Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

foreign archives which were made by the Record Commission for the new edition of Rymer's Foedera.' It contains an account of printed letters when the originals could not be found, and extends so far as to include an account of several letters of Peter Martyr and Erasmus which throw light on English affairs. Mr. Brewer tells us that the volume contains four original letters of Erasmus, now in the Record Office. We must confess that we were a little disappointed on referring to the volume to find that these letters are not given in extenso in the language in which they were written, but only in an abridged form in English. Perhaps we ought not to find fault with Mr. Brewer for not committing so great a breach of uniformity, but we think we have reason to blame him for having wrongly described this part of his volume in his preface.

We have already said that we will not hazard a conjecture as to the time which will be occupied in completing this splendid series of Records for the future historian of the reign of Henry the Eighth, but, to enable our readers to form some approximate judgment on the subject, we may mention that the first volume, which extends to near 1,200 imperial octavo pages, supplies the materials for the history of the first five, and by far the least eventful five, years of this monarch's reign. When it is considered how greatly the mass of documents increases as we approach nearer our own times, it is certainly a modest estimate of the probable dimensions of the work if we say that we think it will not embrace less than ten volumes of the same size. We trust Mr. Brewer may have strength and life enough to complete the work he has so auspiciously begun. We had almost forgotten to mention one other important addition to this volume. There will be found inserted in it an index and summary of the French, Scotch, Patent, and Parliament Rolls, the Signed Bills, and Privy Seals, together with the accounts of the army, navy, ordnance, and wardrobe of the period included in the volume.

It will perhaps be thought that a volume which mainly consists of calendars and indices must necessarily be a very dull composition. It would be impossible to defend the large majority of these Calendars, issued under the authority of the Master of the Rolls, from this imputation. They are mere brief abstracts, with dates, the only use of which, speaking generally, is to direct people to the originals. But it would be considerably to underrate Mr. Brewer's volume to class it as a mere catalogue. Even a person unacquainted with history to any greater extent than is implied in an ordinary education would find matter to interest him in the details of these papers; whilst to persons who have made this portion of history their study.

there is a flow of information and amusement which pervades the whole volume. We open it at random to illustrate this position, and light upon p. 504, and our eyes are at once caught by the heading, Election of Pope Leo X.' It is a document written by Spinelly on the 11th of March, 1513, and it is so very interesting that we make no apology for inserting it at length:

'Wrote on the 10th that the Cardinal de Medici was elected. Had already written of all that took place before the entry of the cardinals into the conclave. The election lasted eight days;-would have lasted longer, but the seniors were beaten by the juniors, who were unanimous in their determination, and thus a young cardinal of thirty-seven was elected. Some of the candidates were known to be suffering from disease. The proceedings were as follows:The deacons and the younger priests resolved on the election of De Medici for his gentleness, innocence, and virtue. There was an inclination to the Cardinal of St. George, but the seniors could not agree among themselves. After four days the seniors began to give way. Some talked of breaking up the conclave, but did not attempt it. The Cardinal of Volterra, whose brother was deposed at Florence with most of the Soderini, though an enemy to De Medici, greatly assisted the election. Seeing how it would go, he made a private arrangement with De Medici, and supported him. His example had great influence, and drew over Cardinal St. Vitalis. Sion always took the same side. Cardinal Hadrian, who had stoutly opposed him, fearing [the election of St. George, exclaimed, "Si hic pontifex creatur, ultra Sauromatas fugere hinc libet."

The writer had sent his secretary, a servant of Sion, to the conclave, to induce them not to elect a Frenchman or Venetian, and to see that no simony was practised. On the first scrutiny Cardinal Arborensis obtained thirteen votes; with three more he would have been elected, contrary to the intentions of those who voted for him. At last it fell upon De Medici, who was carried with great rejoicings to the church of St. Peter. Honores mutant mores;—it is thought they will have no effect upon him, except for the better, as he is a prelate of great mildness, and his election was free from all pravity. He is under great obligations to the late Pope Julius, who fostered him, and passed a law against simony. He addressed the people, expressed his resolution to abide by the league, and hoped other Christian princes would be compliant. He spoke highly of the Emperor, and of his restoration to his country by Gurk. Spoke much to Carpi to this effect, and of his anxiety for a universal peace. He has written to the Kings of Arragon and England and to the Swiss, stating that he will abide by the conditions of the league. Has informed the King of France of his election. At the intercession of the Cardinal of Arragon he has removed from the Duke of Ferrara the Church's censures for two months. Has given him and the Bentivogli a safe conduct to Rome. The Colonna dislike the election, because of his affinity to the Orsini.

Above

"The disturbances in the city are extinguished. Julius has left less money for the Church than was expected-only 213,000 ducats to be found in the treasury, two triple tiaras adorned with most exquisite jewels, and two single tiaras, many silver vessels, a few of gold,-in all 500,000 ducats. 80,000 were spent upon his funeral, in payment of his soldiers, his debts, and in peculation of officers. Not a penny would have been left had not the governor of St. Angelo opposed the greed of the cardinals; for these good fathers had resolved, under one pretext or another, to divide the money among themselves; but the governor showed them a brief of the late Pope, appointing him to deliver St. Angelo and the treasury to the newly-elected Pope. They

did not desist, but called him a rebel; but he remained firm in his resolution, unmoved by threats or bribes. Thinks the new Pope will not be fond of war like Julius, will favour literature, oratory, poetry, music, employ himself in building, will not neglect the dominions of the Church, but not enter on any war except from compulsion, except, perhaps, against the infidels. Tamen homines mutantur in horas. If he observe the articles of the conclave, to which, however, he is not compelled, he will be, but half a Pope. Yesterday he was consecrated, and on Saturday received the triple crown. Nine days after he will proceed to the celebration of Easter, and receive the diadem at the church of the Lateran. The old cardinals are exceedingly mortified, not so much for the loss of the papacy as for the green age of the new Pope. "Spem tamen vultu simulant, sed premunt altum corde dolorem."'

Amongst other interesting pieces of information included in this volume, we may mention the diary of John Taylor, clerk of the Parliament, commencing June 25, 1513, and reaching to near the end of October of the same year. It was written in Latin, and occupies sixty-four pages in the original; and we wonder much that it has not been inserted in the list of documents to be published under the auspices of the Camden Society. Mr. Brewer's epitome extends to four pages and a half. The value of this record consists in its being the work of an eye-witness, describing the preparations for and the completion of the sieges of Terouenne and Tournay, and descending into minute particulars which historians do not condescend to notice, such, for instance, as the Bishop of Winchester (Fox) being hurt by a kick from his mule, and being unable to stand or sit for some days. Again, it is interesting to see, by a contemporary diary, what state of intelligence different parties were kept in as to the events which were going on in distant parts. Thus we have the intelligence reaching the English before Terouenne, of the projected invasion of the Scots, and soon afterwards a letter from the Queen announcing the defeat of Flodden Field, followed, a few days later, by the intelligence of the coronation of James the Fifth of Scotland. Mr. Brewer has, we believe, extracted everything of importance from this and other papers. And we cannot but think that there will be many readers who will be inclined to rejoice at the fact of there being so many half-destroyed papers in the Museum and Record Office, as well as at the number of letters written in cipher. In both these cases the document is presented entire; and when it is remembered that letters written in cipher are more likely to reveal historical secrets than other documents which were meant for the perusal of a large number of persons, it will be seen that the intrinsic value of this volume is very much enhanced by their being inserted entire.

Of this kind are some very long communications from John Stile to the King, all whose letters we believe are in cipher. And

these decipherings are amongst the most valuable parts of the volume, if value is to be estimated by the amount of trouble which future inquirers will be saved. These letters from Stile to the King appear at intervals throughout the volume, the first being within a few days after the death of Henry VII., to whom it is addressed from Valladolid, before the news of his death had arrived there. It introduces us to the first scene of the tragical story which ends with the death of Katharine of Arragon, and certifies the English monarch that Ferdinand, King of Arragon, was pleased with the proposal of marrying the prince, his son, to the princess, his daughter, adding that there had been delay in appointing the ambassadors to go to England to arrange about the princess's dowry. The subject of the marriage, and its preliminary and attendant circumstances, will probably catch the eye of most people who turn over the leaves of this volume. Several documents are headed Katharine of Arragon,' and contain the renunciation of the dowry of 200,000 crowns, the successive acknowledgments of Henry VIII. of the payments of portions of the dowry, the grant of lands to the princess, the espousals, the coronation, the letters of congratulation, the strict union between the King of England and the King of Arragon, the expression of the love the King bears to Katharine, being such, that, if he were still free, he would choose her in preference to all others; and these are rendered doubly interesting by the knowledge the reader possesses of the dénouement of that eventful drama, which may be read at length in the other series of State Papers. In particular, this last expression will recall to those who are familiar with the history the speech which Henry made twenty years afterwards, almost in the very same words, when he professed to be actuated only by conscience in his endeavour to get rid of the wife of whom he was tired. In the midst of these documents, we come upon two more of John Stile's lengthy epistles, the first detailing his views of the principal European powers, and dwelling especially on the great friendship between the King of England and his noble father, the King of Arragon; the second, indicating a probable rupture with the King of France. In due time, we come to the Tourney on the Birth of a Prince, Feb. 12, 1511,' the first-fruits of the ill-fated marriage. On the 30th of September, in the following year, Wolsey informs Fox that the Queen is thought to be with child; and, soon afterwards, we fall upon a document of a different nature, showing how far matters had progressed towards war by the bull of Julius II. granting plenary indulgence to all who, for six months, serve under Henry VIII. against Louis XII. of France, as well as to those who aid, by prayers and pilgrimages, or con

[blocks in formation]

tributions, the expenses of the expedition. This is followed by other letters of Stile, announcing that the King of Arragon had adopted the title of King of Navarre; then, by the Holy League of April 5, 1513; followed, a month afterwards, by a treaty between Henry and his father-in-law for the recovery of Aquitaine, the defence of the Pope, and the Lateran Council. Amongst other interesting documents is a Signed Bill, of June 6, 1513, appointing Katharine to be regent and governess during the King's absence in his expedition against France, for the preservation of the Catholic religion and the recovery of his rights, &c. Here, too, may be seen the gradual steps by which characters afterwards distinguished in history rose to importance. Thus we have Longland's first presentation by the King to the Church of Lifton, in Cornwall. This is the person who first heard, in confession, the King's scruples about the marriage with his brother's widow; and in the next page we have the pension assigned to Reginald Pole, a student in the University of Oxford. On the 26th July, 1513, we have an affectionate letter from Katharine to Wolsey, saying, that she will never have any rest unless she hears constantly of the King's health, now that he is approaching the enemy; and another soon afterwards, addressed to Margaret of Savoy, requesting her to send a physician to attend the King; and again, another, rejoicing at the great victory, and attributing it to the King's piety. On the 30th of July, 1514, we have the instrument by which the Princess Mary renounced her compact of marriage with Charles, Prince of Spain, followed immediately by her marriage with Louis XII. of France, a man more than three times her age, and the treaty of peace between the two kings. The description of the mock consummation of the marriage is curious but not unique in history. Last Sunday the marriage was concluded per verba de præsenti. The bride undressed 'and went to bed in the presence of many witnesses. The 'Marquis of Rothelin, in his doublet, with a pair of red hose, but with one leg naked, went into bed, and touched the princess ' with his naked leg. The marriage was then declared consum"mated. The King of England made great rejoicing, and we 'at Abbeville did the same.' The very same ceremony had been gone through, on behalf of the Emperor Maximilian, by his ambassador, with Anne of Bretagne, more than twenty years before. Lord Bacon observes that the ceremony was at that in time these parts new.' And the next two documents relating to this affair, are a letter from Louis to Wolsey, saying that there is nothing in the world he so much desires as to see the Queen his wife; and another from Mary, saying that there is nothing she so much desires as to see him. Alas! for such

« AnteriorContinuar »