another lady which sometyme was wyff to one of the French Kyngs carvers, and amongst the said gentilwomen there was one or two indiferent faire. And thus still being in communication, amongst other things, she dyd show me of her contynuance in Scotland, and howethat she hath remayned there by the French Kyngs appoinctement sence she brought thether the Quene that last dyed; after whose death she informed me of her good chere there in meate and drynke, which was not exeding. And that she had not the sight of the Kyng untill the tyme of the commyng of the last Quene, nor no greate resorte of gentilmen, nor none other passetyme worthy of rehersaile. The old Quene had no good dayes after her arryval ther, but alwayes sikely with a catarr which descended into her stomac, which was the cause of her deth. So fourth passing, in taulking, I demaunded howe this Quene liked Scotland, and she aunswered that she looved Fraunce better; uppon the which pourposse she somewhat smyled. So from that thing taking the recourse to other, she of herselve began greately to prayse the fruytfulnesse, fayrenesse, and playsauntnesse of Inglond, with the civilitie of the men ; wher uppon she began furst to showe howe as yesterday she went to sport her to Chelsey with th'Ambassador of Fraunce; and how at her return she came to Brydewell, where likewise she showed me how the said ambassador had

showed her the whole House which she commends above all other that ever she sawe. Moreover she said that the said ambassador had promest her that she should see York Place, far fairer; and for that intent he would send to the keeper of the same: showing herself greatly desirous to see it. And so in the ende of our communication she showed me that upon Monday next she entends to take her journey toward France. Howbeit she sayd that she had Recommendations from the Quene of Scotts to the Kyng's Highnesse, if she might arryve nigh where his Grace were. And at my taking of my leve I found faulte of her lodging, saing it to be very little for her and her trayne: wherfore if she pleased she should be provyded of another howsse more easear, for the King's pleasor was that she should have as gret commoditie here, within this his Realme, as she were in her owne natyf contrye. Then with great thanks she made me this aunswar, saing that all her gentil women were lodged within, her and her trayne abowte her, circomvicin ynough; and that for so litle a space she intended not to remeve. And thus I tooke my leve, presuposing to be this mornyng with my Lord Mayre, and to determyn a lodging for her, and at after dynner to resorte unto her agayne and see if she be otherwyse mynded. And thus in the meane tyme it may please your Lordeship to send by this berer your fourther

pleasour. With thys, Jesu preserve your Lordeship with long lyff and increase of honor. From London the xxiiijth day of August.

Alwayes redy at your Lordeshipps

comaundemente

WILLIAM PENNISON.

LETTER CXLI.

John Foster a priest, to Lord Cromwell, upon his obedience to the King, in putting away a wife whom he had married.

[MS. COTTON. CLEOP. E, IV. fol. 116 b. Orig.]

The Letter here presented, was evidently written immediately after the Parliament of 1539 had passed the Act of "The Six Articles;" more usually called "The Bloody Act."

A notion had gone forth that Priests might marry, and numbers of the clergy had seized the opportunity of choosing for themselves a helpmate, without dreaming that they should subsequently incur a penalty of the severest kind. Even Cranmer had taken to wife the niece of Osiander, an eminent divine of Nuremberg.

Cranmer, with all quietness, sent his wife back at once to Germany. But JOHN FOSTER, who moved in a lower rank of the priesthood, the writer of the present Letter, not only dismissed his wife to her friends at the distance of three score miles, but hastened to the Vicar-general, confessed how ill he had understood the word of God, complimented his Majesty's more erudite judgement, and sued for the royal pardon.

IN

In my most humblyst wyse, I beyng not so bold as to appere before youre Lordshyp untyll your plesure

ys knowyn, feere sett appartt, nede compellythe me to wrytt. Thys last Lentt I dyd no lesse then wrytt, and also to your presence I dyd approche, suyng for your lordschyppys gracious servyce; but now my sute ys muche other, for my dysfortune hathe byn to have conceyvyd untruly Goddys worde, and not only with yntellectyon to have thought yt, but exteryally and really I have fulfyllyd the same; for I, as then beyng a preste, have accompleschyd maryage; nothyng pretendyng but as an obedyentt subyect. For yf the Kyngys Grace could have founde yt lawful that prestys mught have byn maryd, they wold have byn to the Crowne dubbyll and dubbyll faythefull, furst in love, secondly for fere that the Bysshope of Rome schuld sette yn hys powre unto ther desolacyon. But now by the noyse of the peopull I perseyve I have dunne amysce, which saythe that the Kyngy serudyte yugementt with all hys cowncell temperall and spyrytuall hathe stableschyd a contrary order, that all prestys schalbe separat by a day; with which order I have contentyd my selfe: and as sone as I herd it to be tru, I sentt the woman to her frendys iij. score mylys from me, and spedely and with all celeryte I have resorted hether to desyre the Kyngs Hyghtnes of hys favor and absolucyon for my amysce doyng; prayng and besechyng your Lordschypps gracyous cumfortt for the optaynyng of hys gracyous pardon: and I schalbe your bounden servauntt yn hartt and also yn

contynnuall servyse yf yt schall please your gracyous lordschypp to accept yt duryng my lyfe: wrythyn the xviij. day of June.

Your bounden for ever,

JOHN FOSTER.

LETTER CXLII.

Sir Thomas Elyot to Secretary Cromwell.

[MS. COTTON. TIT. B. I. fol. 371. Orig.]

The following Letter furnishes a valuable Supplement to the Memoirs of Sir Thomas Elyot, supplied by our biographers. It explains, moreover, that the Life of a Courtier in the time of Henry the Eighth was not always one of unalloyed success. During Wolsey's administration, indeed, few but churchmen were amply rewarded. Even Sir Thomas More, we have seen, when Speaker of the House of Commons, was more than ordinarily grateful for a hundred pounds.

None of the Writers who mention Sir Thomas Elyot's promotions, notice his having held the clerkship of the Council.

He appears to have been courted and celebrated by the most learned men of his time. His chief works were his "Governor" and his "Dictionary." A copy of the latter, fol. Berthelet, 1538, is extant in the library of the British Museum. It was originally Lord Cromwell's copy, to whom a Latin letter is addressed upon a blank leaf at the beginning, in Sir Thomas Elyot's hand. It afterwards passed into the Library of King Henry the Eighth.

Sir Thomas Elyot died in 1546, and was buried at Carleton in Cambridgeshire.

RIGHT worshipfull I recommend me unto you; and hartily thanke you for your gentill and wyse advertisements and counsayles gyven unto me in your Let

VOL. II.

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