God's approbation thereof; which will last and remain, how furiously soever the wicked rage, and imagine vain things against it.

Here I presume to present your Honour the lives and deaths of some worthies, contrary to those Quakers in their practice and opinion; I mean, the martyrs in the reign of queen Mary. These despised not their superiors, giving due reverence to those who condemned them, honouring lawful authority, though unlawfully used. These cast not off their clothes, but modestly wore their linen on them at their suffering. These counterfeited no corporal quaking, (standing as firm as the stake they were fastened to,) though, in a spiritual sense, “working out their salvation with fear and trembling" whose admirable piety and patience is here recommended unto your lordship's consideration, by

Your humble servant to be commanded in

all Christian offices,

THOMAS FULLER.

THE

CHURCH HISTORY OF BRITAIN.

BOOK VIII.

SECTION I.

THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

1. Queen Mary, in Despite of the Duke of Northumberland's Opposition, crowned. A.D. 1553. 1 Mary.

KING Edward, tender in years, and weak with sickness, was so practised on by the importunity of others, that, excluding his two sisters, he conveyed the crown to the lady Jane his kinswoman, by that which we may well call the Testament of king Edward, and the Will of the duke of Northumberland. Thus, through the pious intents of this prince, wishing well to the Reformation; the religion of queen Mary, obnoxious to exception; the ambition of Northumberland, who would do what he listed; the simplicity of Suffolk, who would be done with as the other pleased; the dutifulness of the lady Jane, disposed by her parents; the fearfulness of the judges, not daring to oppose; and the flattery of the courtiers, most willing to comply,-matters were made as sure as man's policy can make that good which is bad in itself. But the Commons of England, who for many years together had conned loyalty by heart out of the Statute of Succession, were so perfect in their lesson that they would not be put out of it by this new-started design. So that every one proclaimed Mary next heir in their consciences; and, few days after king Edward's death, all the project miscarried. Of the plotters whereof some executed, more imprisoned, most pardoned, all conquered, and queen Mary crowned. Thus, though the stream of loyalty for a while was violently diverted, (to run in a wrong channel,) yet with the speediest opportunity it recovered the right course again.

2. The Truth of the Carriage of Sir Edward Mountagu in his Drawing up the Will of King Edward VI.

But now in what manner this will of king Edward was advanced, that the greatest blame may be laid on them who had the deepest guilt, the following answer of Sir Edward Mountagu, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, (accused for drawing up the will, and committed by queen Mary to prison for the same,) will truly acquaint us. The original whereof under his own hand, was communicated unto me, by his great-grandchild, Edward Lord Mountagu of Boughton, and here faithfully exemplified:

"Sir Edward Mountagu, knight, late Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, received a letter from Greenwich, dated the eleventh day of June last past, signed with the hands of the lord treasurer, the duke of Northumberland, John earl of Bedford, Francis earl of Shrewsbury, the earl of Pembroke, the lord Clinton, the lord Darcy, John Gate, William Petre, William Cecil, John Cheke; whereby he was commanded to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at afternoon, and to bring with him Sir John Baker, Justice Bromley, the Attorney and Solicitor-General; and, according to the same, all they were there at the said hour of one of the clock. And, after they were brought to the presence of the king, the Lord Treasurer, the marquess of Northampton, Sir John Gate, and one or two more of the Council, whose names he doth not now remember, were present. "And then and there the king by his own mouth said, that now in his sickness he had considered the state of this his realm and succession, which, if he should decease without heir of his body, should go to the lady Mary, who was unmarried, and might marry a stranger-born, whereby the laws of this realm might be altered and changed, and his Highness's proceedings in religion might be altered. Wherefore his pleasure was, that the state of the Crown should go in such form, and to such persons, as his Highness had appointed in a bill of articles not signed with the king's hand, which were read, and commanded them to make a book thereof accordingly with speed. And they, finding divers faults, not only for the incertainty of the articles, but also declaring unto the king, that it was directly against the Act of Succession, which was an Act of Parliament, which would not be taken away by no such devise. Notwithstanding, his Highness would not otherwise, but that they should draw a book according to the said articles, which he then took them; and they required a reasonable time of his Highness for the doing thereof, and to consider the laws and statutes made for the Succession; which indeed were and be more dangerous than any of them, they did consider and remember; and so they departed, commanding them to make speed.

"And on the morrow all the said persons met, and, perusing the said statutes, there grew this question amongst them, whether it were presently treason by the words of the statute of anno primo Edvardi Sexti, or no treason till it were put in execution after the king's death? because the words of the statute are, the king, his heirs, and successors,' because the king can have no successors in his life; but, to be sure, they were all agreed that it were the best and surer way to say to the lords, that the execution of this device, after the king's decease, was not only treason, but the making of this device was also presently treason, as well in the whole council as in them, and so agreed to make their report without doing any thing for the execution thereof.

"And after Sir William Petre sent for the said Sir Edward to Ely-place, who showed him that the lords required great speed in the making of the said book; and he told him,-there were none like to be made for them, for the danger aforesaid. And after that, the said Sir Edward, with the rest of his company, went to the Court, and before all the Council, (the duke of Northumberland being not in the Council-chamber,) made report to the lords, that they had considered the king's articles, and also the Statutes of Succession, whereby it appeared manifestly, that, if they should make any book according to the king's commandment, they should not only be in danger of treason, but also their lordships all; wherefore they thought it their bounden duties to declare the danger of the laws unto them; and for avoiding of the danger thereof they had nothing done therein, nor intended to do, the laws being so dangerous and standing in force.

"The duke of Northumberland, having intelligence of their answer either by the earl of Huntingdon, or by the lord admiral, cometh into the Council-chamber before all the Council there, being in a great rage and fury, trembling for anger, and amongst his rageous talk called the said Sir Edward, Traitor;' and further said, that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel, (as all the whole Council being there will report,) whereby the said Sir Edward, with the rest, were in great fear and dread, in special Mr. Bromley, and the said Sir Edward; for Mr. Bromley told the said Sir Edward after, that he dreaded then that the duke would have stricken one of them; and, after, they were commanded to go home, and so departed in great fear, without doing any thing more at that time, wishing of God they had stood to it, as they did then, unto this time.

"And after the said Sir Edward received another letter dated at Greenwich the 14th of June last past, signed with the hands of the lord treasurer, the earl of Bedford, the marquess of Northampton,

the earl of Shrewsbury, the lord Clinton, the lord Cobham, the lord' Darcy, William Petre, John Gate, John Cheke, whereby he was commanded to bring with him Sir John Baker, Justice Bromley, and Mr. Gosnold, and to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at afternoon, where all they were at the same hour, and conveyed into a chamber behind the dining-chamber there; and all the lords looked upon them with earnest countenance, as though they had not known them. So that the said Sir Edward, with the other, might perceive there were some earnest determination against them : and at length they were brought before the king himself, there being present all the whole Council.

"And the king demanded of them why they had not made his book, according to his commandment, and refused that to do? with sharp words and angry countenance; and the said Sir Edward opened unto his Highness the cause why they did it not; and he and other had before declared and opened to the Council, that if the writings were made, they were of no effect nor force, but utterly void when the king should decease, and the Statute of Succession not impaired nor hurt, for these will not be taken away but by the same authority they were made, and that was by Parliament. To that said the king, 'We mind to have a Parliament shortly;' not telling when, which was the first time that the said Sir Edward heard of any Parliament to be had. Whereunto he said, if his pleasure were so, all might be deferred to the Parliament, and all dangers and perils saved. Whereunto the king said, he would have this done, and after ratify it by Parliament. And, after, commanded them very sharply upon their allegiance to make it; and there were divers of the lords, that stood behind the said Sir Edward, said, and if they refused to do that, they were traitors.' And the said Sir Edward was in great fear as ever he was in all his life before, seeing the king so earnest and sharp, and the said duke so angry the day before, who ruled the whole Council as it pleased him, and were all afraid of him; (the more is the pity!) so that such cowardliness and fear was there never seen amongst honourable men, as it hath appeared.

"The said Sir Edward, being an old weak man and without comfort, began to consider with himself what was best to be done for the safeguard of his life, which was like to chance in that fury and great anger presently. And, remembering that the making of the said writing was not presently treason by the Statute of anno primo, because this word 'Successor' would take no place while the king was living, and determined with himself not to meddle nor execute any thing concerning the same after the death of the king, which he hath truly kept hereunto; and also remembering that the