Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/506

486 hands: it seemed as if at once a new leaf was to be turned over, and there was to be again an honest and economical Government. A loose paper of memoranda made by some one engaged in the inquiry shows how complicated the accounts must have been, and how inadequate are the existing data to decide on the character of Somerset's conduct.

'Touching the Duke of Somerset—

'1. The plate belonging to the late college of St Stephen's at Westminster, delivered into his hands.

'2. The rich copes, vestments, altar cloths, and hangings belonging to the same college, whereof the Duke had the best and Sir Ralph Vane the next.

'3. The Duke of Norfolk's stuff and jewels, delivered by Sir John Gates.

'4. The best of Sharington's stuffs and goods.

'5. The lead, stone, and stuff of Sion, Reading, and Glastonbury, of great value.

'6. The stallment of the King's alum, sold to certain merchants of London for fourteen or fifteen years, for which the Duke, Smith, and Thynne had among them 1400l.

'7. The thousand marks given by the city of London to the King's Majesty at his coronation.

'8. The customers' officers within England, for the which he had by Thynne's practice notable sums.

'9. The King's secret houses in Westminster, and other places wherein no man was privy but himself, half a year after the King's death.

10. The gifts and exchanges past in his name since the King's death.

'11. It is thought that much land was conveyed by the Duke in trust, in the names of Thynne, Kellaway, Seymour, Berwick, Colthurst, and other his men, and that they have made assurances again of all to the Duke and his heirs, and it is thought that the said persons know best where all the evidences of his lands and his specialties do remain.

'12. The Duke's diet of eight hundred marks by the year, proceeded from the Augmentation Court.'—MS. Domestic, Edward VI. vol. ix. State Paper Office. In one direction only there was to be no present reform, and unfortunately in the worst and most especial plague of the commonwealth.

It has been mentioned that the Lords of the Council themselves provided funds for the suppression of the rebellion. They held themselves entitled to repayment,