V. tleman, especially being in the rank of the most eminently CHAP. learned and pious in the age, and such as were the restorers of good learning, and furtherers of true religion: by whose Anno 1576. means, in a great measure, popery began to be thrown out of this kingdom; and who was an exile for the gospel. And particularly his memory is to be preserved, for having been one of those that first imbued the mind of that excellent prince, king Edward VI. with right principles of religion, and an instrument of his extraordinary attainments in learning. ed. lated and To all which commendations of this worthy man, I must add one more, in respect of the singular attainments, that by his instruction his incomparable daughters had in learning His daughand godliness: which some of them shewed in their works ters learnpublished. The lady Anne, wife to the lord keeper Bacon, Books by translated into proper English, bishop Jewel's Apology for them transthe Church of England; which was printed for common published. use, and set forth by the special order of archbishop Parker, as hath been taken notice of elsewhere, with some additions of his own at the end. The lady Elizabeth, his third daughter, wife to the lord John Russel, son and heir to Francis earl of Bedford, translated likewise out of Latin into English, a tract, called, A way of reconciliation of a good and learned man, touching the true nature and substance of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament. Printed 1605, and dedicated to her only daughter, Anne Herbert, wife to the lord H. Herbert, son and heir to Edward earl of Worcester. In which epistle, the excellent spirit as well as pen of that good lady may be seen. ginning thus: 66 "Most virtuous and worthily beloved daughter; Be sel to her even Lady Rusas from your first birth and cradle I ever was most care- daughter, ❝ful, above any worldly thing, to have you suck the per- lady Her"fect milk of sincere religion; so, willing to end as I be 66 gan, I have left to you, as my last legacy, this book, a "most precious jewel, to the comfort of your soul; being "the work of a good, learned man, made above fifty years bert. II. 66 66 BOOK "since, in Germany; after by travail a French creature, 66 now naturalized by me into English." Then, proceeding Anno 1576. to give the reason of her publishing this piece, she added, "That at first she meant not to set it abroad in print; but "herself only to have some certainty to lean unto in a mat"ter so full of controversy, and to yield a reason of her opinion. But since lending the copy of her own hand to a friend, she was bereft thereof by some: and fearing "lest after her death it should be printed according to the "humours of others, [such things, it seems, being some"times done in those days,] and wrong of the dead: who 470" in his life approved her translation with his own allow"ance: therefore dreading, she said, wrong to him, above "any other respect, she had by anticipation prevented the "worst." And then piously and affectionately she concludes thus: "That she meant it for a new year's gift;" and then," Farewell, my good sweet Nanny. God bless "thee with the continuance of the comfort of the Holy "Spirit; that it may ever work in you, and persevere with you to the end and in the end." And then she ends with this tetrastic to her said daughter, suitable to the new year: Buxton quented. 66 IN ANNAM FILIAM. Ut veniens annus tibi plurima commodet, ANNA, Elizabetha Russella, Dowager. Buxton wells were at this time in great request, for helpwells fre- ing, by its medicinal virtue, persons afflicted with the gout and other diseases. One of these patients was sir Thomas Smith, the secretary. He was in the summer retired to his house at Hill hall, in Essex, by reason of his distemper; the use of his tongue being clean taken away, that he could not be understood when he spake; such was the continualness of his rheum, that distilled from his head downward: as Mr. Gilbert Talbot wrote in his news from court to his V. Smith goes father, the earl of Shrewsbury. And that that day (which CHAP. was July the 6th) or the next, he set forwards towards the baths in Somersetshire: and from thence, about the latter Anno 1576. end of the month, he went to Buxton, to whom Walsing- Sir Thomas ham, the other secretary, sent letters thither about that thither. time, supposing him then to be there. But all would not serve. This his disease proved mortal, and ended his use- Dies. ful life the year after. A more particular of his distemper, chiefly seizing his tongue, and his pious behaviour in his lingering sickness, is related in his Life, written in the year Life of sir 1698. Tho. Smith. Buxton. There was also here at Buxton sir Walter Mildmay's The lady lady, using the waters for recovery of her health. She was Mildmay at sister to sir Francis Walsingham. Upon both these courtiers' accounts, the earl of Shrewsbury and his lady shewed all respects to that lady. And in acknowledgment thereof, in a letter, dated July 3, he told the earl, " that he had "great cause to think himself much bound to his lordship, "for the great favour and courtesy his sister Mildmay re"ceived at his lordship's hands, at her being then at Buxton. For which, as for all other tokens of his good-will "heretofore declared unto him, he wished he had always "some occasion to shew himself thankful, not in words "only, but in deed." He sent the earl herewithal two 471 packets for the queen, his charge, [viz. the queen of Scots,] with other letters to sir Thomas Smith, who at that time, he supposed, was there at Buxton's also. Nor did sir Walter forbear his thankful acknowledg-Courtesy ments to the earl, for the favours shewed to his wife. Writ- shewn her there by ing to him three or four days after, [viz. Aug. 3,] from his the earl of seat at Apthorp, "That the continual advertisement that Shrews"he had from his wife, of the great courtesy and charge knowledged "that it pleased his lordship and his good lady daily to "bestow upon her, gave him just cause to continue also his band. 66 most hearty thanks to his lordship for the same. For "that, without that favour and help at his lordship's hands, 66 being at Buxton, in so cold and raw a country, would be "very tedious to her. And that therefore they both were bury, ac by sir Wal ter her hus II. BOOK "the more bound unto his lordship therein; and would to "their power be as thankful unto his lordship, as in any-" Anno 1576.❝ wise they might." The queen's progress. The countess of Shrewsbury at court. Lord Tal bot's letter thereof to the earl. Offic. Ar mor. The court news now, in the beginning of July, was concerning the queen's progress this summer; which was yet scarcely resolved upon. Her majesty's determination thereof was uncertain, as Mr. Francis Talbot wrote to the earl of Shrewsbury from court, in his letter dated July 11, till the day before it was appointed to Grafton, and so to Ashley, my lord of Huntingdon's house, there to have remained one and twenty days. But that present day it was altered. And she would no farther than Grafton this year. And so the court being dispersed, he having not to do such things there, as otherwise his lordship [his father] had commanded him, he intended to go presently to Wiltshire; where his wife was with my lord her brother. And after some small time of abode there, he would wait on his lordship. Some days before, his other son, Gilbert, gave his father an account concerning a message he had commanded him to do to the earl of Leicester, the great favourite at court; whom therefore he laboured by all means to keep his friend; lest any misrepresentation might be made of him at court, about that weighty charge committed to his trust and fidelity. The countess of Shrewsbury was lately at court to wait upon the queen: whose carriage was so graceful, discreet, wise, and obliging, that her majesty, and the whole court, was much taken with her. She was the earl's second wife, and was the daughter of Hardwich, of Hardwich of Derbyshire, esq. lately married to her: by whom he had great wealth. These matters were thus represented by letter to the earl, by his son Gilbert then at court. "I have had some talk with my lord of Leicester since my coming: whom I find most assuredly well affected to"wards your lordship and yours. I never knew man in "my life more joyful for their friends than he, at my lady's "noble and wise government of herself, at her late being 472" here: saying, that he heartily thanked God for so good "a friend and kinsman as your lordship: and that you V. “are matched with so noble and good a wife. I saw the CHAP. "queen's majesty yesterday in the garden; but for that "she was talking with my lord Hunsdon, she spake no- Anno 1576. "thing to me; but looked very earnestly on me," &c. talk about Some few days after, his other son, the lord Francis, The queen's shewed, "That upon his coming to court, as soon as her majesty saw him in the privy closet, she asked him how "his lordship and my lady did. To whom he answered, "that he had in charge to do both their humble duties to "her. And that his lordship and my lady were in best "estate, when they heard first the prosperous health of her "majesty. And she said, she was most assured thereof: "and told him, that neither of their loves was lost unto "her. For that she requited it with the like again; with "other good words to that effect. But because the time "would not then serve, she had, he added, no further talk "or question with him." The queen began her progress, July the 30th, towards Havering. CHAP. VI. Matters of the Low Countries. The queen's safety concerned therein; especially the French king's brother entering into action for them. The apprehensions of the lord treasurer. The lord keeper's letter of counsel to the queen in this juncture. Reports from abroad concerning the Scottish queen's escape. Advice of it sent to the earl of Shrewsbury from the court. A matter in Ireland about the cess; comes before the queen and council. The rigorous exaction complained of: regulated. 473 As the queen had the last year sent her ambassadors to the Anno 1577. Low Countries, to find out means, if possible, for the quiet Low Counof that people; so now there appeared but little amends of affecting the hard usage and rigorous oppression exercised by king this kingPhilip's government. Which could not but awake the queen and her ministers, and warn them of their own danger from dom. |