him license, and promised to live chaste, in the hands of the reverend' father my lord of London; which promise she renewed, after her husband's death, into my hands again, whereby may appear the discipline of her body.

In prayer, every day at her uprising, which commonly was not long after five of the clock, she began certain devotions; and after them, with one of her gentlewomen, the matins of our Lady, which kept her to *-then she came into her closet, where then with her chaplain she said also matins of the day; and after that, daily heard four or five masses upon her knees: so continuing in her prayers and devotions unto the hour of dinner, which of the eating day was ten of the clock, and upon the fasting day eleven. After dinner, full truly she would go her stations to three altars daily; daily her dirges and commendations she would say, and her even-songs before supper, both of the day and of our Lady, beside many others prayers and psalters of David throughout the year; and at night, before she went to bed, she failed not to resort unto her chapel, and there a large quarter of an hour to occupy her devotions. No marvel, though all this long time her kneeling was to her painful, and so painful that many times it caused in her back pain and disease. And yet nevertheless, daily when she was in health, she failed not to say the crown of our Lady, which after the manner of Rome containeth sixty and three aves, and at every ave to make a kneeling. As for meditation, she had divers books in French, where

*There is an omission here.

*

with she would occupy herself when she was weary of prayer. Whereof divers she did translate out of the French into English. Her marvellous weeping they can bear witness of, which here before have heard her confession, which be divers and many, and at many seasons in the year, lightly every third day. Can also record the same those that were present at any time when she was houshilde, which was full nigh a dozen times every year, what floods of tears there issued forth of her eyes!' &c. &c,

Among which was the Mirror of Gold.'

+ I. e., received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

181

THOMAS CROMWELL,

EARL OF ESSEX.*

[14981540.]

THE Persians have a fable written by one of their most celebrated poets, in which the pine-tree and the cotton-shrub are introduced disputing with each other the pre-eminence. This the tree claims out of regard to it's height and upright position, pronouncing the shrub contemptible on account of it's diminutiveness. But the shrub prevails in the contest, în consideration of it's valuable produce; thus conveying the moral, That men are not to be estimated by their birth or appearance, but by the excellence of their qualities. In the former of these lights, the memorable subject of the ensuing memoir will be accounted one of the meanest; but in the latter, where actions alone are considered, he must ever be ranked with the most exalted English worthies.

Thomas Cromwell, the son of a blacksmith, who subsequently became a brewer, was born at Putney in the county of Surrey, about the year 1498. There

AUTHORITIES. Biographia Britannica, Burnet's History of the Reformation, and Salmon's Chronological Historian.

he received the whole of his education, being taught reading and writing at the parish-school, and so much Latin as barely enabled him to understand his Creed and his Pater-noster.

As he grew up however, finding in himself a strong propensity to travelling, he visited foreign countries; and, if we may credit Mr. Lloyd, the author of the 'British Worthies,' was retained as a Clerk or Secretary to the English factory at Antwerp. But that office proving too great a confinement, he was ardently wishing for an opportunity to get rid of it; when in 1510 another offered itself, which exactly suited the bent of his inclinations.

There had been for many years a celebrated guild of our Lady in the church of St. Botolph at Boston in Lincolnshire, to which several Popes had granted very considerable indulgences; favours so highly valued in those days of ignorance and superstition, that the sisters and brethren were extremely anxious to have them renewed by Julius II., who then sat in St. Peter's chair. For this purpose they despatched two messengers to Rome with a large sum of money, to be distributed as interest might prescribe. These, taking Antwerp in their route, became there acquainted with Mr. Cromwell; and, perceiving that he was much better qualified than themselves to accomplish the object in view, prevailed upon him to accompany them into Italy. On their arrival at Rome, Cromwell (as Fox, in his Acts and Monuments,' informs us) immediately set about inquiring into the character of the reigning Pontiff; and finding that he was a notorious epicure, caused some very delicious jellies to be made after the English fashion, which he presented to his Holiness. By

6

this mark of attention Julius was so much delighted, that he instantly granted to the English envoys the indulgences, which they required.

The account of Cromwell's subsequent conduct in Italy is extremely imperfect. It has been stated, that during his stay in that country he served under the celebrated Duke of Bourbon, and was present at the sacking of Rome;* and that having assisted Russel (subsequently Earl of Bedford) in making his escape from Bologna, when he was in danger of being betrayed into the hands of the French, while transacting a secret commission for Henry VIII., he acquired a friend who proved of great service to him on his return to England. Upon his journey to and from Rome, he is said to have given a wonderful proof of his application and memory, by learning a new translation of the Testament, recently published under the direction of Erasmus. An instance of his gratitude likewise, though it happened some years afterward, may be recorded in this place; as it throws great light upon his circumstances, while he wandered up and down on the Continent.

During his stay in Italy, he was reduced to the utmost poverty, being destitute even of the common necessaries of life. In this deplorable condition, he arrived at Florence. Here one Frescobaldi, an eminent merchant, observing that he was a foreigner, and finding him an ingenious and deserving man, not only equipped him with clothes, but made him a

* As that event however took place in 1527, this statement appears to be incompatible with what is subsequently recorded of his having assisted Wolsey, in 1525, in the suppression of some small monasteries, with a view to the completing and endowing of his two Colleges at Oxford and Ipswich.