Tudor Books, Holinshed's Chronicle 1540
Holinshed's Chronicle 1540 is in Holinshed's Chronicle.
03 Jan 1540. On the morrow the third daie of Ianuarie being saturdaie, in a faire plaine of Blackeheath, more neere to the foot of Shooters hill, than the ascendent of the same, called Blackheath hill, was pitched a pauilion of rich cloth of gold, and diuerse other tents and pauilions, in which were made fiers and perfumes for hir and such ladies as were appointed to receiue hir: and from the tents to the parke gate of Greenewich, all the bushes and fixs were cut downe, and a large open waie made for the shew of all persons. And first next to the parke pale on the east side stood the merchants of the stilliard, and on the west side stood the merchants of Genoa, Florence and Uenice, and the Spaniards in cotes of veluet. Then on both sides the waie stood the merchants of the citie of London, and the aldermen, with the councellors of the said citie, to the number of a hundred and thréescore which were mingled with the esquiers; then the fiftie gentlemen pensioners: and all these were apparelled in veluet and chaines of gold, trulie accounted to the number of twelue hundred & aboue, beside them that came with the king and hir, which were six hundred in veluet cotes and chaines of gold. Behind the gentlemen stood the seruingmen in good order well horssed and apparelled, that who so euer had well viewed them, might haue said, that they for tall and comelie personages, and cleane of lim and bodie, were able to giue the greatest prince in christendome a mortall breakefast, if he had béene the kings enimie.
About twelue of the clocke, hir grace with all the companie which were of hir owne nation, to the number of an hundred horsse, accompanied with the dukes of Norffolke and Suffolke, the archbishop of Canturburie, and other bishops, lords, and knights, which had receiued and conueied hir, came downe Shooters hill towards the tents, and a good space from the tents met hir the earle of Rutland appointed lord chamberlaine to hir grace, sir Thomas Denise hir chancellor, and all hir councellors and officers, amongst whome doctor Daie (appointed to be hir almoner) made to hir an eloquent oration in Latine, presenting to hir on the kings behalfe all the officers and seruants: which oration was answered vnto by the duke hir brothers secretarie, there being present: which doone the ladie Margaret Dowglas, daughter to the quéene of Scots, the ladie marquesse Dorsset, daughter to the French quéene, being néeces to the king, and the dutches of Ritchmond the countesses of Rutland and Hereford, with diuers other ladies and gentlewomen, to the number of threescore and fiue, saluted and welcomed hir grace, who alighted out of hir chariot in the which she had rid all hir long iourneie, and with courteous demeanor & louing countenance, gaue to them hartie thanks, and kissed them all, and after all hir councellors and officers kissed hir hand: which doone, she with all the ladies entered the tents, and there warmed them a space.
When the king knew that she was arriued in hir tent, he with all diligence set out through the parke. And first issued the kings trumpets, then the kings officers sworne of his councell, next after came the gentlemen of his priuie chamber, after them followed barons, the yoongest first, and sir William Hollis lord maior of London rode with the lord Par that was the yoongest baron. Then followed the bishops, and immediatlie after them the earles, and then the duke of Bauiere, and countie Palatine of the Rhine, with the liuerie of the Toison or golden fléece about his necke.
Then came the ambassadours of the French king and emperour, next to whome followed the lord priuie seale lord Cromwell, and the lord chancellour, then Garter king at armes, and the other officers and sargeants of armes gaue their attendance on each side the lord. The lord marquesse Dorset bare the sword of estate, and after him a good distance followed the kings highnesse, mounted on a goodlie courser. To speake of the rich and gorgeous apparell that was there to be séene that daie, I haue thought it not greatlie necessarie, sith each man may well thinke it was right sumptuous, and as the time then serued, verie faire and costlie, as they that are desirous to vnderstand the same may read in maister Halles chronicle more at large, which in this part I haue thought good to abridge.
Then followed the ladie Margaret Dowglas, the ladie marquesse Dorset, the dutches of Richmond and Suffolke, the countesses of Rutland and Hertford, and other countesses.. Then came hir chariot in which she had rid all hir iournie, well carued and gilt with the armes of hir countrie curiouslie wrought & couered with cloth of gold, all the horsses were trapped with blacke veluet, and on them rode pages of honor, in which chariot rode two ancient ladies of hir countrie: next after the chariot, followed six ladies and gentlewomen of hir countrie verie beautifull and richlie apparelled, and with them rode six ladies of England. Then followed an other chariot, gilt and furnished, then ten English ladies, and next them an other chariot couered with blacke cloth, and therein rode foure gentlewomen that were hir chamberers. Then followed all the remnant of the ladies, gentlewomen and damosels in great number: and last of all came an other chariot all blacke, with thrée launders apperteining to hir grace; next after followed an horslitter of cloth of gold and crimsin veluet vpon veluet paled, with horsses trapt accordinglie, which the king had sent to hir. Then followed the seruingmen of hir traine, all clothed in blacke, mounted on great horsses, euerie one in due place and decent order, so that it was verie magnificall and more than princelie brauerie that then was exhibited to the beholders eies, as the poet saith:
Cernitur hîc plusquam regia pompa comes.
In this order they rode through the rankes and through the parke, till they came at the late friers wall, where all men alighted except the king, the two maisters of the horsse, and the henxmen, which rode to the hall doore, & the ladies rode to the court gate, & as they passed, they might behold on the wharfe, how the citizens of London were rowing vp and downe on the Thames right before them, euerie craft with his barge garnished with banners, flags, streamers, pencels, and targets, painted and beaten with the kings armes, some with hir armes, and some with the armes of their craft and mysterie.
There was also a barge called the bachellors barke, richlie decked, on the which waited a foist that shot great peeces of artillerie, and in euerie barge was great store of instruments of diuerse sorts, and men and children singing and plaieng altogither, as the king and the ladie Anne passed by on the wharfe. When the king and she were within the vtter court, they alighted from their horsses, and the king louinglie imbraced hir, kissed hir, & had hir welcome to hir owne, leading hir by the left arme through the hall, which was furnished beneath the harth with the gard and aboue the harth with the fiftie pensioners, with their battell axes; and so the king brought hir vp to hir priuie chamber, where he left hir for that time. Assoone as the king and she were entered the court, a great peale of artillerie was shot off from the tower of Gréenwich, and there about.
When the kings companie and hirs were once come within the parke (as before yée haue heard) then all the horssemen on Blackeheath brake their araie, and had licence to depart to London or otherwhere to their lodgings.
06 Jan 1540. On the tuesdaie following, being the daie of the Epiphanie, the mariage was solemnized betwixt the king and the said ladie. She was fetched from hir chamber by the lords, so that she going betwéene the earle of Ouersteine, and the grand master Hosconder, which had the conduct and order to sée the mariage performed, she passed through the kings chamber & all the lords before hir, till shée came into the gallerie, where the king was readie, staieng for hir, to whom she made thrée low obeisances and courtesies. Then the archbishop of Canturburie receiued them, and married them togither, and the earle of Ouersteine did giue hir. When the mariage was celebrate they went hand in hand into the kings closet, and there hearing masse, offered their tapers, and after Masse was ended, they had wine and spices. And that doone, the king departed to his chamber, and all the ladies waited on hir to hir chamber, the duke of Norffolke going on hir right hand, and the duke of Suffolke on hir left.
After nine of the clocke, the king hauing shifted his apparell, came to his closet, & she likewise in hir haire, & in the same apparell she was married in she came to hir closet with hir sargeant at armes, & all hir officers before hir like a quéene, & so the king and she went openlie in procession, and offered and dined togither. After they had supped togither, there were bankets and maskes, and diuerse disports shewed, till time came, that it pleased the king and hir to take rest. On the sundaie after were kept solemne iusts, which greatlie contented the strangers. This daie she was apparelled after the English manner, with a French hood, which became hir excéeding well. When the earle of Ouersteine and the other lords and ladies which had giuen their attendance on hir grace all that iourneie, had béene highlie feasted and interteined of the king and other of the nobles, they tooke leaue, and had great gifts giuen to them, both in monie and plate, and so returned toward their countrie, leauing behind them the erle of Waldecke, and diuerse gentlemen and damosels to remaine with hir, till she were better acquainted in the realme.
04 Feb 1540. The fourth of Februarie, the king and she remooued to Westminster by water, on whome the lord maior & his brethren, with twelue of the chéefe companies of the citie, all in barges gorgeouslie garnished with baners, penons, and targets, richlie couered, and furnished with instruments, sweetlie sounding, gaue their attendance: and by the waie, all the ships shot off, and likewise from the tower, a great peale of ordinance went off iustilie.
12 Feb 1540. The twelfe of Februarie, the duke of Norffolke was sent in ambassage to the French king, of whome he was well interteined, and in the end of the same moneth he returned againe into England.
After Christmas, the priorie church of S. Marie Oueris in Southworke was purchased of the king by the inhabitants of the Borow, D. Gardener bishop of Winchester putting to his helping hand: they made thereof a parish church, and the little church of Marie Magdalen ioining to the same priorie, was made all one church, and saint Margarets in Southworke a parish was admitted to the same parish. The twelfe of March, Henrie Bourcher erle of Essex riding a yoong horsse, was cast, & brake his necke, at his manour in Essex: he was the eldest earle in England. The nintéenth of March, Iohn Uere erle of Oxford high chamberleine of England, deceassed at his manour in Essex. The tenth of Aprill, sir William Peterson priest, late commissarie of Calis and sir William Richardson priest of S. Maries in Calis, were both there drawne, hanged, and quartered in the market place for denieng obstinatelie the kings supremacie.
The third sundaie in Lent, one doctor Barnes preched at Paules crosse, and in his sermon inueighed against the bishop of Winchester, for doctrine by him preached in the same place, the first sundaie of that Lent, intreating of iustification. Among other taunts that Barnes vttered against the bishop, this was one, that if he & the bishop were both at Rome, he knew that great sums of monie would not saue his life, where but for the bishop, there was no great feare, but small intreatance would serue. The bishop offended herewith, complained of Barnes to the K. and had him examined, & at length by the kings commandement he came to the bishops house, where the matter was so handled at this time, that Barnes with two other preachers, the one named Hierome, and the other Garret (of whom hereafter more shall be said) were appointed to preach at S. Marie spittle by London in the Ester wéeke. In that sermon which Barnes made before all the people, he asked the bishop forgiuenesse, for speaking so vnreuerentlie of him in his former sermon, and required the bishop (if he did forgiue him) in token thereof to hold vp his hand, which like as it was long before he did, so (as manie thought afterward) it was but a frigned forgiuenesse.
12 Apr 1540. The twelfe of Aprill began a parlement, and sir Nicholas Hare was restored to the office of speaker, who togither with sir Humfreie Browne knight, and William Connesbie esquier, the three and twentith of Februarie last past, had bincalled before the lords into the Starchamber, for being of counsell with sir Iohn Shelton knight, in making a fraudulent will of his lands, to the hinderance of the kings prerogatiue, and contrarie to the statute of Anno 27, for the which offense they were all at that time dismissed of their offices and seruices to the king, and the two knights were immediatlie sent to the tower, and three daies after Connesbie was committed thither also. They remained there in ward about ten daies, and were then deliuered. Sir Humfreie Browne was the kings sargeant at law, sir Nicholas Hare was one of the kings councellors, and speaker of the parlement, who being then depriued, was now againe thereto restored. William Connesbie was attorneie of the dutchie of Lancaster. In this parlement, were freelie granted without contradictions, foure fiftéenes and a subsidie of two shillings of lands, and twelue pence of goods, toward the kings great charges of making B [...] lworkes.
18 Apr 1540. The eighteenth of Aprill at Westminster was Thomas lord Cromwell created earle of Essex, and ordeined great chamberleine of England, which office the earles of Oxford were woont euer to enioie; also Gregorie his sonne was made lord Cromwell. The foure and twentith of Aprill, Thomas lord Audleie, & chancellor of England, with sir Anthonie Browne, maister of the kings horsses, were made knights of the night honourable order of the garter. On Maie daie, was a great triumph of iusting at Westminster, which iusts had beene proclaimed in France, Flanders, Scotland, and Spaine, for all commers that would, against the challengers of England; which were, sir Iohn Dudleie, sir Thomas Seimer, sir Thomas Poinings, sir George Carew knights, Anthonie Kingston, and Richard Cromwell esquiers, which said challengers came into the lists that daie richlie apparelled, and their horsses trapped all in white veluet, with certeine knights and gentlemen riding afore them, apparelled all in white veluet, and white sarsenet, and all their seruants in white dublets, and hozen cut after the Burgonion fashion: and there came to iust against them the said daie, of defendants fortie six, the earle of Surrie being the formost, lord William Howard, lord Clinton, and lord Cromwell, sonne and heire to Thomas Cromwell earle of Essex, and chamberleine of England, with other, which were richlie apparelled.
And that day, sir Iohn Dudleie was ouerthrowne in the field by mischance of his horsse, by one master Breme defendant, neuerthelesse he brake diuerse speares valiantlie after that. And after the said iusts were doone, the said challengers rode to Durham place, where they kept open houshold, and feasted the king and quéene, with hir ladies, and all the court. The second of Maie, Anthonie Kingston & Richard Cromwell were made knights at the said place. The third of Maie, the said challengers did tournie on horssebacke with swords, & against them came nine and twentie defendants; sir Iohn Dudleie, and the earle of Surrie running first, who in the first course lost both their gantlets: and that daie, sir Richard Cromwell ouerthrew master Palmer in the field off his horsse, to the great honor of the challengers. On the fift of Maie, the said challengers fought on foot at the barriers, and against them came thirtie defendants, which fought valiantlie: but sir Richard Cromwell ouerthrew that daie at the barriers master Culpeper in the field.
The said challengers brake vp their houshold, after they had kept open hospitalitie, and feasted the king, quéene, and all the lords, beside all the knights and burgesses of the common house in time of the parlement, and the maior, aldermen, and all their wiues to their no small honor, though great expense. In the parlement which began the eightéenth of Aprill last past, the religion of saint Iohns in England, commonlie called the order of knights of the Rhodes, was dissolued; & on the ascension day, being the fift of Maie, sir William Weston knight, prior of saint Iohns departed this life for thought (as was reported) which he tooke to the heart, after he heard of that dissolution of his order. For the king tooke all the lands that belonged to that order into his hands, to the augmentation of his crowne, and gaue vnto euerie of the challengers aboue written for a reward of their valiantnesse, a hundred marks, and a house to dwell in of yearelie reuenues out of the said lands for euer.
The same moneth were sent to the Tower doctor Samson, bishop of Chichester, and doctor Wilson, for reléeuing certeine traitorous persons: and for the same offense was one Richard Farmer, a grocer of London, a rich and welthie man, and of good estimation in the citie, committed to the Marshalseie, & after at Westminster hall arreigned, and atteinted in the premunire; so that he lost all his goods.
09 Jul 1540. The ninth daie of Iulie, The lord Cromwell committed to the Tower. Thomas lord Cromwell, late made earle of Essex (as before you haue heard) being in the councell chamber, was suddenlie apprehended & committed to the Tower of London: the which manie lamented, but more reioised, and speciallie such as either had béene religious men, or fauoured religious persons, for they banketed & triumphed togither that night, manie wishing that that daie had béene seuen yeares before; & some fearing that he should escape, although he were imprisoned, could not be merie.
Other who knew nothing but truth by him, both lamented him, and heartilie praied for him. But this is true, that of certeine of the cleargie he was detestablie hated, and speciallie such as had borne swinge and by his meanes were put from it: for in déed he was a man that in all his dooings seemed not to fauor anie kind of poperie, nor could not abide the snuffing pride of some prelats, which vndoubtedlie (whatsoeuer else was the cause of his death) did shorten his life, and procured the end that he was brought vnto: which was, that the ninteenth daie of the said moneth he was atteinted by parlement, and neuer came to his answer: which law manie reported that he caused first to be made, howbeit the plaine truth thereof I know not. The articles for which he died appeare in the records, where his attaindor is written, which are too long here to be rehearsed; but to conclude he was there atteinted of heresie and high treason, and the eight & twentith of Iulie was brought to the scaffold on the Tower hill, where he said these words following.
The words of the lord Cromwell spoken at his death.
I Am come hither to die, and not to purge my selfe, as may happen some thinke that I will, for if I should so doo, I were a verie wretch and a miser. I am by the law condemned to die, and thanke my Lord God, that hath appointed me this death for mine offense. For since the time that I came to yeares of discretion I haue liued a sinner, and offended my Lord God, for the which I aske him hartilie forgiuenesse. And it is not vnknowne to manie of you, that I haue beene a great traueller in the world, and being but of a base degree, was called to high estate. And since the time I came therevnto, I haue offended my prince, for the which I aske him hartilie forgiuenesse, and beseech you all to praie to God with me, that he will forgiue me. O Father forgiue me, O Sonne forgiue me, O Holie ghost forgiue me, O three persons and one God forgiue me. And now I praie you that be here, to beare me record, I die in the catholike faith, not doubting in anie article of my faith, no nor doubting in anie sacrament of the church. Manie haue slandered me, and reported that I haue beene a bearer of such as haue mainteined euill opinions, which is vntrue: but I confesse, that like as God by his holie spirit dooth instruct vs in the truth, so the diuell is readie to seduce vs, and I haue beene seduced: but beare me witnesse, that I die in the catholike faith of the holie church, and I hartilie desire you to praie for the kings grace, that he may long liue with you in health and prosperitie, & after him that his sonne prince Edward, that goodlie impe may long reigne ouer you. And once againe I desire you to praie for me, that so long as life remaineth in this flesh, I wauer nothing in my faith.
Then made he his praier, which was long, but not so long as godlie and learned, and after committed his soule to the hands of God, and so patientlie suffered the stroke of the ax, by a ragged and butcherlie miser, which ill fauouredlie performed the office. This man being borne in Putneie, a village in Surreie by the Thames side, foure miles distant from London, was sonne to a Smith, after whose deceasse, his mother was married to a Shereman. But notwithstanding the basenesse of his birth and lacke of maintenance was at the beginning (as it happeneth to manie others) a great let and hinderance for vertue to shew hir selfe: yet through a singular excellencie of wit, ioined with an industrious diligence of mind, and helpe of knowledge, gathered by painefull trauell, and marking the courses of states and gouernements as well of his natiue countrie at home, as in forren parties abrode, he grew to such a sufficient ripenesse of vnderstanding and skill, in ordering of weightie affaires, that he was thought apt and fit for anie roome or office wherto he should be admitted.
Which being perceiued of cardinall Wolseie, then archbishop of Yorke, he tooke him into his seruice, and making him his solicitor, imploied him about businesse oftentimes of most importance, wherein he acquited himselfe with such dexteritie, as answered alwaies the credit committed to him. After the cardinals fall; he was aduanced to the kings seruice, behauing himselfe so aduisedlie in matters which he tooke in hand, that within a small time he rose to high authoritie, and was admitted to be of the priuie councell, bearing most rule of all other vnder the king, as partlie ye haue heard: so that by him it well appeared, that the excellencie of heroicall vertues, which aduance men to fame and honor, resteth not onelie in birth and bloud, as a priuilege appropriate and alonelie annexed vnto noble houses, but remaineth at the disposition of almightie God the giuer & disposer of all gifts, who raiseth the poore manie times from the basest degrée, and setteth him vp with princes, according to the saieng of Ecclesiastes:
Qui iacuit tetro quandóque in carcere vinctus,
Parta suis meritis regia sceptra tulit.
Neuerthelesse, concerning the lord Cromwell earle of Essex, if we shall consider his comming vp to such high degree of honor as he atteined vnto, we maie doubt whether there be cause more to maruell at his good fortune, or at his woorthie and industrious demeanor. But sith in the booke of Acts and Monuments ye maie find a sufficient discourse hereof, we néed not to spend more time about it, saue onelie as master Fox hath trulie noted, such was his actiuitie and forward ripenesse of nature, so readie and pregnant of wit, so discreet and well aduised in iudgement, so eloquent of toong, so faithfull and diligent in seruice, of such an incomparable memorie, so bold of stomach and hardie, and could doo so well with his pen, that being conuersant in the sight of men, he could not long continue vnespied, nor yet vnprouided of fauor and helpe of friends, to set him forward in place and office.
Thankefull he was and liberall, not forgetting benefits receiued, as by his great courtesie shewed to Friscobald the Italian it well appeared: a fauourer of the poore in their sutes, and readie to reléeue them that were in danger to be oppressed by their mightie aduersaries: a fauorer of the gospell, and an enimie to the pride of prelates, verie stout, and not able well to put vp iniuries, which wan him shrewd enimies that ceassed not (as was thought) to séeke his [...]uerthrow, till at length they had brought to passe that they wished. Carefull he was for his seruants, and readie to doo them good, so that fearing the thing which came to passe, he prouided well for the more part of them, notwithstanding his fall. And thus much for the lord Cromwell. The morrow after Midsummer daie, the king caused the queene to remooue to Richmont, supposing it to be more for hir health, and more for hir pleasure.
06 Jul 1540. The sixt of Iulie, certeine lords came downe into the nether house, & expresselie declared causes, for the which the kings marriage was not to be taken lawfull: & in conclusion, the matter was by the connocation cléerelie determined, that the king might lawfullie marrie where he would, and so might she. And thus were they cléerelie diuorsed, and by the parlement it was enacted, that she should be taken no more for queene, but called the ladie Anne of Cleue. In this yeare, the lord Leonard Greie, The prince [...] Salerne. brother vnto Thomas marquesse Dorset, being the kings lieutenant in Ireland, was reuoked home, and vpon his comming to London was sent to the Tower. In Iulie the prince of Salerne, and the lord Lois Dauola came into England to sée the king, & after they were departed, don Frederike, marquesse of Padula, brother to the duke of Ferrara, the prince of Macedonie, the marquesse of Terra Noua, & monsieur de Flagie, with other, came from the emperors court into England to sée the king, the which on Marie Magdalens daie came to the court at Westminster, and after they had béene highlie feasted, and noblie interteined, they were richlie rewarded as the other, and so departed.
08 Jul 1540 and 12 Jul 1540. The eight and twentith of Iulie (as you haue heard before) the lord Cromwell was beheaded, and likewisewith him the lord Hungerford of Heitesburie, who at the houre of his death séemed vnquiet, as manie iudged him rather in a frensie than otherwise: he suffered for buggerie. The thirteenth of Iulie were drawne on hurdels from the Tower to Smithfield, Robert Barns doctor of diuinitie, Thomas Garard, and William Ierom bachellors in diuinitie: Ierom was vicar of Stepnie, and Garard was person of Honie [...]ane: also Powell Fetherston, and Abell priests. The first thrée were drawne to a stake, there before set vp, and then burned. The other three were drawne to the gallowes, and hanged, beheaded and quartered. The thrée first (as is found in their atteindor) were executed for diuerse heresies, but none alledged, whereat (saith Hall) I haue much maruelled, that their heresies were so manie, and not one alledged as a speciall cause of their death. And verelie at their deaths they asked the shiriffs what was their offense for which they were condemned? Who answered, they could not tell: but most men said it was for preaching against the doctrine of Stephan Gardiner bishop of Winchester, who chieflie (as the same Hall saith) procured their deaths. The last thrée, to wit, Powell, Fetherston, and Abell, suffered for treason, as in their atteindor was speciall mention made, to wit, for denieng the kings supremacie, and affirming his mariage with the ladie Katharin Dowager to be good.
04 Aug 1540. The fourth of August, Thomas Empson sometime a moonke of Westminster, which had béene in prison for treason in Newgate now for the space of thrée yeares and more, came before the iustices of gaole deliuerie at Newgate, and for that he would not aske the kings pardon, nor be sworne to be true to him, his moonks garment was plucked from his backe, and he repriued, till the king were informed of his malicious obstinacie: and this was the last moonke that was séene in his clothing in England till queene Maries daies. The fourth of August were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiburne, Giles Heron (deceased) gentleman, Clement Philpot gentleman, late of Calis, and seruant to the lord Lisle, Darbie Genning, Edmund Brindholme priest, chapleine to the said lord Lisle, William Horne late a laie brother of the Charterhouse of London, and an other offendor: which six persons were there hanged and quartered, and had beene atteinted of treason by parlement. The same daie also was one Charles Carew gentleman hanged for robbing of the ladie Carew.
08 Aug 1540. The eight of August was the ladie Katharine Howard néece to the duke of Norffolke, and daughter to the lord Edmund Howard shewed openlie as quéene at Hampton court.
11 Sep 1540. The eleuenth of September a stranger was hanged in Moorefield, named Iames Rinatian, who had slaine his maister, one Capon a Florentine in a garden, for his harlot. In the latter end of this summer, was vniuersallie through the most parts of this realme great death by a strange kind of hot agues and fluxes, and some pestilence, in which season was such a drought, that wels and small riuers were cleane dried vp, so that much cattell died for lacke of water, and the Thames was so shalow, & the fresh water of so small strength that the salt water flowed aboue London bridge, till the raine had increased the fresh waters.
22 Sep 1540. On the two and twentith of September, Rafe Egerton, seruant to the lord Audleie, lord chancellor, and one Thomas Harman seruant to one master Flightwood, were drawne, hanged, and quartered, the one for counterfeiting and antidating of the kings seale in a sign [...]t, wherewith he sealed licences for deuizens, vnder the name of the clearkes of the chancerie: and the other, that is to saie Harman, for writing them. One Tuckefield, being of their faction, robbed the lord Audleies chappell and fled, who being afterward apprehended at Calis, which towne he would haue betraied, he slue himselfe with a dagger. In the end of this yeare, the French king made a strong castell at Ard, and also a bridge ouer into the English pale, which bridge the crew of Calis did beat downe, and the Frenchmen built it vp againe, but the Englshmen beat it downe againe. After this, the K. sent about fiftéene hundred workemen to fortifie the towne of Guisnes, and sent with them fiue hundred men of warre to gard them.
It was reported in France, that a mightie armie was come ouer foorth of England with great ordinance: which brute caused the French king to send to the frontiers of Picardie the duke of Uandosme, and other capteins with all spéed to defend the same. The king of England hearing thereof, sent the earles of Surrie, and Southampton, and the lord Russell, high admerall into the marches of Calis, to set order there, and after them he likewise sent two hundred light horssemen of the borders of Scotland, whom the Frenchmen called Stradiots. The lords hauing set order in things, shortlie returned. A boie, one Richard Mekins, not past fiftéene yeares of age, was burnt in Smithfield, for speaking against the sacrament, and contrarie to the statute of the six articles. The bishop of London was thought in great fault, for procuring that terrible execution, seeing the yoong fellow was but an ignorant foole without learning, and gladlie recanted that wherewith he was charged.