No. VI.
When I was before the Lordes at Lambeth, I was the first that was called in, albeit that Maister Doctour, the vicar of Croidon, was come before me, and divers others. After the cause of my sending for, declared unto me, (whereof I somewhat meruailed in my mind, considering that they sent for no mo temporall men but me) I desired the sight of the othe, which they shewed me under the great seale. Than desired I the sight of the act of the succession, which was deliuered me in a printed rol. After which redde secretly by my self, and the othe considred with the acte, I shewed unto them, that my purpose was not to put any faute, either in the act or any man that made it, or in the othe or any man that sware it, nor to condempne the conscience of any other man. But as for my selfe in good fayth my conscience so moued me in the matter, that though I would not deny to swere to the succession, yet unto that othe that there was offred me, I could not swere without the jubarding of my soule to perpetual dampnacion. And that if they doubted whither I did refuse the othe only for the grudge of my conscience, or for any other fantasy, I was redy therein to satisfy them be mine oth. Which if they trusted not, what should they be the better to give me any othe. And if they trusted that I would therein swere true, than trusted I that of their goodnes they would not moue me to swere the othe that they offred me, perceiving that for to swere ít, was against my conscience. Unto this my Lord Chaunceller[1] saide, that they all were verye sorye to here me saye thus, and se me thus refuse the othe. And they sayde all, that on theyre faythe I was the very fyrst that ever refused it: which would cause the Kinge's Highnes to conceue great suspicion of me and great indignacion toward me. And therwith they shewed me the roll, and let me se the names of the Lordes and the Commons which had sworne and subscribed their names alredy. Which notwithstanding when they saw that I refused to swere the same my self, not blaming any other man that had sworne, I was in conclusion commanded to goe downe into the gardein. And thereupon I taried in the olde burned chambre that loketh into the gardein, and would not goe downe because of the heate. In that time saw I Mayster Doctour Lattemer come into the gardein, and there walked he with diuers other doctours and chapleins of my Lorde of Canterburye. And very mery I saw him, for he laughed, and toke one or twaine aboute the nekke so handsomely, that if they had ben women, I would have went he had been waxen wanton. After that came Maister Doctour Wilson forth from the Lordes, and was with twoo gentilmen brought by me, and gentilmanly sent streight unto the Towre. What time my Lord of Rochester was called in before theim, that can I not tell. But at night I hard that he had ben before them, but where he remained that night, and so forthe till he was sent hither, I neuer hard. I hard also that Maister Vicare of Croydon, and all the remenant of the priestes of London that were sent for, wer sworne: and that they had such fauour at the counsel's hande, that they were not lingered, nor made to dance any long attendance to their trauaile and cost, as sutours were sometime wont to be, but were spedde a pace to their gret comfort: so farre forth that Maister Vicar of Croidon, either for gladnes or for drines, or els that it might be sene, Quod ille notus erat pontifici, went to my Lorde's buttry barre, and called for drinke, and dranke valde familiariter. When they had played their pageant, and were gone out of the place, than was I called in againe. And than was it declared unto me, what a nombre bad sworne euer sins I went aside gladly without any sticking. Where in I laid no blame in no man, but for my own self answered as before. Now as well before as than, they somewhat laide unto me for obstinacye, that whereas before, sith I refused to swere, I woulde not declare any speciall part of that othe that grudged my conscience, and open the cause wherefore. For thereunto I had said unto them, that I fearid least the Kinge's Highnes would as they sayde, take displeasure inough toward me for the only refusel of the othe. And that if I should open and disclose the causes why, I should therwith but further exasperate hys Higlines, which I woulde in no whise do, but rather wold I abyde all the daunger and harme that might come toward me, than gyve hys Highnes any occasion of further displeasure, than the offring of the othe unto me of pure necessitie constrained Howbeit when they diuers times imputed this to me for stubbernes and obstinacy, that I would neither swere the othe, nor yet declare the causes why I declined thus farre toward them, that rather than I would be accompted for obstinate, I wold upon the Kinge's gracious licens, or rather his such commandement had, as might be my sufficient warrant, that my declaracion should not offend kis Highnes, nor put me in the daunger of anye of hys statutes, I woulde be content to declare the causes in writing, and ouer that to giue an othe in the beginning that if I might find those causes by any man in such wise answered, as I might thinke mine own conscience satisfied, I would after that with all mine hart swere the principal othe to. To this I was answered, that thoughe the Kinge woulde giue me licens under his letters patent, yet wold it not serue against the statute. Wherto I said, that yet if I had them, I wold stand unto the trust of his honour at my parel for the remenaunt. But yet thinketh me loe, that if I maye not declare the causes without perill, than to leaue them undeclared is no obstinacye. My Lorde of Canterbury taking hold upon that that I saide, that I condempned not the consciences of them that swarye, said unto me that it apered well, that I did not take it for a very sure thing and a certaine, that I might not lawfullye swer it, but rather as a thing uncertain and doubtfull. But than (saide my Lorde) you know for a certenty and a thynge without dout, that you be bounden to obey your souerain lorde your King. And therefore are ye bounden to leaue of the dout of youre unsure consciens in refusing the othe, and take the sure waye in obeiying of your prince, and swere it. Now all was it so, that in mine own mind me thought my self not concluded, yet this argument semed me sodenly so suttle, and namely with such authorite coming out of so noble a prelates mouth, that I could again aunswere nothing thereto but only that I thought my self I might not well do so, because that in my consciens this was one of the cases, in which I was bounden that I shoulde not obey my prince, syth that whatsoeuer other folke thought in the matter (whose consciens or learning I wold not condempne nor take uppon me to judge) yet in my consciens the trouth semed on the tother side. Wherin I had not informed my consciens neither sodenly nor sleightlye, but by long leisour and diligent searche for the matter. And of trouth if that reason may conclude, then haue we a readye way to auoide all parplexities. For in whatsveuer matter the doctours stand in gret dout, the Kinge's commandement given upon whither side he list, soyleth all the doutes. Than said my Lord of Westminster to me, that how soeuer the matter semed unto mine owne minde, I had cause to fere that mine owne minde was erroniouse, when I se the gret counsail of the realme determine of my mind the contrary, and that therefore I ought to change my consciens. To that I aunswered, that if there were no mo but my selfe upon my side, and the whole parlement upon the tother, I woulde be sore afraide to leane to mine owne minde only against so many. But on the other side, if it so be that in some thinges for which I refuse the othe, I haue as I think I haue upon my part as great a counsail and a greater to, I am not than bounden to change my consciens, and conforme it to the counsail of one realme, against the general counsaile of Christendome. Upon this Maister Secretary as he that tenderly fauoreth me, saide and sware a gret othe, that he had leuer that his own onely sonne (which is of trouth a goodly young gentilman, and shall I trust come to much worship) had lost his hedde than that I should thus haue refused the oth. For surely the Kinge's Highnes woulde now conceiue a great suspicion against me, and think that the matter of the nonne of Canterburye was all contriued by my drift. To which I saide that the contrary was true and well known. And whatsoeuer should mishappe me, it lay not in my power to helpe it without the perill of my soule. Than did my Lorde Chauncellour repete before me my refusell unto Maister Secretarye, as to hym that was going unto the Kinge's Grace. And in the rehersing, his Lordship repeted again, that I denied not but was content to swere unto the succession. Wherunto I sayde, that as for that pointe I woulde be content, so that I might se my othe in that pointe so framyd in suche a manner as might stand with my consciens. Than said my Lord: Mary Maister Secretary marke that to, that he will not swere that neyther, but under some certaine maner. Verely, no, my Lorde, quoth I, but that I wyll see it made in suche wyse fyrst, as I shal my selfe se, that I shall neyther be forsworne, nor swere againste my conscience. Surely as to swere to the succession I see no perill. But I thought and thinke it reason that to mine owne othe I looke well my selfe, and be of counsayle also in the fashion, and neuer entended to swere for a pece, and set my hand to the whole othe. Howbeit as helpe me God, as towching the whole othe I neuer withdrewe any man from it, nor neuer aduised any to refuse it, nor neuer put nor wil put any scruple in anye manne's hedde, but leaue euerye man to hys owne conscience. And me thynketh in good faith that so were it good reason that every man shoulde leaue me to myne.
- ↑ Sir Thomas Audley.