THE ATTAINDER OF THOMAS CROMWELL (1540).
Source.—Burnet's History of the Reformation, Part I., Book III.; Collection of Records, No. 16; from the Parliament Rolls, Act 60, 32 H. VIII.
Thomas Cromwell, now Earl of Essex, whom your Majesty took and received into your trusty service, the same Thomas then being a man of very base and low degree, and for singular Favour, Trust and Confidences which your Majesty bare and had in him, did not only erect and advance the same Thomas unto the state of an Earl, and enriched him with manifold gifts, as well of Goods, as of Lands and Offices, but also him, the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, did erect and make one of your most trusty Counsellors, as well concerning your Graces most supreme jurisdictions Ecclesiastical, as your most high secret affairs temporal. Nevertheless, your Majesty now of late hath found, and tried, by a large number of witnesses, being your faithful subjects and personages of great honour, worship and discretion, the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex contrary to the singular trust and confidence your Majesty had in him, to be the most false, and corrupt Traitor, Deceiver, and Circumventor against your most Royal Person, and the Imperial Crown of this your realm, that hath been known, seen or heard of in all the time of your most noble reign: Insomuch that it is manifestly proved and declared, by the depositions of the witnesses aforesaid that the same Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, usurping upon your Kingly Estate, Power, Authority, and Office: without your grace's command or assent hath taken upon him to set at liberty divers persons, being convicted and attained of Misprision of High Treason; and divers other being apprehended, and in Prison, for Suspection of High Treason, and over that, divers and many times, at sundry places in this your Realm, for manifold sums of money to him given, most traitorously hath taken upon him by several writings to give and grant, as well unto aliens, as to your subjects, a great number of licences for conveying and carrying of Money, Corn, Grain, Beans, Beer, Leather, Tallow, Bells, Metals, Horses, and other commodities of this your Realm, contrary to your Highness' most Godly and Gracious Proclamations made for the Commonwealth of your people of this your realm in that behalf, and in derogation of your Crown and Dignity. And the same Thomas Cromwell, elated, and full of pride, contrary to his most bounden Duty, of his own authority and Power, not regarding your Majesty Royal; and further taking upon him your power, Sovereign Lord, in that behalf, divers and many times most traitorously hath constituted, deputed, and assigned, many singular persons of your subjects to be Commissioners in many your great, urgent, and weighty causes and affairs, executed and done in this your realm, without the assent, knowledge, or consent of your highness. And further also, being a person of as poor and low degree, as few be within this your realm; pretending to have so great a stroke about you, our, and his natural Sovereign Liege Lord, that he let not to say publickly, and declare that he was sure of you, which is detestable, and to be abhorred amongst all good subjects in any Christian realm, that any subject should enterprise or take upon him so to speak of his Sovereign Liege Lord and King. And also of his own Authority and Power, without your Highness' consent, hath made and granted, as well to strangers as to your own subjects, divers and many pass-ports, to pass over the seas, with horses, and great sums of money, without any search. Most Gracious Sovereign Lord, the same Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, hath allured and drawn unto him by retainours, many of your subjects sunderly inhabiting in every of your said shires and territories, as well as erroneously persuading and declaring to them the contents of false erroneous books, to be good, true, and best standing with the most Holy Word and Pleasure of God; as other his false and heretical opinions and errors; whereby, and by his confederacies therein, he hath caused many of your faithful subjects to be greatly infected with heresies, and other errors, contrary to the right laws and pleasure of Almighty God. And the same Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, by the false and traitorous means above-written, supposing himself to be fully able, by force and strength, to maintain and defend his said abominable treasons, heresies, and errors, not regarding his most bounden duty to Almighty God, and his laws, nor the natural duty of Allegiance to your Majesty, in the last day of March in the 30th year of your most gracious reign, in the parish of St. Peter the Poor, within your City of London, upon demonstration and declaration then and there made unto him, that there were certain new preachers, as Robert Barnes, clerk, and others, whereof part were committed to the Tower of London, for preaching and teaching of lewd learning against your Highness' Proclamations; the same Thomas affirming the same preacher to be good, most detestably, arrogantly, erroneously, wilfully, maliciously, and traitorously, expressly against your Laws and Statutes, then and there did not let to declare, and say, these most traitorous and detestable words ensuing, amongst other words of like matter and effect; that is to say, That if the King would turn from it yet I would not turn; and if the King did turn, and all his people, I would fight in the field in mine own person, with my sword in my hand, against him and all others; and then and there, most traitorously pulled out his dagger, and held it on high, saying these words: Or else this dagger thrust me to the heart, if I would not die in the quarrel against them all; and I trust, if I live one year or two, it shall not lie in the King's power to resist or let it if he would. And further, then and there swearing by a great oath, traitorously affirmed the same his traitorous saying and pronunciation of words saying, I will do so indeed, extending up his arm, as though he had had a sword in his hand; to the most perilous, grievous, and wicked Example of all other your loving, faithful and obedient Subjects in this your Realm, and to the peril of your most Royal Person. And moreover, our most gracious Sovereign Lord, the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, hath acquired and obtained into his possession, by Oppression, Bribery, Extort, Power, and false promises made by him, to your Subjects of your Realm, innumerable Sums of Money and Treasure; and being so enriched, hath had your nobles of your realm in great disdain, derision, and detestation, as by express words by him most opprobriously spoken hath appeared. And being put in remembrance of others, of his estate, which your Highness hath called him unto, offending in like treasons, the last day of January, in the 31 year of your most noble reign, at the Parish of St. Martin's in the Field, in the County of Middlesex, most arrogantly, willingly, maliciously, and traitorously, said, published, and declared, that if the Lord would handle him so, that he would give them such a breakfast as never was made in England, and that the proudest of them should know; to the great peril and danger, as well of your Majesty, as of your Heirs and Successors. For the which his most detestable and abominable heresies and treasons, and many other his like offences and treasons over-long here to be rehearsed and declared: Be it enacted, ordained, and established by your Majesty, with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the said Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, for his abominable and detestable heresies and treasons, by him most abominably, heretically, and traitorously practised, committed, and done, as well against Almighty God, and against your Majesty, and this your said Realm, shall be, and stand, by authority of this present Parliament, convicted and attainted of Heresie and High Treason, and be adjudged an abominable and detestable Heretick and Traitor; and shall have and suffer such pains of Death, losses and forfeitures of Goods, Debts and Chattels, as in cases of heresy and high treason, or as in cases of either of them, at the pleasure of your most Royal Majesty.