XXXIV. A.D. 1544. CHAP. daughters of Thomas, second Marquis of Dorset. Any one might have supposed that he would have been sufficiently proud of such a noble alliance, whereas he actually sued the King for further recompense, as he expresses himself, "for reparation of my pour marriage, wherein his Majestè was the principall doer." His descendants. Lady Audley, who survived her husband many years, bore to him two daughters; Mary, who died in childhood, and Margaret, who became sole heir to her father's vast possessions. She married, first, Lord Henry Dudley, who fell at the battle of St. Quintin's; and, secondly, Thomas, fourth Duke of Norfolk, by whom, amongst other issue, she had Thomas afterwards created Earl of Suffolk, who built Audley End, in honour of his maternal grandfather†, and from whom are descended the Earls of Suffolk and Berkshire, and Carlisle, the Earls and Marquises of Bristol, and the Lords Howard de Walden, besides the Earls of Bindon and Lords Howard of Escrich, whose titles are extinct. Lord Audley has been always considered as the founder of Magdalene College, Cambridge, which he endowed with large estates. He also authorised the society to use his arms; and appointed "his heirs, the possessors of the late monastery of Walden, visitors of the College in perpetuum, with the right of nominating the masters;" which privileges are still exercised by Lord Braybrooke, the present owner of Audley End. + *Cottonian MSS. "A stately palace," says Dugdale, "not to be equalled, excepting Hampton Court, by any in this realm.". Bar. tit. " Audley." I am exceedingly indebted to this descendant of the illustrious House of Neville (several members of which held the office of Lord Chancellor), for information enabling me considerably to improve my memoir of Lord Audley. — Note to 2d Edition. CHAPTER XXXV. LIFE OF LORD CHANCELLOR WRIOTHESLEY FROM HIS BIRTH TILL CHAP. XXXV. Character THE new Chancellor displayed very different qualities from his predecessor, being a man of principle; but he was, if possible, a worse minister; for, when invested with power, he proved narrow-minded, bigoted, and cruel. Fortunately, he of new was likewise rash and headstrong, so that his objects were generally defeated, and his political career was short. Chancellor descent. Thomas Wriothesley was sprung from a family long dis- His tinguished in "Arms," for they were Heralds. John, his grandfather, was Garter King at Arms to Edward IV. Thomas, his uncle, filled the same office under Henry VII. William, his father, was Norroy King at Arms to that Sovereign. heraldry. the bar. Thomas, the future Peer and Chancellor, early initiated in Renounces heraldic lore, was not contented with the prospect of wearing a tabard, making visitations, examining pedigrees, and marshalling processions. He therefore abjured the Herald's College, took to the study of the common law, and was called to the Is called to bar. He was a diligent student, and made considerable proficiency in his legal studies, but he does not seem ever to have risen into much practice as an advocate; and he showed a preference of politics to law. In 1535, having recommended Obtains himself to Lord Chancellor Audley,-through his interest an office of considerable emolument was conferred upon him in the Court of Common Pleas. Three years after he was made Secretary of State, a post beginning to be important, but still very inferior to its present rank, as then the Lord Chancellor conducted foreign negotiations, and attended to the internal administration of the country. He was a warm adherent of the old faith, to which Henry himself was sincerely attached, office in Common Pleas Made Secretary of State. CHAP. except in as far as the "supremacy" was concerned; and with the Duke of Norfolk and Gardyner, he formed the party Opposed to actually opposed to the Reformation, who procured the passReforma- ing of "the Six Articles." tion. A.D. 1538. Ambassador to negotiate the King's marriage. Succeeds Cromwell as chief ininister His dismay on the detection of He was now in such high favour, that he was employed in the embassy sent by Henry during his widowhood, after the death of Jane Seymour, to negotiate a marriage for him with Christiana, the Duchess Dowager of Milan, then in Flanders, at the Viceregal Court. This negotiation failed, and so did another of the same kind, in which Wriothesley was engaged for an alliance with Mary of Guise, who preferred the youthful King of Scotland, James V., Henry's nephew. The negotiator, in consequence, was some time in disgrace: but luckily for him he had strenuously opposed a match with a German Princess, from the dread of the introduction of Lutheranism; and the sight of Anne of Cleves obtained for him warm thanks for the advice he had given. After the fall of Cromwell, Wriothesley might be considered prime minister; for Audley did not aspire higher than to remain in office to execute the measures of others. As the chief in the King's confidence, he went abroad to negotiate in person the treaty with the Emperor Charles V., which, to his great delight, led to the restoration of the Princess Mary to her place in the line of the royal succession, and opened the prospect of the suppression of Lutheranism. The bounties of the Crown were now lavished upon him. On the death of Robert Earl of Sussex, he was made Chamberlain of the Exchequer, and Constable of Southampton and Porchester castles; the possessions of the dissolved abbey of Tichfield were granted to him, and he was raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Wriothesley of Tichfield, in the County of Hants. The disgrace of Queen Catherine Howard had been a heavy affliction to him and to all true Roman Catholics, as the Catho- she was an avowed protectress of the old faith; and very lie Queen, anxious to have seen another of the same ecclesiastical opinions succeed her as consort to the sovereign, he from time to time recommended alliances with reigning houses in Europe who remained true to Rome. He was exceedingly surprised Catherine Howard; XXXV. Queen. Par. and shocked, therefore, when he was told one morning by the CHAP. King that he had resolved to marry the Lady Catherine Par, a widow of unimpeached private character; but, in religion, and the regarded as little better than a Lutheran. He was very King's marriage much alarmed by apprehension of the influence she might with the acquire, and the advantage she might give to the cause of the Protestant Reformation, which in spite of frequent executions for heresy, Catherine was daily gaining ground in England. He did not venture upon the idle task of combating the King's inclination; and he passively saw the ceremony of the marriage performed by Gardyner, Bishop of Winchester, in the Queen's Privy Closet at Hampton Court, although Cranmer, actuated by contrary feelings, to hasten and secure the match, had granted a special licence, dispensing with the publication of banns and all contrary ordinances. A.D. 1544. against the new Queen. Wriothesley, nevertheless, under the influence of misguided His plans zeal, resolved, for the good of the Church, to take the earliest opportunity of making the new Queen share the fate of her predecessors; sanguine in the hope that she would be indiscreet, and that the King would be relentless. The declining health of Lord Audley showed that a vacancy in the office of Chancellor was at hand, and Wriothesley, without hesitation, agreed to accept it; for its duties were not considered at all incompatible with those of prime minister; and the patronage and emoluments peculiarly belonging to it, made it always an object of the highest am bition. Lord Keeper. Audley's resignation taking place on the 22d of April, He is made 1544, we have seen that on the same day the Great Seal was delivered to Wriothesley, with the modest title of "Lord Keeper during the illness of the Chancellor." Having gratefully received it from the King at Whitehall, he carried it to his house in Cannon Row, and there, the following day, "he held a Seal." On Friday, the 30th of April, the first day of Easter term, while Audley was breathing his last, the Lord Keeper publicly took the oaths in the Court of Chancery in West Rot. Cl. 36 Hen. 8. CHAP. XXXV. A.D. 1544. His abjura Pope. minster Hall. His abjuration of the Pope was very ample, and must have cost him a severe pang, unless he had a dispensation for taking it : "I, Thomas Wriothesley, Knyght, Lorde Wriothesley, Lorde tion of the Keeper of the Brode Seale, havynge now the vaile of darkness of the usurped power, auctoritie, and jurisdiccion of the See and Bishoppes of Rome clearly taken away from myne eyes, do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience, that neyther the See, nor the Bishop of Rome, nor any foraine potestate, hath nor ought to have any jurisdiccion, power, or auctoritie within this realme, neither by, Godd's lawe, nor by any other juste lawe or meanes; and though by sufferance and abusions in tymes passed, they aforesaide have usurped and vendicated a fayned and unlawful power and jurisdiccion within this realme, whiche hath ben supported tyll fewe yeres passed, therefore, by cause it myght be denied, and thought thereby that I toke or take it for just and good, I therefore nowe do clerely and frankeley renounce, refuse, relinquishe, and forsake the pretended auctoritie, power, and jurisdiccion both of the See and Bishop of Rome, and of all other foraine powers; and that I shall never consent nor agre that the foresaid See or Bishop of Rome, or any of their successours, shall practise, exercise, or have any manner of auctoritie, jurisdiccion, or power within this realme, or any other the Kynge's realmes or domynions, nor any foraine potestate, of what estate, degree, or condiccion soever he be, but that I shall resiste the same at all tymes to the uttermost of my power, and that I shall accepte, repute, and take the Kynge's majestie, his heyres, and successors, when they or any of them shall enjoy his place, to be the only supreme Head in earth, under God, of the Churche of England and Ireland, and of all other his Hignesse's dominions; and in case any other hathe ben made by me to any person or persons in maintenance, defence, or favour of the See and Bishop of Rome, or his auctoritie, jurisdiccion, or power, I reporte the same as vague and adnihilate, and shall holly and trewely observe and kepe this othe. So helpe me God, all Sainctes, and the Holy Evangelists." The old Duke of Norfolk who had so often officiated on such occasions, attended this installation, but we have no account of any orations delivered, and probably the ceremony was made as short and simple as possible, out of delicacy to the dying Audley. Rot. Cl. 36 Hen. 8. |