III. those damnable errors and heresies, to be inculcated, im- BOOK pressed, and infixed in the hearts of your subjects, as well contrary to God's laws, as to your laws and ordinances. Most gracious soveraign lord, the same Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, hath allured and drawn unto him by retainours, many of your subjects sunderly inhabiting in every of your said shires and territories, as well erroneously perswading and declaring to them the contents of the false erroneous books, above-written to be good, true, and best standing with the most holy word and pleasure of God; as other his false and heretical opinions and errors; whereby, and by his confederacies therein, he hath caused many of your faithful subjects to be greatly infected with heresies, and other errors, contrary to the right laws and pleasure of Almighty God. And the same Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, by the false and traiterous means above-written, supposing himself to be fully able, by force and strength, to maintain and defend his said abominable treasons, heresies, and errors, not regarding his most bounden duty to Almighty God, and his laws, nor the natural duty of allegiance to your majesty, in the last day of March, in the 30 year of your most gracious reign, in the parish of St. Peter the Poor, within your city of London, upon demonstration and declaration then and there made unto him, that there were certain new preachers, as Robert Barnes clerk, and other, whereof part were committed to the Tower of London, for preaching and teaching of leud learning against your highness's proclamations; the same Thomas affirming the same preaching to be good, most detestably, arrogantly, erroneously, wilfully, maliciously, and traiterously, expresly against your laws and statutes, then and there did not let to declare, and say, these most traiterous and detestable words ensuing, amongst other words of like matter and effect; that is to say, That if the king would turn from it, yet I would not turn; and if the king did turn, and all his people, I would fight in the field in mine own person, with my sword in my hand against him and all others; and then, and there, most traiterously pulled out his dagger, BOOK III. and held it on high, saying these words, Or else this dagger thrust me to the heart, if I would not die in that quarrel against them all: and I trust, if I live one year or two, it shall not lie in the king's power to resist or lett it if he would. And further, then and there swearing by a great oath, traiterously affirmed the same his traiterous saying and pronunciation of words, saying, I will do so indeed, extending up his arm, as tho' he had had a sword in his hand; to the most perilous, grievous, and wicked example of all other your loving, faithful and obedient subjects in this your realm, and to the peril of your most royal person. And moreover, our most gracious sovereign lord, the said Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, hath quired and obtained into his possession, by oppression, bribery, extort, power, and false promises made by him, to your subjects of your realm, innumerable sums of money and treasure; and being so enriched, hath had your nobles of your realm in great disdain, derision, and detestation, as by express words by him most opprobriously spoken hath appeared. And being put in remembrance of others, of his estate, which your highness hath called him unto, offending in like treasons, the last day of January, in the 31 year of your most noble reign, at the parish of St. Martins in the Field, in the county of Middlesex, most arrogantly, willingly, maliciously, and traiterously, said, published, and declared, That if the lords would handle him so, that he would give them such a break-fast as never was made in England, and that the proudest of them should know; to the great peril and danger, as well of your majesty, as of your heirs and successors: for the which his most detestable and abominable heresies and treasons, and many other his like offences and treasons over-long here to be rehearsed and declared. Be it enacted, ordained, and established by your majesty, with the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, for his abominable and detestable heresies and treasons, by him most abominably, heretically, and traiter III. ously practised, committed, and done, as well against Al- BOOK mighty God, as against your majesty, and this your said realm, shall be, and stand, by authority of this present parliament, convicted and attainted of heresie and high-treason, and be adjudged an abominable and detestable heretick and traitor; and shall have and suffer such pains of death, losses, and forfeitures of goods, debts, and chattels, as in cases of heresie and high-treason, or as in cases of either of them, at the pleasure of your most royal majesty. And that the same Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, shall, by authority abovesaid, lose, and forfeit to your highness, and to your heirs and successors, all such his castles, lordships, mannors, messuages, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, remainders, services, possessions, offices, rights, conditions, and all other his hereditaments, of what names, natures, or qualities soever they be, which he the said Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, or any other to his use had, or ought to have had, of any estate of inheritance, in fee-simple or feetail, in reversion or possession, at the said last day of March, in the said thirtieth year of your most gracious reign, or any time sith or after, as in cases of high-treason. And that all the said castles, lordships, mannors, lands, messuages, tenements, rents, reversions, remainders, services, possessions, offices, and all other the premisses forfeited, as is abovesaid, shall be deemed, invested, and adjudged, in the lawful, real, and actual possession of your highness, your heirs and successors for ever in the same, and in such estate, manner and form, as if the said castles, lordships, mannors, messuages, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, remainders, services, possessions, offices, and other the premisses, with their appurtenances, and every of them, were especially or particularly founden, by office or offices, inquisition or inquisitions, to be taken by any escheator or escheators, or any other commissioner or commissioners, by vertue of any commission or commissions to them or any of them, to be directed in any county or counties, shire or shires, within this your realm of England, where the said castles, and other the premisses, or any of them, been, or do lye, and returned III. BOOK into any of your majesty's courts. Saving to all and singular, person and persons, bodies politick and corporate, their heirs and successors, and their successors and assignes of every of them, other than the said Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, and his heirs, and all and every other person and persons, claiming by the same Thomas Cromwell, and to his use, all such right, title, entrie, possessions, interest, reversions, remainders, lease, leases, conditions, fees, offices, rents, annuities, commons, and all other commodities, profits, and hereditaments whatsoever they or any of them might, should, or ought to have had, if this act had never been had or made. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that this act of attainder, ne any offence, ne other thing therein contained, extend not unto the deanery of Wells in the county of Sommerset ; nor to any mannors, lands, tenements, or hereditaments thereunto belonging; for be in any wise prejudicial or hurtful unto the bishop of Bath and Wells, nor to the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of St. Andrew of Wells, nor to any of them, nor to any of their successors; but that the said bishop, dean, and chapters, and their successors, and every of them, shall and may have, hold, use, occupy, and enjoy, all and singular their titles, rights, mannors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, and services, and all and singular other their hereditaments, commodities, and profits, of what nature, kind, or quality, or condition soever they be, in as ample and large manner and form, as tho' this act of attainder, or any offence therein mentioned, had never been had, committed, nor made; and that from hence-forth the dean, and his successors, deans of the said cathedral church that hereafter shall be perfected, elected, and admitted to the same, shall, by the authority aforesaid, be dean of the said cathedral church, fully and wholly incorporated with the chapter of the same, in as ample, large, and like manner and form, to all intents and purposes, as the deans before this time hath been and used to be, with the said chapter of the said cathedral church of Wells. And that the same dean and chapter, and their successors, shall have, III. occupy, and enjoy, all and singular their such possessions, BOOK mannors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, and services, and all and singular their hereditaments, of what nature, kind, name or names they be called or known. And shall be adjudged and deemed in actual and real possession and seizin of, and in the same premises, to all intents and purposes, according to their old corporation, as tho' this act of attainder, or any thing, clause, or matter therein contained had never been had, committed, nor made. This said act of attainder, or any other act, provision, or any thing heretofore had or made to the contrary notwithstanding. Cui quidem petitioni cum provisione prædict. perlect. et intellect. per dictum dominum regem ex authoritate et consensu parliamenti prædicti sic responsum est. Soit faict come il est desiro. XVII.* Cromwel's letter to the king concerning his marriage with To the king, my most gracious sovereign lord his royal majesty. Otho C. 10. MOST merciful king, and most gracious sovereign lord, Cotton lib. may it please the same to be advertised, that the last time it pleased your benign goodness to send unto me the right honourable lord chancellor, the right honourable duke of Norff. and the lord admiral, to examine, and also to declare unto me divers things from your majesty; among the which, one special thing they moved, and thereupon they charged me, as I would answer before God at the dreadful day of judgment, and also upon the extream danger and damnation of my soul and conscience, to say what I knew in the marriage, and concerning the marriage, between your highness and the queen. To the which I answered as I knew, de [* This is one of the articles now wanting in the Cotton manuscript.] |