1583 Edition | Book 8 | Page 1210 
CloseMerchant banker of Florence [ODNB sub Thomas Cromwell]
As a young man Cromwell fought with the French at Garigliano. He was then destitute in Italy and was helped by Francesco Frescobaldi, who invited him to stay and gave him clothing and money. When Cromwell left Italy, Frescobaldi gave him gold and a horse. Frescobaldi years later became impoverished and went to England to try to recover money owing to him. Cromwell saw him, recognised him and repaid him with generous interest. He ensured that his debtors paid what was owing. Frescobaldi returned to Italy, but died within the year. 1570, pp. 1357-58; 1576, pp. 1158-59; 1583, pp. 1186-87.
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CloseWealthy grocer who was Thomas Cranmer's business agent in London
When Ralph Morice, Archbishop Cranmer's secretary, was attempting to retrieve his book from the bearward who had retained it, he approached John Blagg for help. Blagg invited the bearward to dinner and tried to persuade him to part with it. 1570, p. 1356; 1576, p. 1157; 1583, p. 1186.
Close(1480x85 - 1561x65) [Catholic Encyclopedia]
Italian writer of narrative literature; Dominican, bishop of Agen, France
Foxe recounts a story about Cromwell and an Italian merchant taken from Bandello. 1570, pp. 1357-58; 1576, pp. 1158-59; 1583, pp. 1186-87.
Close(c. 1500 - 1548) [ODNB]
Courtier, diplomat; grew up in Henry VIII's court; surveyor and master of hunting, Yorkshire; gentleman of the privy chamber 1519; lieutenant of the Isle of Man 1525; ambassador to France 1527; JP Surrey 1532; contributed to Anne Boleyn's downfall; privy councillor, master of horse 1539; guardian of young Edward VI
[Back to Top]The bearward who had a book belonging to Archbishop Cranmer's secretary intended giving it to Sir Anthony Browne or Stephen Gardiner. 1570, p. 1356; 1576, p. 1157; 1583, p. 1186.
When Nicholas Ridley visited Princess Mary at Hunsdon, she recalled the sermon he preached at the marriage of Elizabeth and Anthony Browne in the presence of King Henry. 1570, p. 1565; 1576, p. 1335; 1583, p. 1396.
During Henry VIII's final illness, Sir Anthony Browne tried unsuccessfully to get Stephen Gardiner reinstated in the king's will. 1570, p. 1478; 1576, p. 1253; 1583, p. 1291.
Sir Anthony Browne was a signatory to a letter to the king's commissioners relating Bishop Bonner's recantation of his protestation. 1570, p. 1502; 1576, p. 1273; 1583, p. 1310.
Close(c. 1495x8 - 1555) [ODNB]
Theologian, administrator; BCnL Cambridge 1518; DCL 1521; DCnL 1522; chancellor of Cambridge
Principal secretary to the king 1529; ambassador to France
Bishop of Winchester (1531 - 51, 1553 - 55)
Thomas Cromwell, Thomas More and Stephen Gardiner served together in Thomas Wolsey's household. 1563, p. 592; 1570, p. 1347; 1576, p. 1150; 1583, p. 1178.
Gardiner and Edward Fox urged leniency on Cardinal Wolsey when dealing with Robert Barnes. They stood surety for him and convinced him to abjure. 1563, pp. 601-02; 1570, pp. 1364-65; 1576, pp. 1164-65; 1583, pp. 1192-93.
Stephen Gardiner was sent as ambassador to Rome by Henry VIII during the time of Clement VII to deal with the matter of the king's divorce and to promote Thomas Wolsey as pope. Both the king and Wolsey wrote letters to him. 1570, pp. 1125-28, 1193; 1576, pp. 963-66, 1021; 1583, pp. 990-92, 1049.
Shortly after Gardiner became secretary to King Henry, he and William Fitzwilliam were assigned by the king to ensure that Thomas Wolsey's goods were not stolen after his deprivation of his offices, but returned to the king. 1570, p. 1130; 1576, p. 967; 1583, p. 994.
Richard Bayfield was tried before John Stokesley, assisted by Stephen Gardiner and others. 1563, p. 484; 1570, p. 1161; 1576, p. 993; 1583, p. 1021.
John Frith was taken first to the archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth, then to the bishop of Winchester at Croydon, and then to London to plead his case before the assembled bishops. He was examined there by the bishops of London, Winchester and Lincoln. 1563, pp. 501-03; 1570, pp. 1176-78; 1576, pp. 1006-08; 1583, pp. 1034-35.
[Back to Top]Andrew Hewett was examined by Stokesley, Gardiner and Longland. 1563, p. 506; 1570, p. 1180; 1576, p. 1009; 1583, p. 1036.
The archbishop of Canterbury (Cranmer), along with the bishops of London (Stokesley), Winchester (Gardiner), Bath and Wells (Clerk) and Lincoln (Longland) and other clergy went to see Queen Catherine. She failed to attend when summoned over 15 days, and they pronounced that she and the king were divorced. 1570, p. 1200; 1576, p. 1027; 1583, p. 1055.
[Back to Top]Gardiner swore an oath of allegiance to Henry VIII as head of the church. 1570, p. 1203; 1576, p. 1030; 1583, p. 1057.
In his De vera obedientia, Gardiner challenged the authority of the pope and argued against the validity of the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. 1570, pp. 1204-06; 1576, pp. 1031-32; 1583, pp. 1058-59.
Gardiner was one of the subscribers to the Bishops' Book. 1570, p. 1211; 1576, p. 1037; 1583, p. 1064.
Gardiner was sent with a Henry VIII's answer to Francis I, king of France, regarding Henry's supremacy over the English church. 1570, p. 1221; 1576, p. 1045; 1583, p. 1072.
Gardiner was suspected of involvement in the downfall of Anne Boleyn, and urged the king to disinherit Elizabeth. 1570, pp. 1233, 1243; 1576, p. 1056; 1583, pp. 1082, 1083.
Gardiner was a resident ambassador to France in 1538, when Edmund Bonner, through the efforts of Thomas Cromwell, was brought in to replace him. There were great disagreements between the two, since Bonner at the time was in favour of reform. 1570, p. 1239; 1576, p. 1061; 1583, p. 1088.
The bearward who had a book belonging to Archbishop Cranmer's secretary intended giving it to Sir Anthony Browne or Stephen Gardiner. 1570, p. 1356; 1576, p. 1157; 1583, p. 1186.
In a letter to Henry VIII, Philip Melancthon called Gardiner wicked and impudent. 1570, p. 1341; 1576, p. 1145; 1583, p. 1173.
Bonner sent a declaration to Cromwell of Stephen Gardiner's evil behaviour. 1570, pp. 1241-44; 1576, pp. 1063-66; 1583, pp. 1090-92.
Gardiner urged Henry VIII to withdraw his defence of religious reform in order to ensure peace within the realm and to restore good relations with foreign rulers. 1570, pp. 1296; 1576, p. 1109; 1583, p. 1135.
Stephen Gardiner urged Henry VIII to use the case against John Lambert as a means of displaying the king's willingness to deal harshly with heresy. 1563, pp. 533-34; 1570, p. 1281; 1576, p. 1095; 1583, pp. 1121-22.
Cranmer had sent letters for Henry VIII to sign relating to reform in the church. Gardiner convinced the king that these reforms would jeopardise a league with the king of France and the emperor, so the letters were never signed. 1570, p. 1426; 1576, p. 1215; 1583, p. 1245.
Gardiner disputed with Lambert during his trial. 1563, pp. 535-36; 1570, pp. 1282-83; 1576, p. 1097; 1583, p. 1123.
Stephen Gardiner was Thomas Cromwell's chief opponent. 1563, p. 598; 1570, p. 1359; 1576, p. 1160; 1583, p. 1189.
Stephen Gardiner complained to the king about the sermon of Robert Barnes preached during Lent at Paul's Cross. He disputed with Barnes, and Richard Coxe and Thomas Robinson acted as arbiters. Gardiner then submitted articles against Barnes. 1570, p. 1371; 1576, pp. 1169-70; 1583, p. 1198.
Adam Damplip was brought before Thomas Cranmer, Stephen Gardiner, Richard Sampson and others and examined. 1563, p. 657; 1570, p. 1401; 1576, p. 1194; 1583, p. 1224.
Thomas Broke, Ralph Hare, James Cocke and James Barber were sent from Calais with their accusers to England to be examined by Cranmer, Gardiner, Sampson and other bishops. 1563, p. 661; 1570, p. 1401; 1576, p. 1195; 1583, p. 1224.
William Symonds and John London kept notes of Anthony Pearson's sermons at Windsor. They included the names of all those who frequented the sermons and reported all of these to Stephen Gardiner, who in turn reported to the king and received a commission for a search at Windsor. 1570, pp. 1389-90; 1576, p. 1185; 1583, pp. 1213-14.
[Back to Top]Gardiner had Simon Haynes and Philip Hoby committed to the Fleet, but their friends secured their release. 1570, p. 1390; 1576, p. 1186; 1583, p. 1214.
Gardiner conducted the third examination of John Marbeck himself. He ordered Marbeck to be placed in irons and kept in isolation. 1570, pp. 1391-92; 1576, pp. 1186-88; 1583, pp. 1215-16.
On the orders of Stephen Gardiner, John Massie took Adam Damplip to Calais. 1570, p. 1400; 1576, p. 1193; 1583, p. 1223.
John Capon and others of the judges in the trial of Marbeck, Testwood, Pearson and Filmer at Windsor sent a message to Stephen Gardiner in favour of John Marbeck. Gardiner went straight to the king and obtained a pardon. 1570, p. 1397; 1576, p. 1191; 1583, p. 1220.
After the burning of Filmer, Pearsons and Testwood, Capon sent Robert Ockham with a report to Stephen Gardiner. 1570, p. 1398; 1576, p. 1191; 1583, p. 1221.
Gardiner was one of the questioners at the second examination of Anne Askew in 1546. 1563, p. 683; 1570, p. 1417; 1576, p. 1208; 1583, p. 1237.
Katherine Parr read and studied the scriptures and discussed them with her chaplains. The king was aware of this and approved, so she began to debate matters of religion with him. When the king became more ill-tempered because of his sore leg, her enemies, especially Stephen Gardiner and Thomas Wriothesley, took the opportunity to turn the king against her. 1570, pp. 1422-23; 1576, pp. 1212-13; 1583, pp. 1242-43.
[Back to Top]Gardiner and other enemies of Katherine Parr planned to accuse and arrest Lady Herbert, Lady Lane and Lady Tyrwhit and search their quarters for books and other evidence to use against the queen. 1570, p. 1423; 1576, p. 1213; 1583, p. 1243.
During Henry VIII's final illness, Sir Anthony Browne tried unsuccessfully to get Stephen Gardiner reinstated in the king's will. 1570, p. 1478; 1576, p. 1253; 1583, p. 1291.
After the death of Henry VIII, the duke of Suffolk related to Thomas Cranmer how Stephen Gardiner had nearly been arrested at the time of the execution of Germaine Gardiner. He confessed his fault to the king and was pardoned. 1570, p. 1477; 1576, p. 1253; 1583, p. 1290.
Stephen Gardiner preached a sermon contrary to King Edward's injunctions. He was arrested and taken to the Tower by Sir Anthony Wingfield and Sir Ralph Sadler; Sadler and William Hunnings were instructed to seal off doors to his house. He was transferred to the Fleet. 1563, pp. 728, 760; 1570, pp. 1521, 1529; 1576, pp. 1297, 1304; 1583, pp. 1340, 1353-54.
[Back to Top]Gardiner wrote to Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, the Lord Protector and others while imprisoned in the Fleet. 1563, pp. 728-54; 1570, pp. 1522-25; 1576, pp. 1297-1300; 1583, pp. 1340-50.
Gardiner was released out of the Fleet by a general pardon, but was placed under house arrest for failure to conform. Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Smith and William Cecil were sent to him. He was called before the council. 1563, p. 755; 1570, pp. 1525-26; 1576, p. 1301; 1583, p. 1351.
Gardiner was imprisoned in the Tower with Cuthbert Tunstall under Edward VI and Edward Seymour. 1563, p. 685; 1570, p. 1486; 1576, p. 1260; 1583, p. 1296.
After Gardiner had been in the Tower for nearly a year, Sir William Paulet and Sir William Petre visited and urged him to admit his fault. Paulet, Petre, the earl of Warwick and Sir William Herbert delivered the king's letters to him. 1563, pp. 761-62; 1570, pp. 1529-30; 1576, p. 1304; 1583, p. 1354.
[Back to Top]Edward Seymour, John Russell, John Dudley and Sir William Petre visited Stephen Gardiner in the Tower at various times to attempt to get him to accept the king's reforms. 1563, pp. 766; 1570, p. 1532; 1576, p. 1306; 1583, p. 1356.
Articles were put to him to answer. 1563, pp. 754-68; 1570, pp. 1525-34; 1576, pp. 1300-07; 1583, pp. 1350-57.
When Sir William Herbert and Sir William Petre went to Stephen Gardiner in the Tower with new articles, they took with them a canon and a civil lawyer: Nicholas Ridley and Richard Goodrich. 1563, p. 768; 1570, p. 1534; 1576, p. 1307; 1583, p. 1357.
After Gardiner's sequestration, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Goodrich, Henry Holbeach, Sir William Petre, Sir James Hales, Griffith Leyson, John Oliver and John Gosnold were commissioned to examine him. 1563, p. 776; 1570, p. 1535; 1576, p. 1309; 1583, p. 1358.
William Paget, Andrew Baynton and Thomas Chaloner were deponents in the case of Gardiner. 1563, pp. 814-18; 1570, p. 1536; 1576, p. 1309; 1583, p. 1359.
Gardiner was examined and deprived of his bishopric. 1563, pp. 814-67; 1570, pp. 1536-37; 1576, pp. 1309-10; 1583, pp. 1359-60.
ClosePrinter; founded the first paper-mill mid-C16 in Lucca; diplomat
Busdraghi printed a story about Thomas Cromwell and an Italian merchant written by Matteo Bandello. 1570, p. 1357; 1576, p. 1158; 1583, p. 1186.
Close[Florentia]
Tuscany, Italy
Coordinates: 43° 46' 13" N, 11° 15' 17" EE
Historic republic; cathedral city
CloseItaly
Formed by the confluence of the rivers Gari and Lirano; formerly marked the southern boundary of the papal states
Close(Middlesex), London
OS grid ref: TQ 145 755
Close[Lucens; Luke]
Tuscany, Italy
Coordinates: 43° 51' 0" N, 10° 30' 0" E
this booke? Whose seruaunt be you? I am seruaunt to one of the Coūsell, sayd the Secretary, and my Lord of Caunterbury is my maister. Yea mary, quoth the Beareward, I thought so much. You belike I trust, quoth the Beareward, to be both hanged for this booke. Well (sayd he) it is not so euill as you take it, and I warrant you my L. will auouch the booke to the kinges Maiesty. But I pray you let me haue my booke, and I will geue you a Crowne to drink. If you would geue me v. C. crownes, you shall not haue it, quoth the Beareward. With that þe Secretary departed from him, & vnderstanding the malicious frowardnes of the Beareward, he learned that Blage the Grocer
CloseJohn Blagg, a wealthy grocer who was Cranmer's business agent in London. Not to be confused with the courtier George Blage.
So on the next day, as the Lord Cromwell went to þe Court, the Secretary declared the whole matter vnto him & how he had offered him xx. s. for the finding therof. Wher is the felow, quoth the Lord Cromwell? I suppose, sayd the Secretary, that he is now in the Court attēding to deliuer the booke vnto some of the Counsell. Well sayd the Lord Cromwell, it maketh no matter: go with me thether and I shall get you your booke agayne. When the Lorde Cromwell came into the hall of the Court, there stood the Beareward with the booke in his hand, MarginaliaThe Beareward wayting to geue Cranmers booke to the Councell.wayting to haue deliuered the same vnto Syr Anthony Browne, or vnto the Bishop of Winchester, as it was reported. To whom the Lord Cromwell sayd, come hither felow. What booke hast thou there in thy hand? MarginaliaThe L. Cromwell getteth the booke from the Beareward.and with that snatched the booke out of his hand, and looking in the booke, he sayd, I know this hand well enough. This is your hand, sayd he to the Secretary. But where haddest thou this booke, quoth the Lord Cromwel to the Beareward? This Gentleman lost it two dayes agoe in the Thames sayde the Beareward. Doest thou know whose seruaunt he is, sayd the Lord Cromwell? He sayth, quoth the Beareward, that he is my Lord of Canterburies seruaunt. Why then dyddest not thou deliuer to him the booke, whē he required it, sayd the L. Cromewell. Who made thee so bold as to detein and withhold any booke or writing from a Coūsellers seruaunt, specially being his Secretary? It is more meter for thee to medle with thy Beares thē with such writing, & it were not for thy maisters sake, I would set thee fast by the feet, to teach such malepert knaues to meddle with Counsellers matters. Had not mony bene well bestowed vpon such a good felow as this is, that knoweth not a Councellers man frō a Coblers man? And with those wordes the Lord Cromwell went vp into the kinges chamber of presence and the Archbishops Secretary with him, where he found in the chamber the Lord of Caunterbury. MarginaliaThe wordes of the L. Cromwel to the Archb. Cranmer.To whō he sayde, my Lord I haue founde here good stuffe for you (shewing to him the paper booke that he had in his hand) ready to bring both you & this good felow your mā to the halter, namely if the knaue Beareward now in the Hall, might haue well compassed it. At these wordes the Archbishop smiled and sayd, he that lost the booke is lyke to haue the worse bargayne, for besides that he was well washed in the Thames, he must write the booke fayre agayne: & at those wordes the Lord Cromwell cast the booke vnto the Secretary saying, I pray thee Morice go in hād therwith by & by with all expedition: for it must serue a turne. Surely my Lord, it somwhat reioyseth me, quoth the L. Cromwell, that the verlet might haue had of your man xx. s. for the book, and now I haue discharged the matter with ne-uer a peny. And shaking him wel vp for his ouermuch malepartnes. I know the felow wel enough (quoth he) there is not a rancker Papist within this realme, thē he is, most vnworthy to be seruaunt vnto so noble a Princesse. And so after hūble thanks geuen to the Lord Cromwell, the sayd Morice departed with his booke, which when he agayne had fayre written, was deliuered to the kinges Maiesty by the sayd Lord Cromwell, within 4. dayes after.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe gentle behauiour of the L. Cromwell, in remembring his olde frends.IT is commonly sene, that men aduaūced once from base degree, to ample dignityes do rise also with fortune into such insolency and exaltatiō of mind, that not only they forget themselues what they were, & from whence they came but also cast out of remembraunce al their old frendes and former acquayntance, which haue bene to them before beneficiall. Frō which sort of men, how farre the curteous cōdition of this christen Earle did differ, by diuers examples it may appeare As by a certain poore woman keping some time a vitailing house about Hownsloe, to whom the said Lord Cromwell remayned in debt for certayne old reckonings, to þe summe of xl. s. It happened that the L. Cromwel with Cranmer Archbishop of Cāterbury, riding thorow Cheapeside toward the Court, in turning his eye ouer the way, and there espying this poore woman, brought now in need & misery, eftsones caused her to be called vnto him. Who being come, after certayn questions asked of her if she were not such a womā, and dwelling in such a place. At last he demaunded, if he were not behind for a certayne payment of mony betwene him and her. To whō she with reuerent obeisance, confessed that he ought her money for a certayn old reckoning which was yet vnpayd, wherof she stoode now in great necessity, but neuer durst call vpō him nor could come at him for to require her right. MarginaliaExample of a gratefull debter.Thē the L. Cromwell sending the poore woman home to hys house, and one of his seruants withall, that the Porter should let her in, after his returne from the Court, not onely discharged the debte which he ought, but also gaue her a yearely pension of foure poundes, and a liuery euery yeare while she liued.
[Back to Top]The like curtesy the said L. Cromwell shewed also to a certayne Italian, who in the city of Florence, had shewed him much kindnes in succoring and relieuing his necessity as in this story following may appeare. Which storie set forth and compiled in the Italian tong by Bandello, MarginaliaEx historia Italica.& imprinted at Luke by Busdrago, an. 1554
CloseFoxe took this story, as he indicates from Matteo Bandello, Novelle. 4 parts in 3 volumes (Lucca, 1554-73), II, pp. 202-7. This work had not yet been translated into English and the fact that Foxe (and his printer John Day) took the trouble to have the story translated from Italian (a language Foxe did not have) is an indication of the importance that Foxe attached to this tale of Cromwell's virtuous character. Foxe's version of the story is faithful to the original, but eliminates details about Frescobaldi and his business.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaA notable story of the L. Cromwel, and an Italian.Not many yeares past, sayth the author, there was in Florence a merchant whose name was Fraunces, descended from the noble & auncient family of the Frescobaldes
CloseThe Frescobaldi were a leading Florentine family of bankers.
It happened, that Fraunces Frescobald being in Florence, there appeared before him a poore yong man, MarginaliaCrōwell asking hys almes of Frescobald.asking his almes for Gods sake. Frescobald as he earnestly beheld this ragged stripling, who was not so disguised in his tottered attire, but that his countenaunce gaue significatiō of much towardnes & vertue in him, with cōformity of maners agreing to the same, being mooued with pity, demaūded of what coūtry he was, & where he was borne. I am Syr (quoth he) of England, & my name is Thomas Cromwell. My father is a poore man, & by his occupation a cloth sherer
CloseAs Foxe recounts, Cromwell's father was a blacksmith, who moved into fulling, then became a cloth merchant and ended up owning a hostel and brewery. Cromwell's mother may have re-married a shearman, but this is probably Foxe getting his details confused, he was probably confused by Bandello's anecdote about Cromwell. Cromwell's father-in-law, Henry Wykys, was a shearman of Putney.
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CloseThe battle of Garigliano was fought on 27 December 1503. In it the French army was defeated by the Spanish forces.
CloseThe 'etcetera' is revealing. Foxe is eliminating Bandello's praise (if that is the word) that the young Cromwell 'could, when it seemed to his purpose, dissimulate his feelings better than anyone in the world' [quando gli pareua esser à proposito, dissimular le suepassionimeglioche huomo del mondo] (Matteo Bandello, Novelle, 4 parts in 3 volumes [Lucca, 1554-73], II, p. 203). Foxe also skips over Bandello's account of Cromwell's service under Wolsey, his entry into roal service and Cromwell's role in the break with Rome (Bandello, Novelle, pp. 202-4).
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