CHAPTER X
_Evil Times bring Evil Crimes_
I love not to think of that Year: still less of those which followedafter it! In _July_, _Philip_ of _Spain_ landed on our Shores, and as heplaced his Foot for the first Time on _British_ Ground, he drew hisSword, and carried it a little Way naked in his Hand; which, if it meantAnything, certes did mean no Good. The Mayor of _Southampton_ broughthim the Keys of the Town, which he took and gave back without the leastToken of Good-will or Civility for the Respect. Five Days thereafter,his Marriage with the Queen was solemnized at _Winchester_, he beingseven and twenty, and she eight and thirty; and thereon they weretogether proclaimed as King and Queen of _England_. An Evil Song to_English_ Ears! But oh! the Shews and Pageants that were got up towelcome them in _London_! Giants, offering Addresses; our Condytsrunning Wine; and what not?
Thereafter, the Queen and her King behoved to go to _Hampton Court_;where, I will just observe, the Hall-door was continually kept shut, soas no Man might enter, unless his Errand were first known; which mightperhaps be the Fashion in _Spain_, but to plain, honest _Englishmen_,seemed very strange.
About this Time there were so many _Spaniards_ in _London_, that for one_Englishman_ in the Stretes thou mightest meet four _Spaniards_, withtheir long, sly Slits of Eyes, and hairy Faces; so that it behoved _us_to keep our Hall-doors shut and look to our Spoons, for I never heardthe King Consort undertook to stand Bail for them. About _September_they went their Ways; not entirely paying their Bills.
About this Time, the Disaffection of the Body Politic was betrayed by asmall Rising in _Suffolk_, soon put down. Howbeit, it gave Occasion fora Talk of twelve thousand _Spaniards_ coming over to strengthen theCrown. Also, from the Queen's common Ordinary of her Household wasstruck off twenty-two Messes of Meat; which was considered to be paringthe Cheese rather close.
Also, the new Coins were issued: them that we call the Double-face. The_Spanish_ Prince, to buy good Opinion, had brought over Heaps of Goldwith him. In one Day, there came to the Tower twenty Carts guarded by_Spaniards_, each containing twenty-seven Chests of Treasure, mattedabout with Mats. But Gold won't buy Love: the common Talk was how heheld himself close, and lived sullen, without ever an _English_ Lord atCourt save only the Bishop of _Winchester_.
Then Bishop _Bonner_ began his Visitation, to see the old Service setup, and paint out the Scripture Texts on the Church-walls, and set upthe Images. They say that, in conducting this Matter, he was littleshort of a raging Madman, whenever he met with any, the leastOpposition.... I think thou mayst believe it of him, when thou hearestwhat I have presently to say.
Master _Hewet's_ Shrievalty was out; and never was Man better pleased toslip his Neck out of the Collar. We were sitting peaceably together,when a Woman comes in to him all in Tears. 'Twas _Tomkins'_ Wife, poor_Dinah_, to do us to wit that _Tomkins_, with sundry others, had beenapprehended by Bishop _Bonner_, and taken for Examination to his Palaceat _Fulham_. "And, unless their Manhood fail them," quo' she, weeping,"we may give them up for lost; for he makes the Real Presence a Net forcatching Small and Great." We comforted her all we could; but she spaketoo true a Word.
The Constancy of this poor Weaver, _Hew_, shewn under Examination, wasvery notable. There were six Prisoners in all; but _Tomkins_, perhaps onAccount of his being the elder of them, was brought most forward. Tointimidate these poor Men the more, Bishop _Bonner_ had got together agoodly Muster of his Clergy and Friends, Dr. _Chedsey_, Master_Harpsfield_, and others. Beginning the Attack, according to his Wont,with the Real Presence, he put it to _Tomkins_ whether or no he believedin Transubstantiation. On _Tomkins'_ meekly but firmly confessing he didnot, and giving his Reasons for that Confession, _Bonner_ struck him onthe Face with his Fist, and violently tore out a Handful of his Beard._Tomkins_ bare this in Silence, remembering Him who stood before_Caiaphas_. Then _Bonner_, lashing himself up, began anew to questionhim; and being still unable to catch him in his Talk, he seized him bythe Wrist; and holding his Hand over a lighted Candle of three or fourWicks that stood on the Table, savagely kept it there till the Veinsshrank and the Sinews burst.
"But, _Ned_," quoth this meek Martyr, telling me of it in _Newgate_,"though one of the Bishop's own Friends that stood by turned so sickthat he cried, 'Hold! enough!' I affirm unto you that I was so rapt, andin such immediate Communion with my GOD and SAVIOUR, that, _at thatTime_, I felt or was sensible of no Pain! I say not I felt noneafterwards: I feel it now. But ne'er-theless, I tell thee, _Ned_, I amready not only to suffer this, but also to die for the Name of the LORDJESUS, if it be his Will."
And many other such godly and comfortable Words he spake, both then andduring the next six Months; for I was continually with him. And, duringall that Time, his Courage never waxed faint, but he bare that longProbation and Suspense patiently and cheerfully; never rising intoRapture, but full of Love and Hope; and grateful exceedingly unto Master_Hewet_, for keeping his Wife and Child in Bread all that Time.
Then saw I, how diverse, yea, how inferior is that Sort of instinctiveanimal Courage which made me leap from _London Bridge_, from that moralCourage which enableth a Man kept low, and contumeliously treated, tosupport, by the Space of half an Year, the Prospect of a cruel andlingering Death.
—Ah, Boy, thou mayest say what thou listest:—thou art a youngSoldier.—Besides, thou hast _both_ Sorts; one, maybe, from me; and onefrom _her_.
And now, to crown all, came over Cardinal _Pole_, whom our _Spanish_King came down to the Water-side to meet, so soon as he had learned hehad shot the Bridge. But in Faith, _Hew_, he was not so evil as theothers. He was no longer the Man for whom Queens might die in Love;still less the Youth that had bandied Jests with _More_ and_Erasmus_:—he had known Sorrow, I wot!—his Mother, his Brother, hisCousin, had been brought with Sorrow to their Graves; and albeit hisFriends did say of him he should be called _non Polus Anglus, sed Polusangelus_, he carried his Sadness in his Face.
And now, the Church and Realm of _England_ were proclaimed reconciled tothe Pope of _Rome_, the slavish Parliament put its Neck under theQueen's Foot, there was great singing of _Te Deum_, and great kindlingof Bone-fires;—Alas! there were to be other Bone-fires soon.
The New Year opened ominously. About thirty Citizens, Men and Women,privately receiving the Communion of Mr. _Rose_, their Minister, in aHouse in _Bow Churchyard_, were haled to Prison. For thou seest, _Hew_,Romanism had now, through the Slavishness of our Parliament, beenre-established as _the Law of the Land_, which all Friends of good Orderwere bounden to uphold; wherefore those were constrained to break it andbe classed as bad Citizens who chose rather to abide by _the Law of_GOD—a Dilemma that ought never to have happened. They that are set inforemost Places are bounden to stand in the Breach, that Evil ensew notunto them whose Place is behind them.
Now, see in what a Strait was Master _Hewet_. He and every otherAlderman had to attend _Paul's_ Church on _Paul's_ Day, where the Kingand Cardinal came in great State, to give Thanks for the Re-conversionof the Realm to the Roman Catholic Church. This was on the 25_th_; andon the 28_th_, the Bishops had Commission from the Cardinal to try allsuch Preachers and Heretics as lay in Prison. By Virtue whereof,_Gardiner_ and the other Bishops had up before them that very Day,Bishop _Hooper_, Mr. ROGERS, Mr. _Cardmaker_, and others, in the Churchof St. _Mary Overy_. I stood, with others, at the Church Door, to seethe Prisoners come out. They were remanded to the Compter in _Southwark_about four o' the Clock, just as 'twas growing dark, till nine the nextMorning; and as they came forth, I saw good Bishop _Hooper_ look backand wait a little for Master _Rogers_, whom, when he came up, hecheerfully addressed with, "Come, Brother _Rogers_, must we two takethis Matter first in Hand, and begin to fry these Fagots?" "By GOD'SGrace, Sir," quod _Rogers_, "we will." "Doubt not," returns the goodBishop, "but GOD will give us that." And so passed on, Hand in Hand,much cheered and pressed on by the People.
Next Day, they were re-examined and condemned and degraded. The Sheriffshad much ado to guard them to the _Clink_ in _
Southwark_, where theykept them in Ward till Dark, hoping the Throng would disperse or erethey brought them across the Bridge to _Newgate_. Howbeit, about eighto' the Clock, I being alone and busied, heard a great Rumour, followedby sharp, shrill Cries along the Bridge, and Master _Hewet_, steppingin, all in a Heat, sayth, "Lights! Lights!" I mutely gave him mine, andfetched another, and we stood at the Door, protecting the Candles fromthe Wind with our Hands. Others were hastily bringing Candles to theirDoors; and still we could hear Men and 'Prentices running forward andcrying "Lights!"
"They thought to do a Deed of Darkness in the dark," quod Master_Hewet_, wiping his Brow, "and to smuggle them across to _Newgate_ undercover of the Night; and so sent forward to have all the Candles at theCostermongers' Stalls extinguished ... but, if they're ashamed of theirWork, let them abye it!... GOD speed you, Master _Hooper_! GOD save you,Master _Rogers_! The Blessing of GOD be on you and on all like you!"
"The same to you all, dear Friends!" responded the cheerful Voice of thegood Bishop as he passed. "The LORD have you all evermore in hiskeeping."
And then Master _Hewet_ went in and covered his Face and wept.
J Jellicoe "Covered his face & wept"]