December 13, leaving only a daughter, fcarce a week old, to inherit his crown and dominions.'

Henry, on the news of his nephew's Henry'sviews death, fending, on December 26, for the to unite ScotEarls of Caffels and Glencarne,, the Lords land with Maxwell, Sommervilles, Oliphant, Grey, England. and several other Scotch gentlemen, who had been taken at Solway-mafs, and then refided at London, to court, acquainted them with his inclination, to prevent all future quarrels between the two nations, and to unite the crowns by marriage between his fon Prince Edward, and Mary their infant Sovereign. The prifoners feemed all to like a propofal, that promifed fo much good to both countries: and fome of them entered very cordially into his measures; promising upon oath, as well to make up the match, as to bring the young Queen immediately into England, and get the government of the realm, with fome of the ftrongest forts, committed to his Majefty. They were hereupon released, though under an obligation of returning again to prifon, if they did not accomplish their engagements by a certain day.

A. D. 1543.] Henry had this marriage fo much at heart, that, knowing there was a ftrong party against it in Scotland, which might create infupportable difficulties, when the articles of it came to be adjusted, he refolved to be provided for carrying his point by force, in cafe he did not fucceed by the way of treaty. With this view, when the parliament of England, which had been prorogued from Nov. 3, to January 22, met on the last of these days, he reprefented to the two houses, his claim on the crown of Scotland, the late hoftilities of the Scots, the expences he had been at in the war, the fuccefs of his arms, the favourable opportunity offered of reducing that country to the obedience of England, and the neceffity of a fupply. The Commons, ever liberal of the fubjects money after a victory,

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victory, readily granted him a large fubfidy to be paid for three years together: and one of fix fhillings in the pound was likewife granted, by the convocation of both provinces. The King was now in the eve of a war, if not with Scotland, at least with France, in confequence of a league actually negotiating with the Emperor for that purpose: and thought it neceffary to provide for the quiet of his fubjects, "by relaxing fomewhat of the feverity of the ftatute of the fix articles, exempting the laity from death, and making that which was capital for the clergy in the firft, to be fo only in the third offence." This was done by an act for the advancement of true religion, and abolishing of the contrary; which, " forbidding all persons to preach without licence, and interdicting all disputes, and the use of Tindal's Bible, allowed all of a degree not lower than a yeoman, to have the fcriptures truly translated, and every body to read the King's injunc tions, The erudition of a Christian man, the pfalter, primer, and other books, published by his authority for the inftruction of his people." For the better execution of a late ftatute, making the King's proclamation equally obligatory with acts of parliament, offences against it were fubjected to the cognisance of nine of the privy council; the greater number, required before, having caufed great delays in bringing offenders to a trial.

The act for attainting Catherine Howard The King had created a difficulty with regard to the marries CaKing's marriage; no maiden cared to rub therine Parr. the hazard of her life, by expofing her virginity to be tried by his fufpicions. He was thus under a neceffity of matching with a widow and Catherine Parr, relict of John Nevil Lord Latimer, being a Lady highly esteemed for her prudence, virtue, and merit, he married her, and caufed her to be proclaimed Queen, on July 12.

She

She favoured the reformation in her heart: Scheme but she knew how dangerous it was to con- against tradict the King in religious matters; and Cranmer. therefore fhe would not venture to interpofe in behalf of three Proteftants, who, foon after her nuptials, were, at the folicitation of Gardiner Bifhop of Winchefter, burned at Windfor. That prelate, and the other enemies of the reformation, not contented with the destruction of thofe and fome others, eagerly af pired at the ruin of Archbishop Cranmer, whom they confidered as the head and protector of all the innovators in religion; and on the fuppofition, that the King would bear no contradiction in articles of faith, they ventured to infinuate to his Majefty, that herefy would never be wedded out of the land, while its patron was suffered to flourish. Henry at first made no answer to these fuggeftions, becaufe he gueffed their aim, and imagined his filence would difcourage them from renewing their attempts: but Gardiner, and the Duke of Norfolk, with other partizans of popery, repeated the fame ftrain so often, that his curiofity was interested. He feemed to liften with pleasure to their remonftrances, and even received fome articles of accufation against the primate, fubfcribed with the names of his accufers; for the Duke and the Bishop, being unwilling to appear as parties in the affair, had prevailed upon the canons of Canterbury, and fome juftices of the peace in Kent, to prefer thofe articles against Cranmer. Henry, thus informed, took an opportunity, while he diverted himfelf on the Thames, to stop at Lambeth; and the Archbishop coming down to receive his Majefty, was ordered to come into the barge, where the King converfed with him in private. He expreffed his uneafinefs at the growth of heresy, which he faid he was refolved to extirpate, by pu nishing its favourers and protectors with the utmost rigour of the law. Cranner applauded his refolution; but intreated him, in the name of God, to examine D 4 well

He

well what was branded with the name of herefy, left, in punishing fuppofed heretics, he fhould wreak his vengeance on the faithful fervants of the Almighty. Then the King told him, that he was fuppofed to be the chief protector of the heretics, and put into his hands the articles of accufation; which the Archbishop having perused with great. compofure, he fell upon his knees, and defired he might be brought to trial. frankly owned, that, with refpect to the ftatute of the fix articles, which he had fo ftrenuoufly oppofed, his fentiments still remained unaltered, though he had never spoke nor acted against it in any shape, fince it acquired the force of a law. When the King asked him, if he was really married? he answered in the affirmative: but declared, that, as foon as the act of the fix articles had paffed through both houses, he fent his wife to Germany, Henry was fo ftruck with the candour and ingenuity of the Primate, that he affured him of his protection; made him acquainted with the fcheme that was formed for his deftruction; difclofed to him the names of his accufers; and commanded him to profecute them for defamation. Cranmer begged to be excused; but the King infifted upon his proceeding, and defired him to nominate the judges. The Archbishop, however, proceeded fo coldly in the profecution, that Henry, feeing it was against his inclination, allowed him to drop it, though he could not help admiring his generofity. Such was the fimplicity of Cranmer's heart, that he could not distinguish his own enemies; and fuch his benevolence, that he could not with-hold his affiftance from those whom he knew to be his adverfaries. One day he went to court to folicit in favour of a perfon who had craved his intereft. Henry afked him, if he thought that person was his friend? and he replying in the affirmative, "No (faid the King) he is your invererate foe, and I order you to call him knave when you fee him." Cranmer begged he might be excufed from ufing fuch expreffions, as they did not become the mouth

of

of a Bishop. Henry faid he would be obeyed; but Cranmer found means to avoid the meeting; and the King continued to admire and love him for his meeknefs and benevolence.

A war having broke out laft year between the Emperor and France, the former endeavoured by all means to enter into a league with England: and the articles being fettled on February 11, it was ratified in less than three months after; and Sir John Wallop was, on July 7, fent over, with Sir Thomas Seymour, and 6000 men, to join the Imperial army in Flanders.

In the mean time, the parliament of Scotland meeting on March 12, declared next day the Earl of Arran the second perfon in the realm, and next in fucceffion to the crown, in cafe of the Queen's decease without iffue. Inftructions were likewife given to Sir James Lermont, Sir W. Hamilton, and H. Balneves, fecretary of state, appointed ambaffadors, for treating a peace with England, and the marriage of the Queen with Prince Edward. These reftrained them from confenting, either to her removal into England before fhe was of age to be married, or to the furrender of any forts for fecurity of her being delivered afterwards. There was however a ftrong party determined to oppose the marriage; the Queen-mother, the Cardinal, all the clergy, and the French faction among the nobility, being embarked in it. Such was the fituation of affairs when Sir Ralph Sadler arrived at Edinburgh, the day after the recefs of parliament.

However, the oppofition that was made did not prevent the treaties being concluded, on July 1, at Greenwich. That of peace was made for the lives of both Princes, and for a year after the decease of either. That for the marriage provided, that the Queen should, at the confummation of the marriage, have a jointure of 2000l. a-year fettled on her during Henry's life, to be increased to 4000 l. after his deceafe; that when The was ten years of age complete, the contract of marriage