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Florence (Firenze)

[Florentia]

Tuscany, Italy

Coordinates: 43° 46' 13" N, 11° 15' 17" EE

Historic republic; cathedral city

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Nackington [Hakington]

Canterbury, Kent

OS grid ref: TR 155 545

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Richmond on Thames (Shene; Sheen)

Surrey

OS grid ref: TQ 185 745

At what tyme Cromwell was so highly fauoured of his prince, and aduanced to such dignitie as is aforesaid, Frāces Frescobald (as it many tymes happeneth vnto Merchants) was by many misfortunes and great losses, cast backe and become very poore. For according to conscience and equitie he payd whatsoeuer was due to any other frō himself, but such debts as were owing vnto him, he could by no meanes obtaine: yet calling further to remembrance that in England by certaine merchants there was due to him the summe of 15000. ducates,MarginaliaAn Italian Ducate cōmeth to as much as our Englishe crowne. he so purposed with himself, that if he could recouer that mony, he would well content himself, and no longer deale in the trade of merchants, but quietly passe ouer the rest of his dayes.

All things prepared for his iourney, he setting forward towards England, at last arriued at London, hauyng vtterly forgotten what curtesie long before hee had shewed to Cromwel, which is the property alwayes of a good nature, for a man to forget what benefites he hath shewed to other, but to kepe in mind continually what he hath receiued of other. Frescobald thus being now ariued at Lōdon, and there trauelling earnestly about his businesse, it chanced him by the way to meete with this noble man, as he was riding toward the court. Whome, as soone as the sayd Lord Cromwell had espied, and had earnestly beheld, he bethought with himselfe that he should be the man of Florence, at whose hands in tymes past he had receyued so gentle entertainment, and therupon sodenly alighting (to the great admiration of those that were with him) in hys armes he gently embraced the stranger, and with a broken voyce scarce able to refraine teares, he demanded if he wer not Frances Frescobald the Florētine. Yea sir (he answered) and your humble seruant. MarginaliaThe wordes of the Lord Cromwell to the Italiā Marchaunt.My seruant (quoth Cromwell?) no, as you haue not bene my seruant in times past, so will I not now account you otherways then my great and especiall frend, assuring you that I haue just reason to be sory, that you knowing what I am (or at the least what I should be) will not let me vnderstand of your arriuyng in this land, which known vnto me, truely I should haue payd part of that debte which I confesse to owe you: but thanked be God I haue yet tyme.MarginaliaOld friendship remēbred. Well sir, in conclusion, you are hartilie welcome. But hauing now waightie affaires in my princes cause, you must hold me excused, that I can no longer tary with you. Therfore at this tyme I take my leaue, desiring you with the faithfull mynde of a friend, that you forget not this day to come to my house to dinner, and then in remounting on his horse, he passed to the Court. Frescobald greatly meruailing with himselfe who this Lord should be, at last after some pause, hys remembraunce better called home, he knewe hym to be the same, whome long before (as you haue heard) he had relieued in Florence, and thereat not a little ioyed, especially considering how that by his meanes he should the better recouer his duety.

The houre of dinner drawing neere, he repayred to the house of this honourable Counsellour, where walkyng a while in his base Court, he attended his commyng. The Lord shortly returned from the Court, and no sooner dismounted, but he agayne embraced this Gentleman with so frendly a countenance, that both the Lord Admirall and all the other noble men of the Court beyng then in his cōpany, did not a little maruell thereat.

MarginaliaThe curtesie of the Lord Cromwell in retayning his old host.Which thing when the Lord Cromwell perceyued, he turnyng towardes them, and holding Frescobald fast by the hand: do ye not meuaile my Lordes (quoth he) that I seeme so glad of this man? This is he by whose meanes I haue atchieued the degre of this my present calling: and because ye shall not be ignoraunt of hys curtesie when I greatly neded, I shall tell it you: and so there declared vnto them euery thing in order, accordyng as before hath bene recited vnto you. His tale finished, holdyng him still by the hand, he entered his house, and commyng into the Chamber where his dinner was prepared, he sate hym downe to the Table, placing his best welcomed guest next vnto him.

The dinner ended, and the Lordes departed, he would know what occasion had brought Frescobald to London. Fraunces in few wordes opened his cause, truely tellyng, that from great wealth he was fallen into pouerty, and that his only portion to maintayne the rest of his life, was xv. thousand Ducates which were owyng him in england and two thousand in Spaine. Whereunto the lord Cromwell answeryng agayne, sayd, touching the things Maister Frescobald that be already past, although it can not now be vndone by mans power, nor by pollicye called agayne, which hath happened vnto you by the vnstable cōdition and mutabilitie of this world altering too and fro: yet is not your sorrow so peculiar to your selfe alone, but that by the bond of mutuall loue, I must also bewaile withyou this your state and condition, which state and condition of yours, though it may worke in you matter of iust heauines, yet notwithstanding, to the intent you may receaue in this your heauy distresse some consolatiō for your old curtesie shewed to me in tymes past, the lyke curtesie now requireth of me agayne, that I likewise should repay some portion of that debt wherin I stand bound vnto you according as the part of a thankfull man byndeth me to do in requiting your benefites on my part heretofore receiued. And this further I auouch in the word of a true frend, that during this life and state of myne, I will neuer fayle to do for you, wherein my authoritie may preuaile to supply your lacke and necessitie. And so let these fewe wordes suffice to giue you knowledge of my friendly meaning. But let me delay the tyme no longer.

MarginaliaExample of a faythful debter.Then taking him by the hand, he led him into his chamber, whence, after that euery man by his commandement was departed, he locked fast the dore. Thē opening a coffer full heaped with treasure, he first tooke out sixtene Ducates, and deliueryng them vnto Frescobald, he sayd: loe here (my friend) is your mony which you lent me at my departure from Florence, and here other tenne which you bestowed in my apparell, with ten more that you disbursed for the horse I rid away on. But cōsidering you are a merchant, it seemeth to me not honest to returne your money without some consideration for the long detainyng of it.MarginaliaThe Lorde Cromwelles vsury. Take you therefore these 4. bags, and in euery of them is 400. ducates  

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The amount involved, 16,000 ducats, is literally incredible but Foxe is simply repeating Bandello.

Frescobald, although from great welth he was brought to a lowe ebbe, and (almost) an vtter decay, yet expressyng the vertue of a modest mynde, after gentle thankes geuen to the Lord Cromwell for his exceedyng kyndnesse shewed, curteously would haue refused that which was offered, had not the other enforced him agaynst his will to receiue it.

MarginaliaKindnes requited with kindnes.This done, he caused Frescobald to geue him a note of the names of all his debters, and the summe that from euery of them was owyng him. This scedule he deliuered to one of his seruants, vnto whom he gaue charge diligētly to search out such men whose names therein was conteined, if they were within anye part of the realme, & then straightly to charge them to make payment of those sums within fiftene dayes, or els to abide the hazard of hys displeasure. The seruant so well performed his maisters cōmandement, that in very short tyme they made payment of the whole summe: and if it had lyked Frescobald so to haue demaunded, they should haue answered to the vttermost such commoditie, as the vse of his money in so many yeres would haue giuen him profit: but he contēted with his principall, would demaund no further. MarginaliaModestie in an Italian.By which meanes he gate both harty loue and great estimation, and the more, for that he was so deare to the Lord Cromwell, and so highly esteemed of him.

And during all this tyme, Frescobald continually lodged in the house of the lord Cromwel, who euer gaue hym such entertainment as he had right well deserued, and oftentimes mooued him to abide in England, offering him the lone of 60000. Ducates,MarginaliaThe Ducates after the Italian count, came much neare to our Englishe crownes. for the space of 4. yeare, if he would continue and make his banke in Londō. But Frescobald, who desired to returne into his country, and there quietly to continue the rest of his lyfe, with the great fauor of the Lord Cromwell, after many thankes for his high and noble entertainment, departed towardes his desired home, where richly arriuing, he gaue himselfe quietly to lyue. But this wealth he small time enioyed, for in the first yeare of his returne he dyed.  

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Foxe omits the conclusion of Bandello's tale which relates that Cromwell fell from power and was beheaded because he dared to have Stephen Gardiner sent to the Tower without consulting Henry VIII. See Matteo Bandello, Novelle, 4 parts in 3 volumes {Lucca, 1554-73], II, pp. 205-7).

So plentifull was the life of this man in such fruites full of singular gratitude and curtesie, that to rehearse all, it would require too long a tractation. MarginaliaAn other exam-ample of the kinde and lowly minde of the Lord Cromwell.Yet one example amongst many other I may not ouerpasse, whereby we may euidētly consider or rather maruell at the lowly mind of such a person, in so high a state and place of honor. For as he comming with other of the Lordes of the Counsayle and Commissioners, to the house of Shene, about the examination of certaine Monkes which there denied þ^e kings supremacie, after the examination done was there sittyng at dinner, it chaunced him to spie a farre off, a certain poore man which there serued to sweepe their Sels and cloister, and to ring the bels. Whome when the Lord Cromwell had well aduised, he sent for the poore man to come vnto him, and before all the table most louingly and friendly, calling him by his name, tooke him by the hand, and asked how he did, with many other good wordes, and turnyng therewith to the Lordes: My Lordes (quoth he) see you this poore man. This mans father hath bene a great frend to mee in my necessitie, and hath giuen me many a meals meat. Then said he vnto the poore man, come vnto me and