Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/451

 between England and Bourbon see, Henry VIII, chaps. xv. xvii. xxi.;, Rivalité de François I et de Charles V, ed. 1876, vol. i. chaps. v. vi.) At Viterbo he met the Turcopolier of the knights of St. John, who brought him more money from England. The disposition of the money sent was practically left to Russell's discretion, and he judged it the wisest course, though he had many suggestions to the contrary, to send it home again. After visiting Pope Clement at Rome, he went to Naples in January 1525. Clement was by this time in alliance with the French, and the French were hoping to reduce Naples (, Papacy, v. 251). Troops were moving about the country, and Russell had his share of danger. He was at Rome again in February, and decided to set off for England. To avoid the French, he started for Loretto, but was driven further afield. While in this plight he was summoned back to Rome by John Clerk (d. 1541) [q. v.], bishop of Bath and Wells, and reached it after many perils. He received new instructions, and was present at the battle of Pavia on 24 Feb. 1524–5. For a long time he remained at Milan. He had a new commission as envoy on 1 June 1525. Journeying by way of Bologna, a plot to capture him and send him away to France seems to have been formed there. It is also said that he was delivered from his foes by Thomas Cromwell. But this story, which forms an incident in the play ‘The Life and Death of Thomas, Lord Cromwell,’ does not agree with what we know of Cromwell's life [see ].

On his return to England Russell advanced his fortunes by marrying, in 1526, Anne, daughter and heiress of Sir Guy Sapcote, widow of Sir John Broughton and of Sir Richard Jerningham. With her he acquired Chenies, Buckinghamshire, which Sir Guy had inherited. But he was soon abroad again. On 2 Jan. 1526–7 he was sent as ambassador to Pope Clement (see, Papacy, vol. v. chap. viii. and ix.). Clement, in great trouble after the plundering of Rome by the Colonna, was so delighted to see him, especially as he brought aid in money, that he offered to lodge him in the Vatican, an honour that he wisely declined. Russell could do nothing, as Wolsey had warned him not to give any assurance of further help. A proof of his capacity is afforded by the fact that he was employed to treat in the pope's behalf with Lannoy, the imperialist general; but though, on going to Cipriani, he found Lannoy willing to enter into a truce, he urged the pope not to make peace without consulting his allies. Russell accordingly set out for Venice, but on his way he broke his leg, and had to send on his proposals to the Venetians by Sir Thomas Wyatt. The pope meanwhile did not wait for an answer from the Venetians, but entered into a truce with Lannoy on 15 March, an arrangement against which Russell vigorously protested on his return to Rome. He left Rome just before the sack of that city, and was at Savona on 11 May. He is accused of having tried before his departure to induce Clement to raise money by creating new cardinals; to this proposal the pope assented, but not until it was too late for the money to be of any use. Russell also while at Rome spoke to the pope in favour of Wolsey's colleges.

In December 1527 Russell was once more ordered to Italy, but he returned very early in 1528. A dispute with Sir Thomas Cheney, who was supported by Anne Boleyn, as to the wardship of his stepdaughters was the origin of Russell's opposition to her and her party. He was sheriff of Dorset and Somerset in 1528, and was made bailiff of Burley in the New Forest on 29 Aug. 1528. In the Reformation parliament of 1529 he sat for Buckingham. That he was treated with great confidence by Henry can be gathered from the fact that, when Henry sent a reprimand to Wolsey in 1528, he read the letter to Russell before despatching it (, Anne Boleyn, i. 75). Russell afterwards wrote in kindly terms to Wolsey (, Henry VIII, p. 288). He gave him good advice before his fall, and took a ring from the king to him on 1 Nov. 1529. Wolsey was grateful, and asked the king to settle 20l. a year upon Russell from the revenues of Winchester and St. Albans when he resigned them. Chapuys says that Russell spoke to the king in favour of Wolsey, and was disliked by Anne in consequence. In 1532 he went with the king to France.

On 20 May 1536 Russell was present at the marriage of Henry and Jane Seymour (, History of Henry VIII, ed. 1572, p. 451). He took an active part in the suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace; he was with Sir William Parr at Stamford in October 1536, and went among the rebels in disguise. After the rebellion was over he was a commissioner to try the Lincolnshire prisoners. ‘As for Sir John Russell and Sir Francis Bryan,’ wrote one to Cromwell, ‘God never died for a better couple.’ On 18 Oct. 1537 he was made comptroller of the king's household. He assisted at the execution of the abbot of Glastonbury (, Letters relating to the Suppression of Monasteries, Camd. Soc. p. 259, cf. p. 261).