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LETTER CXV.

Edward Earl of Derby and Sir Henry Faryngton to King Henry the Eighth.

[FROM THE ORIGINAL preserved in THE CHAPTER HOUSE AT WESTMIN

STER.
R.]

The clamour as well among the clergy as among the laity, upon the second marriage of King Henry the Eighth, was great.

Stow says, "the first that openly resisted or reprehended the King touching his marriage with Anne Boleyn, was one friar Peto, a simple man yet very devout, of the Order of Observants." He preached before the King at Greenwich, upon the latter part of the Story of Ahab, "saying 'Even where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, even there shall the dogs ⚫lick thy blood also O King;' and therewithal spoke of the lying prophets which abused the King. I am, quoth he, that Micheas whom thou will hate, because I must tell thee truly that this marriage is unlawful; and I know I shall eat the bread of affliction, and drink the water of sorrow, yet because our Lord hath put it into my mouth, I must speak of it." The King being thus reproved, endured it patiently, says Stow, "but the next Sunday being the eighth of May, Dr. Curwen preached in the same place, who most sharply reprehended Peto and his preaching, and called him dog, slanderer, base beggarly friar, close man, rebel, and traitor; saying that no subject should speak so audaciously to Princes; and having spoke much to that effect, and in commendation of the King's marriage, thereby to establish his seed in his seat for ever, he supposing to have utterly supprest Peto, and his partakers, lifted up his voice, and said I speak to thee Peto which makest thyself Micheas, that thou mayest speak evil of Kings, but now thou art not to be found, being fled for fear and shame, as being ⚫ unable to answer my arguments.' And whilst he thus spake, there was one Elstow, a fellow friar to Peto, standing in the rood-loft, who with a bold voice said to Dr. Curwen, 'Good Sir, you know that father Peto, as he was commanded, is now gone to a Provincial Council holden at Canterbury, and not fled for fear of you, for tomorrow he will return again; in the mean time I am here, as another Micheas, and will lay down my life to prove all those things true which he hath taught out of the holy Scripture: and to this combat I challenge thee before God and all equal judges; even unto thee CURWEN I say; which art one of the four hundred Prophets into whom the spirit of lyeing is entred, and seekest by adultery to establish succession, betraying the King unto endless perdition, more for thy own vain glory and hope of promotion, than for discharge of thy clogged conscience, and the

King's salvation.' This Elstow waxed hot, and spake very earnestly, so as they could not make him cease his speech, until THE King himself bad him hold his peace, and gave order that he and Peto should be convented before the Council, which was done the next day; and when the Lords had rebuked them, then the earl of Essex told them that they had deserved to be put into a sack and cast into the Thames; whereunto Elstow smiling, said, • Threaten these things to rich and dainty folke, which are clothed in purple, fare deliciously, and have their chiefest hope in this world; for we esteem them not, but are joyful that for the discharge of our duties we are driven hence: and, with thanks to God, we know the way to Heaven to be as ready by water as by land, and therefore we care not which way we go.' The Letter now before the reader will show the coarse manner in which the marriage of Anne Boleyn was received in a remoter quarter of the Kingdom.

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PLEAS it your Highnes to be advertysed, that wher as Sir William Fitzwilliam knyght, on of your Counsullors and Tresorer of your moost honorable Howse, lately directed his severall Lettres unto us your humble subgetts and servants Edward Erle of Derby and Henry Faryngton Knyght, whereby we perceyve your graces pleasor is that a lewde and noghty preist inhabytyng in thise partyes, who hathe of late reported and spoken befor and in the audyence of certeyn persons sundry and diverse unfyttyng and sklaunderous words, aswell by your Highnes as by the Quenes grace, shuld not only be attached and sent up to your Highnes, but also that we shuld in the accomplishement of your said pleasor take th'examynacions and saings of suche persons as were present and herd the same unfittyng and sklaunderous reports and sayngs of the said preist in the premisses; and the same to

a Stow, Annals, edit. 1631. p. 562.

send in wrytyng to your Highnes subscribed with our hands; We according to our bounden duties in the accomplishement of your graces pleasor, have called befor us suche persons whose names and deposicions herafter do ensue; and the same persons did examyn upon ther othes at Ley in the Countie of Lancaster, the xth day of August in the xxvth yere of the reign of your noble Highnes, Sir Richard Hoghton, Sir Willm Leylond knyghts, and Thomas Howcroft your servants and other of the Counsaill of me the said Erle beyng present with us. And the said S Henry hath attached the said preist and send hym to your Highnes.

And St Richard Clerke vyker of Leegh deposith and saith that the xx day of July last past he rede a proclamacion at Crofton, in the Howse of John Blackeston's, concernyng Lady Katharin Princesse-dowager, whiche St Jamys Harrison preist hering the said proclamacion, said that Quene Katharyn was Quene, And that Nan Bullen shuld not be Quene, nor the King to be no King but on his bering.

Also St John Haworthe preist examyned, saith upon his othe that he herd the said S Jamys saye that Quene Katharyn shuld be Quene, and as for Nan Bullen who the devell made her Quene; and as for the King shuld not be King but on his bering.

Also William Dalton squyer examyned, and sworn upon a boke, deposith and saith that after that on S: Richard Clerke had redde the said proclamacion,

he redde certyn articles in the said proclamacion to the said S Jamys with certeyn persons ther being present; the said Sir Jamys said I will take non for Quene but Quene Katharin; who the devell made Nan Bullen that hoore Quene, for I will never take hir for Quene, and the King on his bering: and then the said William said hold thy peace thou wots not what thou sais, and, but that thou art a preist, I shuld punyshe the that other should take ensample.

John Dalton th’elder, gentilman, sworn and examyned, saith, that he was present when William Dalton squyer redde the said proclamacion, and the said Sir Jamys said I will call hir Quene Katharyn lettyng for noman, for Nan Bulleyn that noghty pake or hoore, I do not remember whether, who the devell made hir Quene; and the King shalbe no King but on his bering.

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Thomas Lathom the yonger, sworn and examyned, deposith and saith that, after that, a nother tyme, the same day and yere above said that S Jamys Harrison said that Nan Bullen that hoore shall not be Quene.

Jamys Woddes, sworn and examyned, deposith and saithe that he herd the proclamacion redde in the Howse of John Blackston's and the said S Jamys said then that he wold not take non for the Quene but Quene Katharin; and as for Nan Bulleyn that hoore shalbe no Quene.

a paikie, a female street walker, a trull. JAMIESON.

Adam Banaster, sworn and examyned, deposith and saith that S Jamys Harrison the xxiiij Day of July in the howse of Thomas Grauesyns said that he wold never take Nan Bulleyn for Quene, to be hanged for the same, but for Nan Bulleyn.

Richard Sumner and John Clayton, sworn and examyned, deposen and say that they came in cumpenny with the said St Jamys Harrison from the town of Perbalt to Eccleston, where the said Sir Jamys said unto theym this is a mervelous world, the King will put down the order of Preists and distroye the Sacrament, but that will be as Thomas Dykonson said, that it cannot reign longe, for he saithe that Yorke wilbe London hastelye.

by Your humblyst and obedyent servants

E. DERBY.

HENR. FARYNGTEN K?

LETTER CXVI.

Queen Anne Boleyn to Thomas Cromwell.

[MS. COTTON. CLEOP. E. V. fol. 330 b. Orig.]

From the following Letter, if from no other source, it may be gathered that Anne Boleyn favoured the dissemination of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue. Her own copy of Tyndal's translation of "The Newe Testament, imprinted at Antwerp by Marten Emperowr, Anno M. D. xxxiiij.” is still extant among the Books bequeathed, in 1799, to the British Museum, by the rev. Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode. It is upon vellum, illuminated. Upon the gilding of the leaves, in a red letter, are the words ANNA REGINA ANGLIÆ,

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