Life of Henry VIII by Edward Herbert

And thus the 28 of July [28th July 1540], (being four days after the Dissolution of the Parliament,) he was brought‘to the Tower-Hill, where, after Profession that he would die in the Catholike Faith, his head was cut off; And to this end came Cromwel, who from being but a Blacksmiths son, found means to travel into divers forraign Countries, to learn their Languages, and to see the Wars (being a Souldier of Bourbon at the sacking of Rome); whence returning, he was received into the Cardinal Wolseys service: To whom, he so approved himself, by his fidelity, and diligence, That the King after his fall, voluntarily took him for his servant; in which place,he became a special Instrument for dissolving the Abbeys, and other Religious Houses, and keeping down the Clergy; whom in regard of their Oath to the Pope, he usually termed the Kings half Subjects: And for expelling the Monks, he said it was no more, then a restoring them to the first Inftitution of being lay, and laboring Persons: Neither did it move him, That so much strictness and austerity of life was injoyn'd them in their several Orders, since he said they might keep it, in any condition: But as these Reasons again were not admitted by divers learned and able persons, so he got him many enemies, who at last, procured his fall; but not before he had obtained successively the Dignities of Master of the Rolls, a Baron, b Lord Privy Seal, c Vicegerent to the King in Spiritualities, d Knight of the Garter, e Earl of Essex, Great Chamberlain of England, &c. He was noted in the exercise of his places of Judicature, to have used much moderation; and in his greatest pomp, to have taken notice, and been thankful to mean persons of his old acquaintance, and therein had a vertue which his Master the Cardinal wanted: As for his other descriptions, I leave them to be taken out of Cranmers Letter formerly mentioned, with some deduction; For it seems written to the King, in more then ordinary favour of his ancient service.