The Reigns of EDWAR

of EDWARD

1547.

EDWARD

VI.

DWARD VI, only Son and
Succeffor to Henry VIII, was nine
years and three months old when he
afcended the Throne by the death of
the King his Father. His majority
was fixed to the eighteenth year of
his Age, by the late King's Will,
but he died before he came to it,
after a fhort Reign of fix years and
five months. The History therefore of these fix years,
as may be eafily judged, will not be fo much the History
of the King himself, as of his Governors and Minifters.
There was reason to hope extraordinary things from this
young Prince, had it pleafed God to blefs him with a
longer Life. He had an excellent Memory, a wonderful
Hdpof- folidity of Mind, and withal, he was laborious, sparing no
and good Pains to qualify himself for the well-governing of his King-
Hayward. dom. At eight years of age, he wrote Latin Letters to
Barnet. his Father. French was as familiar to him as English.
Mem. He learnt alfo Greek, Spanish, and Italian. After that, he
applied himself to the Liberal Sciences, wherein he made
an aftonishing Progrefs (1). Cardan, who faw him in
his fifteenth year, fpeaks of him as of the wonder of the
The Teftimony of this [Italian] Philofopher was
the lefs fufpicious, as it was after the young Prince's death
that he published his Praises, and in Italy, where his Me-
mory was odious.

Qualities.

Strype's

age.

He is 19-

As foon as Henry VIII. had refigned his laft breath, the

formed of

Earl of Hertford, and Sir Anthony Brown, were fent by

Father's the Council, to give young Edward notice of it, and to

bring him to London. He was then with his Sifter the

Princess Elizabeth at Hertford, from whence the Deputies

death.

Ecw. Jour.

Strype

Hayward.

Burnet.

conducted him to Enfield. Here they inform him of the 1547.

King's death, and pay their refpects to him as to their So-

vereign. After that, they attended him to the Tower of

London, where he was received by the Council in a Body,

and proclaimed King the fame day, the 31st of January

1547.

Burnet.

On the morrow, the Council met to fettle the Form King Hen-

of Government during the King's Minority. There was ry's Will is.

not much to be debated. The Parliament had empowered opened.

the late King, not only to fettle the Succeffion by his

Will, but alfo to appoint what form of Government he

fhould think moft proper, till his Succeffor was capable of

holding the reins himself. All therefore that was to be

done, was to open his Will and obey the Contents.

There it appeared, that Henry had nominated fixteen Per-

fons to be his Executors, Regents of the Kingdom, and

Governors to his Son.

These were :

Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Lord Wriothefley, Lord Chancellor.
The Lord St. John, Mafter of the Houfhold.
The Lord Ruffel, Lord Privy-Seal.
The Earl of Hertford, Lord-Chamberlain.
The Viscount Lifle, Lord-Admiral.
Cuthbert Tonftal Bishop of Durham.
Sir Anthony Brown, Mafter of the Horse,
Sir William Paget, Secretary of State.

Sir Edward North, Chancellor of the Court of Aug-

mentations.

Sir Edward Montague, Lord Chief-Juftice of the Com-

-Pleas.

mon-

Judge Bromley.

No. XLIV.

VOL. II.

A 2

Sir