1549. CHA P. and though extremely desirous of accepting the XXXV. English alliance against France his capital enemy, he thought it unsuitable to his other pretensions to enter into strict confederacy with a nation which had broken off all connections with the church of Rome. He therefore declined the advances of friendship from England; and eluded the applications of the ambassadors. An exact account is preserved of this negotiation in a letter of Hobby's; and it is remarkable that the Emperor, in a conversation with the English ministers, asserted that the prerogatives of a King of England were more extensive than those of a King of France. Burnet, who preserves this letter, subjoins, as a parallel instance, that one objection which the Scots made to marrying their Queen with Edward was, that all their privileges would be swallowed up by the great prerogative of the Kings of England. g: f SOMERSET, despairing of assistance from the Emperor, was inclined to conclude a peace with France and Scotland; and besides that he was not in a condition to maintain such ruinous wars, he thought that there no longer remained any object of hostility. The Scots had sent away their Queen; and could not, if ever so much inclined, complete the marriage contracted with Edward: And as Henry VIII. had stipulated to restore Boulogne in 1554, it seemed a matter of small moment to anticipate a few years the execution of the treaty. But when he proposed these reasons to the council, he met with strong opposition from his enemies, who seeing him unable to support the war, were determined, for that reason, to oppose all proposals for a pacification. The factions ran high in the court of England; and matters were drawing to an issue fatal to the authority of the Protector. very. AFTER 1549. in the AFTER Somerset obtained the patent investing CHAP. him with regal authority, he no longer paid any XXXV. attention to the opinion of the other executors and counsellors; and being elated with his high dignity, Factions as well as with his victory at Pinkey, he thought council. that every one ought in every thing to yield to his sentiments. All those who were not entirely devoted to him were sure to be neglected; whoever opposed his will received marks of anger or contempt"; and while he shewed a resolution to govern every thing, his capacity appeared not in any respect proportioned to his ambition. Warwic, more subtle and artful, covered more exorbitant views under fairer appearances; and having associated himself with Southampton, who had been re-admitted into the council, he formed a strong party, who were determined to free themselves from the slavery imposed on them by the Protector. THE malcontent counsellors found the disposition of the nation favourable to their designs. The nobility and gentry were in general displeased with the preference which Somerset seemed to have given to the people; and as they ascribed all the insults to which they had been lately exposed to his procrastination and to the countenance shewn to the multitude, they apprehended a renewal of the same disorders from his present affectation of popularity. He had erected a court of requests in his own house for the relief of the people, and he interposed with the judges in their behalf; a measure which might be deemed illegal, if any exertion of prerogative at that time could with certainty deserve that appellation. And this attempt, which was a stretch of power, seemed the more impolitic, because it disgusted the nobles, the surest support of monarchical authority. Strype, vol. ii. p. 181. i Ibid. BUT СНАР. BUT though Somerset courted the people, the XXXV. interest which he had formed with them was in no 1549, 6th Oct. degree answerable to his expectations. The catholic party, who retained influence with the lower ranks, were his declared enemies; and took advantage of every opportunity to decry his conduct. The attainder and execution of his brother bore an odious aspect: The introduction of foreign troops into the kingdom was represented in invidious colours: The great estate which he had suddenly acquired at the expence of the church and of the crown rendered him obnoxious; and the palace which he was building in the Strand served, by its magnificence, and still more by other circumstances which attended it, to expose him to the censure of the public. The parish church of St. Mary, with three bishops' houses, was pulled down, in order to furnish ground and materials for this structure: Not content with that sacrilege, an attempt was made to demolish St. Margaret's, Westminster, and to employ the stones to the same purpose; but the parishioners rose in a tumult and chased away the Protector's tradesmen. He then laid his hands on a chapel in St. Paul's Church-yard, with a cloister and charnel house belonging to it; and these edifices, together with a church of St. John of Jerusalem, were made use of to raise his palace. What rendered the matter more odious to the people was, that the tombs and other monuments of the dead were defaced: and the bones being carried away were buried in unconsecrated ground.* ALL these imprudencies were remarked by SomerConspi- set's enemies, who resolved to take advantage of them. Lord St. John, president of the council, the Earls Somerset. of Warwic, Southampton, and Arundel, with five racy against * Heylin, p. 72, 73. Stowe's Survey of London. Hayward, p. 303. members XXXV. members more, met at Ely-house; and assuming to CHA P. themselves the whole power of the council, began to act independently of the Protector, whom they 1549. represented as the author of every public grievance and misfortune. They wrote letters to the chief nobility and gentry in England, informing them of the present measures, and requiring their assistance: They sent for the mayor and aldermen of London, and enjoined them to obey their orders, without regard to any contrary orders which they might receive from the Duke of Somerset. They laid the same injunctions on the Lieutenant of the Tower, who expressed bis resolution to comply with them. Next day, Rich, Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Northampton, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Sir Thomas Cheney, Sir John Gage, Sir Ralph Sadler, and Chief Justice Montague, joined the malcontent counsellors; and every thing bore a bad aspect for the Protector's authority. Secretary Petre, whom he had sent to treat with the council, rather chose to remain with them: The common council of the city, being applied to, declared with one voice their approbation of the new measures, and their resolution of supporting them.' As soon as the Protector heard of the defection of the counsellors, he removed the King from Hampton-court, where he then resided, to the castle of Windsor; and, arming his friends and servants, seemed resolute to defend himself against all his enemies. But finding that no man of rank, except Cranmer and Paget, adhered to him, that the people did not rise at his summons, that the city and Tower had declared against him, that even his best friends had deserted him, he lost all hopes of success, and began to apply to his enemies for pardon and forgiveness. No sooner was this despondency known, than Lord Russel, Sir John Baker, Speaker of the House of Commons, and three 1549. CHA P. Counsellors more, who had hitherto remained neuXXXV. ters, joined the party of Warwic, whom every one now regarded as master. The council informed the public, by proclamation, of their actions and intentions; they wrote to the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth to the same purpose; and they made addresses to the King, in which, after the humblest protestations of duty and submission, they informed him, that they were the council appointed by his father for the government of the kingdom during his minority; that they had chosen the Duke of Somerset Protector, under the express condition that he should guide himself by their advice and direction; that he had usurped the whole authority, and had neglected, and even in every thing opposed their counsel; that he had proceeded to that height of presumption as to levy forces against them, and place these forces about His Majesty's person: They therefore begged that they might be admitted to his royal presence; that he would be pleased to restore them to his confidence, and that Somerset's servants might be dismissed. Their request was complied with; Somerset capitulated only for gentle treatment, which was Somerset promised him. He was, however, sent to the Tower, with some of his friends and partisans, tectorship, among whom was Cecil, afterwards so much dis resigns the pro tinguished. Articles of indictment were exhibited against him"; of which the chief, at least the best founded, is his usurpation of the government, and his taking into his own hands the whole administration of affairs. The clause of his patent, which invested him with absolute power unlimited by any law, was never objected to him; plainly because, according to the sentiments of those times, that power was in some degree involved in the very idea of regal authority. THE catholics were extremely elated with this re n m Stowe, p. 600. Burnet, vol. ii. book i. coll. 46. Hay. ward, p. 308. Stowe, p. 601. Holingshed, p. 1059. 16. volution; |