Part 25 (2/2)

Unluckily, Sir Philip's chief principle of action seems to have been that might is right, and complaints being made to the King that he had expelled two of his neighbours from parts of their lands, and imprisoned the Abbot of Newenham, and two of his monks, 'with great force,' the intrepid knight was sent to the Tower. However, after a little while, 'at the request of the Lords and Commons, he was restored to his place and good name.'

William Courtenay, a brother to Sir Philip, was Bishop of London at the critical time when Wyclif's doctrines were first stirring men's minds, and after the murder of Archbishop Sudbury, Bishop Courtenay was translated to Canterbury, and began to take very severe measures against the heretics. A strange event marked a meeting of many dignitaries of Church and State, who had gathered to censure Wyclif's teaching and find means for its extermination. 'When they were just going to begin their business a wonderful and terrible earthquake happened throughout all England, whereupon differs of the suffragans being affrighted thought fit to leave off their business, but the Archbishop encouraged them to go on, and they proceeded to examine Articles of Wickliff, and to give their censure upon them.'

The Archbishop persuaded Parliament to pa.s.s an Act against certain preachers of heresy, that they might be arrested and kept 'in strong Prison until they shall justify themselves according to the Law of the Holy Church,' and brought the Chancellor of Oxford literally to his knees, begging the Archbishop's pardon for having shown favour to the Lollards against special commands.

His strong will was exercised in all matters, great and small, and offenders were punished in the most conspicuous fas.h.i.+on. The Archbishop took a high hand in dealing with affairs of the Diocese of Exeter, and the Bishop of Exeter greatly resented it, and appealed against him to Rome. The Archbishop then 'cited' Bishop Brantyngham 'to answer certain Articles to be proposed to him in the Visitation,' but some of the 'Bishop's Officers' met the bearer at Topsham, and 'did beat him, and forced him to eat the Citation, Parchment, Wax, and all.' The contempt of his commands, and the maltreatment of his messenger, naturally roused the Archbishop to wrath, and he inflicted this very heavy penance: 'That in the Church of _Canterbury_, _St Paul's_ in _London_, and the Cathedral Church of _Exeter_, they should upon three Holy Days named, being in their s.h.i.+rts only, in a Procession going before the Cross, carry Wax Tapers burning in their hands, and then that they should give to the Priest a Salary to say Ma.s.s every day at the Tomb of the Earl of Devons.h.i.+re; and lastly, every one of them was enjoined to pay a sum of money, for repairing the Walls of the City of _Exeter_.' In addition to the public disgrace, the trouble and cost of this penance must have been immense.

The sixth of these brothers, Sir Peter Courtenay, was, says Fuller, 'a true son of Mars and actuated with such heroic fire, that he wholly addicted himself unto feats of arms.' It has been already mentioned that he fought in the Spanish wars, and in milder moments he distinguished himself at 'justs and tournaments now justled out of fas.h.i.+on by your carpet knights.' As a prisoner of war in France, his captivity was lightened by the attentions he received, even from the King of France himself, and he was on such good terms with his captors that after his release he gained leave of Richard II 'to send into France, by Northampton Herald, and by Anlet Pursuivant, as a return for the civilities he received in France ... eight cloths of Scarlet, Black and Russet, to give to certain n.o.blemen of that Realm; as also two Horses, six saddles, six little bows, one sheaf of large Arrows and another sheaf of Cross-bow Arrows; likewise a Greyhound, and other dogs for the King of France's Keeper.'

The Wars of the Roses were especially fatal to the House of Courtenay, no less than three Earls of Devon losing their lives for King Henry, and in consequence the elder branch of the family became extinct.

A pleasanter time to look back upon was the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. Henry VII had married Elizabeth, the elder, and the Earl of Devons.h.i.+re Katherine, the younger, of Edward IV's daughters, and after Henry VIII's accession to the throne the Earl of Devons.h.i.+re seems to have been much at Court. In the early months of 1509 preparations were made for 'solemn Justs in Honour of the Queen. The King was one, and with him three Aids: the King was called _Coeur Loial_, and the Earl of _Devons.h.i.+re_, _Bon Voloire_, Sir _Thomas Nevet_, _Bon Espoire_, Sir _Edward Nevil_, _Valiant Desire_, and their Names were put in a fine Table, and the Table was hung on a Tree curiously wrought, and they were called _Les Chevaliers de le Forest Salvigne_, and they were to run at the Tilt with all comers.'

The irony of the King's choice of a _nom de guerre_ seems to have escaped the historian.

'On the 1st day of _May_ 1510, 2 Henry VIII, the King, accompanied with a great many valiant n.o.bles, rode upon managed Horses to the Wood to fetch May, where he and three others, viz., Sir _Edward Howard_, _Charles Brandon_, and _Edward Nevil_, which were Challengers, s.h.i.+fted themselves, and did put on coats of green Sattin, guarded with crimson Velvet; and on the other side were the Earls of _Ess.e.x_ and _Devons.h.i.+re_, the Marquis of _Dorset_, and the Lord _Howard_, and they were all in crimson Sattin, guarded with a pounced Guard of green Velvet. On the third Day the Queen made a great Banquet for the King and those who had justed, and after the Banquet she gave the Chief Prize to the King, the second to the Earl of _Ess.e.x_, the third to the Earl of _Devons.h.i.+re_, and the Fourth to the Marquess of _Dorset_. Then the Heralds cried aloud, _My Lords, For your n.o.ble Feats in Arms, G.o.d send you the Love of the Ladies whom you most admire_.'

The next year the Earl of Devons.h.i.+re died, and was succeeded by his son, Henry, who for a time was high in the favour of his royal cousin. He seems also to have taken part in many 'Justs and Tourneys.' One summer 'the Queen desired the King to bring to his Manour of Havering in Ess.e.x, to the Bower there, the Gentlemen of _France_ that were Hostages, for whose Welcome she provided all things in a liberal manner.' The entertainment seems to have taken the shape of a small masked ball, and 'the King gave many gifts where he liked.' At the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the Earl of Devons.h.i.+re had the honour of tilting with the French King, 'and they ran so hard together that both their Spears broke, and so they maintained their Courses n.o.bly.'

The next year 'the King kept his _Christmas_ at _Greenwich_ in great splendour'; and there was another tournament and many challenges. 'n.o.ble and rich was their Apparel, but in Feats of Arms the King excelled the rest.'

In the year 1525 the Earl was created Marquis of Exeter, and seven years later, before starting for France, the King formally named his cousin Heir Apparent to the Crown. After this Fortune turned her back on him, and though, at the King's bidding, he dealt with the northern rebels, taking with him 'a jolly company of Western Men, well and completely appointed,' it was thought that his power, shown by 'so sudden raising divers thousands,' awoke the King's jealousy. The influence of the Marquis 'over the west was second only to the hold which the Duke of Norfolk had upon the eastern counties'; and therefore, when two years later it was reported he had said, 'Knaves rule about the King. I trust to give them a buffet one day,' Cromwell was glad to seize the opportunity of simultaneously striking at feudalism in the West, and of dealing a blow at the inflexible Cardinal Pole, the Courtenays' kinsman.

The Marquis was at once arrested on the charge of being an accomplice of the Cardinal, and was beheaded on Tower Hill.

Edward, his son, who was only twelve years old at the time of his father's death, was committed to the Tower, 'lest he should raise Commotions by revenging his Father's Quarrel,' and here he remained for twenty-seven years. There is a pretty account of Queen Mary coming to the Tower, soon after her accession, where '_Thomas_, Duke of _Norfolk_, Dr _Gardiner_, late Bishop of _Winchester_, _Edward Courtenay_, son and heir to _Henry Marquis_ of _Exeter_, the _Dutchess of Somerset_, Prisoners in the Tower, kneeling on the Hill, within the same Tower, saluted her Grace, and she came to them and kissed them, and said, ”These be my prisoners,” and caused them presently to be set at liberty.'

The very next day the Queen restored to her cousin the t.i.tle of Earl of Devon (forfeited by his father's attainder), and soon after all his lands that remained in her possession, and also showed him other favours. In fact, 'it was reported that she carried some good affections towards the Earl, from the first time that she saw him.... Concerning which, there goes a story that the young Earl pet.i.tioning the Queen for leave to travel, she advised him to marry and stay at home, a.s.suring him that no lady in the land, how high soever, would refuse to accept of him for a husband, by which words, she pointed out herself to him, as plainly as might either stand with the Modesty or Majesty of a Maiden Queen.' But, says Fuller with extreme candour, 'either because his long durance had some influence on his brain, or that naturally his face was better than his head, or out of some private fancy and affection (which is most probable) to the Lady Elizabeth,' who, another writer declares, 'of that moderate Share of Beauty that was between them, had much the better of her,' the Earl evaded the honour hinted to him, and begged leave to pay his addresses to the younger Princess. The Queen's feelings and vanity were deeply wounded, and, on a suspicion that the Princess as well as himself were concerned in Wyatt's rebellion, they were both sent to the Tower.

Cleaveland tells a charming story of the Princess and of a child who lived in the Tower. 'During the time that the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtenay were in Prison, a little boy, the son of a Man that lived in the Tower, did use to resort unto their chambers and did often bring her Grace Flowers, as he did to the other Prisoners that were there, whereupon some suspicious heads, thinking to make something of it, on a Time called the Child unto them, promising him Figs and Apples, and asked him when he had been with the Earl of _Devons.h.i.+re_, knowing that he did use to go to him: The Boy answered, _That he would go by and by thither_. Then they demanded of him, when he was with the Lady _Elizabeth_? He answered _Every Day_. Then they asked him, what the Lord _Devons.h.i.+re_ sent by him to her Grace? The Child said, _I will go and know what he will give to carry to her_; such was the discretion of the child (says Mr _Fox_), being but four Years of Age. _This same is a crafty Boy_, said the Lord Chamberlain; _How say you, my lord Shandois?

I pray you, my Lord_, says the Boy, _give me the Figs you promised me; No_, quoth the Lord, _thou shalt be whipt, if thou come any more to the Lady Elizabeth or the Lord Courtenay_. The Boy answered, _I will bring my Lady and Mistress more flowers_, whereupon the Child's Father was commanded to permit the Boy to come no more up into the chambers. The next Day, as her Grace was walking in the Garden, the Child peeping in at a Hole in the Door, cried unto her, _Mistress, I can bring no more flowers_: Whereat she smiled, but said nothing, understanding thereby what they had done. Soon after the Chamberlain rebuked highly his Father, commanding him to put him out of the House; _Alas! poor Infant_, said the Father: _It is a crafty Knave_, quoth the Lord Chamberlain, _let me see him here no more_.'

Soon after Queen Mary's marriage, her husband tried hard to persuade her to release her sister and the Earl, 'and nothing, says _Heylin_, did King _Philip_ more Honour amongst the _English_.' It is to be remembered to his good, that he interceded very earnestly, and in the end successfully, for another Devons.h.i.+re conspirator in Wyatt's rising, Sir Peter Carew.

The Earl, fearing that he might, 'upon the first disorder, be committed to the Tower, to which his Stars seemed to condemn him,' prudently resolved to go abroad; but he must have been born under a very unlucky planet, for the next year he was seized with illness, and died at Padua.

With him the t.i.tle became extinct for about two hundred and fifty years; then Lord Courtenay, a descendant of the Powderham branch of Courtenays, established his claim to the earldom. As the attainder of the Marquis of Exeter was never reversed, that t.i.tle was never revived in this family.

Among the 'Roxburghe Ballads' is one relating to the Courtenays, called 'The Stout Cripple of Cornwall.' No notes throw any light upon the possible origin of the story or offer any opinion as to the probability of the ballad being an account of a true incident, or 'founded on fact,'

or wholly imaginary.

'Of a stout Cripple that kept the highway, And beg'd for his living all time of the day, A story I'll tell you that pleasant shall be-- The Cripple of Cornwall sirnamed was he.

'He crept on his hands and his knees up and downe, In a torn jacket and ragged patcht gowne; For he had never a leg to the knee-- The Cripple of Cornwall sirnamed was he.

'He was of stomake courageious and stout, For he had no cause to complaine of the gout; To go upon stilts most cunning was he, With a staff on his neck most gallant and free.

'Yea, no good-fellows.h.i.+p would he forsake, Were it in secret a purse to take, His help was as good as any might be, The Cripple of Cornwall sirnamed was he.

'When he upon any such service did go, The crafty young Cripple provided it so, His tools he kept close in an old hollow tree, That stood from the city a mile, two or three.

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