The HISTORY of ENGLAND (Page 164, Vol. IV.) continued. With a curious Copper-Plate of all the Coins in the reign of King Edward VI. The English Plenipotentiaries, Lord Rufel (page 169) Paget Baron of Beaudefert, Secretary Petre, and Sir John Mafon met those who were commiffioned on the part of France, near Boulogne, about the latter end of January, 550, but as the court of France had difcovered the intentions of King Edward's Council, and refolved to improve our weakness to the strengthening their own power, they opened the conferences with a high hand, and talked fo imperiously, that the English were obliged to fend for fresh inftructions more agreeable to the haughty demands of France. Which being received, and approved on, a treaty was figned on the 24th of March following, by which Boulogne was once more yielded up to the French, with all the ordnance, &c. found therein by Henry VIII. in confideration of 400,000 crowns of gold, then equal to an English noble; half on the day of reftitution, and the other half before the 15th of Auguft: Lauder and Dunglafs were to be delivered up to the Queen of Scots: England fhould not make war against Scotland, except there should be a fresh caufe: and, according to an old M S. before me,it was promifed on both fides that King Edward VI. fhould marry one of the French King's daughters fo foon as for his years he fhould be marriageable (tho' other hiftorians have dated this propofal on the 15th of July, 1551) and for the performance of thefe and fome other articles confequent thereupon, it was agreed to give five boflages on both fides, who accordingly were exchanged on the 8th of April, 1551. How much foever this peace was to the liking of the Miniftry, the reftitution of Boulogne, against which the Regents had complained fo loudly under the protectorfhip of the Duke of Somerfet, opened the eyes of the people, fo as to discover that the King's glory and the Nation's benefit are but too often used by those at the helm to cover their own private fchemes, without any regard to the public welfare : whofe refentment was foon perceived by the watchful Earl of Warwick; and therefore to divert any bad confequences that their rage might bring against the adminiftration, he undertook the popular office of enquiring into certain misdemeanors of thofe who had been entrusted with the management of the public money; and thofe he found guilty of mifapplications he punished, without any regard to quality or ties of friendship. By which means he not only pleafed the people, but raised a fund to pay the King's debts, then very confiderable; and brought every one under his management, left they should also be called to an account; there being very few that could acquit themselves of all misdemeanors. Before I conclude this year, it is proper to obferve that the ecclefiaftical ftate of the nation underwent fome further change as to its Governors. B. Thirleby having refigned the Bishopprick of Westminster, as it was united to London, and given to Ridley Bishop of Rochester, on the 24th of February, Dr. Thirleby was promoted to the See of Norwich: Dr. Powel to that. of Rochester, who not having a house upon his Bishoprick held, in Commendam, a prebend of Canterbury, the vicarage of Afford in Kent; the rectories of St. Michael Crooked-Lane, London, and of Towen in the diocefe of Bangor: which accumulating of benefices brought on an order of Council dated the 29th of June, 1550, de-` creeing that no Bishop should hence. ⚫ forth forth keep other benefice than his Bishoprick only.' On the 3d of July the learned John Hooper was made Bishop of Gloucester. Upon the vacancies of these and other Sees, the best and almost all the manors belonging to themwere furrender'd into the King's hands, and distributed amongst the Courtiers and to make fome fort of compenfation, there were bestowed, on fome Sees, either worfe manors, or else rectories and impropriated tythes as might be exemplified in the Arch bishoprick of Canterbury, the Bishopricks of London, Lincoln, Bath and Wells, &c. And this was the year, in which the city of London, for the fum of one thousand marks, purchased of the King the liberties of Southwark. As foon as the King found himself difembarraffed from the wars with Scotland, and the breach which threatened him from France, he followed the dictates of Archbishop Cranmer to promote the great work of reformation: and as the Earl of Warwick was determined to preferve the King's favour, he appeared very forward to complete his intentions. On January the 28th a commiffion paffed for certain Bishops, laity and Clergy, to enquire after, reprefs, and extirpate the errors of the Anabaptifts, Libertines and Heretics. On the 13th of February Bishop Gardiner was deprived of his Bishoprick of Rochester, that he might not obstruct the progrefs of the reformation; a new confeffion of faith was ordered to be compiled: a general confeffion and abfolution were added to the liturgy the commandments were placed in the beginning of the communion fervice; the chrifm; ufe of the cross in confecrating the bread and wine; prayers for the dead, &c. were laid afide and both the King and Council tried their whole skill to bring the Princess Mary into a temper of complying with their changes in religion, but without fuccefs; for the re folutely continued to have mass said in her own houfe contrary to their remonftrances. Which drew her brother's displeasure upon her and in all probability gave occafion to the Earl of Warwick's fcheme to exclude her from the fucceffion, who afterwards formed a project to fet the Lady Jane Grey upon the English throne at the demife of King Edward, as will be more particularly related hereafter. : In April this nation was visited with the fweating fickness; it began in Shrewsbury, and spread towards the north, continuing 'till the October following. Whoever was feized with it died, or recovered, within ten hours. If he took cold, he was fure to die in three hours; if he flept, within six hours, he died raving and it raged chiefly amongft young men of robuft conftitutions. And as it did not affect foreigners in England: fo it fpread amongst the English alone refiding in foreign parts. This fickness carried off feveral of the nobility alfo, amongst whom was the Duke of Suffolk,and his brother; by which means the title became extinct in the family of the Brandon's, which was next in fucceffion to the Crown after the two daughters of Henry VIII. The Earl of Warwick, who is faid to have formed 2 defign upon the fucceffion in favour of his own family, caufed Henry Grey Marquis of Northampton to be created Duke of Suffolk, and himself Duke of Northumberland, a title then alfo extinct by the death of Henry Percy, the last Earl of Northumberland; and he promoted his peculiars, William Pawlet Earl of Wiltshire and Lord Treafurer to the dignity of Marquis of Winchefter, and Sir William Herbert, to bẹ Earl of Pembroke. The Duke of Northumberland, notwithstanding thefe alliances, and promotions, not thinking himself in a capacity to retain the King's favour, and execute his grand projects, so long as the Duke of Somerfet had access to the King : King, and daily advanced in his efteem; refolved to ruin him entirely : and for that purpofe procured a report to be spread abroad that the Duke had caused himself to be proclaimed King in divers counties, befides other treasonable practices and gave him fuch mortifications as fhould put him on actions, that would give an advantage against him. In which ftratagems the Duke too well fucceeded, so that he prefently found the King ready to hearken to any stories against his uncle. And it being difcovered that, in order to rescue himself from the indignities he fuffered, during his difgrace, he had formed a plot to regain his former poft; which was certified to the King by Sir Thomas Palmer, one of his confidents, the Duke of Somerfet was once more apprehended on the 17th of October, and fent to the Tower, with many more of his accomplices and friends; amongst whom we find his duchefs, two of her women, the Earl of Arundel, and Lord Paget. His chief accufation was his intent to kill or at leaft to fecure the person of the Duke of Northumberland, and to get himself declared Protector in the next Parliament; which the Earl of Rutland declared upon oath. And Palmer and one Crane depofed that Sir Ralph Vane was defigned to lead two thousand men to fupport his attempts, who, with one hundred horse, were to have fallen upon the guard; that then the Duke intended to have gone through the city proclaiming Liberty, Liberty; and in cafe he could not raile the people, that he purposed to fly to the ifle of Wight. Upon which depofitions the Duke being impeached, before his Peers, he was acquitted of the treafon, and only found guilty of felony for intending to imprifon the Duke of Northumberland: and though his execution was deferred for fome time; yet the King on the 22d of January was perfuaded to fign an order for his execution. The Duke of Somerfet being on the Scaffold fpoke to the fpectators with a calm and undisturbed countenance.' He declared that he had never offended the King by word or deed. He gave God thanks for making him his 'inftrument to promote the reforma. tion, and exhorted the people to 'perfift therein.' Here he was obliged to ftop, the fpectators being thrown into diforder and terror, fo that fome of them were smothered to death under the fatal apprehenfion they were all to be maffacred; occafioned by a company of foldiers, who, being ordered to attend the execution, came too late, and in a great hurry. But when the noife was over the Duke refumed his fpeech, and with the fame compofure faid, 'He had always been moft diligent about his Majefty, in his affairs, both at home and abroad; and no lefs diligent in feeking the common good of the whole realm.' In which affertion he was fupported by the joint teftimony of the people, who cried out with great vehemency, It is most true. And when they were filent, he prayed for the King; afked forgiveness of all, whom at any time he had offended; forgave all his enemies, without exception; and defired the people to bear him witness that he died in the faith of Jefus Chrift. Then fpending a fhort time in private devotions, he received the fatal blow. (See his life on page 65, Vol. IV.) The populace were fo much perfuaded of his innocence that they dipped their handkerchiefs in his blood; one of which a woman fhook at the Duke of Northumberland in Q. Mary's reign, as he was conducted a prifoner to the Tower, faying, Behold, the blood, which thou didst caufe to be unjustly fhed, does now apparently begin to revenge itfelf on thee.' And on February the 26th Sir Ralph Vane, Sir Miles Partridge, Sir Michael Stanhope, and Sir Thomas Arundel were executed alfo for being his chief accomplices ; tho' the jury had been compelled, by keeping them locked Ff up |