May 6. The Testourn cried down from 12d. to 9d. and the Groat from 4d. to 3d.
June 21. The Cardinal of Lorrain, and of Chastilion, the Constable, the Duke of Guise, &c., were appointed Commissioners on the part of France who absolutely denied the first motion for the Scotch Queen, saying, Both they had taken too much Pains, and spent too many lives for her. Also a conclusion was made for her Marriage to the Dolphin. Then was proponed the Marriage of the Lady Elizabeth, the French King’s eldest daughter; to which they did most chearfully assent. So after they agreed neither Party to be bound in Conscience nor Honour, till she were twelve Years of Age and upwards. Then they came to the Dote which was first asked 1,500,000 Scutes of France, at which they made a mock; after for donatio propter nuptias, they agreed that it should be as great as hath been given by the King my Father to any Wife he had.
June 22. Our Commissioners came to 1,400,000 of Crowns, which they refused, then to a Million, which they denied; then to 800,000 Crowns, which they said they would not agree to.
June 23. Then our Commissioners asked what they would offer? First they offered 100,000 Crowns, then 200,000, which they said was the most, and more than ever was given. Then followed great Reasonings, and showing of Presidents, but no nearer they would come.
June 24. They went forward unto the Penalties if the Parties misliked, after that the King’s Daughter were twelve and upwards, which the French offered 100,000, 50,000 Crowns, or promise, that she should be brought, at her Father’s Charge, three months before she were twelve, sufficiently jewelled and stuffed. Then bonds to be delivered alternately at London, and at Paris, and so forth.
June 26. The Frenchmen delivered the foresaid answers written to my Commissioners.
December 1. The Duke of Somerset came to his Trial at Westminster-Hall; The Lord Treasurer sat as High-Steward of England, under the Cloth of State, on a Bench between two Posts, three degrees high. All the Lords to the number of 26,[2] viz.:
| Dukes. Suffolk. Northumberland. Marquesses. Northampton. | Earls. Derby. Bedford. Huntington. Rutland. Bath. Sussex. Worcester. Pembrook. Vis. Hereford. | Barons. Burgaveny. Audley. Wharton. Evers. Latimer. Bourough. Souch. Stafford. Wentworth. Darcy. Sturton. Windsor. Cromwell. Cobham. Bray. |
These sat a degree under, and heard the Matter debated.
First, After the Indictments were read, five in number, the Learned Counsel laid to my Lord of Somerset, Palmer’s Confession. To which he answered, That he never minded to raise the North, and declared all the ill he could devise of Palmer, but he was afraid for Bruites, and that moved him to send to Sir William Herbert. Replied it was again, that the worse Palmer was, the more he served his purpose. For the Banquet, he swore it was untrue, and required more Witnesses. Whence Crane’s Confession was read. He would have had him come Face to Face. For London, he meant nothing of hurt of any Lord, but for his own Defence. For the Gendarmoury, it were but a mad matter for him to enterprise with his 100 against 900. For having men in his Chamber at Greenwich, confessed by Partridg, it seemed he meant no harm, because when he could have done harm he did it not. My Lord Strange’s Confession, he swore it was untrue, and the Lord Strange took his oath it was true. Nudigate’s, Hammond’s and Alexander Seimour’s Confessions he denied, because they were his Men.
The Lawyers rehearsed, how to raise Men at his House for an ill Intent, as to kill the Duke of Northumberland, was Treason, by an Act, Anno tertio of my Reign, against Unlawful Assemblies, for to devise the Death of the Lords was Felony. To mind resisting his attachment was Felony. He answered, He did not intend to raise London, and swore, that the Witnesses were not there. His assembling of men was but for his own defence. He did not determine to kill the Duke of Northumberland, the Marquess, &c., but spoke of it, and determined after the contrary, and yet seemed to confess he went about their Death.
The Lords went together. The Duke of Northumberland would not agree that any searching of his Death should be Treason. So the Lords acquitted him of High Treason, and condemned him of Treason Fellonious, and so he was adjudged to be hang’d.
He gave thanks to the Lords for their open Trial, and cried Mercy of the Duke of Northumberland, the Marquess of Northampton, and the Earl of Pembrook, for his ill-meaning against them, and made suit for his Life, Wife, Children, Servants, and Debts, and so departed without the Ax of the Tower. The People knowing not the Matter, shouted half a dozen of times so loud, that from the Hall-Door it was heard at Charing-Cross plainly, and rumours went that he was quit of all.
January 6 [1551]. The same night was first of a Play. After a Talk between one that was called Riches and the other Youth, whether of them was better. After some pretty Reasoning there came in six Champions of either side.
| On Youth’s side came My Lord Fitzwater. My Lord Ambrose. Sir Anthony Brown. Sir William Cobham. Mr. Cary. Mr. Warcop. | On Riche’s side My Lord Fitzwarren. Sir Robert Stafford. Mr. Courtney. Digby. Hopton. Hungerford. |
All these fought two to two at Barriers in the Hall. Then came in two apparelled like Almains, the Earl of Ormond and Jaques Granado, and two came in like Friars, but the Almains would not suffer them to pass till they had fought; the Friars were Mr. Drury and Thomas Cobham. After this followed two Masques, one of Men, another of Women. Then a Banquet of 120 Dishes. This day was the end of Christmas.
January 3. The Emperor’s Ambassador moved me several times that my Sister Mary might have Mass, which with no little reasoning with him was denied him.
January 22. The Duke of Somerset had his Head cut off upon Tower-hill, between eight and nine a Clock in the morning.
COMMISSION FOR CONTINUANCE OF SCHOOLS, PREACHERS, ETC., AND PENSIONS
(June 20, 1548).
(Under Chantries Act, 1 Edward VI.)
Source.—Patent Roll, 2 Edward VI. Part iv., m. 22 (d). (A. F. Leach: English Schools at the Reformation. Part ii., p. vii.)
Edward the Syxt, etc. To oure trustie and welbelovyd Walter Mildmay, Knyght, one of the General Surveyours of oure Courte of the Augmentacions and revenues of oure Crowne, and Robert Kelwey, Esquyer, Surveyoure of our lyveries in oure court of Wardes, greatyng. Where in the Act of Parliament made in the first yere of oure Reign, by the wich diverse Colleges, Fre-chappells, Chauntries, Guyldes, Fraternities and Stipends of priestes, ar dissolved and the landes and tenementes, and possessions of the same mencyoned in the same acte, ar come to our handes and possession, it is expressed and declared that at oure Will and pleasure we might direct our Comission or Comissions, under our great seale of England, to suche persons as it shulde please us, for the assignement and appoyntment of landes and tenements for and towarde the sufficyent fynding and maynetenaunce of Scolemasters and preachers in such places where the same were founded or ordened to be kepte. …
And also we woll and commaund you upon the certyficattes