ve deference
to Henry's will, because many of them found their account in it. The
late king had intended, before his death, to make a new creation of
nobility, in order to supply the place of those peerages which had
fallen by former attainders, or the failure of issue; and that he might
enable the new peers to support their dignity, he had resolved either to
bestow estates on them, or advance them to higher offices. He had even
gone so far as to inform them of this resolution; and in his will he
charged his executors to make good all his promises.[****] That they
might ascertain his intentions in the most authentic manner Sir William
Paget, Sir Anthony Denny, and Sir William Herbert, with whom Henry had
always conversed in a familiar manner, were called before the board
of regency; and having given evidence of what they knew concerning
the king's promises, their testimony was relied on, and the executors
proceeded to the fulfilling of these engagements. Hertford was created
duke of Somerset, mareschal, and lord treasurer; Wriothesely, earl of
Southampton; the earl of Essex, marquis of Northampton; Viscount
Lisle, earl of Warwick; Sir Thomas Seymour, Lord Seymour of Sudley, and
admiral; Sir Richard Rich, Sir William Willoughby, Sir Edward Sheffield
accepted the title of baron.[v]

* Heylin, Hist. Ref. Edward VI.

** Collier, vol. ii. p. 218. Burnet, vol. ii. p. 6. Strype's
Mem. of Cranm. p. 141.

*** Strype's Mem. of Cranm. p. 141.

**** Fuller, Heylin, and Rymer.

v Stowe's Annals, p. 594

Several, to whom the same dignity was offered, refused it; because the
other part of the king's promise, the bestowing of estates on these new
noblemen, was deferred till a more convenient opportunity. Some of
them, however, as also Somerset, the protector, were, in the mean time,
endowed with spiritual preferments, deaneries, and prebends. For, among
many other invasions of ecclesiastical privileges and property, this
irregular practice of bestowing spiritual benefices on laymen began now
to prevail.

The earl of Southampton had always been engaged in an opposite party
to Somerset; and it was not likely that factions which had secretly
prevailed even during the arbitrary reign of Henry, should be suppressed
in the weak administration that usually attends a minority. The former
nobleman, that he might have the greater leisure for attending to public
business, had, of himself and from his own aut