VIII.

66

Henry yet go on procession on Palm Sunday; thou art no christian man.” My lord," said Frebarn, "I trust I am a true christian man, and A. D. have done nothing either against God's law, or my prince's."

1540.

ment.

In the time of this his examination, which was during the space Pharisai- of two hours, divers came unto the bishop; some to have their cal judg children confirmed, and some for other causes: unto whom as they came, having the pig before him covered, he would lift up the cloth Frebarn and show it them, saying, "How think you of such a fellow as this brought is? Is not this good meat, I pray you, to be eaten in this blessed Compter. time of Lent; yea, and also powdered beef and calves' heads too, besides this!"

to the

Brought

before the

mayor.

Barnes

and Bar

low sue

After this, the bishop called his sumner unto him, and commanded him to go and carry this Thomas Frebarn, and the pig, openly through the streets into the Old Bailey, unto sir Roger Cholmley for the bishop said, he had nothing to do to punish him, for that belonged unto the civil magistrates. And so was Frebarn carried, with the pig before him, to sir Roger Cholmley's house in the Old Bailey; and he being not at home at that time, Frebarn was brought likewise back again unto the bishop's place with the pig, and there lay in the porter's lodge till it was nine o'clock at night. Then the bishop sent him unto the Compter in the Poultry, by the sumner and other of his servants.

The next day, being Saturday, he was brought before the mayor of London and his brethren, unto Guildhall; but, before his coming, they had the pig delivered unto them by the bishop's officer. Then the mayor and the bench laid unto his charge (as they were informed from the bishop), that he had eaten powdered beef and calves' heads in his house the same Lent: but no man was able to come in that would justify it, neither could any thing be found, save only the pig, which (as is before said) was for the preservation of his wife's life, and that she went withal. Notwithstanding the mayor of London said, that the Monday next following he should stand on the pillory in Cheapside, with the one half of the pig on the one shoulder, and the other half on the other.

Then spake the wife of the said Frebarn unto the mayor and the bench, desiring that she might stand there, and not he; for it was the long of her, and not of him. After this they took a satin list, and tied it fast about the pig's neck, and made Frebarn to carry it, hanging on his shoulder, until he came unto the Compter of the Poultry, from whence he came.

After this was done, the wife of this prisoner took with her an honest woman, the wife of one Michael Lobley, who was well acquainted with divers in the lord Cromwell's house, unto whom the said woman resorted for some help for this prisoner, desiring them to speak unto their lord and master for his deliverance out of trouble.

It happened that the same time came in Dr. Barnes and Master Barlow, who, understanding the matter by Lobley's wife, went up to the lord to Crom- Cromwell, and certified him thereof; who, upon their request, sent for Frebarn. the mayor of the city of London: but what was said unto the lord

well for

mayor is unknown, saving that in the afternoon of the same day the wife of the person aforesaid resorted again unto the lord mayor, suing to get

VIII.

A. D.

1540.

mayor's

the poor

woman.

tle words

her husband delivered out of prison, declaring how that she had two Henry small children, and had nothing to help her and them, but only her husband, who laboured for their livings. Unto whom the mayor answered, “What come ye to me? You are taken up by the king's council. I supposed, that you had come to desire me that your hus- The lord band should not stand upon the pillory in Cheapside on Monday next, answer to with the one half of the pig on his one shoulder, and the other half on the other." Also the mayor said unto her, that he could not deliver him, without the consent of the rest of his brethren the aldermen : wherefore he bade her, the next day following, which was the Sabbathday, to resort unto Paul's, to St. Dunstan's chapel, and when he had spoken with his brethren, he would then tell her more. Other answer could she not get at that time; wherefore she went unto Master Wilkinson, then being sheriff of London, desiring him to be good unto her, and that she might have her poor husband out of prison. Unto whom Master Wilkinson answered, "O woman, Christ hath laid The gena piece of his cross upon thy neck, to prove whether thou wilt help of Master him to bear it or no:" saying, moreover, unto her, that if the lord Wilkin mayor had sent him to his Compter, as he sent him to his brother's, sheriff of he should not of tarried there an hour and so commanded her to toe come the next day unto him to dinner, and he would do the best for poor woher he could. So the next day came, and this woman resorted again to Master Wilkinson's, according as he bade her, who also had bidden divers guests, unto whom he spake in her behalf. But as they were set at dinner, and she also sitting at the table, when she saw the hot fish come in, she fell down in a swoon, so that for the space of two hours they could keep no life in her. Wherefore they sent her home to her house in Paternoster-row, and then they sent for the midwife, supposing that she would have been delivered incontinent of her child that she went with (but after that she came somewhat again to herself), where she lay sick, and kept her bed the space of fifteen weeks after; being not able to help herself, but as she was helped of others, during the time of fifteen weeks.

:

son,

London,

man.

ordaineth

to be

perstition

Now, to show further what became of this pig, whereof we have What God spoken so much, it was carried into Finsbury field by the bishop of London's sumner, at his master's commandment, and there buried. eaten, suThe Monday following, being the fourth day after that this prisoner burieth. aforesaid was apprehended, the mayor of London, with the residue of his brethren, being at Guildhall, sent for the prisoner aforenamed, and demanded sureties of him for his forthcoming, whatsoever hereafter should or might be laid unto his charge: but for lack of such sureties as they required, upon his own bond, which was a recognisance delivered of twenty pounds, he was delivered out of their hands. But, shortly out of priafter he was delivered out of this his trouble, Master Garter, of whom diswe have spoken before, being his landlord, warned him out of his charged house, so that in four years after, he could not get another, but was house by constrained to be with other good folks, to his great hinderance and lord. undoing.

Hard it were, and almost out of number, to rehearse the names and stories of all them that felt the gentle help of this good man in some case or other. Where might be remembered the notable deliverance

Frebarn

son, and

from his

his land

VIII.

Henry of one Gray, a smith of Bishop-Stortford, who, being accused for denying the sacrament of the altar to be our Saviour, was sent up for A. D. the same to London, and there should have been condemned to be 1540. burned, but that, by the means of the lord Cromwell, he was sent Gray, a home again and delivered. One other example, though it be somewhat delivered long, with the circumstances and all, I will declare: how he helped the well. secretary that then was to Dr. Cranmer archbishop of Canterbury, which secretary is yet alive, and can bear present record of the same.

smith,

by Crom

disputeth

ment

against the six articles.

HOW THE LORD CROMWELL

HELPED CRANMER'S SECRETARY.

Cranmer Mention was made before, how king Henry, in the twenty-first three days year of his reign, caused the Six Articles to pass, much against the in parlia- mind, and contrary to the consent, of the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, who had disputed three days against the same, in the parliament-house, with great reasons and authorities. Which articles, after they were granted and passed by the parliament, the king, for the singular favour which he ever bare to Cranmer, and reverence to his learning, being desirous to know what he had said and objected in the parliament against these articles, or what could be alleged by learning against the same, required a note of the archbishop of his doings, what he had said and opposed in the parliament touching that matter. And this word was sent to him from the king by Cromwell and other lords of the parliament, whom the king then sent to dine with him at Lambeth, somewhat to comfort again his grieved mind and troubled spirits, as hath been above recited.

Whereupon, when this dinner was finished, the next day after, the archbishop, collecting both his arguments, authorities of Scripture, and doctors together, caused his secretary' to write a fair book thereof for the king, after this order. First, the Scriptures were alleged; then the doctors; thirdly, followed the arguments deduced from those authorities. This book was written in his secretary's chamber; where, in a by-chamber, lay the archbishop's almoner. When this book was fair written, and while the secretary was gone to deliver the same unto the archbishop his master, who was (as it then chanced) ridden to Croydon, returning back to his chamber, he found the door shut, and the key carried away to London by the almoner.

At this season also chanced the father of the said secretary to come to the city, by whose occasion it so fell out, that he must needs go to London. The book he could not lay in his chamber, neither durst he commit it to any other person to keep, being straitly charged, in any condition, by the archbishop his master, to be circumspect thereof; so that he determined to go to his father, and to keep the book about him. And so thrusting the book under his girdle, he went over unto Westminster bridge with a sculler, where he entered into a wherry that went to London, wherein were four of the guard, who meant to land at Paul's wharf, and to pass by the king's highness, who then was in his barge, with a great number of barges and boats about him, then baiting of bears in the water, over against the bank. These aforesaid yeomen of the guard, when they came against the

(1) The name of this secretary was Master Ralph Morice, being yet alive.

VIII.

1540.

Thames

king.

king's barge, they durst not pass by towards Paul's wharf, lest they Henry should be espied, and therefore entreated the secretary to go with them to the bear-baiting, and they would find the means, being of the A.D. guard, to make room, and to see all the pastime. The secretary, A bearperceiving no other remedy, assented thereto. When the wherry baiting came nigh the multitude of the boats, they, with poleaxes, got the upon the wherry so far, that being compassed with many other wherries and before the boats, there was no refuge if the bear should break loose and come upon them; as in very deed, within one pater-noster-while, the bear brake loose, and came into the boat where the yeomen of the guard were, and the said secretary. The guard forsook the wherry, and Tall yeowent into another barge, one or two of them leaping short, and so fell ill keepinto the water. The bear and the dogs so shook the wherry wherein ers. the secretary was, that the boat, being full of water, sunk to the ground; and being also, as it chanced, an ebbing tide, he there sat in the end of the wherry, up to the middle in water; to whom came the bear and all the dogs. The bear, seeking as it were aid and succour of him, came back with his hinder parts upon him, and so rushing upon him, the book was loosed from his girdle, and fell into the Thames, out of his reach.

men but

mer s

against

The flying of the people after that the bear was loose, from one Cranboat to another, was so cumberous, that divers persons were thrown book into the Thames; the king commanding certain men that could swim the six to strip themselves naked, and to help to save them that were in articles danger. This pastime so displeased the king, that he bade" away, Thames. away with the bear, and let us go all hence!"

lost in the

book de

The secretary, perceiving his book to fleet away in the Thames, I called to the bearward to take up the book. When the bearward had the book in his custody, being an arrant papist, far from the religion of his mistress (for he was the lady Elizabeth's bearward, now the queen's majesty), ere the secretary could come to land, he had delivered the book to a priest of his own affinity in religion, Cranstanding on the bank, who, reading in the book, and perceiving that mer it was a manifest refutation of the Six Articles, made much ado, and livered to a popish told the bearward, that whosoever claimed the book, should surely priest. be hanged. Anon the secretary came to the bearward for his book. "What," quoth the bearward, " dare you challenge this book? Whose servant are you?" "I am servant to one of the council,” said the secretary," and my lord of Canterbury is my master." "Yea marry," quoth the bearward, "I thought as much you be like, I trust," quoth the bearward, "to be both hanged for this book." "Well," said he, "it is not so evil as you take it, and, I warrant you, my lord will avouch the book to the king's majesty. But I pray you let me have my book, and I will give you a crown to drink." you will give me five hundred crowns, you shall not have it," quoth the bearward.

:

If

With that the secretary departed from him, and understanding the malicious frowardness of the bearward, he learned that Blage, the grocer in Cheapside, might do much with the bearward, to whom the secretary brake this matter, requiring him to send for the bearward to supper, and he would pay for the whole charge thereof; and besides that, rather than he would forego his book after this sort, the

VIII.

Henry bearward should have twenty shillings to drink. The supper was prepared; the bearward was sent for and came. After supper the A. D. matter was treated of, and twenty shillings offered for the book. But 1540. do what could be done, neither friendship, acquaintance, nor yet

ward

to give the book to the council.

getteth

the book

reward of money, could obtain the book out of his hands, but that the same should be delivered unto some of the council that would not so slightly look on so weighty a matter, as to have it redeemed for a supper, or a piece of money. The honest man, Master Blage, with many good reasons, would have persuaded him not to be stiff in his own conceit, declaring that in the end he should nothing at all prevail of his purpose, but be laughed to scorn; getting neither penny nor praise for his travail. He, hearing that, rushed suddenly out of the doors from his friend Master Blage, without any manner of thanksgiving for his supper, more like a bearward, than like an honest man. When the secretary saw the matter so extremely to be used against him, he then thought it expedient to fall from any farther practising of entreaty with the bearward, as with him that seemed rather to be a bear himself, than the master of the beast; determining the next morning to make the lord Cromwell privy of the chance that happened.

So, on the next day, as the lord Cromwell went to the court, the secretary declared the whole matter unto him, and how he had offered him twenty shillings for the finding thereof. "Where is the fellow ?" quoth the lord Cromwell. "I suppose," said the secretary, “that he is now in the court, attending to deliver the book unto some of the council." "Well," said the lord Cromwell, "it maketh no matter; go with me thither, and I shall get you your book again." The bear- When the lord Cromwell came into the hall of the court, there stood waiteth the bearward, with the book in his hand, waiting to have delivered the same unto sir Anthony Brown, or unto the bishop of Winchester, as it was reported. To whom the lord Cromwell said, "Come hither, fellow! what book hast thou there in thy hand ?" and with that snatched the book out of his hand, and looking in the book, he said, “I know Cromwell this hand well enough. This is your hand," said he to the secretary. "But where hadst thou this book ?" quoth the lord Cromwell to the from him. bearward. "This gentleman lost it two days ago in the Thames," said the bearward. "Dost thou know whose servant he is ?" said the lord Cromwell. "He saith," quoth the bearward, "that he is my lord of Canterbury's servant." Why then didst thou not deliver to him the book, when he required it ?" said the lord Cromwell. "Who made thee so bold, as to detain and withhold any book or writing from a councillor's servant, especially being his secretary? It is more meet for thee to meddle with thy bears, than with such writing; and were it not for thy mistress' sake, I would set thee fast by the feet, to teach such malapert knaves to meddle with councillors' matters. Had not money been well bestowed upon such a good fellow as this is? that knoweth not a councillor's man from a cobbler's man!" And with those words the lord Cromwell went up into the king's chamber of presence, and the archbishop's secretary with him, where he found, in words of the chamber, the lord of Canterbury. To whom he said, "My lord! I have found here good stuff for you (showing to him the paper book Cranmer. that he had in his hand), ready to bring both you, and this good

The

Cromwell

bishop