mitigable bishop were looked on as the leaders of the stable, high Steward and Master of the game, with Romish party. In queen Mary's time, alluding to also the herbage of the park during my life; and bethe English exiles who had fled on account of their cause of the name, I am the more desirous to have the religion, the bishop elegantly said, "I will watch thing; and also I am come of one of the daughters their supplies, so that they shall eat their nails, and and heirs of the right and not defiled line. I will then feed on their finger-ends." But threatened rebate part of my fees in my portion, to have the folks," adds the same authority, live long; and same castle, meadows and park.

* * * * *

before the confessors were brought to that bill of And in case they will not condescend to me for the fare the bishop was eaten of worms himself."-Vol. lordship of Warwick, as is aforesaid, I pray you then i. p. 23. During the short reign of Edward VI., let me have Tunbridge and Penshurst, that was (the when Romanism was at a discount, Gardiner, as it Buckingham's lands in Kent as parcel of my pormay be remembered, fell into prison, whence in 1549 tion, with also Hawlden that was my own; and he complained as follows: whether I have the one or the other, let Canonbury

have come hither at all."

"My lords, I have continued here in this miserable be our portion.'"-Vol. i. p. 28. prison now one year, one quarter and one month, this After this specimen of bargaining, or begging, on same day that I write these my letters, with want of the part of a British peer and councillor in 1547, we air to relieve my body, want of books to relieve my come to two early letters of queen Mary, which give mind, want of good company the only solace in this Mr. Tytler occasion to remark that her majesty's world, and finally want of a just cause why I should character has been considerably misrepresented. These letters are no doubt prepossessing, and contain We introduce his plaint only for the sake of the applications to the duke and duchess of Somerset for reception it met with, which may serve as a generic that most people are vastly amiable at one period of But we suspect pensions to certain old servants. formulary for the style in which persons in power life, as kittens are before they grow up into cats, or usually treat applications, even from those of congenial character, who have once fallen into distress. patriots before they take possession of the treasury This letter the lords received in good part, laughed that the advisers about queen Mary, when in power, benches. Mr. Tytler succeeds very well in proving very merrily thereat, and said he had a pleasant head, but they took no steps for his enlargement."—Vol. i. were worse than herself, and that by nature she was more weak than wicked. But so desirous is he of p. 108.

Next comes on the field John Dudley, viscount clearing away the clouds from her memory, that he Lisle, afterwards earl of Warwick and duke of even regrets being obliged to admit that she was Northumberland, who attached himself with great ugly.

zeal to that faction which had so quietly made Hart- Next, by a short letter of the bishop of Westminford, better known as duke of Somerset, Lord Pro-ster, we are transposed into the thick of the emperor Charles the Fifth's war against the protestants in tector, That he afterwards should betray and imprison the man whom he had contributed to exalt, elector of Saxony. This John was one of the noblest Germany, when he defeated John Frederic, reigning and by whom in return he was enriched, might be and most heroic spirits that ever existed. Charles, expected as a matter of course. Such conduct was a la mode in those days. We do things not abso- having taken him prisoner, treated him, as a matter lutely dissimilar now; only, as Mr. Tytler observes, the management is infinitely more delicate.

of course, with contumely and cruelty.

"The Elector, soon after his being taken prisoner, During Edward's minority his council took special gave a fine instance of that constancy and sweetness care to be rewarded for the great labour they bestow- of disposition which could not be overcome by the ed on the affairs of the nation, and did enrich them- severest reverses. Charles, immediately after the selves most amply. They had no notion of that sort battle, besieged Wittenberg; in which town Sybilla of patriotism which thinks more of public than pri- of Cleves, Frederic's wife, with their children, had vate interests; and if they would not attend for no- hoped to be safe, and which for a while defied the thing, neither would John of Warwick, in particular, utmost efforts of the imperialists. To terrify the devote his energies and influence to the Protector's place into a surrender, the Emperor condemned John cause without being well paid for it, and accordingly we find him driving bargains with Paget at the following rate.

Frederick to death; trusting that his wife, Sybilla, would purchase his life by the delivery of the town. When informed of the sentence, he had just sat down "Master Secretary,' says he, perchance some to his favourite game of chess, and looking up he folks will allege considerations concerning the noncalmly observed,This blow is levelled not against assignment of the lordship of Warwick, saying it is Would that Sybilla could bear such news as well as me, but against Wittenberg and my poor wife. a stately castle, and a goodly park, and a great roy-I can! What is the loss or gain of a few days to a alty. To this it may be answered the castle of itself worn-out old man? To me the sentence has no teris not able to lodge a good baron with his train; for

6

p. 62.

all the one side of the said castle, with also the dun-rors! Come, Ernest,' said he, then cheerfully turngeon tower, is clearly ruinated and down to the ing to the Duke of Brunswick, his antagonist at ground; and that of late the king's Majesty that dead chess and his fellow-prisoner, come, for all this we is, hath sold all the chief and principal manors that shall not lose our game.'"-Vol. i. belong unto the said earldom and castle; so at this From politic motives Charles bestowed the now present there is no lands belonging to it, but the vacant electorate upon John's brother Maurice, alrents of certain houses in the town, and certain mea-though the latter was a lutheran; for it was the emdows with the park of Wegenock. Of the which peror's plan at this juncture to hold out that he castle with the park, and also of the town, I am Con-warred, not for the sake of religion, but of peace and

good order. That this Maurice should, five years afforded by Mr. Tytler, however, or rather we should afterwards, turn round on Charles and prove his most say by the ipsissima verba of the brothers in the let formidable enemy is no more than might be expected ters now first published, we are led to form conclu in those times, nor, according to the circumstances sions somewhat different. In a letter of Lord Seyof the case, can he be blamed on that score. John mour to his intended consort, queen Catherine Parr, lived to witness, in May 1552, the success of his during his courtship, (17th May, 1547,) he suffibrother's military talents against the emperor, who ciently indicates his craftiness, suspicious temper and was then at Inspruck, in the Tyrol, superintending ambition. the deliberations of the Council of Trent. With such secresy and rapidity were Maurice's movements then performed, that

“I have not as yet attempted my suit,' says he, for that I would first be thoroughly in credit ere I would move the same; beseeching your Highness "before Charles had time to retire, Maurice forced that I may not so use my said suit that they should the famous passes of Ehrenberg; made prisoners a think and hereafter cast in my teeth that by their suit division of three thousand imperialists who defended I attained your good will: for hitherto I am out of them, and had nearly taken Cæsar himself, who was all their danger, for any pleasure they have done for just sitting down to supper. He escaped however; me, worthy thanks, and as I judge your Highness but fled by torchlight from Inspruck with such pre- may say the like, therefore, by mine advice we will cipitation that Maurice when he arrived found the keep us so; nothing mistrusting the goodness of imperial banquet still smoking on the table. Nor God, but that we shall be as able to keep out of their did the emperor think himself in safety till he had danger as they shall be out of ours: yet I mean not reached Villach in Carinthia."—Vol. i. p. 263. but to use their friendship, to bring our purpose to pass, as occasion shall serve.'"-Vol. i. p. 65.

Thereafter the magnanimous John Frederic was freed from his long imprisonment by his oppressor, in the vain hope that he would co-operate against his own brother.

It is remarkable that almost all the original memoranda about Charles V. are strikingly graphic. At the time when he had deposed John Frederic he is thus described by De Thou:

On the other hand, the letters addressed to Lord Seymour by his brother show the strongest evidence of sincere good intentions. After a calm and kind remonstrance with the lord admiral (Sept. 1, 1548,) for having allowed cause of complaints against him for tyrannical conduct, the Protector thus concludes: "We would wish rather to hear that all the king's "The Emperor was mounted upon a bay Spanish subjects were of you gently and liberally entreated jennet, covered with housings of scarlet silk, fringed with honour, than that any one should be said to be with gold, he wore a coat of mail, which glittered of you either injured or extremely handled. Such is with gold, and had a scarlet scarf over his breast, which is the honourable badge of the house of Bur- the hard affection we do bear towards you, and so gundy. Arrayed thus, and holding a short broad-glad we be to hear any complaints of you.". bladed javelin in his hand, he appeared not unlike the renowned Cæsar as he formerly passed the Ru- These last words obviously allude to insinuations bicon, when, after having rejected every offer of which had been made by the lord admiral of unkindpeace, he placed his hopes in nothing but victory." ness on his brother's part. And on the same first of Vol. i. p. 54. September the Protector wrote a second letter, which Compare him in this plight with the description of is of congratulation on Queen Catherine Parr's him now first published in Mr. Tytler's second vo- accouchement. It is such as an unfeeling man or hy. lume, when Charles's fortunes, as a persecutor of the pocrite could scarcely contrive to pen. Protestants in Germany were on the wane. Sir R. Morosyne then says,

**

p. 122.

1."—Vol. i.

To those who take pleasure in historical controversy, the evidence afforded in Mr. Tytler's work "I found the emperor at a bare table, without a admiral will be found very interesting. It should be respecting the various plots and plans of the lord carpet or anything else upon it, saving his cloak, his remembered, that after the death of his royal conbrush, his spectacles and his pick-tooth. * * sort Queen Catherine, he aimed at no less than seHe did not suffer me to go on, but on the least pause curing for himself the hand of the lady Elizabeth, that I could make, he did utter unto me in gentle and he still retained under his guardianship the lady words that he took the King his good brother's letters Jane Grey, having plotted a marriage between her in very thankful part, saying as well as he could, for he was newly rid of his gout and fever, and therefore his nether lip was in two places broken out, and he was forced to keep a green leaf within his mouth at his tongue's end, a remedy, as I took it, against such his dryness as in his talk did increase upon him."Vol. ii. pp. 135-136.

and the young king. Among the documents now first published by Mr. Tytler, we find a confession by Sir John Cheek, in which that celebrated scholar deposes to the lord admiral having requested him to obtain privately the king's signature to a slip of paper on which were inscribed these words:

But, to return to domestic affairs, the career of "My Lords, I pray you favour my lord admiral Thomas lord Seymour, the protector's brother and mine uncle's suit, which he will make unto you.' lord high admiral, comes next under review. It has Whereupon Sir John says, I answered, my Lord been the fashion of historians to extenuate the faults Paget had given me commandment that the king's of this nobleman, and to heap all possible blame of majesty should sign no bill without his hand were at cruelty on Somerset, for having at last signed the the same before; and therefore I durst not be so death-warrant of his own brother. (The king, be it bold as to deliver it, nor to cause the king's majesty remembered, was their nephew.) From the evidence either to write it or else to set his hand unto it. He

154.

said I might do it well enough.'" &c.-Vol. i. p. for redress of things; but namely, for the displacing of the lord Protector. And suddenly, upon what occasion many marvelled, but few knew, every lord On the conduct of the Protector at his brother's councillor went through the city weaponed, and had trial Sir J. Mackintosh and Dr. Lingard have both their servants likewise weaponed, attending upon put the harshest construction. Mr. Tytler suggests them in new liveries, to the great wondering of that their statements would have been very different could they have referred to the MS. Council-books many; and at the last, a great assembly of the said councillors was made at the earl of Warwick's lodgof Edward, instead of being contented with the Lord's ings, which was then at Elie Place in Holborn, Journals. According to the former, it appears that whither all the confederates in this matter came prithe charge of being unfeeling and vindictive is by no vily armed, and finally concluded to possess the means justly imputable to the Protector. Tower of London."-Vol. i. p. 204.

But whatever might be the real motives and feelings of Somerset at his brother's trial, his temper and The truth is that Warwick's star was now in the demeanour in the council afterwards became fierce ascendant, and though the popular feeling in Lonand overbearing; he had many enemies, and the don, at all events, was by no means against the Prosnare was already woven around him from which tector, yet, with the exception of only four or five, there was to be no escape, this being visible also to all the members of the council were firmly in league the eyes of every one else, though he himself marked with Warwick for Somerset's destruction. How it not. We pass over divers letters on foreign affairs, nobly and amiably that small minority afterwards acalso some which are illustrative of the early character quitted themselves of their duty as true and steadof the afterwards so notorious Cecil, in order to fol- fast friends, Mr. Tytler has taken care to illustrate low out the fate of the Protector. It is a portion of in the most forcible manner. history hitherto very obscure, and which Mr. Tytler The next five pages exhibit the extraordinary and has done more than any one else to enlighten. After feverish efforts made by Somerset to defend himself the execution of the lord admiral, the next important against the potent and extensive faction, of whose event in our domestic history was the insurrection in intention he was at last fully aware. His first step Devonshire and Cornwall, now raging too in the was in the form of a brief proclamation from the king midland counties. The Protector's party and that of to all his loving subjects, calling on them to repair his determined enemy Warwick appeared unanimous forthwith to his palace of Hampton Court, "in most on one point at all events. The rebellion must be defensible array, with harness and weapons to dequashed; and after expostulatory proclamations had fend his most royal person, and his most entirely bebeen tried in vain, this object was effected summa- loved uncle the Lord Protector, against whom cerrily enough, the insurgents "having been defeated tain hath attempted a most dangerous conspiracy." at Exeter by Russell, with the loss of a thousand The second document of this kind is a longer proclamen, and in Dussindale in a still more sanguinary mation, ostensibly written by a friend of the governaction by the earl of Warwick. Kett was hanged ment. This, it appears, was dropped about the streets on Norwich castle, his brother William on Wynd- of London, and is inscribed on the back “read and ham steeple, and nine others on the oak of Reforma- give it forth." It calls on all true Englishmen to tion."-Vol. i. p. 195. As belonging to this event, beware of a there is a letter of the then lord chancellor, Ryche, sort of crafty traitors, which draw at one mark and which is too edifying to be passed over unnoticed. shoot at one another. Weigh their devilish policy. In it his lordship, previous to the trial, not only ar- First: whereas they have like bribers, undone and ranges the best evidence against the defendants, but murdered the king's true subjects; and now fearing decides on the most suitable place for their execution. that the Lord Protector, according to his promise, Yet this chancellor has been specially eulogised in would have redressed things in the court of parliaLloyd's English Worthies," and also in the "Bio-ment, which he shortly intended to have set, to the graphia Britannica." Such methods of proceeding, intent that the poor Commons might be godly eased, however, with regard to the trials of state-prisoners, and things well redressed; "to defeat him of the said were not merely allowable, but considered quite en good purpose, they now out of mere malice have regle, in those days.

conspired his death; which done, they will find the means shortly after, to dispatch your most noble liege lord; partly for their insatiate covetise and ambition, and partly to plant again the doctrine of the Devil and Antichrist of Rome."-Vol. i. p. 208.

So the rebellion was put down; but no sooner was that point carried, than the conspiracy which had been formed to deprive Somerset of his power began openly to betray itself, and he was quickly hurled from his almost regal elevation. In the beginning of September the insurgents were routed; and on the bill in a similar but more guarded strain, which is At the same time the Protector drew up a short hand25th of that month we find him still in full authority, endorsed "the copy of the bill sowed amongst the

but on the 10th of October he is in the hands of his mortal enemies, and on the 13th is a prisoner in the Tower.

The commencement of the conspiracy was plainly

enough marked.

Commons."

There was not only this dispersing and sowing of writing among both factions, to get each other to asbills among the people, but a perpetual fire of lettersemble and concentrate their forces. The lords, led "After that these hurly burlies were thoroughly by Warwick, averred that the king's person was enquieted, many of the lords of the realm as well coun- dangered by the treasonable plots of the lord Procillors as others, misliking the government of the tector. The duke on the other side, speaking always Protector, began to withdraw themselves from court, in the name of the young king, (who cared not a and resorting to London, fell to secret consultation rush what became of his uncle,) upbraided the lords

as the authors of a malignant conspiracy against the reiterated and solemn declarations that his party decrown, whilst both factions determined to appeal to sired no personal annoyance or injury of any kind to the sword. This appears to have been the state of the duke of Somerset, nor any infringement on his things on the 6th of October. lands or goods, this diabolical farce winds up as folBut the snare closed in rapidly upon the duke of lows:- Upon this, all the aforenamed there preSomerset, and there came no succour. He had only sent wept for joy, and thanked God, and prayed for one chance, viz. to treat the conspiring lords as the the Lords. Mr. Comptroller [Sir William Paget] country insurgents had before been treated; accord- fell down on his knees, and clasped the duke about ingly he wrote to summon up lord Russell and Sir the knees, and weeping said: 'Oh my lord! you William Herbert, who were still at the head of troops see now what my Lords be!""-Vol. i. p. 239. which had been employed against the rebels. But Let it not be forgotten that this kneeling and weepin that quarter, as in every other, Warwick's influ- ing Comptroller was the identical Paget who had ence had been beforehand with him. Lord Russell been Somerset's friend and correspondent at the outand sir W. Herbert, deprecated bloodshed, advised a set of his career. The result is too well known to pacific arrangement of the disputes betwixt the Pro- need dwelling upon. The specious promises were tector and his council, &c.; but, in short and in every one broken. The Duke was imprisoned in the plain English, they had entered into a coalition with Tower, and though his life was then spared yet it Warwick. was not spared long. As for the king, he betrayed There was now no mode of defence left, and Somer- the most perfect indifference on the occasion; and set had only to think of honourably resigning the pro- the Protector being got rid of, the next step of course tectorate, stipulating merely that his life and liberty, was to reward and enrich Warwick and his titled his honours and estates, were to be left to him; all companions who had brought about the revolution. which, as we shall soon see, was solemnly promised. With the imprisonment of Somerset ends the first Perhaps he endeavoured to believe such promises in section of Mr. Tytler's work. The next act of the spite of his better judgment, for a very slight know-drama is occupied with events betwixt this and the ledge of the world would have sufficed for predicting death of Edward VI.

that they were made to be broken. It was quite Warwick did not merely practice treachery with clear to his opponents that Somerset must resign; regard to the man whom he deposed; he would pro. but as he still had the king in his power, and had bably have been unable to carry his point had it not his own armed servants and those of the household been for the delusive hopes that he held out to the about him, his person could not be arrested rashly. catholic party, at the head of whom was the lacryTherefore it was necessary that he himself should be mose ex-chancellor Wriothesely. But no sooner deceived by false protestations; that Cranmer, Paget was Warwick established in power as duke of Northand Smith, who had hitherto adhered to him, should umberland, than he unequivocally manifested his rebe intimidated or seduced; lastly, that the king's solution to humour the young king in his abhorrence feelings should be moved in their favour by a false of Romanism; and the hopes of the catholic party, account of their motives and proceedings. who expected grand results fiom the revolution, were blighted.

For their last deceptive measures they found a willing tool in sir Philip Hoby, who was despatched Near the commencement of the second period, we to Windsor, whither the court had then removed, find that the unfortunate lord Protector was allowed bearing letters open and letters secret, together with a sort of modified liberty, being permitted to reside verbal messages too important to be trusted on paper. in one of his own houses on condition that he never Paget and Smith were secretly admonished, that went above four miles therefrom; this indulgence they must either concur in the gross deception about had been bargained for and purchased by his paying to be practised on the duke, and lend themselves to a fine of £10,000! Thereafter it happened that measures for securing his person, or else prepare to share his inevitable fate.

Lord de Lisle, Warwick's eldest son, formed an attachment to and married Somerset's daughter. This led ostensibly to a reconciliation betwixt the new and ex-dictator; but those only who are ignorant of human nature, as it manifests itself in public men, would trust to this.

The unfortunate Protector had now only four friends around him, and in them he imagined that he could confidently trust. These were Cranmer, Paget, Smith and Cecil. The latter, with his usual inherent cunning, contrived by some means or an- We are soon afterwards presented with a series of other to back out of the scrape; sir Thomas Smith letters by sir John Mason, one of the craftiest and alone showed his true nobility and contempt of cleverest of our then existing diplomatists, and which threats by remaining steadfast to the last. But as throw important light on the state of society and poto Cranmer and Paget, they not only came over to litics of the times. Sir John was a statesman who, the party of Warwick, but, with a meanness and du- as Mr. Tytler says, must have had more of the wilplicity almost unparalleled, they zealously engaged low than the oak, as he kept in constant favour durin the betrayal of the persecuted individual, who still ing the reigns of Henry, Edward, Mary and Elizareckoned on them as friends. Henceforward every beth; and he left us his own hints to all future trimletter which the deluded Somerset wrote was inter-mers under troubled governments. cepted, or counteracted in its effect, by the very indi

Four things," as he says, "kept him in under viduals to whom he entrusted it, and on whose fidel- all the revolutions during the four princes' reigns ity his fate depended. The last scene is, in its way, whom he served. 1. That he thought few things superb. After a profusion of the most flattering would save a man. 2. That he was always intimate speeches on the part of the amiable sir P. Hoby, with the exactest lawyer and ablest favourite. 3. (following up the tone of the open letters,) after his That he spake little and writ less. 4. That he atVOL. XXXVIII.FEBRUARY, 1840.

24

tained to something which each party esteemed ser- true, the proceedings nevertheless were illegal; for viceable to them, and was so moderate that all as there had been no proclamation commanding the thought him their own."-Vol. i. p. 283. duke and his friends to disperse, there could not be any refusal to do so. Therefore comparing the charges of the indictment with the clauses of the act on which it is founded, he was guilty neither of treason nor felony.

His notions on political economy, suggested by a "late proclamation touching the price of cheese and butter," are humourously given, and in Mr. Tytler's opinion"neither Smith nor Turgot could have ex pressed themselves more clearly on the subject of We cannot of course afford room for going through free trade, and the wisdom of leaving commodities Mr. Tytler's data in behalf of Somerset. To a certo find their own unrestricted prices and level."-tain extent we think the case is most clearly made Vol. i. p. 339. out. It appears that Northumberland, mortally

But rather than extract them, we prefer to notice hating the man whom he had already injured, (also a letter of Hoper, bishop of Gloucester, who has goaded by fears that his victim, if allowed to live, been characterized by Fuller as one of the sternest would revenge himself in ways of which perhaps he and austerest" of queen Mary's victims. He is here never even dreamed) did at last form a new conaddressing Cecil, and fervently advocating the cause spiracy in order to consummate his former plot, and of the poor. to annihilate utterly the individual whom he had

"So much as have more than enough," [says he,] already deposed, fined and degraded. The English "buyeth when things be good cheap, to sell after- aristocracy not being gifted with second-sight then wards dear. God amend it! It is my bounden any more than now, this great man had not the reduty, and all other true men's, to persuade and teach motest thought of the fate that impended over his obedience unto the people; and thanks be to the own head; and, as in the former plot, he had, in the Lord, I can perceive none other here but love and present one also, the cordial co-operation of the reverence among the people to the king's majesty, catholics, who detested Somerset and were willing and to the laws; but, Mr. Secretary, it is the magis- to join with any one, whether catholic or protestant, trates, and their own doings, that shall most com- against him.

mend them, and win love of the people. Ye know But, considering the manner in which evidence what a grievous and extreme-yea in manner unruly was manufactured in those days, no wonder need be -evil hunger is. The prices of things be here as I entertained at the condemnation of any person howtell ye; the number of people be great, their little ever innocent. We have already noticed how lordcottages and poor livings decay daily; except God chancellor Ryche, previous to a trial, arranged the by sickness take them out of the world, they must evidence, and desired to know on what spot it would needs lack. God's mercy give you and the rest of be best to execute the prisoners. my lords wisdom to redress it; where in I pray God

"In state prosecutions of all kinds occurring preye may see the occasion of the evil and so destroy it." viously to the Commonwealth, the evidence exhibited -Vol. i. p. 366. to the jury consisted almost entirely of written This letter of Hoper comes in convenient juxta- depositions and examinations, taken before members position with a paper entitled "Causes of the of the privy council, or commissioners specially Universal Dearth in England," wherein occur the appointed for that purpose, in the absence of the same complaints, that the prisoner who was to be inculpated by them."—Vol. ii. p. 34.

"most part of victuals be gathered into a few men's hands, who may defer to sell but when they see The interrogatories to be put to the various wittheir most profit. And the third is the king's pro- nesses were skilfully prepared by the law-officers of visions, when victual is taken from the poor people the crown, and on the answers afterwards obtained that be the breeders against their wills, and [they], thereto, other interrogatories were cautiously framed have neither ready money for their wares nor yet so to be administered to the party accused. But it much as it is worth; which discourageth the people might be supposed the jury would at all events be to breed, and causeth the price of all things, because made to hear the whole of the evidence afforded by there is not plenty of them, to be encreased. Lack the witnesses; instead of this, "each deposition of good laws and statutes is not the cause of this, being dissected into paragraphs, distinguishable by hurt that cometh by provisions, for there be laws letters on the margin, was carefully marked with disufficient for that purpose; but because they cannot rections to the officer of the court to read only certain be put in execution, the let whereof is lack of selected passages.' Of this kind of manufactured money."—Vol. i. pp. 367-368. depositions, a vast number may be seen at the StateTaking up volume the second, we find the first paper office, with such marginal notes as the followseventy-three pages occupied with an entirely new ing: "Read A. and B. only." Read not this." view of the second downfall and ultimate trial and Cave!" 66 • Hucusque," &c. The prisoner thereexecution of the duke of Somerset, on whose charac- fore was not only subjected to the gross injustice ter such harsh judgements have been pronounced by of an accusation made behind his back, but by the historians, that Mr. Sharon Turner compares him to skilful pruning of the depositions was carefully preCæsar Borgia, and Dr. Lingard considers the inten- cluded from detecting and pointing out to the jury tion of assassinating the duke of Northumberland any inconsistencies in the accusations so made." as being proved against him. Mr. Tytler, on the Vol. ii. p. 36. contrary, is of opinion, fortified as usual by original We have already alluded to the opinions expressed documentary evidence, that he "fell an almost inno- by Dr. Lingard, that Somerset's alleged intention of cent victim to the ambition and craft of Northumber-assassinating the Duke of Northumberland had been land and his faction." According to Lord Coke, clearly proved; but the Doctor speaks as if his even admitting the allegations against him to be judgment had been formed on regular data; for ex