fon; and all the Ecclefiaftical Conftitutions he should make, affifted by the English Prelates, by Confent of the King, were to be held as facred and binding as if the Pope had been present, and immediately gave his express Sanction. By Virtue of this extenfive Power fome Authors fay, he drew within the Verge of his Jurifdiction in England all Matters cognizable in the Ecclefiaftical Courts; but it did not long continue, becaufe, before the Year expired, the Pope was delivered from his Captivity. The New Teftament burnt. During thefe Tranfactions the famous Tyndal, Joy, and other Reformers were employed abroad in tranflating the New Testa ment into English, which they got printed, and fent feveral hundreds of them over into England, where they were privately difperfed: But, as foon as it was found out, the Perfons that had them in their Cuftody were either imprisoned or feverely reprimanded, and the Books were taken from them and publickly burnt; but this was not done till after the Cardinal's Difgrace and Death. Luther's Doctrines prevail. 1527. Luther continued to preach his Doctrines wherever he came, and, tho' all Means poffible were used to fupprefs it in England, it prevailed in the University of Oxford, efpecially in the Cardinal's College, which caufed Dr. Fiddes to remark, "That the Cardinal's "Intention, in erecting his College, proceeded exprefly upon this Suggeftion, that the Society he "defired to establish would be a Means of promoting good Learning, and thereby of extirpating "the many Herefies and Schifms which had fpread "themselves over the Chriftian World: And yet it 66 happened, by the Providence of God, who fre"quently over-rules the Defigns of Men, to effect "fuch Ends as were not only befide their Intention, "but directly oppofite to it, which happened to be T 2 "the "the Cafe here; for there were none more active “and inftrumental in opening a Way to the Reformation in England, than the Members of that Society the Cardinal founded, with Intention of doing eminent Service thereby to the Papal "Caufe." 66 Some Members of the other Societies likewife concurred in promoting the Reformation, and though many of them afterwards were fo intimidated as to recant, yet others chofe rather to be expelled their Colleges, imprisoned for Life, nay, to fuffer Death in the Flames, than abjure the Doctrines they had openly profeffed; all those violent Methods, taken to fupprefs them, proving ineffectual, as well as the publick Sermons and Difputations, whereby the moft Learned of those who profeffed Obedience to the Papal See endeavoured to convert and reclaim them. William Fitz-Williams, Efq;* who had been for fome time in the Cardinal's Service, having a handfome *This Gentleman was defcended from a very antient and noble Family, who have a Tradition that William the Ift, called the Conqueror, in Token of Service done him by William Fitz-Williams, at the Battle of Battle-abbey in Effex, gave him the Scarfe off from his own Arm, that he wore in that Battle, which Scarfe remains, as we have heard, in the Poffeffion of the prefent Heir of this noble Family. This Gentleman was fo grateful to his old Master, Cardinal Wolfey, that, upon his Difgrace, he readily attended him when paffing by his Seat, and entertained him in fo noble a Man ner, that the King was highly difgufted at it, and demanded, How be durft entertain fuch a one in the Manner he had done? To which he answered, That he had not fo done in Disrespect to his Majefty, but purely to fhew his Gratitude to one who had been fo gracious a Mafter, and partly the Means of his good Fortune. This Anfwer fo well pleased the King, that he declared, he had but few fuch Servants, immediately knighted him, and made him one of his Privy Council. From this Hon. Knight the prefent Right Hon. William Earl Fitz-Williams, of the Kingdom of Ireland, is defcended. See the Irifa Compendium. THOMAS of ESS To his Grace CHARLES DUKE of RICHMOND This Plate is humbly Inscribed by his Graces most obed. Servant Joseph Grove. N. Parr Sculp fome Eftate, before the End of this Year took leave of his worthy Mafter, and retired to his Seat in the Country; on whofe Refignation Thomas Cromwell, then lately returned from Italy, and a Gentleman of Experience and good Senfe, fucceeded in the Cardinal's * * Thomas Cromwell was born at Putney in Surry, whofe Father was a Blackfmith, and could beftow no great Coft on his Education; yet was his Son's Activity fo prevalent, his Wit fo pregnant, his Service fo faithful, his Address fo undaunted, yet modeft, and his Pen fo ready, that he could not be long concealed, nor hindered from Favour. He had also so strong a Memory, that, in one Journey to and from Rome, he learned the whole New Teftament, tranflated by Erafmus into Latin, by heart. As he grew up his Inclination Wolf. Is that your Man? The Cardinal takes Mr. Cromwell into his Service. good led him to travel into foreign Countries, to fee the World and learn Experience: He first went into France, thence into Italy, there entered himself a Soldier in the Duke of Bourbon's Army, was at the famous Siege of Rome, and then returned to England. Shakespear gives us this Account, in his Play of Thomas Lord Cromwell, of the Reafon that induced the Cardinal to take Cromwell into his Service, where he introduces his Eminence, Sir Chriftopher Hales, AttorneyGeneral, and Cromwell. Hales. An like your Grace, he is a Scholar and a Linguist; One that has travell'd many Parts of Christendom, my Lord. Wolf. My Friend, come nearer, Have you been a Traveller? Cromw. I have added to my Knowledge the Low Countries, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy; And, tho' small Gain of Profit I did find, Wolf. What do you think of the feveral States Luft dwells in France, in Italy, and Spain, Wolf. |