Reynold Pole

whose piety, learning, and integrity of life did make him more illustrious than the splendor of his royal blood, was a younger Son of Sir Ric. Pole Knight of the Garter (Cosin german to K. Hen. 7.) by Margaret his Wife, Daughter of George Duke of Clarence, younger Brother to K. Ed. 4. The birth of this most noble Person, was, as a learned (u)(u) Will. Camden in Britannia in Staffordsh. Author reports, at Stoverton Castle in Staffordshire, or as another (w)(w) See in the third vol. of a Book intit. Florum Historiae sacri collegii S. R. E. Cardinalium—Par. 1660. pag. 225. written by Ludov. Doni D’ attichi, &c. who was a Forreigner tells us, (but false, as I presume) at London in the Month of March 1500. His education in Grammatical learning was partly in the Carmes House (commonly called White Friers) in the North suburb of Oxon, and his Academical in the Coll. of St. Mary Magdalen, where continuing for some time, he was admitted to the reading of any of the Logical Books of Aristotle, that is to the Degree of Bach. of Arts, an. 1515. In which year he supplicated the venerable Congregation of Regents, that he might wear panni pretiosi and pellurae pretiosae, and be admitted to enter into the Library. How long he tarried in that Coll. after he had taken his Degree, or whether he took the Degree of Master of Arts, or a Degree in any other faculty, it appears not in our Registers. In the Year 1517. March 19. he was made Prebendary of Roscombe in the Church of Salisbury, in 1519. Apr. 10. Preb. of Yatminster secunda in the said Church, and on the 14 of Feb. 1523, he was admitted Fellow of Corp. Chr. College by command from the founder: Which place, I presume, he never enjoyed, being then absent, if not happily Dean of Winbourne Minster in Dorsetshire, from whence he was promoted to be Dean of Exeter. Afterwards, his life being chiefly spent in Italy, he became by the favour of the Pope, Cardinal of St. Nereus and Achilleus, afterwards of St. Mary in Cosmedin, and at length of St. Prisca, was employed also by him in several Embassies to the French King, and to the Emperor, and lastly after the said Popes death (Paul 3.) he was in the Conclave of Cardinals chose twice by them to succeed him, an. 1549. But he, upon some account, refusing both the elections, craved license to depart unto a certain Monastery in the Territory of Verona, there to spend the remainder of his days. To which place afterwards retiring, he exercis’d himself for some years, in great devotion and retiredness. At length the news of K. Edw. death being brought of him, and that Qu. Mary had obtained the Crown, he procured of P. Julius 3. license to be sent his Legat into England, to reconcile that Nation to the Romish See, and the rather for this cause, that being (x)(x) See in the History of the Council of Trent, written by Pietro Soave Polano, and translated into English by Sir Nath. Brent—Lond. 1620. p. 384. not in holy orders, (tho a Cardinal) he might be in a capacity (being one of the three that were named) to marry the Queen. Soon after coming into England (the Queen being then married) he was elected Chancellour of this University, and was made Archb. of Canterbury in the place of Cranmer; to which he was consecrated 22. March 1555. (being about that time (y)(y) Pat. 2. & 3. Phil. & Mar. p. 1. invested with the Temporalities of that See) and kept it to his dying day. He was a Person of great learning, eloquence and judgment, of singular piety, charity, and exemplary life, as several Writers tell us, who add also, that he was an excellent Canonist, and well read in the Laws of ecclesiastical polity, as may partly be seen in the Books written by him, which are these.

Pro unitate ecclesiastica, ad Hen. 8. Rom. in fol.

Oratio ad Imperatorem, contra Evangelicos, cum Scholiis Athanasii. Print. 1554. in qu.

Oration of Speech in the Parliament House, 27. Nov. 1554.—The contents of which you may see in John Fox his Book of Acts and Monuments of the Church, &c. under that year.

Letter to P. Julius 3. touching the restoring of the Realm of England—dated on the last of Nov. 1554. See there again under the same year.

Unitatis Ecclesiasticae defensio, &c. lib. 4. Argent. 1555. fol. Ingolst. 1587. oct.

Oratio in materia de pace. Ven. 1558. qu.

Reformatio Angliae ex decretis Reg. poli, an. 1556. Rom. 1562. qu. Lov. 1569. oct.

De concilio, lib. 1. Rom. 1562. qu. Lov. 1567. fol. & 69. oct. &c. This is printed in Canones & Decreta concilii Tridentini, published by Philip Labbe—Par. 1667. fol.

De Baptismo Constantini Imperatoris. Printed with the former Book.

De summi pontificis officio & potestate. Lov. 1569. oct.

A Treatise of Justification. Lov. 1569. qu. in two Books. This was found among the Writings of Card. Pole, remaining in the custody of Mr. Hen. Pyning, Chamberlain and receiver general to the said Cardinal, then lately deceased at Lovaine. With it were Printed and bound certain translations touching the said matter of justification, viz. (1) The sixth Session of the generall Councel of Trent, which is of justification, with the Canons of the same Session. (2) A Treatise of St. Augustin that famous Doctor, by him intit. Of faith and works, &c.—Which translations were made by the Cardinal, who sate several times in the said Council. (3) A Sermon of St. Chrysostome, of praying unto God. (4) A Serm. of St. Basil of Fasting. (5) Certain Sermons of St. Leo the great, of the same argument. (6) A notable Sermon of St. Cyprian of Almesdeeds. He also (Card. Pole) had been several years gathering and obtaining from divers learned Persons, the various readings, emendations, castigations, &c. of Cicero’s works, with intentions to have published a compleat Copy of them, but death seizing on him unexpectedly, that good work was stopp’d, and what are become of the papers of corrections, I know not. This great Person who was in an high manner venerated by all Men (tho extremely hated by K. Hen. 8.) yielded to nature 18. Nov. early in the morning, (being the very next day that Qu. Mary died) in Fifteen hundred fifty and eight, aged 58. years: Whereupon his body being carried to Canterbury in the latter end of Decemb. 1558 following, was buried with solemnity in the Cathedral there, within the Chappel of St. Thomas the Martyr, being, as yet (1689.) the last Archb. of that See that hath been there buried. See more of him in his life written in the Italian tongue by Ludov. Bacatellus sometimes Domestick to this great Cardinal, and afterwards advanced to the Archbishoprick of Rhaguse for his rare piety and learning; translated into Latin by Andr. Duditius S [•] ordellatus Episc. Tininiensis—Ven. 1563. qu. Who afterwards left his Religion and became a Protestant and Socinian.