Chapter XXX: Letter 22 (6)

[663] Von Freyberg, vol. iv. p. 264. Cf. also Life of Philip of Bavaria in the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. xxvi. pp. 16 ff.

[664] Cal. xiv. (ii) 657.

[665] Life of Philip of Bavaria in the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. xxvi. p. 18.

[666] Cal. xiv. (ii) 719; xv. 76.

[667] Cal. xv. 177.

[668] Cal. xiv. (ii) 733, 737.

[669] The words, as given in the life by Ottheinrich, are: ‘Herzog Philipp soll dem khönig wider menigklich, ausgenommen wider das Römisch Reich, 1000 wohl geriste Pferdt Und 4000 wohl geriste fuesknecht zufiehren.’ Von Freyberg, vol. iv. p. 266.

[670] Transcribed from the original document in the Archives at Marburg.

[671] _sic_, for ‘freundlichen.’

[672] _sic_, for ‘dasz.’

[673] _sic_, for ‘er.’

[674] Transcribed from the original document in the Archives at Marburg.

[675] _sic_, for ‘wyr.’

[676] _sic._

[677] Cal. xiv. (ii) 717.

[678] Martin, vol. viii. p. 260. Cf. also Guiffrey, pp. 276-318.

[679] Cal. xiv. (ii) 524.

[680] Cal. xv. 38.

[681] Cal. xv. 186. Bonner and Wyatt moreover were on very bad terms at this time, owing to mutual jealousy. It would have been impossible for Henry to carry his intrigues very far, as long as the two rivals remained together at the French Court. Cf. Nott’s Wyatt, vol. ii. pp. 44-52.

[682] Cal. xv. 161.

[683] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 241.

[684] Cal. xv. 145, 202.

[685] Cal. xv. 222.

[686] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 257.

[687] Cf. Gaillard, vol. iii. pp. 77, 78.

[688] Letters, 338, 340.

[689] Bradford, pp. 515 ff.

[690] Cal. xiv. (ii) 400.

[691] Cal. xiv. (ii) 688.

[692] Cal. xv. 306.

[693] Cal. xiv. (ii) 750 (p. 279).

[694] Cal. xv. 486.

[695] Cal. xv. 429.

[696] Lords’ Journal, vol. i. p. 129.

[697] 32 Hen. VIII., c. 24.

[698] Cal. xv. 540, 541.

[699] Cal. xv. 543.

[700] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 323.

[701] Heidrich, p. 43.

[702] Soames, vol. ii. p. 408, informs us that ‘in order to fan the rising flame Gardiner invited the King to an entertainment at Winchester House. Katherine Howard was among the company assembled on this occasion, and she then achieved the conquest of her amorous sovereign’s heart.’

[703] Cal. xv. 658.

[704] Letters, 345.

[705] Cal. xv. 735.

[706] Cal. xv. 736, 737.

[707] Lords’ Journal, vol. i. p. 143.

[708] Cal. xv. 766, 767.

[709] Cal. xv. 804, and Kaulek, pp. 193, 194.

[710] Cal. xv. 766, and Kaulek, p. 189.

[711] This letter stated that Cromwell being put in great trust by the King in matters of religion had ‘not only of his sensual appetite, wrought clene contrary to this His Graces most godly entent, secretly and indirectly advauncing thone of thextremes and leaving the meane indifferent true and vertuous waye, which His Majestie sought and soo entierly desired; but also hathe shewed himself soo fervently bent to the mayntenaunce of that his oultrage, that he hath not spared most prively, most traitorously, to divise howe to contynue the same and plainly in termes to saye, as it hathe been justified to his face by good wittenes, that, if the King and all his Realme wold turne and vary from his opinions, he wold fight in the feld in his oune personne, with his sworde in his hande against Him and all other; adding that if he lyved a yere or two, he trusted to bring thinges to that frame, that it shuld not lye in the Kinges power to resist or let it, if He wold; bynding his wordes with such othes, and making suche gesture and demonstration with his armes, that it might wel appere that he had no lesse fyxed in his harte, thenne was uttered with his mouth.’ State Papers, vol. viii. pp. 349, 350.

[712] Henry, however, used every means in his power to support the main accusation, with other charges of a different nature, which if possible were even more unjustifiable. The King was not ashamed to write to Wallop in France to try and get confirmation of the old rumour (circulated on the Continent by a certain Portuguese ambassador two years before, and probably as a result of the letters of Chapuys) that Cromwell had intended to marry the Princess Mary and to make himself King. Cal. xv. 792, 801, 842.

[713] Cal. xv. 770.

[714] Lords’ Journal, vol. i. p. 145.

[715] Cal. xv. 804.

[716] Cal. xv. 847.

[717] Cal. xv. 926.

[718] Letters, 348.

[719] Cal. xv. 822.

[720] Cal. xv. 825.

[721] Letters, 349, 350.

[722] Foxe, vol. ii. p. 433. If this story be true, the interest which the King evinced in Cromwell’s letter is to be explained rather by his anxiety concerning his divorce, than by his sympathy for his fallen minister. Certainly there is no reason to think the closing scene of the ‘Life and Death of Thomas Lord Cromwell,’ in which a reprieve is brought from the King by Ralph Sadler after Cromwell’s head had fallen, has any foundation in fact.

[723] Cal. xv. 898.

[724] It is somewhat significant to note that in this case Henry had practically acknowledged facts considered by the canonists as ‘sufficient proof’ of consummation in the case of Arthur and Katherine, and that the King had been glad to accept as such at the time of the trial of his first divorce. This is merely one of those suspiciously convenient changes of opinion one encounters so often in dealing with the personal history of Henry VIII. Cf. Burnet, vol. i. pp. 163-164.

[725] Cal. xv. 825.

[726] Lords’ Journal, pp. 154, 155.

[727] Cal. xv. 899, 901, 953. Part of Anne’s income was derived from the manor of Canbery, previously owned by Cromwell, and at his attainder confiscated to the use of the Crown. Rymer, vol. xiv. p. 713.

[728] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 421.

[729] Cal. xv. 765, 792, 794, 841.

[730] Letters, 351.

[731] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 392.

[732] Cal. xv. 794, 811.

[733] State Papers, vol. viii. p. 412.

[734] Cal. xv. 498, p. 217.

[735] Cal. xv. 926.

[736] Holinshed, p. 817; Hall, p. 839; Foxe, p. 433.

[737] Cal. xvi. 40.

[738] Cf. Appendix at the end of this chapter.

[739] Cf. Collier, vol. ii. p. 181. ‘I readily grant Cromwell was no Papist at his Death. But then, it is pretty plain he was no Protestant neither.’

[740] Cal. xv. 940.

[741] Cal. xvi. 379 (34). Gregory Cromwell died in 1557, and was succeeded by his eldest son Henry. The latter’s grandson Thomas, fourth Baron Cromwell, was created Earl Ardglass in the Irish peerage, April 15, 1645. The earldom of Ardglass expired in 1687, and the barony of Cromwell became dormant in 1709. Life of Thomas Cromwell, in the Dictionary of National Biography, vol. xiii. p. 202.

[742] Hall, p. 839.

[743] Cf. Appendix at the end of this chapter.

[744] Foxe, vol. ii. p. 434. Cf. Mendes Silva, pp. 34, 35: ‘Acabadas de pronunciar estas palabras, se dispuso a morir, pidiendo al verdugo, llamado Gurrea, para no sentir dilatada pena, le cortasse la cabeça de vn golpe. Tendiose, pues sobre el madero, y recibiòle terrible, muriendo aquel que nunca deuiera nacer, por quien Inglaterra desde entonces se abrasa en infernal incendio de heregias.’

[745] Cf. for this and the following pages, Green, vol. ii. pp. 197-202.

[746] _c.o._ trustyng entyerlye In yow that ye will witsaffe as I may eu_er_ herafter ow vnto yow my Symple s_er_uyce or any pleasure that shalbe w_i_t_h_in my lytyll power

[747] _c.o._ before yo_ur_ Retorn to London

[748] _c.o._ I am ascertaynyd that yo_ur_ ladyship shall resayue

[749] _c.o._ case

[750] _c.o._ vnto the kyng_es_ highnes of hys benche

[751] _c.o._ yff yt soo had ben

[752] _c.o._ as was bytwene the sayd s_ir_ John and the sayd s_ir_ Roberte payd

[753] _c.o._ aduaunsement

[754] _c.o._ one to the sayd s_ir_ Roberte Clere in full co_n_tentac_io_n & payment of cccc Mark_es_ whiche cc^{li} ys yet vnpayd

[755] _c.o._ was and shulde haue ben accomplyshyd in eu_er_y poynte yff the sayd s_ir_ John Paston had accordyng to hys couen_au_nt_es_ payd the so_m_mes of money whiche he was bonde to paye by hys Indenture for the adu_au_ncement of hys sayd doughter. Neu_er_theles yt may please yo_ur_ lordeshypp to knowe the sayd s_ir_ Rob_er_te Clere

[756] _c.o._ but that the sayd foure hundreth poundes shalbe Reco_ue_red of hys landes

[757] _c.o._ to Inyoine

[758] _c.o._ in the courte of Chauncery

[759] _sic._

[760] _sic_, for ‘these.’

[761] This last sentence was added by the seventeenth-century scholar by whom the foregoing passages were transcribed, and who calls himself ‘Thomas Masters, Coll. Nov.’

[762] _c.o._ For our lordys loue what

[763] _sic_, for ‘applied.’

[764] _c.o._ that perceyuing by

[765] _c.o._ in the hole cuntrey

[766] _c.o._ yo_ur_ grete good

[767] _c.o._ after such sorte by yo_ur_ approuued high wisedom as ye lose not the wele & benefite of the same for

[768] _c.o._ there I assure yo_ur_ grace you haue

[769] _c.o._ which do & will not let to interprete all yo_ur_ doings not in the best parte Alledging that yo_ur_ onelie desire

[770] _c.o._ shalbe grete good vnto yo_u_rself

[771] _c.o._ Fynallie beseching almightie god to p_re_serue yo_ur_ grace in long lif & good helth w_i_t_h_ the full accomplisshment of yo_ur_ hert_es_ desire From london the xviii day of August

[772] _c.o._ and enter into blynde to satysfye

[773] _c.o._ a you[th]

[774] _sic_, for ‘thus.’

[775] The number of erasures and corrections in this letter is such that the use of an additional bracket is necessary, in order to render it precisely. Words enclosed thus {...} are inserted above the line in the original. Words printed in italics are crossed out.

[776] These words doubtless ought to have been crossed out in the MS.

[777] Here occur the following words _underlined_, not crossed out: ‘that [he] should retourne into the same there to manyfest his errours and sedycyous opynyons, which (being out of the Realme by his most vncharytable venemous and pestilent bok_es_ craftie and false persuasions) he hathe partelie don all redie’

[778] (...) underlined, not crossed out.

[779] (...) this passage is put in the margin.

[780] _c.o._ on the behalf of

[781] _c.o._ highnes

[782] _sic._

[783] _c.o._ most

[784] _sic_, for ‘applied.’

[785] _c.o._ which he helde For terme of yeres of his highnes and hauyng good and Suffycyent graunt In the same

[786] _c.o._ my ladye

[787] _c.o._ and hauing no Just Cause so to do

[788] _c.o._ and as concernyng the bargayn betwene me and John Ardren of and for the mano_ur_ of Belthrop w_i_t_h_ the apporten_au_nces which, as I am Informyd ye wer in mynde to haue bought S_i_r I woold I hadde bene made preuey to your mynd at whych tyme

[789] _sic._

[790] _c.o._ Thomas

[791] _c.o._ Mr. Edmonde Knightley

[792] _c.o._ w_i_t_h_ other of yo_ur_ grac_es_ counsaill

[793] _c.o._ as hathe ben had & made of the saide good_es_ and also such offenc_es_ as haue ben co_m_mytted in that behalf haue ben onelie don_e_ and executed by the saide Edmonde Knightley his Syster and suche other of that p_ar_te and none otherwise

[794] _sic._

[795] i.e. 700.

[796] _sic._

[797] _sic._

[798] i.e. 10,000.

[799] _sic_, see Notes.

[800] _c.o._ be the bolder, must ned_es_ be co_m_pellyd

[801] _c.o._ the more boldlye

[802] _c.o._ praying

[803] _sic._

[804] _c.o._ I trust to get owt the Roote of his practyse

[805] _c.o._ prynces

[806] _sic._

[807] _c.o. a marginal comment as follows_: I began to marke the notable poinct_es_ of his l_ette_res

[808] _sic._

[809] _c.o._ w_i_t_h_ whom ye never spake as in yo_ur_ lettres [ye say]

[810] _c.o._ Egiptians

[811] _c.o._ And suerly my lord what soeu_er_ ye sey or write for yo_ur_self, the begynning of yo_ur_ letters for your ... g

[812] _c.o._ it was told or els

[813] _c.o._ or any other

[814] _c.o._ muche

[815] _c.o._ albeit I wol speke for

[816] _sic._

[817] The last paragraph is written along the margin.

[818] _c.o._ For the conducing whereof to effecte the king_es_ highnes hath specyall trust and expectacion in yo_ur_ grac_es_ approved wisedom and dexteryte and thus the holie trynyte....

[819] This letter was evidently first written by the King, and later altered by Cromwell. The passages in brackets {...} are scored through in the original.

[820] _sic_, see Notes.

[821] _c.o._ which hath byn a great charge to the p_ar_ties wherfore

[822] _c.o._ and good

[823] _c.o._ to consider the said offers vnto his sone

[824] _c.o._ he is greatly charged w_i_t_h_ his Fathers Dett_e_s & also w_i_t_h_ his

[825] _c.o._ wh_ich_ ys a great charge vnto hym wherfore my Lorde in dischargyng of yo_ur_ consciens I p_ra_y you at my Desire to yeve vnto hym a c^{li}. whiche youe toke of his Father And ferder to yeve vnto hym some other Rewarde hereafter as you shall thynke in consciens mete for hym

[826] _c.o._ Surveyed and I Fynd I haue

[827] _c.o._ Indifferent

[828] _c.o._ to p_ro_cede

[829] _c.o._ yt may also ple

[830] _c.o._ And in thus doynge ye shall not oonlie do a thinge proffitable and right meritorious for yo_ur_ sowle

[831] _c.o._ to their hindrance hurte & p_re_iudice

[832] From the official Record Office transcript.

[833] The date ‘May’ is obviously a mistake; it should be ‘March.’ The dates of the embassy of Gontier and the itinerary of the King make it quite certain that the letter was written March 4, 1535, which, of course, was 1534 O. S. Cf. Cal. viii. p. 133 _n._

[834] This letter is obviously misplaced in the Calendar.

[835] _c.o._ this nyght at xii of the Cloke

[836] _c.o._ done and what order ys

[837] _c.o._ drawne

[838] _c.o._ Serche was made and

[839] _c.o._ the Copye of this

[840] _c.o._ to thentent the Kyng_es_ gracyous pleasure may be known drawen according to the sayd estatute made in the sayd Fyfte yere of Kyng Richarde the second as ys afforsayd and that was all that was done in that matyere by

[841] A copy of this letter is also to be found in Longleat House.

[842] _sic._

[843] _c.o._ &c. the kyng_es_ high

[844] _c.o._ reside and demoure

[845] _c.o._ whereby

[846] _c.o._ ye can haue to

[847] _c.o._ shall

[848] _c.o._ wherfore and for asmoche as

[849] _c.o._ whiche if he wold he may right well do and

[850] _c.o._ my sake

[851] _c.o._ in suche wise as he may haue no cause eftesones to complayne one you for this matier

[852] From the official Record Office transcript.

[853] _c.o._ In my right harty wise

[854] From the official Record Office transcript.

[855] _sic._

[856] _c.o._ for yo_ur_

[857] _c.o._ you even

[858] i.e. 50,000.

[859] This letter, though written in Starkey’s hand and addressed to Harvell, is believed by Mr. Gairdner to be a copy of a letter written by Cromwell to Pole, transcribed by Starkey on the inside of the cover of a letter to Harvell.

[860] _c.o._ w_i_t_h_ the ... and towching the content_es_ of the same ye shall vnderstand that I haue resceyued yo_ur_ l_ette_res

[861] _c.o._ am contented