that title superseded many of the functions of the bishops, and controlled all the rest. Though Cranmer and some few others from the first doubtless had the desire to see the peculiar tenets of Rome repudiated, as eventually came to pass, such was by no means the intention of the king. Cranmer gained from him permission to prepare a translation of the Bible, but it was hardly completed, when its use was limited by act of parliament, (34 Hen. VIII. c. 1). And attempts were made to supersede it by books drawn up in the king's name, which were as

A.D. 1534.

serted to contain "all necessary doctrine," yet, except in matters avowedly levelled at the "usurped power of the Bishop of Rome," differed little from what had been formerly taught. It was not until near the close of Henry's life that Cranmer was allowed to prepare a few prayers and a litany in English, and to commence an examination of the mass, but these were necessary steps to the great work of Edward's reign, the compilation of our Book of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments.

The earl of Kildare is summoned to England in February, and is soon after thrown into the Tower.

Although this imprisonment was owing to the complaints of his council, Kildare had yet sufficient influence to cause his son Thomas to be received as his deputy, and he had also stored his castles with arms and ammunition. The young lord, who was known as Silken Thomas (from his customary rich attire and his courtly manners), no sooner heard of the imprisonment of his father than he formally resigned his office (June 11, 1534), and attempted to capture the castle of Dublin; but, failing in that, seized the archbishop of Dublin (John Allen) near Waterford, when fleeing to England for succour, and put him to death (July 28). Skeffington was

The chief of these books were, a Primer, published in 1535, which was mainly an explanation of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed; a series of Articles, "devised by the king's highness to establish Christian quietDess and unity among us" (1536); the Institution of a Christian Man, or the Bishops' Book (1537); and the Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian Man, or the King's Book (1543). The Articles and the Institution agree in all essential points, but the Erudition inculcates many Romish dogmas which they had condemned.

• Allen had been Archbishop Warham's agent at Rome, and was afterwards employed by Wolsey in visiting the smaller monasteries, with a view to their suppression. His arrogant conduct in the discharge of this office was much complained of. In 1528 he was appointed archbishop of Dublin, and also chancellor of Ireland. He had a great contention for the primacy with Cromer, archbishop of Armagh, and he was also at variance with the earl of Kildare, in fact heading the opposition to him, and being generally supposed the adviser of his imprisonment. Hence his unpopularity, and death.

now appointed deputy, having Lord Leonard Grey as his marshal; Thomas was defeated and surrendered b (Aug. 1535); five of his uncles also were captured early in 1536, and being sent to England the whole six were hanged at Tyburn (Feb. 3, 1537), the old earl having long before died in the Tower (Dec. 12, 1534). The next heir, Gerald, a lad of twelve years of age at his father's death, after lurking about in the care of his tutor, Thomas Leverous, for a time, escaped into France (March, 1540), was protected by his kinsman, Cardinal Pole, and eventually restored to his ancestral honours by Mary (May 14, 1554), although his attainder was not reversed until the year 1569.

Skeffington died in office in 1537, and was succeeded by Lord Leonard Grey, who proclaimed the king's supre

a Son of Thomas, marquis of Dorset, and uncle of Lady Jane Grey.

b His name is to be seen rudely cut on the wall of the Beauchamp Tower, in the Tower of London (see Note, p. 311); and a letter of his remains in the Public Record Office, in which he requests his

trusty and well-beloved servant, John Rothe," to procure him the sum of £20 from O'Brien, with whom he had left his plate. "I never had any money since I came into prison," he says, "but one noble, nor hose, doublet, shoes, or shirt, but one.... and I have gone bare-foot and barelegged divers times, when it hath not been very warm; and so I should have done still, and now, but that poor prisoners, of their gentleness, have sometimes given me old hose, and shoes, and old shirts."

e Afterwards dean of St. Patrick and bishop of Kildare, but expelled in the time of Elizabeth. He retired to Adair, near Limerick, and for many years supported himself by keeping a school, having Richard Creagh, the deprived archbishop of Armagh, for his usher.

macy, suppressed monasteries, burnt the most venerated relics, and carried, on the spoliation of the Church with a high hand; but, though in this he only acted up to his instructions, and also shewed vigour and address in contending with the rebels, he was at last accused by his council of being in league with them, was recalled, imprisoned in the Tower, and at last beheaded, June 28, 1541.

A.D. 1534.

The succession to the throne regulated by parliament, [25 Hen. VIII. c. 22]. The king's marriage with Katherine of Aragon was declared invalid, and that with Anne Boleyn good; the penalties of treason (or of misprision of treason if the opposition was confined to words) being incurred by all who maintained the contrary.

Elizabeth Barton, styled the Holy Maid of Kent, (who had uttered pretended revelations condemning the king's conduct,) is executed with several of her associates ", May 5. John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, accused of having countenanced her, is committed to the Tower, and very harshly treated.

William, lord Dacre, warden of the west marches, is tried on a charge of treasonable correspondence with the Scots, but acquitted, July 9.

The first fruits and tenths of all

4 In the Public Record Office is a document containing a list of treaties, twenty-seven in number, concluded by him with the native and AngloIrish chiefs, who all confess their allegiance to the king, and promise, some of them money, but more only military service.

His sister was Kildare's second wife, and he was thought to have favoured the escape of the young Gerald.

By another act of the same session [c. 28] she was forbidden to be any more styled queen, but was to be called "the princess dowager.'

An oath in the sense of this statute was ordered to be taken by all persons, but as it contained also an acknowledgment of the king as supreme head of the Church, it was refused by Sir Thomas More, who was in consequence sent to the Tower.

h She and six of her abettors had been attainted, and Bishop Fisher and five others condemned to imprisonment for life by statute, [25 Hen. VIII. C. 12).

In consequence of this statute a valuation of all livings was made, which is still in use for some purposes, and is known as "Liber Regis." By a subsequent statute [27 Hen. VIII. c. 42], the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were excused from these payments on condition of providing certain lecturers in Greek, Hebrew, &c.; and the colleges of Winchester and Eton, for the

benefices, formerly paid to the pope, are granted to the crown', [26 Hen. VIII. c. 3].

Many new treasons declared by statute, [c. 13].

Among these were attempting, or wishing, any bodily harm to the king or queen; denying any of their titles; or slandering them as heretics; and the more palpable offence of attempting to keep possession of forts, ships, arms, &c. belonging to the king, when legally summoned to surrender them.

The king is empowered to appoint suffragan bishops', [c. 14].

Bishop Fisher, Sir Thomas More, Thomas earl of Kildare, and others, attainted, [cc. 22, 23, 25].

A.D. 1535.

The king formally assumes the title of "on earth Supreme Head of the Church of England,” Jan. 15.

Houghton, Webster, and Lawrens, priors of Carthusian houses, two priests and a monk, (Feron, Hale, and Reynolds,) are convicted of treason for speaking against the king's marriage and his supremacy, April 29.

Bishop Fisher (styled in the indictment late bishop of Rochester) and three Carthusians (Middlemore, Exmew, and Newdygate) are convicted of denying the king's supremacy, June II and 17. Sir Thomas More is condemned on a similar charge, July 1'.

same exemption, were to celebrate obits for the king.

The places for which they may be appointed are enumerated in the act; they amount to 25; viz., Bedford, Berwick, Bridgwater, Bristol, Cambridge, Colchester, Dover, St. German's, Gloucester, Grantham, Guildford, Hull, Huntingdon, Ipswich, Leicester, Marlborough, Nottingham, "Pereth" [Penrith ?], Shaftesbury, Shrewsbury, Southampton, Southmolton, Taunton, Thetford, and the Isle of Wight. The statute was very little acted on, but has of late years been put in operation as to two of the towns named, viz. Dover and Nottingham.

This was in virtue of stat. 26 Hen. VIII. c. I, which declares the king "shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head in earth_of the Church of England, called Anglicana Ecclesia.

The offence of the bishop, Sir Thomas More, the priors and Reynolds, according to their indictments, consisted in openly saying, when in custody in the Tower, The king, our sovereign lord, is not supreme head in earth of the Church of England." The priests, it is alleged, uttered "execrable words" against the king, describing him as "the most cruellest, capital heretic, defacer and treader under foot of Christ and of His Church," wished for his speedy death, and spoke of his marriage with “his

lands were to descend according to English law, and Welsh laws and customs to be inquired into by a com

A.D. 1536.

Queen Katherine dies at Kimbolton, Jan. 7.

Piracy ordered to be tried by the king's commissioners ", [27 Hen. VIII. c. 4].

Sanctuary men ordered to wear badges, and forbidden to carry weapons or to be out at nights, on pain of forfeiture of their privileges, [c. 19]. Vagabonds and sturdy beggars subjected to severe punishment; whipping for the first offence, loss of an ear for the second, and hanging for the third, [c. 25].

Wales incorporated into and united with England, [c. 26].

The statute provided that all persons born in Wales were to enjoy like liberties as those born in England; the English laws were to be extended to Wales, and all suits to be carried on in the English language; a chancery and an exchequer were to be es

wife of fornication, this matron Anne," as a matter of the highest shame and undoing to himself and all the realm. According to the act under which hey were tried, mere words only incurred the pealties of misprision of treason, but Feron was harged with writing down the words spoken by Hale, and both were pronounced traitors. This raining of provisions already unduly severe, is marked feature of the Tudor times. The eccleVastics were executed at Tyburn, soon after; Eshop Fisher, June 22, and Sir Thomas More, Ly 6, on Tower hill. The manor of Ducklington, xfordshire, which belonged to Sir Thomas, was ranted to Henry Norris, who was himself attainted and executed in less than a twelvemonth after.

The reason given is, that the process in the Admiral's court, being according to the civil law, is tolerably expensive and tedious, and thereby curs the escape of malefactors. There is anher statute on the same subject, [28 Hen. VIII. 15)

0

The laws and customs of North Wales were cepted from this inquiry.

The lands were soon parted with, either by de or grant, so that this court became a nullity, rd was abolished.

Smeaton pleaded guilty to the charge of adulery, but denied the treason alleged against him; 2 others denied both charges.

She was the daughter of Sir John Seymour, Wiltshire knight. Her brother Edward, who *.s knighted for service in France in 1524, was ted viscount Beauchamp on the occasion of her riage, and earl of Hertford soon after, and an gmentation was granted to his family arms. He

The Court of Augmentations established for management of the revenues expected to be derived from the suppression of the monasteries, [C. 27]°.

All the smaller monasteries and nunneries (such, namely, as had less than £200 of yearly revenue) dissolved, and their effects granted to the crown, [c. 28].

A code of ordinances for the government of Calais enacted, [c. 63.]

The Protestant princes of Germany endeavour to induce the king to put himself at the head of their league.

The queen (Anne) is suddenly sent to the Tower, May 2. Four of her alleged paramours (Sir Francis Weston, Brereton, Norris, and Smeaton P) are tried, May 12, and executed, May 17.

The queen and her brother, George Lord Rochford, are tried, and pronounced guilty of adultery and incest, May 15; and the queen's marriage with the king is set aside on the allegation of a pre-contract with Lord Henry Percy, May 17. She is executed within the Tower, May 19; Rochford had been executed May 17. The king marries Jane Seymour 9,

next received the appointment of lord chamberlain, but he was also made captain of Jersey, and was actively employed on several occasions both in Scotland and France, being often associated with Dudley,

Arms of Seymour.

who finally brought him to the scaffold. Hertford succeeded the earl of Surrey as governor of Boulogne, was named by Henry VIII. one of his executors, and under his nephew Edward VI. he became duke of Somerset. He professed himself a Reformer, drove away the Romish members of the council, and became Protector, lord treasurer, and earl marshal. He did not, however, long hold his high offices. In 1549 he was driven from the council and imprisoned, and though soon released, and apparently reconciled to Warwick (their children intermarried), the latter was resolved to destroy him, and the duke was beheaded on what appears

at Wolf-hall, near Great Bedwin, in Wiltshire, May 20.

66

The Princess Mary is received into the king's favour, on acknowledging him as supreme head in earth under Christ of the Church of England,” and also confessing that her mother's marriage was justly set aside.

The succession to the throne is a second time regulated by act of parliament, [28 Hen. VIII. c. 7].

An insurrection breaks out in Lincolnshire, occasioned by the suppression of the smaller monasteries, October. The insurgents disperse, on promise of pardon.

The people of Yorkshire took up arms on the same account, shortly after. They styled their expedition the Pilgrimage of Grace, carried banners on which were depicted the five wounds of Christ, demanded the driv

The king's successor empowered to set aside any laws that may be passed before he attains his 24th year, [c. 17]. | Lord Thomas Howard (son of the duke of Norfolk) and the lady Margaret Douglas (the king's niece) are sent to the Tower, in consequence of making a contract of marriage' without the royal permission, July.

Reginald Pole" publishes a book "De Unitate Ecclesiastica," in which he severely condemns the king's separation from Rome.

to have been a false charge of conspiring against the life of his rival, Jan. 22, 1552. He had long been unpopular, from consenting to the execution of his brother (Lord Thomas Seymour), and for the rapacity he had shewn in gaining estates from the crown, as well as for building a stately palace in the Strand (Somerset-house) with the materials of churches pulled down for the purpose, and his fall was little lamented. His duchess (to whose proud spirit was attributed his fatal quarrel with his brother) was imprisoned in the Tower, but was released by Mary on her accession, and lived until 1587.

She wrote, by the direction of Cromwell and under fear, letters to him expressing her deep penitence for having withstood his "most just and virtuous laws;" she was also obliged to confess that her mother's marriage was "incestuous and unlawful. These letters have been commented on as proofs of her insincerity, but they are merely proofs of her weakness; and the greatest blame must assuredly rest on the heartless parent who could extort such submissions from a daughter.

By this act Anne Boleyn was attainted, her daughter bastardized, and the succession ascribed to the issue of Jane Seymour; the penalties of treason being incurred by all opposers.

Lord Thomas died about a year after, and the lady was then released. She was born Oct. 7, 1515, eventually married the earl of Lennox, and became the mother of Darnley.

He was the younger brother of Lord Montacute, and grandson of George, duke of Clarence. He was born in the year 1500, and was educated at Oxford (at the expense of the convent of St. Frideswide by the king's command) and at Paris, very early received Church preferment, and was intended for the see of York, when it became vacant by the death of Wolsey. Pole, however, conscientiously expressed his dislike of the king's proceedings in the matter of the divorce, continued to reside abroad, and remained unconvinced by the

the suppression of heresy, and the restitution of the goods of the Church. They were headed by Robert Aske, a gentleman of Doncaster, but were soon joined by the archbishop of York (Edward Lee *), Lords Darcy, Latimer, Lumley, Scroop, Sir Thomas Percy and others, and seized York and Hull. The duke of Norfolk was dispatched against them, but finding them too strong, he negotiated, and at length induced them to disperse before Christmas, by the offer of a general pardon' and the promise that a parliament should be held next year in the north, by which their grievances were to be redressed.

arguments of Sampson and others who wrote books in support of Henry's views. He replied to Sampson with considerable asperity, and by some personal reflections gave mortal offence to Henry, who had him attainted, and, as he could not seize his person, put his mother and several members of his family to death for corresponding with him. Pole was now made a cardinal, and sent as papal nuncio into Flanders; he afterwards attended the Council of Trent, and on the death of Pope Paul IV. had the offer of succeeding him, but declined the dignity. On the accession of Mary his attainder was reversed, he came to England, where he effected a formal reconciliation of the kingdom with the Holy See, and was made archbishop of Canterbury. The cruelties of Mary's reign do not seem in any way imputable to Pole, although as papal legate the proceedings were often taken in his name: in fact, from his mildness, his conduct was displeasing at Rome, and he would have been removed from his office but for the personal favour of the queen, who refused to admit any other legate, although the person named was Friar Peto, her own confessor, and a man who had suffered many years' exile for advocating the cause of her mother, even to Henry's face. (See p. 298). Pole died Nov. 18, 1558, and was buried in his cathedral, leaving be hind him the character of a strictly conscientious man, of a mild, generous and tolerant spirit, and if not inclined (as some of his contemporaries supposed) to Protestantism, yet anxious for the removal of known abuses from his Church.

Cromwell was especially meant.

He was believed to have yielded to compulsion, and so was pardoned, whilst several of the others were executed, in the next year.

This was a mere pretence, as they afterwards experienced; and so jealous was the government, that a Windsor butcher was hanged as a rebel for saying he had rather "the good fellows in the North" had his meat than sell it at a price that was offered.