man's Goods, and the fourth of the Clergy's. This King Henry VIH. the People resented fo much that it had like to have occafioned a Rebellion. They alledged, firft, that thefe Commiffions were against Law; next, their own Poverty; and that the King, fince the 14th of his Reign, had received of them twenty Fifteenths. But, as the noble Hiftorian observes (y),

this feemed all to be done without the King's Which occafions Knowledge, fo when the Confequence of it ap- fo great Murpear'd, it was refolv'd to difavow the whole Proceed- muring, that the ing. And the King fent Letters, all over England, the Project. King difavows declaring he would ask nothing of them but by way of Benevolence. So that the Cardinal, by thefe Means, got many a Curse, and the King as many Bleffings.'

In the Year 1528 began the grand Affair of the Divorce between Henry VIII. and his Queen Katherine. We fhall leave a thorough Difquifition of this Matter to Lord Herbert, Bishop Burnet, and our general Hiftorians of thefe Times. And fhall only collect what an English Párliament had to do, in this great and memorable Event.

But before this mighty Matter took Place, it proved the Ruin of the Cardinal; for being detected of fome under-hand Dealing, between the Pope and the King, and having managed fo ill as to make The Difgrace of both Queen Katherine, and the defigned new Sultana Cardinal Wolfey. Mrs. Anne Bullein, his Enemies (z); he fell firft into Difgrace, and afterwards under the Monarch's highest Displeasure. The Cardinal was firft indicted in the King's-Bench, on the Statute 16 Richard II. concerning Premunires; found guilty, and Sentence was paffed upon him, That he was out of the King's Protection; his Lands, Goods and Chat

(y) Lord Herbert.

C 4

tels

(x) Grafton writes, that Henry took his firft Hint of the Divorce from a Match which was propofed by the French Embaffadors, in his 17th Year, between their young King and the Lady Mary, the King's Daughter: But the Prefident at Paris demurred to the Match, upon the Question, Whether fhe was legitimate, or not? He adds, that the Common People difliked this Propofal; for fince the was Heir to the Crown, they would have no Frenchman to be King of England. GRAFTON's Chron. P. 1147.

King Henry VIII. tels forfeit; and that his Perfon might be seized He is profecuted on.' He was afterwards tried by a great Council, in the King's collected for that Purpofe in the Star-Chamber; Bench and Star- where he met with no better Treatment. And,

Chamber.

laftly, the King remitted the whole Affair to a Parliament, which began to fit at Westminster (a), Anno Regni 20. 1529. November 3, 1529. In this, fays Lord Herbert, At Westminster. Henry did wifely; fince by interesting the Public in his Condemnation, he both declined the Centure of thofe, who thought the late Proceedings too fevere, and endeared his People to him, by putting the Power of punishing their Enemy into their own Hands.

Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor, his Speech.

On the first Day of this Parliament's Meeting, Sir Thomas More, now Lord Chancellor, made an eloquent Oration, fays Hall, to this Effect: That, like as a good Shepherd, who, not only tendeth and keepeth well his Sheep; but, alfo, forefeeth and provideth against every Thing, which either may be burtful or noifome to his Flock; or may preferve and defend the fame againft all Chances to come fo the King, who was the Shepherd, • Ruler and Governor of this Realm, vigilantly forefeeing Things to come, confidered how divers Laws, by long Continuance of Time and Mutation of Things, were now grown infufficient and imperfect And alfo, that by the frail Condition of Man, divers new Enormities were fprung up amongst the People, for the which no Law was ⚫ made to reform the fame, he faid, was the very Caufe why, at this Time, the King had fummoned his High Court of Parliament. He refembled the King to a Shepherd or Herdfman, alfo, for this Caufe; if a King is efteemed, only, for his Riches, he is but a rich Man; if, for his Honour,

6

(a) This Parliament was firft fummoned to the Black-Fryers, London, but was adjourned to Westminster.

DUGDALE, Anno 21, Hen. VIII. The fame Author hath given us the whole Order of Proceffion the King made, from Bridewell to Westminster, to meet this Parliament; but as a much greater occurs in the Sequel, it is poftponed till then. The Fee paid to Garter King at Arms, for entering the new Peers and regulating their Seats, was xxs.

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Honour, he is but an honourable Man ; but, com- King Henry VH, pare him to the Multitude of his People, and the • Number of his Flock, then is he a Ruler, a Go

vernor of Might and Power; fo that his People 'maketh him a Prince, as, of the Multitude of Sheep cometh the Name of a Shepherd. And, as you fee, that, amongst a great Flock of Sheep, fome be rotten and faulty, which the good Shep'' herd fendeth from the found Sheep; fo, the Great "Weather, which is of late fallen, as you all know, juggled with the King fo craftily, fcabbedly, and untruly, that all Men must think, that he imagined, himself, that the King had no Sense to perceive his crafty Doings, or prefumed that he would not fee or understand his fraudulent Juggling and Attempts. But, he was deceived; for his Grace's Sight was fo quick and penetrable, that he not only faw him, but faw through him, both 'within and without; fo that he was entirely o'pen to him. According to his Defert, he hath

had a gentle Correction; which fmall Punishment the King would not fhould be an Example to other Offenders; but openly declareth, that 'whofoever, hereafter, fhall make the like Attempt, or commit the like Offences, shall not escape ' with the like Punishment. Laftly, the Chancellor faid, that because they of the Houfe of Commons were a great Number, and could not speak all at one Time; therefore, the King's Pleasure < was, that they should refort to their own Houfe,and there amongst themselves, according to ancient • Custom, chufe an able Perfon to be their com" mon Mouth, or Speaker; and after they have fo 'done, to advertise his Grace thereof, who will declare to them his Pleasure, what Day he will have him presented in this Place.'

On the 6th of November, the Commons prefented Thomas Audley, Thomas Audley, Efq; to the King as their Speaker, Efq; chofen who there made another eloquent Oration, which, Speaker. fays Hall, confifted of two Points; the firft was, That he much praised the King for his Equity and Juftice, mixed with Mercy and Pity; fo that

King Henry VIII.

Articles exhibit

against Cardinal Wolfey.

no Offence was forgotten or left unpunished; 6 and, in the Punishment, the Extremity or Rigour

of the Law was not cruelly extended; which 'fhould be a Cause both to bridle all Men from do⚫ing the like Offences, and an Encouragement to • Offenders to confefs their Faults, and occafion A'mendment and Reconciliation.' To the fecond Point, He endeavoured to disable himself, for want ⚫ of Sense, Learning and Discretion, for taking fo ⚫ high an Office; befeeching the King, to cause his • Commons to refort again to their Houfe, and there ⚫ to chufe another Speaker for that Parliament.'

To this the King replied, by the Mouth of the Chancellor, That whereas he fought to difable • himself in Senfe and Learning, his own elaborate • Discourse, there made, teftified to the contrary : And touching his Difcretion and other Qualities, the King himself had well known him and his Doings, fince he was in his Service, to be both ⚫ wife and discreet; and fo, as an able Man he accepted him, and admitted him Speaker.'

The principal Thing we meet with, is, that certain Articles were now preferred against the Cardinal. Lord Herbert has copied them from the original Record, which, he fays, he has thought fit to transcribe, because our vulgar Chronicles have mifrepresented them: And, though many in Number, they must find a Place in thefe Enquiries (b).

Onftrained by Neceffity of our Fidelity and

Majefty, We your Grace's humble, true, faithful and obedient Subjects, That the Lord Cardinal of York, lately your Grace's Chancellor, prefuming to take upon him the Authority of the Pope's Legate de Latere, hath, by divers and many fundry Ways and Fashions, committed notable, high, and grievous Offences; mifufing, altering, and fubverting the Order of your Grace's Laws, and otherwife contrary to your high Honour, Prerogative, Crown, Estate, and

(b) KENNET, Vol. II. Pag. 125, &c. Coxx's IV Inftitut Fol, 89, c.

and Dignity Royal; to the ineftimable Damage of King Henry VI your Grace's Subjects of every Degree, and confe. quently to the great Hindrance, Diminution, and Decay of the univerfal Wealth of this your Grace's Realm, as it is touched fummarily and particularly in certain Articles here following; which be but a few in comparison of all his Enormities, Exceffes, and Tranfgreffions, committed against your Grace's Laws. That is to fay,

• Imprimis Where your Grace, and your noble Progenitors within this your Realm of England, being Kings of England, have been fo free, that they have had in all the World no other Sovereign, but immediately fubject to Almighty God in all Things, touching the Regality of your Crown of England; and the fame Preheminence, Prerogative, Jurifdiction, lawful and peaceable Poffeffion, your Grace, and your noble Progenitors have had, used, and enjoyed without Interruption, or Business therefore, by the Space of two hundred Years, and more; whereby your Grace may prescribe against the Pope's Holiness, that he should not nor ought to fend, or make, any Legate to execute any Authority Legantine, contrary to your Grace's Prerogative within this your Realm: Now the Lord Cardinal of York being your Subject, and natural Liege born, hath of his high, orgillous (*), and infatiable Mind, for his own fingular Advancement and Profit, in Derogation, and to the great Inblemishment and Hurt of your faid Royal Jurisdiction and Prerogative, and the large Continuance of the Poffeffion of the fame, obtained Authority Legantine, by reafon whereof he hath not only hurt your faid Prescription, but also, by the faid Authority Legantine, hath spoiled and taken away from many Houses of Religion in this your Realm much Subftance of their Goods; and alfo hath ufurped upon all your Ordinaries, within this your Realm, much Part of their Jurifdiction, in Derogation of your Preroga❤ tive, and to the great Hurt of your said Ordinaries, Prelates, and Religious.'

(*) Haughty, arrogant, prefumptuous. SHAKESPEAR.

' II.