receiued and made thys answere againe to them as followeth The kings answere to the rebels FIrst we begin and make answere to the fourth and sixt articles The kinges aunswere to the rebels because vpon them dependeth much of the rest Concerning choosing of Counsailours I neuer haue red heard nor knowen that Princes Counsailours and Prelates should be appoynted by rude and ignorant common people nor that they were persons meete or of habilitie to discerne and choose meete and sufficient Counsailours for a Prince How presumptuous then are ye the rude coÌ„mons of one shire and that one the most base of y e whole realme and of the least experience to finde fault with your Prince for the electing of his Counsailours and Prelates and to take vpon you contrary to Gods lawe and mans lawes to rule your Prince whom ye are bouÌ„d by al law to obey and serue with both your liues landes and goodes and for no worldly cause to withstand As to the suppression of religious houses Monasteries we wil that ye and al our subiects should wel know For suppression of religious houses that this is graunted vs by all the nobles spirituall temporall of thys realme and by al the commons in the same by Acte of Parlament and not set foorth by any Counsailour or Counsailours vpon their mere wil and fantasy as ye full falsely would perswade our realme to beleeue And where ye alleage that the seruice of God is muche diminished the trueth thereof is contrary for there bee no houses suppressed where God was well serued but where most vice mischiefe and abomination of liuing was vsed and that doth well appeare by their owne confessions subscribed wyth their owne handes in the time of their visitations and yet we suffred a great many of them more then we needed by the Acte to stand wherin In these visitations of religious houses horrible it is to read what wickednes and abomination was there founde and regystred by the vysitors if they amend not their liuing we feare we haue more to aunswere for then for the suppression of all the rest And as for the hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore we wonder ye be not ashamed to affirme that they haue bene a great reliefe of poore people when a great many or the most parte hath not past foure or fiue religious persons in them diuers but one which spent the substaunce of the goodes of their houses in nourishing of vice and abhominable liuing Nowe what vnkindnes and vnnaturalitie may we impute to you and all our subiects that be of that minde which hadde leuer suche an vnthriftie sorte of vicious persons shoulde enioye suche possessions profites and emoluments as grow of the sayd houses to the maintenance of their vnthriftie life then we your naturall Prince soueraigne Lorde and King whych doth hath spent more in your defences of our owne then sixe times they be woorth As touching the acte of vses we maruaile what madnes is in your braine The acte of vses or vpon what ground ye wold take authority vpon you to cause vs to breake those lawes and statutes which by all the noble Knightes and Gentlemen of this Realme whom the same chiefly touched hath bene graunted and assented too seeing in no maner of things it toucheth you the base commons of our realme Also the groundes of all those vses were false and neuer admitted by law but vsurped vpon the prince contrary to all equitie and iustice as it hath bene openly both disputed declared by all the well learned meÌ„ in the Realm of Englande in Westminster Hall whereby yee may well perceiue howe madde and vnreasonable your demaundes be both in that and in the rest and howe vnmeete it is for vs dishonorable to graunt or assent vnto and lesse mete and decent for you in such a rebellious sort to demande the same of your Prince As touching the fifteene which yee demaunde of vs to be released thinke yee that we be so faint hearted The acte of fiftene that perforce ye of one shire were ye a great many mo could compell vs with your insurrections such rebellious demeanour to remitte the same or thinke yee that any man will or may take you to be true subiects that first make shewe a louing graunt and then perforce would compel your soueraigne Lord and King to release the same The time of paiment whereof is not yet come yea and seeing the same will not counteruaile the tenth peny of the charges whych we haue and daily do susteine for your tuition safegarde make you sure by your occasioÌ„s of these your ingratitudes vnnaturalnes and vnkindnes to vs now administred ye geue vs cause which hath alwayes bene asmuche dedicate to your wealth as euer was King not so muche to set our study for y e setting forward of the same seing how vnkindly and vntruly ye deale now wyth vs wythout any cause or occasion And doubt yee not though you haue no grace nor naturalnes in you to consider your duetie of allegiaÌ„ce to your king soueraigne Lord the rest of our Realm we doubt not hath we and they shall so looke on thys cause y t we trust it shal be to your confusion if according to your former letters you submit not your selues As touching the first frutes we let you to witte it is a thing graunted vs by Acte of Parlament also The acte of first fruites for the supportation of part of the great and excessiue charges which we support beare for the maintenaunce of your wealthes and other our subiects and we haue knowen also that yee our commons haue much complained in times passed that the most part of our goodes landes and possessions of the Realme were in the spirituall mens handes and yet bearing vs in hande that yee be as louing subiectes to vs as may be yee can not finde in your hearts that your Prince and soueraigne Lord should haue any part therof and yet it is nothing preiudiciall vnto you our commons but doe rebel and vnlawfully rise against your Prince contrary to the dueâ—y of allegiaunce Gods commaundement Syrs remember your follies and traiterous demeanours and shame not your natiue country of England nor offend no more so greuously your vndoubted king natural prince which alwayes hathe shewed him selfe most louinge vnto you and remember your duetie of allegiance and that yee are bound to obey vs your king both by Gods commandement and lawe of nature Wherfore we charge you eftsoones vppon the foresayde bondes and paines that yee wythdrawe your selues to your owne houses euery manne and no more to assemble contrary to our lawes and your allegiaunces and to cause the prouokers of you to thys mischiefe to â—e deliuered to our Lieutenaunts handes or ours and you your selues to submitte you to suche condigne punishment as wee and our nobles shal thinke you worthy for doubt you not els
seduced by a common errour and abuse crept into the Church thorough the sufferance and auarice of such as felt profite by the same Item if ye do or shall know any within your parish or elsewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in english or sincerely preached The worde of God to be preached without stop or interruption or of the executioÌ„ of these iniunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Romes pretensed power now by the lawes of this Realme iustly reiected and extirped ye shall detect the same to the Kings highnes or his honourable Counsayle or to his vicegerent aforesayd or to the iustice of peace next adioyning Item that you and euery Parson Uicar or Curate within this diocesse shall for euery Church keep one booke of Register Register booke for euery parish wherein ye shall write the day and yeare of euery wedding christening burieng made within your parish for your time so for euery man succeding you likewise also therin set euery persons name that shall be so wedded christined or buried for the safe keeping of the same booke the parish shall be bounde to prouide of theyr common charges one sure coffer with ij lockes and keies whereof the one to remaine with you and the other wyth the Wardens of euery such parish wherein the sayd booke shall be layd vp Which booke ye shall euery Sonday take foorth and in the presence of the saide Wardens or one of them write and record in the same al the weddings christnings and buriengs made the whole weeke before and that done to lay vp the sayd booke in the sayde coffer as afore and for euery time the same shall be omitted the partie that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfaite to the sayd Church three shillings foure pence to be employed on the reparation of the same Church Item that ye shall once euery quarter of a yeare reade these and the other former iniunctions geuen vnto you by authoritie of the Kings highnes openly and deliberately before al your parishners to the entent that both you may be the better admonished of your duetie and your said parishners the more incited to ensue the same for their part Item for as much as by a lawe established euery mâ—n is bound to pay his tithes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates deteine their tithes Tythes to be payed so redub one wrong with another or be his owne iudge but shall truly pay y e same as hath ben accustomed to their persons curates without any restraint or diminutioÌ„ such lacke and default as they can iustly find in theyr parsons and curates to call for reformation therof at theyr Ordinaryes other superiors handes who vpon complaint due proofe therof shall reforme the same accordingly Item that no Person shall from henceforth alter or chaunge the order and maner of any fasting day that is coÌ„mauÌ„ded indicted by y e church nor of diuine prayer nor of seruice othâ—rwise theÌ„ is specified in y e sayd iniuÌ„ctioÌ„s vntill such time as the same shall be so ordered transposed by y e kings highnes authority 〈◊〉 day abrogate the Euens of such saynts whose holidayes be abrogated only excepted which shal be declared henceforth to be no fasting dayes except also the commemoratioÌ„ of Tho. Becket sometime Archbishop of Canterbury which shal be cleane omitted and in stead thereof the feriall seruice vsed Item that the knoling of the Aues after seruice certayne other times which hath bene brought in begon by the pretence of y e B. of Romes pardon Knoling of Auees forbidden henceforth be left omitted lest the people do hereafter trust to haue pardon for the saying of their Aues betwene the sayd knolyng as they haue done in times past IteÌ„ where in times pâ—st men haue vsed in diuers plates in theyr Processions to sing Ora pro nobis to so manye saintes Suffrages of Saintes relected that they had no time to sing the good Suffrages folowing as Parce nobis Domine and Libera nos Domine it must be taught and preached y e better it were to omit Ora pro nobis and to sing the other suffrages being most necessary and effectuall All which and singuler Iniunctions I minister vnto you and to your parishners by the kings highnes authority to me committed in this part which I charge commaund you by the same authority to obserue and keep vpon paine of depriuation sequestration of your fruits or such other cohercion as to the king or his vicegerent for this time being shal be sene conuenient By these Articles and IniunctioÌ„s thus comming forth one after an other for the necessary instruction of the people The king better deseruing the name of supreme gouernour theÌ„ the Pope it may appeare how well the king deserued then the title of his supreme gouernment geuen vnto him ouer the church of England by the which title and authority he did more good for the redressing and aduauncing of Christes Church and religion here in England in these three yeres then the Pope the great Uicar of Christ w t all his bishops and Prelates had done the space of iij. hundreth yeares before Such a vigilant care was then in the king and in his counsell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse religion to reforme errors to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignoraunce and to reduce the misleadings of christes flock drowned in blinde popery superstition customes idolatry to some better forme of more perfect reformatioÌ„ Wher vnto he prouided not only these articles precepts and iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but also procured the Bishoppes to helpe forward in the same cause of decayed doctrine Read afore pag. 1024. with their diligent preaching teaching of the people according as ye heard before pag. 1024. how that in the yeare 1534. during all the whole time of the parliament there was appoynted euery sonday a Bishop to preach at Paules Crosse agaynst the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Amongest which bishops Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne the kinges confessor and a great persecutor of y e poore flock of Christ as is before sufficiently recorded Read afore pag. 952. pag. 952. made a Sermon before the king vpon good Friday this present yere 1538. at Grenewich seriously and effectuously preaching on the kinges behalfe against the vsurped supremacy of the bishop of Rome the contentes of whose sermoÌ„ wholy to expresse were here to long tedious So much as may suffice for our purpose I thought should remayne to the posterity beginning at his Theame whiche then he tooke in hand to entreat vpon writteÌ„ in the 13. cha to the Hebrues as foloweth ¶ The Sermon of Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne on good Friday before the king at Grenewich an 1538. THe wordes of the Apostle are these Habemus altare de
after whose birth Queene Iane his mother the second daye after dyed in childbed left the king agayne a widower which so continued the space of two yeres together Upon the death of whiche Queene Iane Prince Edward borne and vppon the birth of prince Edward her sonne these two verses were made which follow Phoenix Iana iacet nato Phoenice Queene Iane dyed in childe-bed dolendum Secula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Here is by the waye to be vnderstand that during all this season since the time that the king of Englande had reiected the pope out of the Realme both the Emperour These verses were thought to be made by M. Armigyl Wade y e French king and the king of Scottes with other forreine potentates which were yet in subiection vnder the Pope bare no him do great good fauour inwardly what soeuer outwardly they pretended Neither was here lacking pryuy setters on nor secret working among themselues how to compasse vngracious mischiefes if God by cōtrary occasions had not stopped their intended deuises For first y e Pope had sent Cardinall Poole to the French king to stir him to warre agaynst the realme of England Secondly where as the Frenche king The Pope stirreth warre agaynst England by Cardinall Poole The Emperour the French king and the king of Scottes set agaynst the king of England by treaty of perpetuall peace was bound yearly to paye to the king of England at the first dayes of May and Nouember about xcv thousand crownes of the summe and odde mony and ouer that 10000. crownes at y e sayd ij termes for recōpēce of salt due as the treates therof did purporte that pension remayned now vnpayed iiij yeares and more Furthermore the Emperour and the Frenche K. both reteined Grancetor a traiterous rebell against the king condemned by Act of Parliament with certayn other traitors moe and yet would not deliuer him to the king at his earnest suite and request The Frenche king also digressing from his promise and treaty made alliance wyth the Bishop of Rome Clement in marying the Dolphine to hys Niece called Katherine de Medicis The sayd Frenche kyng moreouer contrary to his contracte made married his daughter to the king of Scottes All which were preiudiciall and put the kinge no doubt in some feare and perplexity though otherwise a stout and valiant Prince to see the Pope the Emperour the French king and king of Scottes so bent against him And yet all this notwithstanding the Lord stil defended the iustnes of his cause against them all For although the French king was so sette on by the Pope and so linked in mariage with the Scots and sacked nothing now but only occasion to inuade the realme of England yet notwythstanding he hearing now of the birth of Prince Edwarde the kinges sonne by Queene Iane and vnderstandinge also by the death of the sayde Queene Iane that the Kyng was a widower and perceiuing moreouer talk to be that the king would ioyne in mariage with the Germains began to waxe more calme and colde and to geue much more gentle wordes and to demeane him selfe more curtuously labouring to mary the Queene of Nauare hys sister to the king The Ambassadors resident then in France for the king were Ste. Gardiner with Docto◠Thirleby c. Whyche Steuen Gard. what he wrought secreately for the Popes deuotion I haue not expressely to charge him Whether he so did or what he did the Lord knoweth all But thys is certaine that when D. Boner Archedeacon then of Leicester was sente into Fraunce by the Kinge throughe the meanes of the Lord Cromwell to succeede Steuen Gardinar in Ambassie which was about the yeare of our Lord 1538. he found such dealing in the sayd Bishop of Winchester as was not greatly to be trusted beside the vnkynde partes of the sayde Byshop againste the foresayde Boner Anno. 1538. comming then from the King and Lorde Cromwell as was not to be liked Long it is to recite from the beginning few men peruenture woulde beleeue Doct. Boner the kyngs Ambassadour in Fraunce the brawling matters the priuie complaints the contentious quarels and bitter dissentiōs betwene these two and especially what despightful contumelies D. Boner receiued at the hands of Winchester For vnderstande good Reader that this doctor Boner all this while remained yet as he seemed a good man Doct. Boner in the beginning a fauourer of the truth and a Lutherane and was a great furtherer of the kinges proceedings and a fauourer of Luthers doctrine and was aduanced only by the Lorde Cromwel Whose promotions here to reherse first he was Archdeacon of Leycester persone of Bledon of Dereham Cheswike and Cheriburton Then was made Byshop of Hereford and at last preferred to be Bish. of London The chiefe of which preferments and dignities were conferred vnto him only by the meanes and fauour of the L. Cromwel L. Cromwel the onely setter vp of Doct. Boner who was then his chiefe and only patrone and setter vp as the said Boner himselfe in al his letters doth manifestly protest and declare The Copies of which his letters I could heere produce and exhibite but for prolonging my story with superfluous matter Yet that the worlde and all posteritie may see how the comming vp of D. Boner was onely by the Gospell howsoeuer he was after vnkind vnto the Gospell this one letter of his Doct. Boners cōming vp was by the Gospell which I wil heere inferre written to the Lorde Cromwel out of Fraunce may stand for a perpetuall testimonie the tenour whereof here ensueth * A letter of Doctor Boner the kings Ambassadour resident in Fraunce sent to the Lord Cromwell declaring the order of his promotions and comming vp MY very singular especiall good Lord as one most bounden I most humbly commende mee vnto your honourable good Lordship Out of Boners owne hand writing And wheras in times passed in hath liked the same without any my desertes or merites euen only of your singular exceding goodnes to bestowe a great deale of loue beneuolence and good affection vpon me so poore a man and of so small qualities expressing in deede sondry wayes the good effectes therof to my great preferment I was very much bounde thereby vnto your honourable good Lordshippe and thought it alway my duetie as in deede it was both to beare my true hart againe vnto your Lordship D. Boner cōfesseth himselfe much bound to the L. Crōwell and also remembring suche kindnes to doe vnto the same all such seruice pleasure as might then lie in my smal power to do But where of your infinite inestimable goodnes it hath further liked you of late first to aduance me vnto the office of Legation from such a Prince as my soueraigne Lorde is vnto the Emperour and French king and next after to procure and obtayne mine aduauncement to so honourable a promotion as the Byshoprike of Hereford
I must here knowledge the exceeding greatnes of your Lordshippes benefite Boner preferred to the Byshopricke of Hereford by the L. Cromwel with mine owne imbecillitie to recompence it and say as Virgil writeth Grates persoluere dignas non opis est nostrae Surely my good Lorde I neither am neither shall be able to requite thus your Lordships moste speciall kindnesse and bountifull goodnes at any time vnlesse I shoulde vse that ciuile remeady called in law acceptilation which great detters especially are accustomed to procure at the handes of their creditours Acceptilation whereby yet neuertheles your goodnes the onely doer thereof shoulde rather be encreased then my duetie towardes the same thereby diminished And cessio Bonorum the onely extreeme refuge and helpe of poore detters deuised also in * * Here seemeth to lack some word but that I would not alter any thing in his owne copie ciuile myghte somewhat help herein sauing that it is not possible that I shall come Ad tam pinguem fortunam Wherupon that remedy is grounded whereby I may recompence and requite this dette worthely So that in coÌ„clusion there resteth this that vnlesse your Lordships self do lose me as you haue bouÌ„d me I shal and that ful gladly remaine coÌ„tinually your most boundeÌ„ beadesmen And Syr I most humbly beseeche your good Lordship in the honor of God seeing this thing is begonne and auaunced onely by your goodnesse and meanes you will to the entent the acte may be wholely your owne stretche out your goodnesse not suffering the rest to be perfited otherwise theÌ„ by your own hands wherin as I must shall knowledge my selfe to be exceedingly beholden vnto your good Lordshippe so shal the same more esteeme and set by during my life hauing so attained it by your onely goodnes And verely if your good Lordship be not better to me heerein then I can L. Cromwel onely the aduancer of D. Boner therfore in an other letter he calleth him his onely Mecenas The promotions of Boner vnlesse it be of your owne goodnes desire you I knowe not howe I shall be able to ouercome the great charges annexed to this promotion For though my promotions afore were right honest and good yea and suche as one of farre better qualities then I was or am of ought therewith to haue beene contented yet considering that of diuers of them it is to witte Leicester Bledon Derham Cheswicke and Cheryburton the first fruites tenthes and charges borne I haue not receiued clerely one penie I am now neuer a whit the more able to beare the great charges of this I shall therefore herein and in all things els pertaining heereunto seeing your Lordshippe is so great a patrone and will nedes binde me for euer to be your owne as in deede I will referre all together vnto your goodnesse beseeching you to take the order and disposition of all into your handes I cannot tell whether the late Bishop standeth bounden for the first fruits tenthes or other dueties which by stature may be demanded of his successour but I feare it greatly and beseeche your Lordship that I may be holpen therein My charges nowe heere enforceth me the more to speake and trouble your good Lordship which at the beginninge are not a fewe and yet not ended Of my fidelitie to your good I haue of fiue hundreth crownes remaining fortie bestowed vpon horses mâ—le mulet raiment and other necessaries standing debter to M Thirlby neuertheles and also to M. Doctour Heynes for one hundreth markes or fast vpon to them both And besides this suche is my chaunce nowe at the beginning diuers of my seruauntes haue fallen sicke being in great pearill and daunger putting me to no little charges Ouer and besides these displeasures comming vnto me by not hauing their seruice and other to keepe them and also wantinge mine other seruaunts in Englande which thoughe I haue sent for them yet neither they neither my horses or stuff are come I must and doe take patience trusting it will mende Vpon the closing vp of this letter and depeache of this bearer God willing I will packe vp my geare and to morow betime followe the French kinge who yesterday departed from Shambour and maketh haste towardes Paris And thus our blessed Lord long and wel preserue your good Lordship in health At Bloyse the 2. of September in the euening Scribled by the weary hand of him that is bounden to be and is in dede your Lordships beadesman â— at commaundement Edmund Boner Diuers other Letters beside this of Doct. Boner remayne in writyng vpon the like effect and purport which here also I might adde for a further demoÌ„stration hereof but this one in stede of many may suffice D. Boner all this while shewed himselfe to be a gooâ— man and a good Gospeller Now to our purpose agayne which is to declare how this Doct. Boner in the tyme of his first springyng vp shewed him selfe a good man a fast frend to the Gospell of Christ to the kyngs proceedynges contrariwise how Steuen Gardiner did halt then both with God with the kyng Also what vnkyndnes and contumelies the sayd Boner receaued at his handes what rancour and hartburnyng was betwene them Rancor and hartburning betweeneâ— the Bish. of Winchester and Boner and what complayntes the one moueth agaynst the other remaineth coÌ„sequeÌ„tly by their writyngs recordes to be opened For the more euident demonstration whereof they that haue the letters of y e sayd Doct. Boner written from Fraunce to the kyng and the Lord Cromwell may right well perceaue And first to note what a Gospeller he was in his letter from Roan hee speaking of hys trustie companion and bearer of hys letters who was belike D Heines he geueth thys report both of him and of hymselfe saying If this bearer had beene so much desirous to please the Emperour and followe his religion The wordes of Boner declaring himselfe to be a Gospeller as he was studious to serue truely your grace and to aduaunce the truthe he had not wanted c. And againe And besides that he hath not wanted the euil report of naughtie fellowes Boner recompted a Lutherane naming him a Lutherane wherein for companie I was ioyned such was their goodnesse c. Againe in an other letter written to the Lord Cromwel these woordes he hath speaking of his companion Doctor Heines Especially for that the saide D. Heines by his vprighte dealing herein Doct. Boner and Doct. Heynes noted for Lutheranes and professing the truth neither gate thanks nor reward but was blased abroad by honest folks to be a Lutherane The les hee pleaseth in Spayne the better argument it is that his entent was to serue none but the kings highnesse and the truth c. And furthermore in an other minute wryting to the L. Cromwel of Steuen Win. and of his churlishnes toward him thus he sayth And there founde
this blessed Martyr ended his life in peace anno 1511. This story the sayd Elizabeth Browne his wife did oft times repeate to Alice her daughter who dwelling yet in the parish of S. Pulchers testified the narration heereof vnto me and certayne other vppon whose credible information I haue recorded the same Witnes to thys story Furthermore it is to be noted that the sayde Iohn Browne bare a fagot seauen yeares before this in the dayes of King Henry the seauenth Whose sonne also named Richard Browne for the like cause of Religion was imprisoned at Caunterbury Rich. Browne escaped burning by the comming in of the Queene Elizabeth likewise in the latter tyme of Queene Mary and should haue bene burned with two mo besides himselfe the next day after the death of Queene Mary but that by the proclaiming of Queene Elizabeth they escaped Amongst other iniunctions and letters of king Henry the eight written and set forth for reformation of religion he wrate one letter to Edmund Bonner for abolishing of Images pilgrimages shrines and other monuments of Idolatry Which letter being before expressed pag. 1229 we should also haue annexed to the same the letter or mandate of Bonner directed in latin to Richard Cloney hys Somner appertayning to the due execution therof Which letter because we haue omitted before the defect thereof I thought heere in this vacant space to supply The letter written to Cloney in latin thus beginneth Bonners letter to Cloney keeper of the Cole-house for the abolishing of Images EDmundus permissione Diuina Lond. Episc. Dilecto nobis in Christo Richardo Cloney literato Apparitori nostro generali salut grat benedictionem 〈…〉 Latine 〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉 read 〈…〉 yet here 〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉 Cum nos 13. die mensiâ— instantis Octob. circa noctem literas serenissimi c. The same in English FOr asmuch as the 13. day of this present we haue receyued the letters of our soueraigne Lord by the grace of God King of England c. to vs diâ—ected and conteyning in them the commaundement of his Maiestie by vs to be executed in tenour of words which heere I send vnto you we therefore willing and desiring according as our duty bindeth vs to put the same in execution with all diligence possible according to the effect and tenour thereof Had 〈◊〉 none to 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 thinges but 〈◊〉 the keepeâ— of the 〈◊〉 house do charge and straightly commaund you by the tenour heereof in the Kings behalfe and for the fidelitie whych we haue in you assuredly approued that you incontinent vpon the receite heereof do effectually warne all and singular Parsons and Vicars of this Citie of London and of all our dioces that they immediately vpon the sight and intimation of these present Articles and interrogatories heere vnder written do cause diligent and effectuall inquisition thereof to be made to witte Whether there be vsed or continued any superstition hypocrisie or abuse within any their parishes or Cures contrary to anye ordinaunce iniunction or commaundement geuen or set foorth by the Kings Maiestie or by his authoritie Item whether they haue in their Churches or within theyr parishes any shrines couerings of shrines tables of fayned myracles pilgrimages Images and bones resorted and offered vnto and other monuments and things wherewith the people haue bene illuded or any offering or setting vp of lights or candles other then be permitted by the Kings Maiesties Iniunctions or whether the said Iniunctions be duely obserued and kept in their Parishes or Cures or else transgressed and broken and in what part And further after the sayd Inquisition thus by them and euery of them respectiuely being made that you do certifie vs or our Vicare generall what is done in the premisses vpon the euen of Simon and Iude or thereabout vnder the perill thereof following Dat. 14. die Octob. an 1541. nostrae translat 2. The ende of the eyght booke Edward 6. ¶ The Ninth Booke containing the Actes and thinges done in the Reigne of King EDWARD the sixt NExt after the death of K. Henry succeded king Edwarde his sonne being of the age of 9. yeres He began his raigne the 28. day of Ianuary and raygned 6. yeares and 8. monethes and 8. dayes and deceased ann 1553. the 6. day of Iulye Of whose excellente vertues singuler graces wrought in him by the gift of God although nothing canne be sayd enough to his commendation yet because the renowmed same of such a worthye prince shall not vtterlye passe our story without some gratefull remembraunce I thought in few wordes to touch some litle portion of his prayse taken out of great heapes of matter which might be inferred For to stand vppon all that might be sayde of him it would be to long and yet to say nothing it were to much vnkinde If kinges and Princes which haue wisely and vertuously gouerned haue fouÌ„d in all ages writers to solemnise and celebrate theyr Actes and memory such as neuer knew them nor were subiect vnto theÌ„ how much theÌ„ are we English men bound not to forget our duety to K. Edward a prince although but tender in yeres yet for his sage and mature rypenes in witte and all Princely ornamentes as I see but few to whom he may not be equal Commendation of K. Edward so agayne I see not many to whom he may not iustly be preferred And here to vse the example of Plutarch in comparing kings and rulers the Latines with the Greekes together if I should seek with whom to match this noble Edward I finde not with whom to make my match more aptly theÌ„ with good Iosias For as the one began his raigne at eight yeares of his age so the other beganne at 9. Neyther were their acts and zelous procedings in Gods cause much discrepant For as milde Iosias pluckt downe the hil altars cut downe the groues Anno. 1547. and destroyd all monuments of Idolatry in the temple the like corruptioÌ„s drosse and deformities of Popish Idolatry crept into the Church of Christ or long time this Euangelicall Iosias king Edwarde remoued Comparison betwene King Iosias and King Edward 6. purged the true temple of the Lorde Iosias restored the true worship of God in Ierusalem and destroid the Idolatrous priestes King Edward in England likewise abolishing Idolatrous Masses and false inuocation reduced agayne religion to a right sincerity more would haue brought to perfection if life and time had aunswered to his godly purpose And though he killed not as Iosias did the idolatrous sacrifices yet he put them to sileÌ„ce and remoued them out of theyr places Moreouer in king Iosias dayes the holy Scripture booke of Gods word was vtterly neglected and cast aside whiâ—h he most graciously repayred restored agayne And did not K. Edwarde the like with the selfe same booke of Gods blessed worde and with other wholesome bookes of Christian doctrine which before were decayed and
I should with all diligence remoue vnto the Castle of Herford Whereupon I desired him to see the same letter which he shewed me Wherein was written that the Lady Mary the Kings daughter should remooue to the place beforesayd leauing out in the same the name of Princesse Which when I heard I could not a little marueyle trusting verily that your grace was not priuie to the same letter as concerning the leauing out of the name of Princesse for as much as I doubt not in your goodnes but your grace doth take me for your lawfull daughter borne in true Matrimonie Wherefore if I should agree to the contrary I should in my conscience runne in the displeasure of God whiche I hope assuredly your grace will not that I so should And in all other things your grace shall haue me alwayes as humble and obedient daughter and handmayd as euer was child to the father which my duty bindeth me to as knoweth our Lorde who haue your grace in his most holy tuition wyth much honour and long life to his pleasure Written at your Manor of Beaulien this second day of October By your most humble daughter Mary Princesse * A protestation of the Lady Mary to certayne Lordes sent by the King her father with certayne requestes vnto her MY Lordes as touching my remouing to Hatfield I will obey his Grace The Protestation of Lady Mary as my duety is or to any other place that his grace will appoint me But I protest before you and all other that be heere present that my conscience will in no wise suffer me to take any other then my selfe for the Kings lawfull daughter borne in true matrimonie or Princesse and that I will neuer willingly and wittinglye say or do whereby any person might take occasion to thinke that I agree to the contrary not of any ambition or proud mind as God is my Iudge but that if I should say or do otherwise Lady Mary standeth to â—he Popes â—â—dgement I shuld in my conscience sclaunder the deede of our mother holy Churche and the Pope who is the iudge in this matter and none other and also dishonor the King my Father the Queene my Mother and falsly confesse my selfe a Bastard which God defende that I should do seeing the Pope hath not so declared it by his sentence definitiue for to his iudgement I submit me As you haue heard some part already of the stout courage of the Lady Mary toward her father and also by her letters no lesse was dâ—clared towarde king Edward her brother and other of his Counsaile as well may appeare by the letters aboue specified betweene her and the King her brother and his counsaile So now let vs inferr somewhat likewise of the stoute talke and demeanor of the sayd Lady Mary toward D. Ridley Bishop of London who gently comming to her of meere good will had his communication w t her and she with him as here followeth About the eight of Sept. 1552. D. Ridley then Byshop of LondoÌ„ lying at his house at Hadham in Hartfordshire Talke betweene Lady Mary and Byshop Ridley went to visite the Lady Mary then lying at Hunsden two myles off was gently entertayned of Sir Tho. Wharton other her officers til it was almost xi of the clock About which time the said Lady Mary came foorth into her chamber of presence and then the said bishop there saluted her grace and sayde that he was come to doe his duety to her grace Then she thanked him for his paynes and for a quarter of an houre talked with him very pleasauntly and sayd that she knew him in the Court when he was Chapleine to her father and could wel remember a sermon that hee made before king Henry her father at the mariage of my Lady Clinton y t now is to Sir Anthony Broune c. and so dismissed him to dine with her officers After dinner was done the bishop being called for by the said Lady Mary resorted againe to her grace betwene whome this communiâ—ation was first the bishop beginning in maner as followeth Bishop Madame I came not onely to do my duetye to see your Grace Byshop Ridley offereth to preach before the Lady Mary but also to offer my selfe to preache before you on Sonday nexte if it will please you to heare me At thys her countenaunce chaunged and after silence for a space she aunswered thus Mary My Lorde as for this last matter I pray you make the aunswere to it yourselfe Bishop Madame considering mine office and calling I am bounde of duety to make to your grace this offer to preach before you Mary Well I pray you make the aunswere as I haue sayd to this matter yourselfe for you know the aunswere well enough But if there be no remedy but I must make you aunswere this shall be your aunswere The doore of the parishe Churche adioyning shal be open for you Lady Mary refuseth to heare Bishop Rydley to preach before her if you come and ye may preach if you list but neither I nor none of mine shall heare you Bishop Madame I trust you will not refuse Gods word Mary I cannot tell what ye call Gods word That is not Gods worde now that was Gods word in my fathers dayes Bishop Gods worde is all one in all times but hath bene better vnderstanded and practised in some ages then in other Mary You durst not for your eares haue aduouched that for Gods worde in my fathers dayes that now you doe And as for your new bookes I thanke God I neuer read none of them neuer did nor neuer will doe And after many bitter wordes against the forme of religion then established It is lyke shee was perswaded by Witches and blinde prophesies that king Edward should not liue so long and against the gouernment of the Realme and the lawes made in the young yeares of her brother which she sayd she was not bound to obey til her brother came to perfect age and then affirmed shee woulde obey them She asked the Bishop whether he were one of the Counsaile He aunswered No. You might well enough sayd she as the Counsaile goeth now a dayes And so she concluded with these wordes My Lord for your gentlenes to come and see me I thanke you but for your offering to preache before me I thanke you neuer a whit Then the sayd B. was brought by sir Thomas Wharton to the place where he dined desired to drink And after he had dronke he paused a litle while Byshop Rydley repeÌ„ted to haue dronken there where Gods worde was refused looking very sadly sodenly brake out into these woordes Surely I haue done amisse Why so quoth sir Thomas Wharton For I haue dronke sayd he in that place where Gods word offred hath bene refused Whereas if I had remembred my duetie I ought to haue departed immediately and to haue shakeÌ„ of the dust of my shoes for a
God in whom our whole affiaunce is shall send vs. Wherefore my Lordes we require you and charge you and euery of you that euery of you of your allegeance whyche you owe to God and vs and to none other for our honour and the surety of our parson onely employ your selues forth with vpon receit hereof cause our right and title to the Crowne and gouâ—rnement of this Realme to be proclaymed in our Citty of London and other places as to your wisedomes shall seeme good and as to this case apperteineth not fayling hereof as our verye trust is in you And thus our Letter signed with our hande shal be your sufficient warrant in this behalfe Yeuâ—n vnder our Signet at our Manor of Kenyngall the ninth of Iulyâ— 1553. To this Letter of the Ladye Marye the Lordes of the Counsell make aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Aunswere of the Lordes vnto the Lady Maryes Letter MAdame A letter of the Counsaile aunswâ—ring agayne to the Lady Mary we haue receiued your letters the ninth of this instant declaring your supposed title which you iudge your self to haue to the Imperiall crowne of this Realm all the dominions thereunto belonging For answere whereof this is to aduertise you that forasmuch as our soueraign Lady Quene Iane is after the death of our soueraign Lord Edward the sixt a prince of most noble memorye inuested and possessed with the iuste and right title in the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme Lady Iane inuested in possession of the crowne by king Edwards will and assent of the whole couÌ„saile not onely by good order of olde aunciente lawes of this Realme but also by our late soueraigne Lordes Letters patentes signed with his own hand and seâ—led with the greate seale of Englande in presence of the most parte of the Nobles Counsellours Iudges with diuers other graue and sage personages assenting subscribing to the same We must therfore as of most bouÌ„d duety and allegeance assent vnto her sayde Grace and to none other except wee shoulde which faythfull subiectes can not fall into greeuous and vnspeakeable enormities Wherefore we can no lesse do but for the quiet both of the realme and you also to aduertise you that forasmuch as the diuorce made betwene the king of famous memory K Henry the 8. the Lady Katherine your mother was necessary to be had both by the euerlasting lawes of God and also by the Ecclesiasticall lawes by the most part of the noble learned Vniuersities of Christendome and confirmed also by the sundry actes of Parliamentes remaining yet in theyr force and therby you iustly made illegitimate and vnheritable to the crown Imperiall of this realme and the rules and dominions and possessions of the same Lady Mary recounted illegitimate you will vpon iust consideration hereof and of diuers other causes lawfull to be alledged for the same for the iust inheritaunce of the right line and godlye order taken by the late king our souereigne Lord king Edward the sixt and agreed vpon by the Nobles and greatest personages aforesayd surcease by any pretence to vexe and molest any of our soueraigne Ladye Queene Iane her subiectes from theyr true fayth and allegeance due vnto her grace assuring you that if you will for respect shew your selfe quiet and obedient as you oughte you shall finde vs all and seuerall ready to doe you any seruice that we with duety may and be glad with your quietnes to preserue the coÌ„mon state of this realme wherin you may be otherwise greuous vnto vs to your selfe and to them And thus we bid you most hartily well to fare from the Tower of London this 9. of Iuly 1553. Your Ladyships frendes shewing your selfe an obedient subiect Thomas Caunterbury The Marques of Winchester Iohn Bedford Wil. Morthhampton Thom. Ely Chauncellour Northumberland Henry Suffolke Henry Arundell Shrewesbury Pembrooke Cobham R. Riche Huntington Darcy Cheyney R. Cotton Iohn Gates W. Peter W. Cicelle Iohn Cheeke Iohn Mason Edward North. R. Bowes All these aforesayd except onely the Duke of NorthuÌ„berland and syr Iohn Gates afterward were either by especiall fauor or speciall or generall pardon discharged After this aunswere receiued and the mindes of the Lordes perceiued Lady Mary keepeth her selfe from the Citty of London Lady Mary speedeth her selfe secretlye away farre of from the City hoping chiefly vpon the good will of the Commons and yet perchaunce not destitute altogether of the secret aduertisementes of some of the Nobles When the Counsell heard of her sodiene departure and perceiued her stoutnesse that all came not to passe as they supposed they gathered speedily a power of meÌ„ together appointing an army and first assigned that the Duke of Suffolke shoulde take that enterprise in hand so haue the leading of the Bande The Duke of Northumberland sent forth agaynst Lady Mary But afterwarde alterynge their mindes they thought it best to seÌ„d forth the Duke of Northumberland with certaine other Lords and Gentlemen and that the Duke of Suffolke shoulde keepe the Tower where the Lord Gilford and the Lady Iane the same time were lodged In the which expedition y e Gard also albeit they were much vnwilling at the first therunto yet notwithstanding through the vehemeÌ„t perswasions of the Lord Treasurer M. Chomley other they were induced to assist the duke and to set forward with him These thinges thus agreed vpon and the Duke nowe being set forwarde after the best array out of London hauing notwithstanding his times prescribed and hys iourneys appoynted by the Counsell to the entent he woulde not seeme to do any thing but vpon warrant Mary in the meane while tossed with muche trauell vp and downe to worke the surest way for her best aduauntage withdrewe her selfe into the quarters of Northfolke and Suffolke Pollicie of the Lady Mary where she vnderstood the Dukes name to be had in muche hatred for the seruice that had ben done there of late vnder king Edward The Lady Mary taketh Fremingham castle in subduing the rebels and there gathering to her such aid of the commons in euery side as she might keepeth her selfe close for a space within Fremingham Castle To whom first of al resorted the suffolke men who being alwayes forward in promoting the procedinges of the Gospell The Suffolk meÌ„ gather to the Lady Maryes side promised her theyr ayd helpe so that she would not attempt the alteration of the religion which her Brother king Edward had before established by lawes and orders publickely enacted and receiued by the consent of the whole Realme in that behalfe To make the matter short vnto this condition she eftsoones agreed with suche promise made vnto them that no innouatioÌ„ should be made of religioÌ„ The Lady Mary promiseth faithfully that she would not alter religion Breach of promise in Queene Mary as that no maÌ„ would or could then haue misdoubted her Whiche promise if shee had as