lande, her magestye standing on the right side of the said mo [...]t and the king of the left side. And this y ^• mariage being ended & so­lēnizated which with y ^• biddiges and banes therof was declared & done by y ^• said lord Chauncelor both in latin, & in english, his lord ship declared also there: Howe [Page] that the Emperours magestie re Howe the Emperour resigned the kyng dome of Naples and Hierusalē to the kiges highnes his sonne. signed vnder his Emperial seale the kingdomes of Naples and Hierusalem to his sonne Philip Prīce of Spain. wherby it might well appeare to all men that the Quenes highnes was thē mari­ed, not only to a Prīce, but also vn to a king. The Quenes mariage rīg was a plaī hoope of gold with out any stone in it. For that was as it is said her pleasure, because maydens were so maried in olde tymes. Thys (as I haue saide) beyng ended and done, The erle of Darbey beefore the quenes magestie, and the Erle of Pen­broke The sweard [...]earers the day of their ma [...]. before the kinges highnes did bere ech of thē aswerd of ho­nour. And so both their maiestes entred the Quere hande in hand vnder a canapye, borne by. iiii. knightes towardes the hie altar, [Page] where after they had kneled a while with ech of them a Taper, they arose, and the Quene went to a seate or Traues of the right hande of the altar, and the kinge to an other seate, of the left hand, where they continued thus seue cal in their meditaciōs & praiers vntill the gospell was saied: and then they came out, and kneled How [...]od ly they vsed themselues duryng h [...] masse time to giue ex­ample to al others all the hie masse tyme, openly be­fore the hie aultar, the care clothe beeyng holden, as the maner is. Where duryng hie masse tyme the Quenes Chapell matched with the quire, and the organs, vsed suche swete proporcyon of musicke and harmonye, as the like (I suppose) was neuer bee­fore The hy [...] masse was song by the Lord chaun celer. inuented or harde. The hie masse beeing done, whiche was celebrated and sayd, by my lorde the Bishop of winchestre, hauing [Page] to his coadiutors y ^• fiue bisshops afore said, y ^• is to say the bisshops of Duresm, Ely, Lōdō ▪ L [...]ncolne and Chichestre. Wherin both the Princes offering rich Iewels, & deliuerīg their Tapers, yea & the kinges highnes at the Agnusdei kis syng y ^• celebrator accordig to the ceremonies of mariages vsed in holy catholicke churches, The king of heroldes opēly in presēce of both their magesties & y ^• whole audience, solempnly proclaymed this their new stile and Title in Latin, frenche & in englishe.

The stile in Latin.

And wheras this letter maye come perhaps from your Lord­ships handes, in the handes of [Page] of those which vnderstād not the latin tōge, I wil therfore by your lordships leue, to satisfie & cōtent their mīdes beig vnlearned, not only declare y ^• same stile & title in English, but also all suche other thinges, as shal folowe in Latin

The stile in Englishe.

¶ This stile and title beeing thus proclamed, the kyng & the Quene departed hand in hande vnder the forsaid Canapie to my lord Chaūcellers place, where the quenes grace was lodged: whose two most prīcely, & most rich Abi­limentes, was of betin gold vpō [Page] golde, and so riche set with preci ous stones, as no man coulde e­steme the value therof. At which place during diner time, as none could be in the world more sump tuous, where their magestyes dined opēly in the hal both toge­ther at one table, vnder the cloth of estate: there was such soūdes and noise of al maner of Iustru mentes, as hath been seldome hearde. where also, at the thirde course I perceiued all the heral­des of armes entre the hall two and two, in their heraldicall gar mentes, and crying three times with an hye voyce, Largesse. The king of them commonlye called Garter, proclamed there a­gaine the kynges highnes, & the Quenes new stile & title, in ma­ner, fourme, and effect as he did in the Cathedrall churche when [Page] hie masse was done. And so cry­ing three tymes Larges, agayne they departed.

And thus shortly to conclude, there was for certain daies after this moste Noble mariage, suche triumphing, bankating, singing, masking, and daunsing, as was neuer in Englande here tofore, Mirth, ioy & pastime at and af­ter their maryage. by the reporte of all men. Wher­fore, to see the kinges magestie and the Quene sitting vnder the cloth of estate, in the hall where they dyned, and also in the Chā ­bre of presence at dansing tyme, where both their magesties dan­sed, and also to behold the dukes and noble men of Spain daūse with the faire ladyes and moste beutifull nimphes of England, it should seme to him that neuer see suche, to be an other worlde.

Nowe to trouble youre Lord­shyp, [Page] any further with the hole, & perfite declaration of the riche and sundrie apparelles whiche the nobilitie of Englande and Spayne vsed, and ware at and after the mariage of these two most excellent Princes, it were but a phantasie and losse of pa­per and ynke: for no mortall Princes (Emperoures and kin­ges only except) were able sure­ly to excell them. And such braue liueries, as their seruaūtes had, The riche apparels of then obi litie of England. and Spai I neuer sawe the lyke, in all the Countreys that euer I trauay­led. And finally with what ryche hanginges y ^• Cathedral Church of Winchester and the Quyer was hanged, and the two seates where bothe the Princes sat, it was a wonder to se. And againe to vew & marke what Eligaunt verses in Latin of all kynde of [Page] sortes were affixed, and set vp on the Cathedrall Churche do­res, All kynd of verses set vp by the scol­lers of winchester colledge in commē dacyon of their most noble ma­riage. and the portes of my Lorde Chauncellers place where the king and the Quene laye, by the Skollers of Winchester Col­ledge, in prayse and commenda­cion of this most noble and rare mariage of Philip of Spayne, and MARI of Englande, it shoulde quicken the spirites of al dull doltes to embrace good let­ters, and of the best learned to fauour the good will of al paine­full studentes. I purpose for to sende the Copy of some of theym to your lordship (God wil­ling) hereafter. And i the meane season I will not omit two ver­ses, whiche were wrytten in a whyte fielde whych Heroldes call siluer, with faire Romayne [Page] letters of blacke, which they call sable aboue the inner port of the place, wher the two Princes lay, a month before they c [...]m thither: whiche verses (as I am aduerti­sed) were made by my lorde the Bishop of winchester nowe lorde chaunceller of Englande: whose excellēt learnyng is well knowē euery where, yea, and he to bee of moste, exacte Iudgemente in all kinde of good letters.

These be the two verses.

That is to saye.

ANd after that their maie­sties Laudes and priui legis geuē to the Ci­tie of win chester & Southhāp ton. had thus remayned in the Citie of winchestre ten daies (vnto the which Citie and to Southhampton in token and perpetuall memorye of thys [Page] their most noble mariage, solem nizated in the one, & of the kiges first lāding in the other, they did geue great priuilegis and la [...]des for euer) they remoued frō thens on tuesdaye the last of Iuli, and riding through the Citie in a ve­ry princelye order, they wente to Basing. xv. mile frō winchestre Where at my lord Treasurer of The day of their depa [...] tyng from winchester Englandes house they lay that night, and the next day folowīg. where was suche noble Chere prouided for them, and both their nobilities, as I haue not sene the like for the tyme, in my dayes. The next thursday being the se­conde of August, they departed from thens, and rode to Reding, wher after they had lyne but that nyghte, they came to Windesore the next friday, at. vi. of y ^• clocke at nyghte.

[Page]And cumming in at the west end Their cū ­ming to windsor & how they were there receaued with pro­cession & the kyng installed. of the town, they came, with two swerdes borne before thē, streight way towardes the churche weste dore, wher with procession they were receaued by my lord Chaun celler, where also the lord Ste­warde of Englande reuested the king with the robe of the order of the garter, and the Quenes ma­gestie put the collar of the same order aboute hys necke: whiche being done they bothe proceded vnder a Canapy towardes the quere, y ^• lordes of the order going beefore them in their robes and collars also. And after that the kyng was there installed, and Te deum song and ended, they came out at the same dore of the quere where they entred, and wente to a place of the north side of y ^• same where the kinges highnes & the [Page] lordes put of their robes. Which being done, the kinges magestie and the Quene departed on horse backe, to their lodging in Windsor Castel. And to make an ende here of their progres, your Lordship shall vnderstande, that after they had remayned at wind Their cū ­ming to Richemōd sor certain daies, after the kīges installacion, they came to Riche­mont. Where being aduertysed that all suche triumphes and pa­geants as wer deuised in Londō agaynst their cumming thyther were finished & ended, they came frō thens by water on friday the xvii. of August, & lāded at S. Ma Their cū ­myng to London. rie Oueres staires on South­warke side. Where euery corner keing so straight kept as no man could passe, come, or go, but those which were appointed to attende their lāding, they passed through my Lorde chauncellers house at [Page] Suffolke place, which was pre­pared for their lying that night. This Suffolke place, and your Lordshyp bee remembred, is of the left hande, as we enter into Southwarke cummyng from Hampton Courte: whiche place was made by the olde Duke of Suffolke, immediatly after that he maried the godly & vertuous Princes, Marye quene Dowa­ger of Fraunce, and the seconde doughter of king Henry the. vii. Their most tri­umphing entries in­to London

Nowe to begyn and declare their cumming to London, and so make an ende, your reuerend Lordship shall vnderstande that bothe their moste excellent Ma­iesties made their moste noble and Triumphinge entres in­to the noble Citie of London, furth of Southwarke place, [Page] the next satterdaye, whiche was the. xviii. of August, at. ii. of the clocke at after none. Where, af­ter all the lordes of their moste honorable priuie counsel, and the ambassadours of all nacyons, with the nobilitie of Englande and Spayne, and diuers other noble and [...]entle mē, as wel Eng lish as straunge, wer al on horse backe, two and two in a rāke, the The lord [...] Maior of London de liuered his ma [...]e. lord Maior of Londō, as the two Prīces came out at the gate, kne led and deliuered a mace, whiche signified his [...]ower and authori­tie within the citie of London, to the Quenes grace. Whose ma­gestie deliuering the said mace to the lord Maior again, the kinges highnes and she ascended their horses, & so marchyng towardes London bridge, the quene of the righte hande, and the king of the [Page] lefte, with two swerdes of ho­noure before theym, and before the swerdes the Lord Maior of London bearing the Mace, the Toure of London begynneth to shoote. And when they came to the drawe bridge, there they made the fyrst staye, where there was in the higth thereof, a fayre table, holden vp with two greate Giauntes: the one named Cori­neus Britannus, and the other Gogma­gog Albionus. In which table, in a fielde siluer, with faire Romaine The firste staye. letters of sable, these. xii. verses following were wrytten.

That is to say.

HEre also the Toure of London (the signe geuen that the kinge and the Quene were in syghte thereof) shotte suche peales of ordinaunce in, & about euery quarter therof, and speci­ally out of the toppe of the whyte [Page] foure & of the wharffe, as neuer was heard the lyke in Englande here to fore.

Which being done, they proceded forwarde vntil they came in gra­cious strete, where in their waye the conduit therof was finely trī ­med, wheron was painted verye ingeniouslye the nine worthies with many notable prouerbes and adages, written with fayre Romā letters on euery side ther of. And at the signe of the splaied The secōd Staye. Egle, they made the second staie where the first pagēt was deuy­sed and made by the marchaunt straungers of the Stilliarde.

Where emōgest diuers notable stories there was in the top ther­of, the picture of the king sitting on horsse backe, all armed verye gorgeously and richly set out to the quicke. Under which picture [Page] were written in field siluer with fayre Romaine letters of sable, these wordes folowinge after this maner.

That is to saye.

And vnder that were wrytten in a field blue, whiche Heroldes call azure, with faire Romaine letters of siluer, these two ver­ses folowinge.

That is to saye.

WHiche picture & al other notable stories & wry­tinges in the saide Pa­gent pleasing their magesties very wel, they marched forward vntill they came to Cornewall, where the cōduite also there beīg very excellentlye painted, at the west end of the sirete was the se­conde The third Staye. pagent which was ryghte excellently handled and set out, where their magesties made the thirde staye. In whiche pagente were foure liuely persons, which represented the foure moste no­ble Philips, of whose most noble actes and doinges we read in auncient stories▪ That is to saye Philip kyng of Macedonia.

Philip the Romayn Emperour. Philip Duke of Burgundy sur­named Bonus, and Philip Duke of Burgundy surnamed Audax [Page] betwixt which foure princes, two beyng of the right side of the pa­gent, and two of the least, there was a fayre table, wherin were written in a fielde azure, wyth Roman letters of siluer, these viii. verses folowyng.

That is to saye.

THis page ante with the stories therein contay­ned liking the kinges highnes and the quene wonderous well, they passed to­wardes Chepeside, & at the Easte ende therof, the conduite there also being finely paynted and tri­med, they made the fourth staye, where the thirde pagente was made. In y ^• heigth wherof, was one playing on a harpe, who sig­nified the most Excellente musi­cian The forth Staye. Orpheus, of whom, and of Am­phiō, we reade in the fables of old Poetis. Where also were nyne faire ladyes playing and singing on diuers swete instrumentes, signifying the nine muses.

And not farre from them were men, and children decked vp like wilde beastes, as Lions, wolfes, foxes and beares. So that the [Page] moste swete strokes, noyse, and soundes of Orpheus, with the nyne Musis playing and singinge in the sayd Pageant, and also the counterfeated beastes daunsing and leapinge, with Orpheus harpe, and the Musis melodye exhila­rated and reioysed their maie­sties very much. Under Orpheus in a field siluer, with faire romaine letters of sable, were written in a very faire table these. viii. ver­ses followinge.

That is to saye,

THeir maiesties beig sa­tisfyed with the sighte of that pageant, they marched from thence, and passinge through Chepeside, where they perceuing the crosse therof, which was with fine gold richely gilded, they staied a litle lokinge thereon, whiche was (no doute it is) vnto them a right ex­cellent view, where also the kin­ges highnes perceauing the cru­cifix in the top thereof, very hum blie put of hys cap. Thys sene, they marched forwarde, and at the west end of Chepe they made the fyft stay, where was y ^e fourth and most excellent pageant of al. Wherein was contained, decla­red, [Page] and shewed their moste no­ble Their fift Stay. Geneology from kinge Ed­warde the third, which Geneolo­gie was most exellently, & moste ingeniously set out, with a great Arboure or tree: vnder the roote whereof was an olde man liinge on his left side, with a long white beard, a close croune on his head, and a sceptour in his ryght hand and a ball Imperial in his lefte. Which olde man signified kinge Edward the third, of whom both their maiesties are linially descē ­ded. which grene Arboure or tree grewe vp of bothe the sides with braunches, wheron did sit young faire childrē which represēted the persones of such kinges, quenes Princis, dukes, Earles, lordes & ladies as descēded frō y ^• said king Edward the. iii. vnto their daies, whose names were writtē aboue [Page] their heades in fieldes azure in faire tables with Roman letters of [...]iluer. Where also in the saied top of the said arbour or tre was a Quene of the right hande, & a king of y ^e left, which presēted their magesties. Aboue whose heades was written their new stile and title, with fayre Roman letters of sable in a feilde golde. And a­boue that, in the heigth of al, wer both their armes Ioined in one vnder one Crown emperial. And finally vnder the old mā whiche lay vnder the rote of the Arbour & signified (as I haue said) king Edward the third, were written these. vi. verses folowinge in a feild siluer, with letters of gold.

That is to saye.

[...]Uhich pageant beynge throughlye vewed and much comm [...]ded of their maiesties, they wente hence to­wardes s. Paules Church. And in their way a skoller of Paules skoole decked vp in cloth of gold, delyuered vnto the kinges high­nes a fayre boke, which he recea­ued verye ientlie. Where also a fellow came slipping vpō a corde as an arrow out of a bow, from Paules steple to the grounde, & lighted with his heade forwarde on a greate sorte of fether beds: And after he clame vp the corde [Page] again, and done certaine feates, They wer receaued at poules with pro­cession by the Bis­shop of London. their magesties lighted, & being in Paules church receaued with procession by the Bishop of Lon­don, and Te deum songe & ended, they departed, and marched to­wardes fletestrete, at the condit whereof they made the sixt & last staye, where was the fift and hin dermost pagent of all. Wherein The la [...]te Staye. was a Quene & a king represen­ting their highnes, hauing of their right side Iusticia with a swerd in her hande, and Equitas wyth a payre of ballaunce. And of theyr left side Veritas wyth a boke in her hande, wheron was written, Ver­bum Dei & Misericordia with a hearte of golde. Where also from the heigth of the pageant descended one which signified Sapientia with a crowne in eche of her handes, wherof the one she put on y ^e head [Page] of her that presented the quene, and the other on the head of him that presented the king: vnder which two wer written in a field azure with fayre Roman letters of siluer these. vi. verses folowig

That is to saye,

ANd after y ^e their magesties had seen the effecte of thys pageant they proceded for­ward towardes tēple bar, where they stayed a litle in viewinge a certayn Oracion in Latin, which was in a long table wrytten with Romayne Letters, aboue the [Page] parte therof as they passed and departed furth of y ^• Citie. Which oraciō declared, that such trium­phes and pagiantes as were de­uised and made in the noble ci­tie of london by the Lord Maior therof, his brethren, and the citi­sens, for theyr entries, whose most happy cumming, they most hertly so long tyme desired, and wished for, and agayne the run­ning The effecte of an oraci­on set vp aboue the porte of [...]ē ple barre. and reioysing of the greate number of people as were there calling and crying euery where God saue your graces, was an euident token, testimonie and witnes of their faithful, and vnfained her­tes to the Quenes highnes & the king. For whose moste excellente Maiesties they prayed vnto al­mightye God longe to lyue, rule, and reygne ouer their moste no­ble Empyre of Englande.

ANd now makyng an end here of this theyr most triumphyng en­tries into y ^• noble ci­tye of Lōdon, they de parted from Temple Barre to­wardes Yorke place, otherwyse called the whyte hal: Wher after they had lighted, they came hand in hand into y ^e great chamber of presens. Where also, after they had talked a litle space, they toke theyr leaue eache of other.

And so the Quenes magestie en tring that part of the courte co­menly called the kinges side, and the kynges highnes entryng the other parte called the Quenes, there they rested and remayned for certayne dayes.

Wher in the meane season two princely presentes came to their Magesties. The one from the [Page] Emperour which is. xii. pieces of Arras worke, so richelie wrought with Golde Siluer and silke, as none in the worlde maye excell them. In which peces be so excel­lentlye wroughte, and sette out all the Emperoures maiesties procedinges & victories againste the Turkes, as Apelles were not able (if he were aliue) to mende any parcell thereof with his pen­sell. And the other present from the Quene of Polonia, which is a paire of Regalles, so curiouslye made of golde and siluer, and so set with precious stones, as lyke or none suche haue bene seldome sene. And after they had thus re­mained Two prin cely and most excel lent pre­sentes. at the white hall certaine daies (as I haue said) and hadde bene in Westminster colledge, where their maiesties were re­ceyued with Procession by the [Page] Deane therof, & had heard masse & perused al the monumētes and tōbes of such kinges as be enter­red they, their departed to Hāptō Courte, where they continued vntill thys Parliment. At which The be­gynnyng of the Parlamēt tyme they came from thens, to white hall agayne. Whyche Par limente did begin the. xii. day of Nou [...]ber last, on which day both their magesties, and al the lords spirituall and temporall, as vse & custum hath euer been, rode to westmister Abbey, with all Prin­cely ensignes of honor, and so lempnities appertayning to the Roiall estate.

Further, youre Lordeshippe The cum­myng of my Lorde Cardinal. shall vndrestande that the. xviii. daye of the sayed moneth, The Righte Reuerende Father in GOD, LORDE Cardinall [Page] Poole accompanyed wyth my Lorde Paget, my lord Clynton, & syr Anthony Browne knight, late created Lorde Montague, and dyuers other noble menne, came from Grauesende to the white hall in one of the kynges barges. Where the kinges ma­iestie beinge aduertysed that he hadde shot London brydge, his highnes, with the swerde of ho­noure borne before hym, came downe and receaued him verye [...]owe he was first re ceued of the [...]yng. amiably, as he landed at the com mon landynge brydge of the Courte. And from thence they bothe passed vp to the Chambre of presence, where the Quenes maiestie was sittinge vnder the clothe of estate, whose highnes [...]ow he was afterwarde receyued by the quene. also receaued him very ioyfully.

And after that both theyr ma­iesties and he had communed an [Page] houre very Louinglye, my lorde Cardinal toke his leaue of their highnes. And thē my lord Chaū ­celer of his right hande, and the Erle of Shrewsbery of his left, they went by water to Lambeth which is a place perteyninge to the Archebishop of Canterbury, where his lordeship lyeth as yet. This Cardinall is an Englyshe mā borne, of whome (I am sure) your lordshyp hath hearde, & dis­cended of the bloude Roiall of Englande. For his mother was doughter to George Duke of Clarence, which was brother to Edward y ^e fourth of that name, kinge of Englande. Whyche My Lorde Cardinal was an ex­ile out of hys country xxi. yeares. Cardinall hathe bene an exile out of England these. xxi. yeres. The cause whereof was, that he woulde not assente to kynge [Page] king Henry the eight in the mat­ter The cau­ses wherfore he was exiled of diuorse from his most law­full wife Quene Katherin mo­ther to the quene that nowe is.

And that he would not admitte the sayd king to beare the title of Supreme head of the Churche of Englande, whiche by a newe example he hadde lately (as it is now sayd) vsurped.

This opinion did not onely pur­chase Diuers noble men haue suf­fred in Englande for hys sake. exile to thys Cardinal him­selfe but also was the death of the vertuouse lady the Countes of Salysbery his mother, y ^e lord Montegle hys brother, and the Marques of Exester his cousin, wyth manye other noble menne being suspect as adherentes to him in the same opinion.

Surely thys cruelty was great, but that whyche exceded all the rest: thys olde lady being at least [Page] lx. and .x. yeares of age, cosin to the king, and beyng (as it is saied) most innocent and giltles, was without iudgement or pro­cesse of the lawe drawen by the hore heres to y ^e blocke, not kno­wyng any cause why to dye.

Many lyke examples of crueltie folowed in Englande by that al­teracion, whiche are oute of my purpose: but this I haue touched The que­nes ma­gestie hath restored the Lorde Cardinal to the ho­nour of hys house by occasion of this Cardinall, who nowe by the quenes good­nes is restored to the honour of his house. And now of late is ar­riued in Englande as Ambassa­dour and legate from the Popes holynes, with moste ample com­mission to receiue the e Ralme of Englande vnto the vnitie of the church, wherof your lordship shal ꝑceue more hereafter. He is, & se meth to be of nature sad & graue [Page] whose good lyfe maye be an ex­ample to the reste of his profes­sion, and hys excellent learning is well knowen through all Eu­rope. For I assure your lordship, that at my beinge in Rome. xvi. yeares agon, I haue hearde out of the mouthes, aswel of my coū ­try men then being in Rome, as of the Romaines them selfes no les, yea and more then I haue saide. For it is commonly sayde of him by lerned men in Rome, My Lorde Cardu [...]ls prayse e­mongest learned m [...] [...]n straunge countryes. and in other places where I haue trauayled, Polus Cardinalis, natione Anglus, pietatis et literarum testi­monio, dignus, non qui Polus Anglus, sed qui polus Angelus uocetur.

But nowe passinge ouer the praysinges of thys noble, & ver­tuous prelate, whome no manne dispraiseth, I will procede where I lefte.

[Page]Within fewe daies after hys cumminge to Lambeth, a daye The three Estates of Englan [...]e assembled before the kyng, the Quene [...] my Lorde Cardinal. was prefixed by appoyntment of the king and Quenes maiesties that the three estates of England being called vnto the parliament shoulde be brought vnto the pre­sence of the Cardinal for the bet­ter vnderstanding of his legati­on. This assemble was appoin­ted in the greate Chambre of the court at Westminster, where as the king and Quenes maiesties sitting vnder the cloth of estate, and al the three estates placed in theyr degrees, the Cardinall syt­ting in a Chaire on y ^e right hād, out of the cloth of estate, my lord Chaunceller of England began in this maner.

MY lordes of y ^e vpper house My Lorde Chauncel­lers wordes. & you my masters of the nether house, here is pre­sent, y ^• righte reuerend father in [Page] god my lord Cardinal Pole come frō the Apostolike Sea of Rome as ambassadour to the king and Quenes magesties vpon one of the moste weightiest causes that euer happened in thys Realme. And whiche perteineth to the glo ry of god and your vniuersall be­nefit. The which ambassage their magesties pleasure is to be sign [...] fied to you all by hys own mouth Trustyng that you will receyue and accepte it, in as beneuolent and thankefull wyse, as theyr highnesses haue done, and that you will geue attente and incly­nable eare to hym.

When hys Lordship had thus made an ende, my Lorde Cardi­nall taking the occasion offred, without any studye, as it semed, spake in effecte as foloweth.

My lordes all, & you that are y ^e My Lord [...] oracyon y ^• kyng and Quenes [...] be [...]ng pre­sent, and y ^• three E­states. cōmons of this presēt Par liment assembled, which [...] effect is nothing els but the stat [...] & body of the whole Realme. As y ^e cause of my repaire hither hath been both wisely & grauely decla­red by my lord Chaunceller, So before y ^e I entre to y ^e particulari­ties of my cōmissiō, I haue som­what to say touching my selfe, & to geue most hūble & harti thākes to the king & Quenes magesties & after thē to you all whiche of a mā exiled and banisht frō this cō mon wealth, haue restored me to a member of the same: and of a man hauyng no place nether here or els where within this realme, haue admitted me in place where to speake and to be heard. Thys I protest vnto you al, that though I was exiled my natyue country w ^tout iust cause, as god knoweth [Page] yet y ^• ingratitude could not pull from me the affeccion and desire that I had to proffit and doe you good. Yf the offer of my seruice might haue ben receaued, it was neuer to seke: & where that could not be taken, you neuer failed of my prayer, nor neuer shall. But leauing the rehersall therof, and cumming more nere to the mat­ter of my commission, I signifie vnto you all, that my principall trauayl is, for the restitucion of thys noble Realme to the aunci­ent nobilitie, and to declare vnto you, that the Sea Apostolike frō whens I come, hath a special re­spect to this Realme aboue al o­ther, and not without cause, seīg that god himselfe, as it were by prouidēce, hath geuē this Realme prerogatiue of nobilitie aboue o­ther: which to make more playne [Page] vnto you, it is to be considered that this Iland first of al Ilādes receiued the light of Christes re­ligion. For as stories testifie, it was prima prouinciarum quae amplexaest fidem Christi. For the Brittōs beīg first inhabitaūtes of this realme (not withstandyng the subiecci­on of the Emperours, & heathen Princes) dyd receyue Christes fayth from the Apostolike Sea vniuersally, & not in partes as o­ther Englande of al Ilan des recey­ued fyr [...]te the faith of Chryste. countryes, nor by one & one as clockes encrease their houres by distinction of tymes, but al to­gether at ones as it were in a moment. But after that their ill merites or forgeatfulnes of god had deserued expulsiō, and that Straungers being infidels had possessed this land, yet god of his goodnes, not leauing where he ones loued, so illumined y ^• hartes [Page] of the Saxons being heathē m [...], that they forsoke the darknes of heathen errours, & enbraced the light of Christes religiō. So that within small space Idolatry and heathē supersticion was vtterlye abādoned ī this Ilād. This was a greate prerogatiue of nobilitie, wherof though the benefite be to be ascribed to god: yet the meane occasion of the same came from the Church of Rome. In y ^e faithe of whiche churche, we haue euer since continued and consented with the rest of the worlde in vni­tye of religion. And to shew fur­ther the feruent deuocion of the inhabitauntes of this Iland to­wardes the Churche of Rome, We rede y ^• diuers Princes in the Saxons time with great trauell and expenses went personally to Rome, as Offa & Adulpbus whiche thought it not inough to shew thē [Page] selfes obedient to the said see, vn les y ^• in their owne persones they had gon to that same place from whence thei had receued so great a grace & benefite. In the time of Carolus magnus, who first foūded the vniuersity of Parys, he sent into England for Alcuinus a great lear­ned mā, which first brought lear­ning to that vniuersity. Wherby it semeth that the greatest part of y ^• world fet the light of religiō frō Englād. Adriā y ^• fourth being an English mā cōuerted norway frō infidelity, which Adriā afterwar­des vpō great affectiō & loue that he bare to thys realme being his natiue coūtry gaue to henry the. ii king of Englād y ^• right & seniory of the dominiō of Irelād, whiche pertained to y ^e see of Rome. I wil not reherse y ^• manifold benefites y ^• this realme hath receaued frō y ^• Apostolike sea, nor how ready the [Page] same hath been to reliue vs in all our necessities. Nor I wil not re hearse the manifolde miseries and calamities, that this Realme hath suffred by swaruing from that vnitie. And euen as in thys Realme so in all other countries which refusing the vnitie of the Catholike fayth, haue followed fātastical doctryne, y ^• like plages haue happened. Let Asia, and the Empire of Grece be a spectacle vnto y ^• world, who by swaruing from the vnitie of the Churche of Rome, are broughte into cap­tiuitie and subieccion of the Turke. All storyes be full of like examples. And to cum vnto lat­ter tyme, loke vpō our nie neigh bours of germany, who by swar­ving from this vnitie, are mise­rablye afflicted with diuersitie of sectes, & deuided in faccions. What shal I rehearse vnto you [Page] the [...]umultes & effusion of blood that hath happened there in late dayes. Or trouble you with the rehersal of those plages y ^• haue happened sins this Innouacion of religion, wherof you haue felt the bitternes, and I haue hearde the reporte? Of al which matters I can say nomore but suche was the misery of the tyme. And see how farre forth this furie went. For those that liue vnder the Turke, may frely liue after their conscience, and so was it not lawfull here. Yf men examined wel vpon what groundes these Innouations began, they shall well finde, that the rote of thys, as of many other mischieffes, was avarice: And that the lust & Carnal affeccion of one mā con­founded all lawes, both deuine and humane. And notwithstan­ding [Page] all these deuises & pollicies practised within thys Realme against the church of Rome, they neded not to haue loste you, but that they sought rather as frēdes to reconcile you, then as ene­mies to enfeaste you. For they wanted not great offers of the most mightie Potentates in all Europe to haue ayded the church in that quarell. Then marke the sequel, ther semed by these chaun ges to rise a gret face of riches & gayne, which in profe cam to gret misery and lacke. Se howe god then can confounde the wisdome of the wise, and turne vniust pol­licy to mere folye, and that thing that semed to be done for reliefe was cause of playne ruyne, and decay. Yet see that goodnes of God, which at no tyme fayled vs, but moste benignlye offered hys [Page] grace, when it was of our partes leaste soughte, and worste deser­ued.

And when all lyghte of true religiō seamed vtterly extīcte, as the churches defaced, the aulters ouerthrowen, the ministers cor­rupted [...]euen lyke as in a lampe the lyghte beyng cou [...]red, yet it is not quenched, euē so in a few re­mained the confessiō of Christes fayth, namely in the brest of the Quenes excellency, of whom to speake wythoute adulacyon, the saing of the Prophet may be ve­rified. Ecce quasi der elicta.

And see howe miraculouslye GOD of hys goodnes preser­ued her hyghenes contrarye to the expectacyon of manne. That when numbers conspyred a­gaynste her, and pollicies were [Page] deuised to disherit hir, and armed power prepared to destroye hir, yet she being a Uirgin, helples, naked and vnarmed, preuailed, & had the victorye ouer tyrauntes, which is not to be ascribed to any pollici of mā, but to the almighty greate goodnes & prouidence of God, to whome the honoure is to be geuen. And therfore it may be sayd: Da gloriam deo. For in mannes iudgemente, on her graces parte was nothinge in apparance, but dispayre. And yet for all these practises & deuises of ill mē, here you se hir grace established in hir estate, being your lawful Quene and Gouernes, borne amonge you, whome God hathe appoin­ted to reigne ouer you, for the re­stitucion of true religion, and extirpacion of all erroures & sec­tes. And to confirme hir grace [Page] the more stronglye in thys en­terprise, Lo howe the prouidence of God hath ioyned her in mari­age with a Prince of like religi­on, who beinge a kinge of great might, armour and force, yet v­seth towardes you neyther Ar­mour nor force, but seketh you by the waye of loue and amitie: in whiche respecte greate cause you haue to gyue thankes to almigh­ty God that hathe sent you suche Catholyke Gouernours. It shal be therfore your parte againe to loue, obey and serue them. And as it was a synguler fauoure of God to conioyue theym in mary­age: so it is not to be doubted but that he shal sende them yssue for the comforte and suerty of thys common wealthe. Of all Pryn­ces in Europe, the Emperours hath trauayled most in the cause [Page] of religion, as it appereth by hys actes in Germany▪ yet happly by some secret iudgement of god he hath not atchiued the ende, with whom in my iourney hetherwar­des I had conference touchinge my Legation, whereof when he had vnderstandinge, he shewed great apperaunce of most ernest ioye and gladnes: saying that it reioysed him no les, of there con­cilemēt of this realme vnto chri­stian vnitie, then that his sonne was placed by mariage in y ^• king dome. And most glad of all, that the occasion thereof shuld come by me, beinge an English manne borne, whiche is, as it were to call home oure selues. I can wel compare hym to Dauid, whiche thoughe he were a manne electe of GOD: yet for that he was contaminate with bloode & war, coulde not builde the temple of [Page] I [...]rusalem, but lefte the finishynge therof to Salomon whiche was Rex pacificus, So may it be thoughte, that the appeasing of controuer­sies of religion in Christianity, is not appoynted to this Emperour but rather to his sonne, who shal perfourme the buildyng that his father hath begun: which church cannot be perfitly builded wyth­out vniuersallye in all Realmes we adhere to one head, and do ac­knowledge hym to be the vica [...] of god, and to haue power from a boue. For al power is of God ac­cordyng to the saying. Non est potes­tas nisi adeo. And therefore I con­sider that all power being in god yet for the conseruacion of quiet & godly life in the world, he hath deriued that power from aboue into two partes here in earthe: [Page] whiche is in the power Imperial Two powers in earth, the Ecclesias­ticall power, and y ^e Imperial and ecclesiasticall. And these two powers, as they be seuerall and distinct, so haue they two seueral effectes and operacions. For se­culer Princes, to whom the Tē ­porall swerde is committed, be ministers of god to execute ven­geaunce vpon transgressours & ill liuers, and to preserue the wel doers and innocentes from in­iury and violence. Which power is represented in these two most excellence persons, the king and Quenes Magesties here preesēt who haue this power committed vnto theim Immediatlye from god, wythout any superioure in that behalfe.

The other power is of ministra­cyon whyche is the power of the keies, and order in the Ecclesias­tical state, which is by the autho­ritie of gods word and examples [Page] of the Apostles, and of all olde holy fathers from Christ hitherto attributed and geuen to the Apo­stolike Sea of Rome, by speciall prerogatiue. From which Sea, I am here deputed Legate & Am­bassadour, hauing full and ample commission frō thence, and haue the keyes committed to my han­des. I confes to you that I haue the keyes not as mine owne key­es, but as y ^e keies of him that sent me: and yet cannot open: not for wante of power in me to gyue, but for certayne impedimentes in you to receaue, whiche must be taken awaye before my commis­sion can take effect. This I pro­test vnto you, my commyssion is not of preiudice to anye persone. I cum not to destroy but to build, I cum to reconcyle, not to con­demne, I cum not to compel, but [Page] to call againe: I am not cum to call anything in question, alredy done, But my commission is of grace and clemencye to suche as will receaue it. For touchinge al matters that be past, they shal bee as thinges cast into the Sea of forgetfulnes. But the meane wherby you shal receaue this be­nefit, is to reuoke and repeale those lawes and statutes whiche be impedymentes, blockes and barres to the execution of my cō ­mission. For like as I my self had neyther place nor voice to speake here amonge you, but was to all respectes a banished mā, til such time as ye hadde repealed those lawes that laie in my way: euen­so can not you receaue the beni­fite, and grace offered from the Apostolike Sea, vntyll the abro­gacion of suche lawes whereby [Page] you haue disioyned and disseue red your selues from the vnity of Christes Church, it remaineth therfore that you lyke true Chri­stians and prouydente men for the weale of youre soules, and bodies, ponder what is to be don in this so weightye a cause. And so to frame youre actes and pro­cedinges, as they may tend first to the glorye of GOD, and next to the conseruacion of youre cō ­mon wealthe, suertye and qui­etnes.

This was the substaunce of my Lorde Cardinalles oration, or rather his tale, whiche he pro­nounsed in such sort, as no man coulde iudge it any studyed mat­ter, but a thinge spoken Ex tem­pore. Wherof a frende of myne beeinge a Burges of the Par­liamente, and presente at the [Page] same tyme, toke the notes, and gaue me the same in writing, so (as I beleue) nothinge that he spake in effect, is omitted.

And after that the assemble was broken, my lord Cardinal taking leaue of the king and Quenes magesties, went to hys house at Lambeth. Then shortly after the foresayd thre Estates assembled The three Estates assembled agayne be fore the kynge and Quenes magesties and my lord Car­dynall. agayne in the great Chamber of the Court at Westmister, where the kyng and quenes magestyes and also my Lorde Cardynal be­ing present, they did exhibit syt­tyng al on their knees a supplica­cion to their highnesses. Whiche supplicacion beyng read their ma How they dyd exhi­bit a sup­plicacyon to theyr magesties gesties exhibited the same vnto my Lorde Cardinall. Whose re­uerence, perceyuing the effecte therof to be correspōdyng to his expectacion, did not only receiue [Page] the same most humbly from their magesties, but also after he had in few woordes geuen thankes to GOD, and hadde declared what greate cause he had to re­ioyse, aboue al others that his cū ­myng from Rome into Englāde hadde taken moste happye suc­cesse, he representyng there the Popes holynes, and hauyng the keys, and hys full power for the tyme, dyd geue them hys Benedic­cion. Whyche beeyng done, they all departed.

The Copie of whyche supplycaci­on, I haue sent here also to your Lordeship in maner fourme, and effecte as foloweth woorde by worde.

We the Lordes Spirituall and The [...] of the sub­mission. temporall and the Commons of thys presente Parlyment ass [...] ­bled, representing the whole bo­dy [Page] of the Realme of Englande and dominions of the same, in oure owne names particulerly, and also, of the sayde bodye v­niuersallye in this supplycacion dyrected to youre Magestyes, wyth moste humble suite: That it maye by youre gracious inter­cession and meane bee exhyby­ted to the moste reuerende fa­ther in God, the Lorde Cardi­nall Poole Legate, sente spe­ciallye hyther from oure moste holye Father Pope Iulio the thirde, and the SEA Aposto­lyke of Rome: dooe declare our selues verye sorye and repen­rante of the Scisme and diso­bedyence commytted in thys Realme and the dominions of the same agaynste the sayd Sea Apostolyke, eyther by makynge, [Page] agreing, or executynge any law­es, ordynaunces or commaun­dementes agaynste the Su­premacye of the sayed SEA, or otherwyse dooynge or spea­kynge that myghte impugne the same. Offeryng our selues, and promising by thys oure Suppli­cacyon, that for a token and knowledge of our sayed repen­taunce, we be, and shal be alway readye vnder, and with the au­thorities of youre magesties to the vttermoste of oure power, to dooe that shal be in vs for the ab­rogacyon and repealynge of the sayed lawes and ordinaunces in thys presente Parlyment as well for oure selues, as for the whole bodye, whom we repre­sente.

[Page]Wherupon we most humblye be­seche your maiesties as persons vndetiled in the offence of thys bodye towardes the saide Sea, which neuertheles God by hys prouidence hath made subiect to your maiesties: so to set fourthe this oure moste humble suit that we maye obtaine from the Sea Apostolike, by the saide moste re­uerend father, aswell particular­lye as vniuersallye Absolution, Re­lease, and discharge, from all daun­ger of suche censures, and sen­tences, as by the lawes of the Churche we be fallen in. And that we maye, as Childeren re­pentaunte, be receaued in to the bosome and vnitye of Christes Churche. So as thys noble realme, wyth all the membres thereof, maye in vnitie and per­fecte obedience to the Sea Apo­stolike, [Page] and [...] for the tyme beinge, serue God, and your ma­iesties to the furderance and ad­uan̄cement of hys ho­noure, and glory. Amen.

THen the fyrste Sundaye in Aduent followinge, my How the kynges magesty and the Lord, [...] dynall came to Poles the fyrst Sun day in [...] uente. Lorde Cardinall came at tenne of the clocke from Lambeth by water, and landed at Poles wharfe. And cū ­mynge from thence to Poles Churche with a crosse, ii. pyllers, & two pollaxes of Syluer borne before hym, he was there recea­ued by my Lorde Chaunceller, wyth Procession, Where he tary­ed vntill the kinges cummynge: whose hyghnes came from west­mynster by lande. and all hys no­bles [Page] before him to Poles also at a leuen of the clocke. And so the kynges maiesty and my lord Cardinall wyth all the lordes of the priuy counsell beinge present with suche an audience of people as was neuer sene in that place before, my Lorde Chaunceller My Lord Chauncel [...] [...] [...] [...] mō at Poles crosse that daye. entered Poles crosse. And after that the people ceased, that so much as a whispering could not be hearde emongest them, more then emongest those of whome the Poet Virgil speaketh, Conticuere omnes intenti (que) or a tenebant. But euery manne bente hartelye wyth ea­res to here, eyes to perceaue, and handes to wryte, hys Lord­shyp proceded: and tooke to hys theam these wordes of the E­pystle of that daye wrytten by Sayncte Paule the holye Apo­stle in the. xiii. Chapter to the [Page] Romaynes. Fratres scientes, quia bora est iam, nos de somno surgere. & caet.

WHyche parcell of Scripture was so Godlye, and so clearkelye hande­led by him, as no manne alyue (all flattery doutles set aparte) was able to meande it. And there as saincte Paule exhorted the Ro­maines to caste awaye the wor­kes of darkenes, and to put on the Armoure of lyght. &c. Euen­so his Lordshippe exhorted, wish­ed, and willed: yea, and with all his hart desyered and praied all Englysh men and others, which hadde slepte in Englande these one and twenty yeares in detes­table Here [...]yes, and erronious Doctrines, to forsake the deuel, [Page] the fleshe and the worlde, which was the occa [...]yon of all euill, and to embrace God and hys holye Catholyke fayth, whyche fayth was tau [...]hte by him, preached by hys Apostles, and receued of thē by the auncient olde fathers in the primitiue churche. Whyche faith also hath cōtinued through al Christendom from age to age, and also in Englande, vntil kīg Henry the Eight toke on hym to be Supreme head of the church. Frō which tyme vnto the reygne of the Quenes magestie y ^• now is, his lordshippe declared what miseries, what calamities, what sorowes and griefes Englande What mi­series eng lande hath sustayned sins it swar ued from the vnitie of the Ca [...] [...]ayth. had susteaned.

What malice what enuie, and ha tred, what falshed what crafte & subtiltie had reygned emongest all degrees in Englande. What [Page] abhominable Herisyes, what sy­nistrat and erronious opinions were ill Englande, withoute a­nye restreynt taught and recea­ued, what tumultes and insur­rections, to the castinge awaye of manye, and to the empouery­shynge of all, were in dyuers quarters of the same. And final­lye, vnto what ruyne and decaie the realme of England was like to come, yf almyghtye god of hys goodnes had not blest the same in tyme, with hys moste holye han­des. These, wyth manye other notable yea and lamentable les­sons, to longe here to bee reher­sed, hys Lordeshyppe there de­clared, whyche moued a greate numbre of the audience, with so­rowfull syghes, and wepynge teares to chaunge theyr cheere.

In thys same selfe sermon [Page] he declared also, how. xix. yeares agoe, at that tyme when the in­surreccion was in the north of How king Henry the Light. xix. yeares agon thoughte to haue ge uen ouer the supre­macye. England in defence of religion, that king Henry the eyght was minded to haue geuen ouer the Supremacy to the Popes Holi­nes, but the leat therof was then because he thoughte it woulde be sayed it shoulde haue been done for feare.

He declared also how the said How he sēt to the Em perour for the same e [...] fecte. king sente him and Syr Henry Kneuet Knyghte to the Em­peroure, exhorting his Imperial maiesty to be intercessour for him to the Poope to receyue the su­premacye: but it tooke none ef­fect because the time was not. He declared further, howe in kinge Edwardes dayes, the counsell were once mynded to haue the Pope restored to y ^e Supremacy, [Page] but the let therof was in those daies, because as it was supposed it would haue ben sayd that the Realme could not be defended durynge the kynges minoritie without the Popes adsistaunce. And finally he declared how the Quenes magestie at her corona­cyō thoughte for to haue restored the Popes holynes to his Su­premacy, but the tyme (he sayed) was not then. But now (sayd he the tyme is cum that the kinges and Quenes magesties haue re­stored our holy father the Pope to his Supremacy: And the thre Estates assembled in the parlia­ment representing y ^e whole body of thys noble Empire of Englād and dominions of the same, haue submitted them selues to his ho­lynes, and his successours fore­uer. He declared also howe that the moste Reuerende Father in [Page] God Lorde Cardinall Poole, be­inge there put by the kinge, was sent in England as deputed Le­gat and Ambassadoure from the Sea Apostolyke of Rome, hauinge full and ample commis­sion from the Popes holynes to blesse the realme of Englande. And here also he declared, howe muche bounde Englande is to thanke God, who of his deuine prou [...]dence hath appointed suche a godlye and vertuous Prynce as the kynge that nowe is, he be­inge sonne to loo victorious and moste riche an Emperour, and he beinge also so riche a Prince him selfe, to ioyne in mariage with the Quenes Maiestie. Who for the moste hartye loue that he had to hir hyghenes, lefte his owne countreys, realmes, and regions to strengthē hir most noble grace [Page] & to enriche her Empyre of Eng­land. And so to conclude, his lord shippe declared, that all the pre­misses being well remembred & consydered of all the audience, And also the kyng and Quenes maiesties Godly procedinges be­inge of them, and all other theyr true subiectes hartely embraced, and faithfully followed, They al then mighte synge with the An­gell whiche appered to the shep­herde at the natyuytie and birth of oure sauioure Iesus Christe, Gloria in excelsis deo, et in terra pax ho­minibus, &c. And finally to say with the Prophet and Psalmist Dauid, Haec es [...] dies quam fecit dominus, exultemus etletemur in ea.

Whiche sermon beeyng done, the kynges magestie departed to wardes Westminster, & with his highnes my lord Cardinall with [Page] the crosse only borne before him. Syns the day of whiche sermō, all suche thynges as were amis and out of order here, begin now to cum in rule and square, and occupye their auncyente and ac­customed places.

And the moste holy Catholike fayth and true relygion of Christ whyche in Englande hath been thys long tyme behynde the post and in Captiuitie, is now, being delyuered and cummyng home agayne, of all bothe younge and olde, embraced, worshipped & ho­noured. And all erronious doc­trine & heretical bokes with the teachers & setters fourth of the same, are cōuicted, abolished, yea, explosed and dryuen out of Eng­lande for euer. And finallye all they whiche were herers and fa­uorers of them, nowe layinge theyr handes to theyr heartes, [Page] and perceauinge theym selues seduced and deceaued by suche meanes, are sory, and do hartlye repent, mynding faithfully from hensforth their fautes to amend. Amongest whome I can no les do ( [...]y very good lorde) thenne numbre my selfe as one. For al­thoughe I was neuer (praysed by god) associated with any which wer erronious, or suspected to be fautours and defendours of he­reticall, and sinistrate opinions: but liuinge vnder silence during the two late kinges procedinges haue kept my selfe clere on euery side, Yet neuertheles, as oftē as I haue, & do remēber w ^e my selfe how lasciuiously I liued in Eng lād these. xx. yeres, & y ^e most part thereof haue followed the same trade of liberty & voluptuous li­uing as a great nūbre haue done: where [Page] I myghte haue had endeuoured myselfe in the meane season, to vertuous learning and studye: I can no les doe, then lament▪ and be sory: yea and with all my hart to repente as others doe, Purpo­singe (by Gods grace) with them to mend my most miserable, and synfull lyfe, and so to continew to my lyues ende.

In whiche doing I with those whiche haue thus offēded, & they with me, may be assured, that our Sauiour Christ according vnto his owne infallible wordes, spo­ken of one in the name of al sin­ners, wil haue mercy, pity & com­passion on vs, saying: Nolo mortem peccatoris, sed magis ut cōuertatur et uiuat

And thus England, and al we that dwel therein, accoumpt our selues not onely happy, yea and most happy, which from so many [Page] outragious stormes of errours, cares, and calamities, are thus called home agayne to the sure hauen and porte of the most holy Catholyke faythe: But also we do beleue with our very hartes, and do confesse with al our mou­thes, that almighty God of hys deuine prouidēce hath preserued and kept. iii. persons, as lode▪star res and chiefe guydes, for the de­fending, inbringinge, and resto­ring of Englande thus to the v­nitie of Christes churche.

The first is the Quenes ma­iestie, who being from her infā ­cye a Uirgin, and immaculate from all spottes of heresies: it hath pleased God to defende hir, ayde hir, and saue her frō the hā ­des, power and might of her ene­mies. And geuing he [...] y ^• victorye ouer them in twinkelinge of an [Page] iye, whiche as roaryng Lions would haue deuoured her. The second is my lord Cardinal, who beyng an exile out of hys natiue countreth Englande, these xxi. yeares, for the two causes before mencioned, and in the meane season, so abhorred, so hated, and so detested as no man durst scars ones name him, whō the quenes magestie nowe hath restored to his bloud, and to the honor of his house. And the thirde is my lorde the Bishop of wynchester Lord [...] Chaunceller of England, against whom, from tyme to tyme suche sharpe snares haue been layed, and suche ordinaunce leueled, for that he fauored, and wold haue had to his power defended y ^• most holy Catholicke fayth that it is a wounder howe he, hathescaped, and speciallye at hys late being in London Toure.

[Page]But suche are the woorkes of GOD the author of all good­nesse, who alwayes when it plea­seth him plucketh downe and de­poseth the proude and hyghe minded, and defendeth and exal­teth the humble, & lowe of Spi­rite. So that now all Christe ndō as well as Englande, doth con fesse that these forenamed iii. per sons haue been thus, throughe the prouidence of god moste hap ply defended, preserued, and kept frō their enemies hādes, aboue the expectacion and iudgement of all menne, for the restoring of Englande agayne to the vnitie of Christes religion. Whiche (no dout it is) shalbe to the glorye of God, the wealth of Englande, & to the perpetuall peace, loue, and quietnes of this most noble, and hole yle of Britayn.

Other newes I haue none, but [Page] those newes, which most Ioiful­ly reioyseth all Englande, That the Quenes magestie is concea­ued with Childe whom our Lord long preserue, and send hir high­nes a gracyous delyueraunce. And also that in Christmasse ho­lydayes, the Prynce of Piemont arryued in Englande, and short­ly after hym the prynce of Orēge whiche are very pryncely intrea­ted with the king and Quenes Magesties. And beecause I thought youre lordeship woulde be somwhat desirous to knowe the stature and shape of this no­ble prince the kynges magestie of Englande that nowe is, whō you haue not yet sene, I thought it not muche amysse to descrybe hys person by wryting that your mynde may conceaue that which your iye hath not seen. As for the quenes most excellent magesties [Page] person whose person you haue so often tymes sene, I shall not greatly nede to depaīte vnto you: Understande therfore, that tou­chyng hys highth, I can wel com­pare The kiges forme and stature. hym to Iohn Hume my lord of Iedwardes kinsman. Of vi­sage, he is well fauored, with a brod forhead, & gray iyes, streight nosed, and manly countenaūce. From the forhead to the point of hys chynne, hys face groweth smal: his pace is prīcely, and gate so straight and vpright, as he le­seth no inche of his higthe, with a yeallowe head, and a yeallowe berde. And thus to conclude, he is so wel proporcioned of bodi, arme legge and euery other Limme to the same, as nature cannot work a more parfite paterne. And as I haue learned, of the age of. xxviii yeares. Whose maiesty I iudge to bee of a stoute stomake, preg­naunt [Page] witted and of most ientel nature.

I haue also sent your lordship certaine verses and adages writ ten with the hande of the Lorde Henry Stuarde, lorde Dernley, your nephew, which he wrot this tyme twelue moneth: I beinge with him then at Temple New­some in Yorkshire. And what praise your Lordship may thinke him worthie, for this his toward­nes in wrighting, beinge yet not fully. ix. yeares of age, The like praise is he worthye (suerlye) in his towardnes in the latin toūge and the frenche, and in sundrye other vertuous qualities: whom also, God and nature hath endu­ed with a good wit, ientilnes, beutie and fauour. So yf it may please God to lend him long life, he shall proue a witty, vertuous, [Page] and an actiue well learned gen­tle man. Whose noble parentes are my singuler good patrons. And thustrusting that your good Lordship, of your accustomed hu­manitie and ientilnes, wil accept thys my symple letter in good part, sent vnto you for this newe yeares gyfte, although it be rude and destitute of wit, lerning and eloquence, I most humbly besech the kyng of kynges, and lorde of lordes, long to preserue and kepe youre Reuerende Lordeship in health, wealth, and fortunate fe­licitie, with a meri and mani new yeares.