The Reign of Henry the Eighth Part 32

It is called _The Confessions of Richard Bishop, Robert Seymour, and Sir Edward Neville, before the Privy Council, touching Prophecie, Necromancy, and Treasure-trove_.

[305] Miscellaneous Depositions on the State Of the Country: _Rolls House MS._

[306] See the Preamble of the Bill against conjurations, witchcraft, sorceries, and enchantments.--33 Hen. VIII. cap. 8.

Also "the Bill touching Prophecies upon Arms and Badges."--33 Hen. VIII.

cap. 14.

A similar edict expelled the gipsies from Germany. At the Diet of Spires, June 10, 1544.

Statutum est ne vagabundum hominum genus quos vulgo Saracenos vocant per Germaniam oberrare sinatur _usu enim compertum est eos exploratores et proditores esse.--State Papers_, vol. ix. p. 705.

[307] ELLIS, first series, vol. ii. p. 101.

[308] Bulla pro Johanne Scot, qui sine cibo et potu per centum et s.e.x dies vixerat.--RYMER, vol. vi. part 2, p. 176.

[309] BUCHANAN, _History of Scotland_, vol. ii. p. 156.

[310] _Letter of Archbishop Cranmer._--ELLIS, second series, vol. ii. p.

314.

[311] _Statutes of the Realm._ 25 Hen. VIII. cap. 12.

[312] Extracts from a Narrative containing an Account of Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._

[313] _Statutes of the Realm._

[314] _Rolls House MS._

[315] Ibid.

[316] _Suppression of the Monasteries_, p. 19.

[317] Ibid.

[318] Proceedings connected with Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._

[319] 25 Hen. VIII. cap. 12.

[320] Ibid.

[321] Ibid.

[322] _Cranmer's Letter._ ELLIS, third series, vol. iii. p. 315.

[323] More to Cromwell: BURNET'S _Collectanea_, p. 350.

[324] 25 Hen. VIII. cap. 12.

[325] Confessions of Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._ Sir Thomas More gave her a double ducat to pray for him and his. BURNET'S _Collectanea_, p.

352. Moryson, in his _Apomaxis_, declares that she had a regular understanding with the confessors at the Priory. When penitents came to confess, they were detained while a priest conveyed what they had acknowledged to the Nun; and when afterwards they were admitted to her presence, she amazed them with repeating their own confessions.

[326] The said Elizabeth subtilly and craftily conceiving the opinion and mind of the said Edward Bocking, willing to please him, revealed and showed unto the said Edward that G.o.d was highly displeased with our said sovereign lord the king for this matter; and in case he desisted not from his proceeding in the said divorce and separation, but pursued the same and married again, that then within one month after such marriage, he should no longer be king of this realm; and in the reputation of Almighty G.o.d he should not be a king one day nor one hour, and that he should die a villain's death. Saying further, that there was a root with three branches, and till they were plucked up it should never be merry in England: interpreting the root to be the late lord cardinal, and the first branch to be the king our sovereign lord, the second the Duke of Norfolk, and the third the Duke of Suffolk.--25 Hen. VIII. cap. 12.

[327] Revelations of Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._ In the epitome of the book of her Revelations it is stated that there was a story in it "of an angel that appeared, and bade the Nun go unto the king, that infidel prince of England, and say that I command him to amend his life, and that he leave three things which he loveth and pondereth upon, _i.e._, that he take none of the pope's right nor patrimony from him; the second that he destroy all these new folks of opinion and the works of their new learning; the third, that if he married and took Anne to wife, the vengeance of G.o.d should plague him; and as she sayth she shewed this unto the king."--Paper on the Nun of Kent: _MS. Cotton, Cleopatra_, E 4.

[328] ELLIS, third series, vol. ii. p. 137. Warham had promised to marry Henry to Anne Boleyn. The Nun frightened him into a refusal by a pretended message from an angel.--_MS._ ibid.

[329] The Nun hath practised with two of the pope's amba.s.sadors within this realm, and hath sent to the pope that if he did not do his duty in reformation of kings, G.o.d would destroy him at a certain day which he had appointed. By reason whereof it is supposed that the pope hath showed himself so double and so deceivable to the King's Grace in his great cause of marriage as he hath done, contrary to all truth, justice, and equity. As likewise the late cardinal of England, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, being very well-minded to further and set at an end the marriage which the King's Grace now enjoyeth, according to their spiritual duty, were prevented by the false revelations of the said Nun. And that the said Bishop of Canterbury was so minded may be proved by divers which knew then his towardness.--Narrative of the Proceedings of Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._

[330] Note of the Revelations of Elizabeth Barton: _Rolls House MS._

[331] HALL, p. 780.

[332] RYMER, vol. vi. p. 160. We are left to collateral evidence to fix the place of this pet.i.tion, the official transcriber having contented himself with the substance, and omitted the date. The original, as appears from the pope's reply (LORD HERBERT, p. 145), bore the date of July 13; and unless a mistake was made in transcribing the papal brief, this was July, 1530. I have ventured to a.s.sume a mistake, and to place the pet.i.tion in the following year, because the judgment of the universities, to which it refers, was not completed till the winter of 1530; they were not read in parliament till March 30, 1531; and it seems unlikely that a pet.i.tion of so great moment would have been presented on an incomplete case, or before the additional support of the House of Commons had been secured. I am far from satisfied, however, that I am right in making the change. The pet.i.tion must have been drawn up (though it need not have been presented) in 1530; since it bears the signature of Wolsey, who died in the November of that year.

[333] Mademoiselle de Boleyn est venue; et l'a le Roy logee en fort beau logis; et qu'il a faict bien accoustrer tout aupres du sien. Et luy est la cour faicte ordinairement tous les jours plus grosse que de long temps elle ne fut faicte a la Royne. Je crois bien qu'on veult accoutumer par les petie ce peuple a l'endurer, afin que quand ivendra a donner les grands coups, il ne les trouve si estrange. Toutefois il demeure tous jours endurcy, et croy bien qu'il feroit plus qu'il ne faict si plus il avoit de puissance; mais grand ordre se donne par tout.--Bishop of Bayonne to the Grand Master: LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 231.

[334] HALL, p. 781.

[335] It seems to have been his favourite place of retirement. The gardens and fishponds were peculiarly elaborate and beautiful.--Sir John Russell to Cromwell: _MS. State Paper Office._

[336] Also it is a proverb of old date--"The pride of France, the treason of England, and the war of Ireland, shall never have end." _State Papers_, vol. ii. p. 11

[337] There was a secret amba.s.sador with the Scots king from the emperour, who had long communicated with the king alone in his privy chamber. And after the amba.s.sador's departure the king, coming out into his outer chamber, said to his chancellor and the Earl Bothwell, "My lords, how much are we bounden unto the emperour that in the matter concerning our style, which so long he hath set about for our honour, that shall be by him discussed on Easter day, and that we may lawfully write ourself Prince of England and Duke of York." To which the chancellor said, "I pray G.o.d the pope confirm the same." The Scots king answered, "Let the emperour alone."--Earl of Northumberland to Henry VIII.: _State Papers_, vol. iv. p.

599.

[338] HALL, p. 783.

[339] "The bishop was brought in desperation of his life."--_Rolls House MS._, second series, 532. This paper confirms Hall's account in every point.

[340] HALL, p. 796.

[341] BURNET, vol. iii. p. 115.

[342] Warham was however fined 300 for it.--HALL, 796. A letter of Richard Tracy, son of the dead man, is in the _MS. State Paper Office_, first series, vol. iv. He says the King's Majesty had committed the investigation of the matter to Cromwell.

[343] LATIMER'S _Sermons_, p. 46.

[344] Cap. iii.

[345] 23 Hen. VIII. cap. 1.

[346] 23 Hen. VIII. cap. 9.

[347] Be it further enacted that no archbishop or bishop, official, commissary, or any other minister, having spiritual jurisdiction, shall ask, demand, or receive of any of the king's subjects any sum or sums of money for the seal of any citizen, but only threepence sterling.--23 Hen.

VIII. cap. 9.

[348] 23 Hen. VIII. cap. 10.--By a separate clause all covenants to defraud the purposes of this act were declared void, and the act itself was to be interpreted "as beneficially as might be, to the destruction and utter avoiding of such uses, intents, and purposes."