Appendix to Preface

Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 3, 1519-1523. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1867.

Citation:

'Appendix to Preface', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 3, 1519-1523, ed. J S Brewer( London, 1867), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol3/cdxxxvi-cdxlv [accessed 5 November 2024].



(A.)
EXPENSES at the ELECTION of the EMPEROR.—(Mone, 1836, p. 407.)
For the entertainment of the electors at the diet						60,659 g. fl.
For the bishop of Cologne, &c.						29,000
Presents for the cardinal of Mayence						87,900
" marquis Joachim						135,500
Merchants' losses						9,000
Presents for the archbishop of Cologne						41,000
" archbishop of Treves' people						30,000
" duke of Saxony						60,000
" Bohemia and Poland						10,000
Additional						102,065
						565,124
(B.)
NOTE as to PENSIONS.
Dorset to Wolsey, 1 Sept. [1525].
"Please it your Grace, that where at my last being with you at More, I moved your Grace, among other my suits, to be one of the pensioners of France, as I was before; for if I should be omitted, and another put in my stead, it should not a little grieve me, considering that as well such as be my kinsmen in France, as my friends here in England, then knew me as one of the same pensioners, and what they shall think in the same I do wholly remit it unto your Grace. I have been at all times ready, and in all parties (parts), to serve the King's highness to the best of my little power, and many times to my great cost and charge; with the which I ever held myself as well content as any poor subject within this realm," &c.
(C.)
EXTRACTS from MASTERS'S MS., JESUS COLL.
THE ELECTION OF THE EMPEROR.
"The Emperor Maximilian, at his being in the field with his Grace, and at other times since, promised unto his Grace to make him king of the Romans, and also Emperor; yet his Highness, having knowledge of the king of Castile's mind to obtain those dignities, will set apart all such practice, and help him the best he can. And in case the Electors would rather choose Ferdinand because Charles cannot reside with them, his Grace's desire is to have the governance of Flanders, which he will as diligently look to as if it were his own, for the love he bears that King, his nephew."
Note in margin: "This is out of an original letter of Pace's written to the Cardinal by the King's command, as a direction for the said Cardinal's answer to his Majesty's ambassadors in Spain."
FRANCE.
"1518–19, March 14.—Our King writes to the French king, giving him hope that he will help him to obtain the empire.
"Francis, on the other part, affectionately thanks him, and desires him to continue his amity, which shall be confirmed shortly by the interview now appointed.
"Francis also gives some hopes to our Cardinal that he will help him to obtain his desires (which Francis utters in plain terms that he means the Popedom). And this he bids Sir Thomas Bolein write to the Cardinal, that he will assure him of fourteen Cardinals, and of the whole faction of the Ursins. Francis saith, now the King and he are one, and joined in league, they may make what Emperor and Pope they please. Also, that he makes this overture to the Cardinal in consideration of the great affiance he hath in our King; else he would be loth that an Englishman should be Pope." * * *
"About May 1519, Richard Pace, secretary to the King, was sent into Almain, to the princes Electors.
"1519, June 1.—Sir Thomas Bolein hath instructions how to acquaint the French king therewith, and to tell him (1.) that the said Secretary's business is to advance the suit of the French king to the Electors, &c. (2.) If the Electors shall be averse from the French king (as there is great suit for the king of Castile) then the said ambassador is to procure and to persuade the Electors to condescend upon some such other as may be for the peace of Christendom.
"To this the French king said that he thanked the King, &c., and that he would be glad to be Emperor himself (as he had four voices), and loth would he be the king of Castile should have it. Also, that the assembly of the Electors shall be at Frankfort within these seven days. Each of the Electors cometh with 400 horse. The town of Frankfort hath provided 10,000 men for safeguard. The Pope hath sent a dispensation to the Electors to make the election in some other place, if this be not safe.
"At this time the French gentlemen were forbidden to frequent our King's court, unless they were sent for."
* * *
"April 9 [1519.]—The French king told Sir R. Wingfield that the Cardinal durst not oppose the Emperor, as being in danger of him for some intelligence, &c."
* * *
"April [1520.]—The Cardinal writes to one of the French king's Council, (fn. 1) that our King means to keep his promise, viz., to observe, the time of the interview, and to admit no interview with the Elect king of Romans; yet because the said Elect's ambassador hath lately by way of question proposed to the King, what if his master should, as he passeth by the coasts of England, choose to sail near unto the ports where his Highness would take shipping, whether then his Highness could be content to see him, either on the sea, or if he landed in any of his havens, to see his Grace and the Queen his aunt. To which demand the King, considering the alliance and ancient amity between England and Burgundy and Spain, could not give denial, &c.; but so that for this the King will not at all retard his journey into France, but be there in the end of May, so that this meeting of the King's grace and king of Romans cannot be called an interview, but an encounter in the King's voyage. And if this encounter shall not happen, then there is like to be an interview between the King's grace and king of the Romans beyond the seas, between Calais and Gravelinge, after the interview between the King and French king."
LUTHER.
"After the election of Charles Emperor, Tunstal was sent to be at the Diet of Wormbes.
"Jan. 21, 1521.—He writes to cardinal Wolsey that the Germans everywhere are so addicted to Luther, that, rather than he shall be oppressed by the Pope's authority (who hath already condemned his opinions), the people will spend a hundred thousand of their lives. They have informed the Emperor that he is a good and virtuous man, besides his learning.
"He offereth to make his defence, and revoke those opinions which he cannot defend by Holy Scripture.
"After he perceived that he should not be permitted to come to the Diet hither, as once it was accorded, and safeconduct granted unto him, (which, at the instance of the Pope's orator, was revoked,) despairing to be heard in his defence, did openly in the town of Wittemberg gather the people and the University together, and burn the decretals, &c., as books erroneous, as he there declared; which his declaration he put in print in the Dutch tongue, and sent it all about the country; which declaration by some idle fellow hath been translate into Latin, which I send your Grace herein enclosed, to the intent ye may see it, and burn it when ye have done, and also that your Grace may call before you the printers and booksellers, and give them a strait charge that they bring none of his books into England, nor translate them into English, &c.
"The matter is run so far the princes cannot appease it. The original was the great sum of money that goeth yearly to Rome for annates, which the country would be rid of, and the benefices be given by the Pope to such persons as do serve at Rome unlearned, as cooks and horsekeepers, &c.; so that the easiest I can think will be that the Pope shall lose the said annates and benefices.
"He hath written a book since his condemnation, De Capt. Babylonica Ecclesiæ, wherein he holdeth that four of the sacraments be only de jure positivo by the Pope's ordinance, so called, viz., Confirmatio, Ordo, Extrema Unctio, and Matrimonium; and that Baptismus, Eucharistia, and Pænitentia be de jure divino et evangelii. They say there is much more strange opinion in it, near to the opinions of Boheme. I pray God Keep that book out of England.
"At the exequy of the cardinal of Croy, in the presence of the Electors, the Emperor, the Pope's ambassador, and the Cardinals, a friar preacher made a sermon, and in the beginning said the Pope was Vicarius Christi in spiritualibus, and the cardinals and bishops were Apostoli, &c., But how his tongue turned in his head I cannot tell; but after he concluded that the Emperor, when they do amiss, should reform their abuses, etiam usque ad depositionem; whereupon the Pope's Nuncius, having commission against Luther, called him, laying the premises to his charge; which said Nuncius hath been openly threatened by many gentlemen not to intermeddle with him. In his said sermon he exhorted the Emperor and all the princes to go into Italy, which is of the Empire, and to reform such abuses as be there; whereunto I understand many of the princes be inclined, because every man thinketh to gain thereby. The said friar preacher is since ordained to preach here all the Lent, by whom I know not.
"Luther offereth, if the Emperor will go to Rome to reform the Church, to bring him 100,000 men, whereunto the Emperor, as a virtuous prince, will not hearken. The said Luther hath many great clerks that hold with him, save in some points, which the said Luther hath put forth more than he can or will justify, to the intent that on the residue he might be heard, and a council called for reformation, whereof the Pope will not hear, but standeth to his sentence of condemnation."
(D.)
EDMUND DE LA POLE. BLANCHE ROSE.
In the Journal (Gedenkbuch) (fn. 2) of Ph. von Vigneulles, not long since published by a literary society at Stuttgardt, and edited by Dr. Michelent, some curious and hitherto unknown particulars are to be found relating to the history of England, and especially of De la Pole. The following summary of such portions of the work as relate to our present subject will enable the reader to form some idea of its contents:—
About July this year (1514) peace was made between Lewis king of France and the king of England, and the latter gave his sister Mary to Lewis. Both the Emperor and the Dauphin were displeased at this, for Lewis wished thereby to keep the Dauphin from the crown. The king of England wished Lewis to deliver to him the duke of Sifort (Suffolk), called "la Blanche Rouse," who was the true heir to the crown, and had more right than Henry. For this reason Lewis assisted him during the war, with intent to make him King, and gave him an annual pension of 36,000 cr. At the peace he refused to give him up, but banished him, and ceased to aid him, except by his pension of 6,000 cr. La Blanche Rouse accordingly went to Metz, and entered the town on Saturday, 2d Sept., with 60 horses. At first he was lodged in the Court St. Martin, and in the custody of (fn. 3) the duke of Lorraine, and some of the gentlemen who accompanied him were lodged at the Angel. The king of France asked the townsmen to receive him, and at his request they did so, and searched in the city for a house for him to buy or rent. At the end of three days a pleasure house belonging to Messire Claude Baudoiche was lent to him. On entering the city he was presented with two "demicowes" of wine, red and claret, and 25 "quairts" of oats. He remained a long time at Metz.
At the same time feasts and triumphs were held in Paris, and the peace with England proclaimed. Soon after the lady of England entered Paris, and was married in great triumph; but the clerks of Paris laughed at the pageants, and said that the King had got a white hackney from England, which would soon take him post to Paradise; and they did not lie, for he did not live long after.
On the 24th Feb. (1515), the Duke of Siffort, who called himself king of England, left Metz secretly with his cook and his page, and took the road to France; and I heard that he rode so fast, from fear, that he made 40 leagues between day and night.
At Christmas (1516) the duke of Gueldres staid at Metz incognito, and was lodged at the "Teste d'or." On the same day he went to France secretly, fearing to be known because of the wars he had long waged against his prince. And he took with him la Blanche Rouse, who left secretly with a small company, and they went together to speak with the king at Paris. The duke of Sifort returned on the 17th Feb.
(April 1516–17.) Blanche Rouse was still living at Metz in a house belonging to Jehan de Vy, near the great house by the side of the church of St. Esprit (et faisait sa demourance aprez la grant maison de coste le St. Espit, en une maison qui jaidis fut, &c.) He possessed a horse which he valued highly, and he often said that there was not his equal within 10 leagues of Metz, and finally backed him to run against a horse belonging to seigneur Nicolle Dex, from the elm at Avegney to within St. Clement's Gate, for 80 cr.; and the money was paid into neutral hands. On St. Clement's Day, Saturday, 2d May, "et a ce jour meisme, que l'on courre l'awaine et le baicon au dit lieu St. Clement," the two gentlemen, with several others, rose carly, and had St. Thiebault's gate opened before the usual time, and so passed into the fields for the race. For two or three days before Dex had treated his horse as a friend, had given him no hay, and had drunk nothing but white wine. (fn. 4) He had also very light steel shoes made for him, and came into the field like a groom in his doublet and without shoes, and with no saddle, but a cloth tied round the horse's belly. Blanche Rouse, who rode with a saddle, passed Nicolle for some time; but when they were near St. Laidre, his horse lagged behind so that the Duke urged him on with the spurs until the blood streamed down on both sides; but it was in vain. Nicolle gained the race and the 160 cr. of the sun. At the same time the king of England, the Red Rose, fortified and provisioned Tournay, and especially a strong castle which he had built in the town, and others along the river. It was said he wished to transport the people to England, where he would give them land and possessions, such as they had in Tournay, and that he would colonise the city with English.
In June 1517, the duke of Sciffort, king of England, left Metz, accompanied by Ph. de Raigecourt, one of our seigneurs, and other citizens, and went to Lyons and Venice, and other cities in Italy and Lombardy. They returned on the eve of St. Prewée, Thursday, 20th Aug. 1517. On St. Clement's Day 1518, Blanche Rouse again undertook to run his horse against Nicolle Dex, by a page, for 21 cr.; but the page fell, and Nicolle was again victorious. Soon after, on the 8th of May, he left Metz for France.
This day (24 Oct. 1518) Blanche Rouse returned to Metz, having been for a long time in Lombardy.
Feb. 1518–19.—About this time the chapter of the great church at Metz lent a house of theirs, called La Haulte Pierre, near St. Simphorien, to the duke of Seifort, for his life, giving him permission to rebuild it; for Claude Baudoiche wished to have his house, in which Seiffort had lived ever since his arrival.
In 1519, on the Sunday after Quasimodo, 8th May, monseigneur de Guise, brother to duke Anthoine de Lorraine et de Bair, arrived at Joicy to accomplish a vow he had made in Lombardy, to present to Ste. Bairbe, on foot, a wax taper, of his weight when in armour, and a wooden statue of himself. Several lords met him, among others, the duke of Sciffort and his people, who accompanied him on foot to Metz.
About this time (June 1519) there was much talk in the city about the duke of Sciffort and Sebille, wife of Nicolas the goldsmith; (fn. 5) for the Duke employed Nicolas to make plate for him, and sent him to Paris to make purchases, during which time Sebille came to banquet at the Duke's house. One day at the beginning of September the goldsmith's neighbours were making a disturbance about this; and Sebille, being alarmed, collected her husband's best jewels, and went secretly to Haulte Pierre, which the Duke had just had built. She remained there for some days before it was discovered, but her husband contrived to get his goods returned. On Wednesday, the 16th, as the Duke and his people were passing by Fornerue, Nicolas was standing in the street with his neighbours, and, as was said, threatened the Duke with his head, which he, seeing, cried out, "Non, non, tantost, tantost, en voullez vous à moi ?" and tried to strike him with his dagger. Nicolas, however, ran into a neighbour's house, and Sciffort threw his dagger after him. This caused a great commotion, and on the Saturday Nicolas appeared armed before the great church, and begged the people to assist him to procure justice, saying that if this was suffered they all might have to endure the same wrongs. A council was called, and a message sent to the Duke not to come out, which met him on the road, but he returned home. The Council lasted till half past ten, the husband demanding justice. Some of the lords were sent to the Duke to remonstrate with him, and to bring back the woman. After some words he reluctantly granted this, on condition that Nicolas would promise not to beat her, nor to say anything to her about it that might displease her. She was then led by the chevalier Andrien de Rineck, seigneur de Laidunchamps, and seigneur Ph. Dex to the court and examined. The husband, however, refused to make the required promises, and asked time to deliberate. Sebille was kept in custody of the serjeants, at the palace; and Nicolas, angry that his wife was not returned to him, left the city, and was made a bourgeois at Thiouville. Sciffort also went to the castle of Nicolle de Hen, near Ennery, and was one day surprised by some Almains whom Nicolas had assembled. In fact, had they known who he was, they would have taken or killed him. On account of this, he went to the city of Toul. A fortnight after Sebille was delivered to her brother Francois Godin, and went to live with a widow named Mariette, near Saincte Crois, but soon after escaped disguised as a vine dresser, and was said to have gone to Toul.
(E.)
ACCOUNT of the REVENUE from 1519 to 1523.
DECLARATION made by John Cutte, Sub-Treasurer, of the STATE OF THE EXCHEQUER.
From Mich. 10 to Mich. 11 Hen. VIII. (1518–1519.)
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Received				52,535	8	8
Paid in ready money, for fees, wages, &c.	5,256	14	6½
Paid to John Heron, for the King's use, in obligations, &c.	13,223	18	6½
Paid in assignations to divers persons	33,825	16	1
				52,306	9	2
And so remains clear				228	19	6
Mich. 11 to Mich. 12 Hen. VIII. (1519–1520).
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Received				47,131	9	10½
Paid in fees, &c.	6,589	7	8½
" in obligations	2,880	19	2
" in assignations	36,951	8	11½
				46,421	15	10
And so remains clear				709	14	0½
Mich. 12 to Mich. 13 Hen. VIII. (1520–1521).
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Received				46,526	14	7½
Paid in fees, &c.	6,062	19	1½
" in obligations	4,014	18	8
" in assignations	35,309	12	4½
				45,387	10	2
And so remains clear				1,139	4	6
Mich. 13 to Mich. 14 Hen. VIII. (1521–1522).
(No Book for this Year.)
Mich. 14 to Mich. 15 Hen. VIII. (1522–23).
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Received				34,956	14	5
Paid in fees, &c.	4,281	15	2
"in obligations	1,236	18	9½
"in assignations	29,267	12	5½
				34,786	6	4
And so remains clear				170	8	0
(F.)
THE CUSTOMS.
Statement of the RECEIPTS of the CUSTOMS for the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of Henry VII., and for the 7th, 8th and 9th of Henry VIII.
London.—Subsidy, 5,848l. 12s. 7,210l. 0s. 6d. 7,739l. 5s. 3d.—11,033l. 12s. 9d. 9,830l. 12s. 6d. ... [Customs ?], 4,625l. 16s. 9¼d. 5,474l. 0s. 5d. 5,190l. 11s. 6¼d.—6,186l. 0s. 8½d. 5,255l. 5s. 11¼d. ...
Southampton,—9,506l. 18s. 8d. 3,999l. 6s. 3d. 11,156l. 19s.—5,249l. 12s. 8½d. 3,813l. 16s. 3¾d. 5,617l. ...
Bristol.—1,104l. 8s. 2d. 961l. 6s. 9½d. 953l. 9s. 11½d.—1,114l. 15s. 11d. 1,084l. 5s. 0½d. 1,214l. 17s. 7d.
Bridgewater.—127l. 2s. 5d. 92l. 13s. 7½d. 118l. 16s. 2½d.—154l. 5s. 5d. 193l. 17s. 3d. 163l. 17s. 3¼d.
Kingston-on-Hull.—703l. 19s. 5d. 774l. 6s. 5½d. 636l. 16s. 1¼d.—674l. 14s. 613l. 19s. 3d. 625l. 7s. 1d.
Poole.—718l. 0s. 5¼d. 932l. 19s. 5¼d. 830l. 9s. 0¼d.—724l. 2s. 10½d. 746l. 18s. 9d. 700l. 9s. 6d.
Newcastle-on-Tyne.—290l. 10s. 3¼d. 340l. 9s. 10½d. 458l. 11s. 10½d.—400l. 2s. 4d. 177l. 11s. 8½d. 324l. 12s. 4d.
Chichester.—348l. 6s. 9¼d. 353l. 19s. 10½d. 375l. 7s. 5¼d.—285l. 14s. 8d. 243l. 15s. 5d. 189l. 5s. 5½d.
Sandwich.—330l. 7s. 7¼d. 317l. 9s. 7d. 284l. 16s. 4½d.—340l. 15s. 5d. 330l. 14s. 1d. 310l. 11s. 9¼d.
Boston.—33l. 16s. 6d. 56l. 2s. 0¾d. 61l. 0s. 2¾d. 53l. 7s. 4¼d.—49l. 3s. 3½d. 48l. 0s. 1¾d.
Ipswich.—268l. 5s. 2¾d. 281l. 2s. 3¾d. 593l. 0s. 1¼d.—275l. 17s. 9½d. 429l. 6s. 7d. 403l. 19s. 8½d.
Exeter and Dartmouth.—1,733l. 8s. 10d. 1,412l. 9s. 0¼d. 1,614l. 17s. 5¾d.—1,766l. 2s. 1d. 1,332l. 1,634l. 2s. 0½d.
Plymouth and Fowey.—779l. 7s. 1d. 621l. 13s. 11d. 646l. 14s. 8d.—386l. 7s. 4d. 611l. 8s. 6¼d. 664l. 17s. 5½d.
Yarmouth.—185l. 18s. 4½d. 281l. 9s. 5d. 404l. 7s. 6¾d.—434l. 6s. 6d. 339l. 14s. 2½d. 346l. 0s. 6d.
Lyme.—244l. 8s. 4½d. 234l. 2s. 3½d. 289l. 10s. 10½d.—224l. 2s. 0½d. 281l. 10s. 6½d. 173l. 16s. 0½d.
Total for the 22nd, 23rd and 24th Hen. VII., 81,046l. 12s. 5d.
Total for the 7th, 8th and 9th Hen. VIII., 82,073l. 8s. 10d.
Endorsed: The declaration of all the subsidies and customs of all the ports of England.