An Account of Rife, &c. Dr. Colet was born in London in the Year 1466. He was Son of Sir Henry Colet, fometime Lord Mayor of London; made Dean of St. Paul's, as some say, in the Year 1509; but others aver, that it was not till the Year 1512, when he founded his School near St. Paul's, which he called after the Name of that Cathedral, and continues to this Day in a flourishing Condition.* The first Master was the famous William Lily, whofe Grammar and Learning is very well known to the British Nation. The Dr. was an intimate Friend of Erafmus's, as fufficiently appears from the Epiftles that paffed between those two great Men now extant. He lived till the Year 1519, and was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, where a handfome Monument was erected to his Memory; but, being much worn out by Time, was, fome few Years fince, repaired by the Mercer's Company, who were appointed Trustees of his Will, and have all along nobly and faithfully executed the great Truft repofed in them, as well to their Honour, as to the great Service of the City of London and the Kingdom in general. Some little time after Archbishop Wolfey was declared a Cardinal, his Royal Mafter wrote him a most affectionate Letter with his own Hand, which, for the Novelty of it, we fhall here introduce. "My Lord Cardinal, Wolfey. "I recommend me unto you as The King's Let“heartily as I can, and I am right glad ter to Cardinal "to hear of your good Health, which "I pray God may long continue. So it is, that I "have received your Letters, to the which, because they afk long anfwering, I have made an An"fwer by my Secretary: But two Things there are which are fo fecret that they cause me at this VOL. II. * Among other eminent Perfonages educated at this School were the late Victorious John, Rr "time Duke of Marlborough, the prefent "time to write to you myfelf: The one is, that I "trust the Queen, my Wife, is with Child; the o"ther is the chief Caufe why I am fo loth to repair to London, because now is partly her dangerous "Time, and likewife becaufe I would remove her as "little as poffible. Now, my Lord, I write this unta you not as an affured Thing, but as a Thing "wherein I have great Hope and Likelihood; and allo "I do well know that this News will be comfortable "to you to understand, therefore I do write it unto you. No more unto you at this Time, Nifi quod "Deus velit inceptum opus bene finiri. 66 "Written with the Hand of your loving Prince FERDINAND was now grown Affairs of Spain. old and fickly: As his Age and Sicknefs increased, he did not care to rest 1516. long in a Place, but continually moved up and down. Charles of Auftria, hearing of his Grandfather's Illness, fent Adrian, his Preceptor, into Spain, to take care of his Intereft, with full Power likewise to take upon him the Government of Spain, in cafe Ferdinand should suddenly die, before he could otherwise provide for the Safety of that State. Adrian, pursuant to his Mafter's Inftructions, fet out for King Ferdinand's Court; upon his Arrival there he demanded an Audience of the King, which was at first refufed him; (tho' great Endeavours were ufed to prevail on his Catholick Majefty, to fee a Perfon who came from one fo nearly related to him) but after fome time, as his Illness increased, he changed his Mind; for, tho' at firft he could not be perfuaded to prepare for Death, or fee his Father Confeffor, who often endeavoured to get Admittance, he now found it was in vain to defer it, and that his End drew near, he then fent for his Confeffor, received the Sacraments, and acquiefced with the Perfor mance A mance of other Rites of the Church. He alfo fent for his Council, to advise with them, whether he had not better leave his Dominions in Spain to his Grandfon, Ferdinand, instead of Charles, who, he said, perhaps could not come over to govern himself. The Council unanimoufly begged him not to alter the Succeffion, which might occafion Wars and other Calamities. This Reprefentation had the defired Effect, and Ferdinand, when his Council were retired, admitted Adrian to his Prefence, and made his Will. Death of King. On the 23d of January he died of the Dropfy, at a poor Inn at Madrigalego, in the 64th Year of his Age and 42d of his Reign. Many believe the Potion, that his Queen gave him, in hopes of having Children by him, contributed greatly to deftroy his Conftitution. Ferdinand ordered his Body to be buried at Granada. An Aftrologer having told him he fhould die at Madrigalo, he would never go to that Town. 66 Guicciardin relates, "That Ferdinand was a King ex"cellent in Council, and fo furnished with all Virtues, "that he deferved no Reproof, if he had been conftant in keeping his Promifes; for, touching the Charge of Niggardlinefs, it was not true, as appeared “ on the Survey of his Eftate after his Death." This Author further remarks, "That, to the excellent "Virtues of this Prince, was joined a moft rare and perpetual Felicity during the whole Course of his Life, excepting the Death of his only Son :" For, as to the Death of his Son-in-law, that added to his Greatness, the Kingdom of Caftile reverting to him again thereon. Besides, feveral other Incidents contributed towards making him great; he being Second Son to John, King of Arragon, he came to the Crown by the Death of his eldest Brother, and gained the Kingdom of Caftile in Right of his Wife; after fubduing the other Competitors to the fame, he annexed the King Rr 2 dom |