He was ments with the crest of the Bear and Ragged Staff. then suspected, by many of his jealous adversaries, to hatch an ambitious design to make himself absolute commander (as the lion is king of beasts) over the Low Countries. Whereupon some (foes to his faction, and friends to the Dutch freedom) wrote under his crest, set up in public places: Ursa caret cauda, non queat esse Leo. "The Bear he never can prevail To Lion it, for lack of tail." Nor is Ursa in the feminine merely placed to make the verse but because naturalists observe in bears that the female is always the strongest. This proverb is applied to such who, not content with their condition, aspire to what is above their worth to deserve, or power to achieve. "He is true Coventry blue."] It seems the best blues, so well fixed as not to fade, are dyed in Coventry. It is applied to such an one who is fidus Achates, a fast and faithful friend to those that employ him. Opposite hereunto is the Greek proverb,* Τοῦ κακοῦ τρέπεται χρως, Ignavi vertitur color, (a coward will change colour), either for fear or falsehood, when deserting those who placed confidence in him. As for those who apply this proverb to persons so habited in wickedness as past hope of amendment, under favour I conceive it a secondary and but abusive sense thereof. PRINCES. ANNE NEVILL, daughter and coheir to Richard Nevill earl of Warwick, was most probably born in Warwick Castle. She was afterward married, with a great portion and inheritance, to Edward prince of Wales, sole son to king Henry the Sixth; a prince, neither dying of disease, nor slain in battle, nor executed by justice, but barbarously butchered by Richard duke of Glou cester. Was it not then a daring piece of courtship in him, who had murdered her husband, to make love unto her in way of marriage? And was not his success strange in obtaining her, having no beauty to commend his person to her affection? Oh the impotency of the weaker sex, to resist the battery of a princely suitor, who afterwards became king by his own ambition! However, her life with him proved neither long nor fortunate. It happened that there was the muttering of a marriage between Henry earl of Richmond and Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the Fourth, so to unite the houses of Lancaster and York. To prevent this, king Richard the Third intended to marry the lady himself; so methodical he was in breaking the commandments of the second table. First, "Honour thy father * Plutarchus, in problemate, Cur polypus mutat colorem. and mother," when he procured his mother to be proclaimed a harlot, by a preacher at Paul's Cross. Secondly, "thou shalt not kill," when he murdered his nephews. Thirdly, "thou shalt not commit adultery," being now in pursuit of an incestuous copulation. Say not that this match would nothing confirm his title, seeing formerly he had pronounced all the issue of king Edward the Fourth as illegitimate; for, first, that design was rather indeavoured than effected; most men remaining (notwithstanding this bastardizing attempt) well satisfied in the rightfulness of their extraction. Secondly, they should or should not be bastards, as it made for his present advantage; tyrants always driving that nail which will go, though it go cross to those which they have driven before. Lastly, if it did not help him, it would hinder the earl of Richmond, which made that usurper half wild till he was wedded. But one thing withstood his desires. This Anne his queen was still alive, though daily quarrelled at, and complained of (her son being lately dead) for barren; and oh, what a loss would it be to nature itself, should her husband die without an heir unto his virtues! Well, this lady understanding that she was a burthen to her husband, for grief soon became a burthen to herself, and wasted away on a sudden. Some think she went her own pace to the grave, while others suspect a grain was given her, to quicken her in her journey to her long home; which happened anno Domini 1484. EDWARD PLANTAGENET, son to George duke of Clarence, may pass for a prince, because the last male heir of that royal family. Yea, some of his foes feared, and more of his friends desired, that he might be king of England. His mother was Isabel, eldest daughter to Richard Nevill earl of Warwick; and he was born in Warwick castle.* As his age increased, so the jealousy of the kings of England on him did increase, being kept close prisoner by king Edward the Fourth, closer by king Richard the Third, and closest by king Henry the Seventh. This last, being of a new lineage and surname, knew full well how this nation hankered after the name of Plantagenet; which as it did out-syllable Tudor in the mouths, so did it outvie it in the affections of the English. Hence was it that the earl was kept in so strict restraint, which made him very weak in his intellectuals; and no wonder, being so sequestered from human converse. It happened, a marriage was now in debate betwixt prince Arthur and Catherine daughter to Ferdinand king of Spain; and the latter would not consent thereunto, until, to clear all titles, this Edward Plantagenet were taken out of the way. There Mr. Dugdale, in his Illustrations of Warwickshire, in the Catalogue of the Earls thereof. upon he was charged for intending an escape out of the Tower (was he not a very fool indeed, if not desiring his own liberty?); which far-fetched deduction was heightened into high treason. The simple earl was persuaded, by his friend-pretending foes, to confess the fact, as the only way to find favour; and so, freely acknowledging more against himself than others could prove, yea or himself did intend, soon after found the proverb true, Confess, and be beheaded." However, the blood of this innocent (so may he truly be termed, take the word in what sense you please) did not pass unpunished; and the lady Catherine dowager was wont to acknowledge the death of her two sons an ill success of her match, as heaven's judgment on her family for the murdering of this earl, which happened anno Domini 1499. SAINTS. Saint WOLSTAN.-There is some difference, but what is easily reconcileable, about the place of his nativity: "Sanctus Wolstanus, natione Anglus, Wigorniensis."* "St. Wolstan was born in Warwickshire, of worthy and religious parents."+ The accommodation is easy, seeing a Warwickshire man by his county may be a Worcester man by his diocese, to which see the western moiety of that county doth belong. Since, I have learned from my worthy friend that Long Irtington in this shire may boast of the birth of Saint Wolstan. He afterwards became bishop of Worcester; and, for his piety and holiness, was generally reverenced. Indeed he was, like Jacob, a plain man, with Nathaniel an Israelite without guile, welt, or gard. He could not mode it, or comport, either with French fickleness or Italian pride; which rendered him at once hated by two grandees, king William the Conqueror, and Lankfrank the lordly Lombard archbishop of Canterbury. These resolved on his removal, quarrelling with him that he could not speak French (a quality which much commended the clergy in that age to preferment); and command him to give up his episcopal staff and ring into the hands of the king. But old Wolstan trudged to the tomb of king Edward the Confessor in Westminster, who had been his patron, and there offered his episcopal habiliments. "These," said he, " from you I received, and to you I resign them." up This his plain-dealing so wrought on his adversaries (honesty at long running is the best policy), that he was not only continued, but countenanced, in his bishopric; yea, acquired the reputation of a saint. The greatest fault which I find charged J. Pits, de Illustribus Angliæ Scriptoribus, ætate undecimâ, num. 174. † Hierome Porter, in the Flowers of the Lives of English Saints, p. 84. * Mr. Dugdale, in his Illustrations of this County. on his memory is his activity in making William Rufus king, to the apparent injury of Robert his elder brother. But it is no wonder if clergymen betray their weakness, who, being bred in a convent, quit church business to intermeddle with secular matters. He died January 19, 1095. MARTYRS. Laurence SANDERS, priest, martyred at Coventry, Feb. 8, 1555. Robert GLOVER, of Manceter, gentleman, martyred at Coventry, Sept. 20, 1555. Cornelius BONGEY, of Coventry, capper, martyred at Coventry, Sept. 20, 1555. John CARELES, of Coventry, weaver, martyred in King's Bench, London. To these let me add JULIUS PALMER, a hopeful scholar, bred in Magdalen College in Oxford; and, though burnt in Newbury, born at Coventry. Ralph Bains, bishop of this diocese, was the cause of much persecution therein. CONFESSORS. JOHN GLOVER.-David saith, "He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter."* Now hunters often change their hare, losing that which they first followed, and starting another which they hunt and take. So it happened here; for this John was the person by his persecutors designed to death, who (after many temporal and spiritual troubles) miraculously escaped those Nimrods; whilst Robert Glover, his younger brother (of whom before) without their intention fell into their hands, and lost his life. Yet was there no mistake in Divine Providence, making the swervings and aberrations of men tend, in a straight line, to the accomplishing of his hidden will and pleasure. CARDINALS. WILLIAM MAKLESFIELD was born, saith my author † (but with an abatement of a hic fertur) in the city of Coventry. He was made bachelor of divinity at Paris, doctor at Oxford, and being a Dominican, was made general of their order, Pope Benedict the Eleventh (who was of the same fraternity), formerly his familiar acquaintance, made him cardinal, with the title of St. Sabine. But such his misfortune, that he was dead and buried at London, before his cardinal's cap was brought to him. What said David? "He shall carry nothing away with him when he dies; neither shall his pomp follow him." Yet this man's state endeavoured to follow him as far as it could. For his cardinal's cap being sent to London with great solem† Bishop Godwin, in his Catalogue of Cardinals, p. 170. Psalm xci. 3. Psalm xlix. 17. nity, was with much magnificence set on the monument where he was buried.* And perchance this cap did him as much good when he was dead, as it would have done if he had been living. Sure I am, that faithful linen did him far more service, which adventured to go down with him into the grave, for the winding of his body therein. PETER PETOW, by Master Camden called William Petow,† (and had I been at his christening I could have decided the controversy) was descended from ancient family, which for a long time have flourished at Chesterton in this county. Being by order a Franciscan, he was, by Pope Paulus the Third, created cardinal (his title unknown) June 13, 1557. The same Pope also made him Legate à Latere and bishop of Salisbury, to the apparent wronging of John Capon, bishop thereof, then alive, and no more obnoxious than others of his order. But I forget what the canon law saith, "None may say to the Pope, Why dost thou so?" as if what were unjust in itself were made just by his doing it. Petow, thus armed with a legatine power, advanced towards England, with full intent and resolution, either to force his admittance into the English court, or else to depart as he came. But queen Mary, though drenched (not drowned) in Popish principles, would not unprince herself to obey his Holiness; and, understanding it a splenetic design against cardinal Pole, whom she entirely affected (wonder not at such differences betwixt anti-cardinals, whereas worse between anti-Popes) prohibited his entrance into the realm; which Petow took so tenderly, that the April after he died in France, 1558. PRELATES. JOHN STRATFORD, son of Robert and Isabel Stratford, is notoriously known to be born at Stratford, an eminent market in this county. This makes me much admire, and almost suspect my own eyes, in what I read, both in archbishop Parker and bishop Godwin, "De cujus gente atque patriâ nihil accepimus." "De cujus viri natalibus traditum non reperi quicquam." Being, by Papal provisions, preferred bishop of Winchester, without the royal consent, he fell into the disfavour of king Edward the Second, regaining his good will (by the intercession of archbishop Mepham); and being a subject, not to the prosperity but person of his prince, he forsook him not in the greatest extremity. This cost him the displeasure of the queen mother and king Edward the Third, till at last, converted by his constancy, they turned their frowns into smiles upon him. Bishop Godwin, ut supra. + Camden's Britannia, in Warwickshire. |