he fenfibly found his Health decay, and that he was not long for this World:

For his Majefty being troubled with the Gout, the Defluxion, at laft taking into his Breaft, wafted his Lungs; fo that in the Spring of the Year, in particular, he had great Fits of the Phthifick: Nevertheless he continued to attend Bufinefs as before in his Health; but as his Illness encreased, he began more feriously to think of the World to come, and to prepare for it (as he thought) in good earnest, by doing Acts of Charity, giving large Alms to the Poor, and difcharging all Prifoners for Debt about the City, that lay for Fees or Debts under forty Shillings; but furely the true Act of Expiation would have been to have made Reftitution to the Oppreffed.

Henry, hearing of the bitter Cries of his People against the Oppreffion of Empfon and Dudley, and their Accomplices, partly by devout Perfons about him, and partly by publick Sermons, (the Preachers doing their Duty therein) was touched with great Remorfe for the fame; and fo hardened were his two Minifters, that tho' they could not but hear of these Diftractions in the King's Conscience, went on with as great Severity in their Exactions and Oppreffions as ever; but the Time foon after came, that they were called to a strict Account for their past Actions, and made a publick Example of, as a Warning and Terror to Oppreffors, who wickedly extort Money from the Subjects upon Penal Statutes, and rake after obfolete Recognizances, in order to put them in Suit, to the Dishonour of the King their Mafter, and only for their own filthy Lucre; but we fhall defer speaking further of it, till we enter the enfuing Reign.

Dean Wolfey, for fo he was now called, Dean Wolfey's had the Beginning of this Year new Prefarther Prefer- ferments beftow'd on him; firft, to be Prebend of Walton Brinhold, and then to the Prebendary of Stow, and every Day found that he

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was more and more in the King's Favour; infomuch, that he was in a fair Way to be promoted to the next vacant See; but, before he obtained that Degree, the King died.

The Death of
Henry the VIIth.

The King, to crown the laft Year of his Reign, as well as the firft, (fays Lord Bacon) did an Act of Piety' worthy of Imitation, for he granted a general Par'don; and, tho' Henry could not find in his Heart to eafe his People from the Oppreffions of his infamous Minifters, yet he declared in his Will, That his Mind was, that Reftitution fhould be made of thofe Sums which had been unjustly taken by his Officers. And thus, this Solomon of England, (for Solomon alfo was too heavy upon his People in Exactions) having lived fifty-two Years, and thereof reigned twentythree Years and eight Months, being in perfect. Memory, departed this Life, the 22d of April.'

To fum up his Majesty's Character in few Words, from the different Accounts given us by Hiftorians, he had two Points chiefly in view; the one to keep the Crown in his Line, and the other to accumulate Riches, in both which he fucceeded. He had not any Ambition in making foreign Acquifitions, tho' he was obliged fometimes to take up Arms; yet no Prince ever loved Peace more; for he generally prefaced his Treaties with fetting forth, That, when Chrift came into the World, Peace was fung; and when he went out of the World, Peace was bequeathed. He never opened his Mind but to his principal Minifters, and then only to those who were to fee his Orders executed. His Ambaffadors were chiefly inftructed to inform themselves with the Secrets of the Courts where they refided, which they fo well executed, that there was not a Prince in Europe had better Intelligence. Ferdinand of Spain, much of the fame Temper, was extremely ufeful to Henry; nor was it in Ferdinand's Power, all his Reign, to get any Advantage over him: On the contrary, Henry

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made use of his Spanish Majesty to ferve his own Ends; for, by keeping a ftrict Correfpondence with that Prince, he prevented the French from intermeddling in the English Affairs. As the Intereft of other Princes confifted in different Things, fo Henry's was principally contained in his having full Coffers: He was extremely fufpicious, as thofe moftly are who deal much in Secrets, because they think all the World like themfelves. His Wifdom confifted more in extricating himself out of Difficulties, than finding Means to avoid them. He was of a ferious Temper, ever thoughtful and intent upon his Affairs, without being diverted by Pleasures; to which he was very little addicted. He was of a Stature taller than common; his Face long, thin, and lean, like the rest of his Body; and in Publick appear'd very grave, which made his Subjects fpeak to him with Fear: He could, however, be affable, if Affairs required it. Some Hiftorians fay he was rather ftudious than learned; and that what he read in his leifure Hours was generally French, tho' he understood Latin. The City of London was his Paradife, for, what good Fortune foever befel him, he thought he enjoyed it not till he acquainted them with it; but ftill he hardly ever remitted any Forfeiture incurred by her Magiftrates. He was buried in the Chapel, built and most beautifully ornamented at his own Expence, adjoining to Westminster-Abbey, where is now to be feen his Tomb, with his Queen lying by him, made all of folid Brass; to exceed this Structure there are but few, if any, in Europe; the Coft of which was prodigious, and the Execution exceedingly difficult and laborious, and yet the Artist has fucceeded in it to Admiration; there is no Part of it that is not excellent, from the chief Figures to the minutest Point of the Decoration: And here we fhall leave their Majefties quietly entombed, and close our First Volume.

INDE X.

Between Page 288 and 297, the Figures 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, are duplicated thro' the mistake of the Compofitor.

A Bergavenny, Lord, took D'Alban, Lord, a famous French