King Edward set out certain injunctions for the reformation of religion; as the commissioners passed to divers places for the establishing of them, much scorn was passed upon them, and the farther they went from London, as the people were more uncivil, so did they the more rise into insolence and contempt; for in Cornwall, the commons flocked together, having killed one of the commissioners, and although justice was done upon the offenders (the principal of them being executed in several places), yet could not their boldness be beaten down by that severity, but that the mischief spread farther. In Wiltshire and Somersetshire, where the people, supposing that a Commonwealth could not stand without commons, beat down enclosures, and laid parks and fields bare. The like commotions followed in Suffolk, Hampshire, Kent, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Rutlandshire, but the greatest of all was in Devonshire, and Norfolk.
“A virtuous lady then shall die,
For being raised up too high;
Her death shall cause another’s joy,
Who shall the kingdom much annoy.
Mitres shall rise, mitres come down,
And streams of blood shall Smithfield drown.
England shall join in league with Spain,
Which some to hinder strive in vain,
The Lioness from life retires,
And pontifical priest expires.”
The Lady Jane Gray, assuming the title of Queen upon her, for her offence lost her head. This Lady Jane was a woman of most rare and incomparable perfections; for besides her excellent beauty, she was the mirror of her time for religion and education, in the knowledge of the liberal sciences and skill in languages; and far exceeded all of her sex and years.
The death of the Lady Jane was supposed to be a rejoicing to Queen Mary, and who, by restoring Popery, and the persecutions that the professors of the Gospel suffered in her time, is said to bring the kingdom to much annoy.
By the “Mitres,” are meant the bishops, who in the change of religion found great change; very few keeping their seats wherein they had been seated by King Edward VI.
Great was the number of martyrs burned in Smithfield in this queen’s reign, under the bloody hands of Bonner, Bishop of London, and Dr. Story, Dean of St. Paul’s; the first persecuting by wholesale, the second by retail; the names of all those who in this place thus testified their faith by the loss of their lives, would be too long here to recite; the chief of them were Mr. John Rogers, Mr. John Bradford, Mr. Robert Glover, etc.
Queen Mary intended to match herself with Philip, King of Spain; the news thereof of being spread amongst the people, was by them ill-resented, as dreading to be under the yoke of a stranger; but all to no purpose, for soon afterwards they were married, to the mortification of the English.
By the “Lioness” is meant Queen Mary, who having reigned five years and some odd months, died of a dropsy.
The “pontifical priest” signifies Cardinal Pole, who expired within a few hours after the death of Queen Mary. This prelate was of princely extraction, his mother, Margret, being daughter to George Duke of Clarence; when he was young, he was brought up together with Queen Mary, and being a zealous Catholic, during King Edward’s reign, suffered a voluntary exile for the same; when the marriage between Prince Philip and Queen Mary was made up, he returned into England, and was made Archbishop of Canterbury, but was more moderate than some of his fellow bishops, having a favourable inclination towards the Protestants.
“The Lion fierce being dead and gone,
A maiden Queen shall reign anon.
The Papal power shall bear no sway,
Rome’s creed shall hence be swept away.
The western monarch’s wooden horses
Shall be destroyed by the Drake’s forces.
More wonders yet! a widowed Queen
In England shall be headless seen.
The Harp shall give a better sound.
An Earl without a head be found.
Soon after shall the English Rose
Unto a male her place dispose.”