Henry having thus seen England in a great measure civilized by his endeavours, his people pay their taxes without constraint, the nobles confessing subordination, the laws alone inflicting punishment, the towns beginning to live independent of the powerful, commerce every day increasing, the spirit of faction extinguished, and foreigners either fearing England or seeking its alliance, he began to see the approaches of his end, and died of the gout in his stomach, having lived fifty-two years, and reigned twenty-three. 1509. Since the time of Alfred, England had not seen such another king. He rendered his subjects powerful and happy, and wrought a greater change in the manners of the people, than it was possible to suppose could be effected in soshort a time. A. D. CHAP. XXIII. HENRY VIII. A. D. 1509-1546. No prince ever came to the throne with a conjuncture of circumstances more in his favor than Henry VIII. now in the eighteenth year of his age. He was at the head of a formidable army, fifty thousand strong, and as a war with France was the most pleasing to the people, he determined to head his forces, for the conquest of that kingdom. But France was not threatened by him alone; the Swiss, on another quarter, with twenty-five thousand men, were preparing to invade it; while Ferdinand of Arragon, whom no treaties could bind, was only waiting for a convenient opportunity of attack on his side to advantage. Never was the French monarchy in so distressed a situation; but the errors of its assailants procured its safety. After an ostentatious but ineffectual campaign, a truce was concluded between the two kingdoms; and Henry began to dissipate, in more peaceful follies, those immense sums which had been amassed by his predecessor for very different purposes. While, however, his pleasures on the one hand engrossed Henry's time, the preparations for repeated expeditions, exhausted his treasures on the other. As it was natural to suppose the old ministers, who were appointed to direct him by his father, would not willingly concur in these projects, Henry had, for some time, discontinued asking their advice, and chiefly confided in the counsels of Thomas, afterwards cardinal Wolsey, who complied with all his in clinations, and flattered him in every scheme to which his sanguine and impetuous temper was inclined. He was the son of a private gentleman, and not of a butcher, as is commonly reported, of Ipswich. He was sent to Oxford so early that he was a bachelor at fourteen, and at that time was called the Boy Bachelor. He rose by degrees, upon quitting college, from one preferment to another, till he was made rector of Lymington, by the marquis of Dorset, whose childrenhe had instructed. He had not long resided at this living, when one of the justices of the peace put him in the stocks for being drunk and raising disturbances at a neighbouring fair. This disgrace, however, did not retard his promotion; for he was recommended as a chaplain to Henry the Seventh; and being employed by the monarch, in a secret negociation respecting his intended marriage with Margaret of Savoy, he acquitted himself to that king's satisfaction, and obtained the praise both of diligence and dexterity. That prince having given him a commission to Maximilian, who at that time resided at Brussels, was surprised in less than three days after to see Wolsey present himself before him; and supposing that he had been delinquent, began to reprove his delay. Wolsey, however, surprised him with assurances, that he was just returned from Brussels, and had successfully fulfilled all his majesty's commands. His dispatch on that occasion procured him the deanry of Lincoln, and in this situation it was that he was introduced by Fox bishop of Winchester, to the young king's notice, in hopes that he would have talents to supplant the earl of Surry, who was the favourite at that time; and in this Fox was not out in his conjectures. Presently after, being introduced at court, he was made a privy counsellor and as such, had frequent opportunities of ingratiating himself with the young king, as he appeared at once complying, submissive, and enterprising. Wolsey used every art to suit himself to the royal temper; he sung, laughed, and danced with every libertine of the court: neither his own years, which were near forty, nor his character as a clergyman, were any restraint upon him, or tended to check, by ill-timed severities, the gaiety of his companions. To such a weak and vicious monarch as Henry, qualities of this nature were highly pleasing; and Wolsey was soon acknowledged as his chief favourite, and to him was entrusted the chief administration of affairs. The people began to see with indignation the new favourite's mean condescensions to the king, and his arrogance to themselves. They had long_ rcgardedhe vicious, haughtiness, and the unbecoming splendor of ple clergy, with envy and detestation; and Wolsey's : greatness served to bring a new odium upon that body, already too much the object of the people's dislike. His character being now placed in a more conspicuous point of light, daily began to manifest itself the more. He was insatiable in his acquisitions, but still more magnificent in his expence ; of extensive capacity, but still more unbounded in enterprise; ambitious of power, but still more desirous of glory; insinuating, engaging, persuasive, and at other times lofty, elevated, and commanding; haughty to his equals, but affable to his dependents; oppressive to the people, but liberal to his friends; more generous than grateful; formed to take the ascendant in every intercourse, but vain enough not to cover his real superiority. In order to divert the envy of the public from his inordinate exaltation, he soon entered into a correspondence with Francis the First, of France, who had taken many methods to work upon his vanity, and at last succeeded. In consequence of that monarch's wishes, Henry was persuaded by the cardinal to an interview with that prince. This expen. sive congress was held between Guisnes and Ardres, near Calais, within the English pale, in compliment to Henry, for crossing the sea. A. D. Some months before a defiance had been sent by the two kings to each other's court, and through all the 1520. chief cities of Europe, importing that Henry and Francis, with fourteen aids, would be ready in the plains of Picardy, to answer all comers that were gentlemen, at tilt and tourney. Accordingly, the monarchs, all now gorgeous. ly apparreled, entered the lists on horseback, Francis surrounded with Henry's guards, and Henry with those of Francis. They were both at that time the most comely personages of their age, and prided themselves in their expertness in the military exercises. The ladies were the judges in these feats of chivalry and they put an end to the encounter whenever they thought proper. It is supposed that the crafty French monarch was willing to gratify Henry's vanity by allowing him to enjoy a petty pre-eminence in these pastimes. He ran a tilt against Monsieur Grandeval, whom he disabled at the second encounter. He engaged Monsieur de Montmorency, whom, however, he could not throw from the saddie. He fought at faulchion with a French nobleman, who presented him with his courser, in token of submission. By this time all the immense treasures of the late king were quite exhausted on empty pageants, guilty pleasures, or vain treatics and expeditions. But the king reliedta› Wolsey alone for replenishing his coffers; and no per could u.. be fitter for the purpose. His first care was to get a large sum of money from the people, under the title of a benevolence, which added to its being extorted, had the mortification of being considered as a free gift. Henry little minded the manner of its being raised, provided he had the enjoyment of it; however his minister met with some opposition in his attempts to levy these extorted contributions. In the first place, having exacted a considerable subsidy from the clergy, he next addressed himself to the house of commons; but though his demands were seconded by Sir Thomas More, the speaker, they only granted him half the supplies he demanded. Wolsey was at first highly offended at their parsimony, and desired to be heard in the house; but as this would have destroyed the very form and constitution of that august body, they replied, that none could be permitted to sit and argue there, but such as had been elected members. This was the first attempt made in this reign to render the king master of the debates in parliament. Wolsey first paved the way; and, unfortunately for the kingdom, Henry too well improved upon his plans soon after. Hitherto the administration of all affairs was carried on by Wolsey; for the king was contented to lose in the embraces of his mistresses all the complaints of his subjects; and the cardinal undertook to keep him ignorant, in order to continue his own uncontrouled authority. But now a period was approaching that was to put an end to this minister's exorbitant power. One of the most extraordinary and important revolutions that ever employed the attention of man was now ripe for execution. This was no less a change than the Reformation. A. D. The vices and impositions of the church of Rome were now almost come to a head; and the increase of arts and learning among the laity, propagated by means of printing, which had been lately invented, began to make them resist that power, which was originally founded on deceit. Leo the Tenth was at that time Pope, and eagerly employed in building the church of St. Peter at Rome. In order to procure money for carrying on that expensive undertaking, he gave a commission for selling indulgences, a practice that had been often tried before. These were to free the purchaser from the pains of purgatory; and they would serve even for one's friends, if purchased with that.intention. There were every where shops opened, where they were to be sold; but in general they were to be had at taverns, brothel and gaming, houses. The Augustine friars had usually been employed in Saxony to preach the indulgencies, and K 1519. from this trust had derived both profit and consideration; but the pope's ministers supposing that they had found out illicit methods of secreting the money, transferred this lucrative employment from them to the Dominicans. Martin Luther, professor in the university of Wirtemberg, was an Augustine monk, and one of those who resented this transfer of the sale of indulgencies from one order to another. He began to shew his indignation by preaching against their efficacy; and being naturally of a fiery temper, and provoked by opposition, he inveighed against the authority of the pope himself. Be ing driven hard by his adversaries, still as he enlarged his reading, in order to support his tenets, he discovered some new abuse or errors in the church of Rome. In this dispute, it was the fate of Henry to be a champion on both sides. His father, who had given him the education of a scholar, permit. ted him to be instructed in school-divinity, which then was the principal object of learned enquiry. Henry, therefore, willing to convince the world of his abilities in that science, obtained the pope's permission to read the works of Luther, which had been forbidden, under pain of excommunication. In consequence of this, the king defended the seven sacraments, out of St. Thomas Aquinas; and shewed some dexterity in this science, though it is thought that Wolsey had the chief hand in directing him, A book being thus finished in haste, it was sent to Rome for the pope's approbation, which it is natural to suppose would not be with-held. The pontiff, ravished with its eloquence and depth, compared it to the labours of St. Jerome or St. Augustine; and rewarded the author with the title of DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, little imagining that Henry was soon to be one of the most terrible enemies that ever the church of Rome had contended with. Henry had now been eighteen years married to Catharine of Arragon, who had been brought over from 1527. Spain, and married his elder brother, who died a few months after co-habitation. But notwithstanding the submis sive deference paid to the indulgence of the church, Henry's marriage with this princess did not pass without scruple and hesitation, both on his own side, and on that of the people. However, it was carried forward, though perhaps not at first excited, by a motive much more powerful than the tacit suggestions of his conscience. It happened that among the maids of honour then attending the queen, there was one Anna Bullen, the daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen, a gentleman of distinction, and related to most of the nobility. He had been employed by the king in several embassies, and was married to a daughter of the duke of Norfolk. The beauty of A. D. |