A warning about a nephew

In the year of our redemption, 1553, Nicholas Wotton, Dean of Canterbury, being then ambassador in France, dreamed that his nephew, Thomas Wotton, was inclined to be a party to such a project, as, if he were not suddenly prevented, would turn both to the loss of his life and ruin of his family. Doubtless the good dean did well know that common dreams are but a senseless paraphrase on our waking thoughts, or of the business of the day past, or are the result of our overengaged affections when we betake ourselves to rest; and knew that the observation of them may turn to silly superstition, as they too often do : but though he might know all this, and might also believe that prophecies are ceased, yet, doubtless, he could not but consider that all dreams are not to be neglected or cast away without all consideration, and did therefore rather lay this dream aside than intend totally to lose it; and, dreaming the same again the night following, when it became a double dream, like that of Pharaoh (of which double dreams the learned have made many observations), and considering that it had no dependence on his waking thoughts, much less on the desires of his heart, then he did more seriously consider it, and remembered that Almighty God was pleased to reveal and to assure Monica, the mother of St. Austin, that he, her son, for whom she wept so bitterly and prayed for so much, should at last become a Christian. This I believe the good dean considered; and considering also, that Almighty God (though the causes of dreams be often unknown) hath even in these latter times also, by a certain illumination of the soul in sleep, discovered many things that human wisdom could not foresee;—upon these considerations he resolved to use so prudent a remedy, by way of prevention, as might introduce no great inconvenience to himself or his nephew. And to that end he wrote to the queen (it was Mary) and besought her, ‘ That she would cause his nephew, Thomas Wotton, to be sent for out of Kent : and that the lords of her council might interrogate him in such feigned questions as might give a colour for his commitment into a favourable prison ; declaring that he would acquaint her Majesty with the true reason of his request, when he should next become so happy as to see and speak to her Majesty.’ It was done as the dean desired; and in prison I must leave Mr. Wotton till I have told the reader what followed. At this time, a marriage was concluded betwixt our Queen Mary and Philip, King of Spain ; and though this was concluded with the advice, if not by the persuasion, of the privy council, as having many probabilities of advantage to this nation, yet divers persons of a contrary persuasion did not only declare against it, but also raise forces to oppose it; believing (as they said) it would be a means to bring England to be under a subjection to Spain, and make those of this nation slaves to strangers. And of this number, Sir Thomas Wyat, of Boxley Abbey in Kent (betwixt whose family, and the family of the Wottons, there had been an ancient and entire friendship) was the principal actor; who having persuaded many of the nobility and gentry (especially in Kent) to side with him, and he being defeated and taken prisoner was legally arraigned, and lost his life; so did the Duke of Suffolk, and divers others, especially of the gentry of Kent, who were there in several places executed as Wyat’s assistants. And of this number, in all probability, had Mr. Wotton been, if he had not been confined; for, though he could not be ignorant that another man’s treason makes it mine by concealing it, yet he durst confess to his uncle, when he returned into England, and then came to visit him in prison, that he had more than an intimation of Wyat’s intentions, and thought he had not continued actually innocent if his uncle had not so happily dreamed him into a prison ; out of which place, when he was delivered by the same hand that caused his commitment, they both considered the dream more seriously, and then both joined in praising God for it,—that God who ties himself to no rules, either in preventing of evil, or in showing mercy to those whom, of his good pleasure, he hath chosen to love.