26
REIGN OF HENRY THE EIGHTH.
[ch. 14.
till the spring[1]—that Lord Darcy had been heard to say that it was better to rule than be ruled—'and that where before they had had but two sovereign crowns they would now have four.'[2]
The lightest of these charges were symptoms of an animus[3] which the Crown prosecutors would regard as treasonable. The secretion of the artillery and Aske's conduct at Hull would ensure a condemnation where the judges were so anxious to condemn.
- ↑ Sir Ralph Ellerkar called on Constable to join him in suppressing Bigod's movement. Constable neither came nor sent men, contenting himself with writing letters.—Rolls House MS. A 2, 28.
- ↑ Part of Pole's mission was to make peace between France and the Empire. The four sovereigns would, therefore, be the Pope, the King of Scotland, Francis, and Charles. I have gathered these accusations out of several groups among the Rolls House MSS., apparently heads of information, privy council minutes, and drafts of indictments. The particulars which I have mentioned being repeated frequently in these papers, and with much emphasis, I am inclined to think that they formed the whole of the case.
- ↑ The proofs of 'an animus' were severely construed.A few clauses from a rough draft of the indictments will show how small a prospect of escape there was for any one who had not resolutely gone over to the Government.Aske wrote a letter to the commons of the North, in which was written, 'Bigod intendeth to destroy the effect of our petition and commonwealth;' 'whereby,' Cromwell concluded, 'it appeareth he continued in his false opinion and traitorous heart.'In another letter he had said to them, 'Your reasonable petitions shall be ordered by Parliament,' 'showing that he thought that their petitions were reasonable, and in writing the same he committed treason.'Again, both Constable and he had exhorted the commons to wait for the Duke of Norfolk and the Parliament, telling them that the Duke would come only with his household servants; 'signifying plainly that, if their unreasonable requests were not complied with, they would take the matter in their own hands again.'There are fifty 'articles' against thrm, conceived in the same spirit, of more or less importance.
