a knotte so fast tyed and folded so many wayes that as the saying was whosoeuer could loose it should haue all Asia So Alexander comming to it when he could not loose it with his haÌ„ds he cutte it a â—uÌ„der with his sworde Gordian knotte would not be loosed at rome he was driueÌ„ against his wil as God would to play the noble Alexander himselfe and with the sword of his princely authority knapt the knot at one stroke clean a sunder loosing as it were with one solutioÌ„ infinite questions For where the Doctours and Canonistes had loÌ„g disputed and yet could neuer throughly discusse the largenes and fulnes of the popes two swordes both temporall and spirituall the king with one sword did so cut of bothe cleane out of England as ye shall see more anone But first the king like a prudent prince before he would come to the head of the sore thought best to pare away such rank fleshe and putrified places as were about it and therefore following his owne prouerbe like as one goyng about to cast downe an olde rotten wall will not beginne with the foundation first but with the stones that lye in the toppe so he to prepare his way better vnto the Pope The kinges proâ—â—uerbe Looke before first beganne with the Cardinall castinge him by the lawe of Premunire out of his goods possessions and so at leÌ„gth by poysoning himselfe he procured his owne death which was in the yeare 1530. Thys done shortly after about the the yeare 1532. the King to prouide by time agaynste mischiefes that might come from Rome gaue foorth eftsoones this proclamation as followeth THe kings highnes straightly chargeth and commandeth that no maner of person what estate degree A restraynte of the king that nothing should be purchased from Rome or condition so euer hee or they be of doe purchase or attempt to purchase from the Court of Rome or els where nor vse and put in executioÌ„ diuulge or publish any thing heretofore wâ—thin this yeare passed purchased or to be purchased heereafter containing matter preiudiciall to the highe authoritie iurisdiction and prerogatiue Royall of thys hys sayde realme or to theÌ„ lette hinderaunce or impeache ment of his graces noble and vertuous intended purposes in the premises vppon paine of incurring his highnes indignation and imprisonment and further punishment of their bodies for their so doing at his graces pleasure to the dreadful exâ—mple of all other After this was done the king then proceeding farther caused the rest of the spirituall Lordes to be called by proces into the kinges benche to make their appearaunce Ex Edw. Hallo for so much as the whole Clergie of Englande in supporting and maintaining the power Legatiue of the Cardinall The whole clergy of England in the Premunire by the reason thereof were all entangled likewise in the Premunire and therefore were called into the kings benche to aunswere But before the day of theyr appearaunce the Prelates together in theyr conuocation concluded among themselues an humble submission in wryting and offered the king for a subsidie or contribution that hee woulde be their good Lord and release them of the Premunire by Act of Parliament first to be gathered in the prouince of Caunterbury a C.M. poundes And in the Prouince of Yorke xviij hundreth and xl pound x. pence The whyche offer with much labour was accepted and their pardon promised The Clergy geueth to the king 11840 pound to be released from the Premunire In this submission the clergie called the kyng supreme head of the Churche of Englande whych thing they neuer confessed before wherupon many things folowed as after God willing ye shall heare But first forsomuch as we are in hand nowe wyth the matter we wil borow by the way a few words of the reader to speake of this clergie money of a 118840. pounds x. pence to be leuied to the king as is aboue touched For the leuying of which summe an order was taken amonge the prelates that euery B. in his Dioces should call before him all the Priestes Parsons Uicars amongst whome D. Stokesley B. of London a man then counted to be of some witte and learning but of litle discretion and humanitie which caused him to be out of the fauour of the common people called before him all the Priestes wythin the Citie of London whether they were Curates or Stipendaries the first day of Sept. being Friday in the Chapter house of S. Paule At which day the priests appeared and the Bishops policie was to haue onely 6. or 8. priestes together and by perswasions to haue caused them to graunt some portion toward the paiment of the foresaid hundreth M. pound But the number of the Priestes was so greate for they were 6. hundreth at the least and with them came many temporall men to heare the matter that the Bishop was disapoynted of his purpose For when the Byshops Officers called in certaine Priests by name into the chapter house The bishops policy with the Priests for payment of the kinges money wyth that a great number entred for they putte the Bishops Officers that kept the doore a side After this the Officers got the dore shut againe Then the Priestes without sayde we will not be kept wythout and our felowes be within we know not what the bishop will do with them The temporal men being present comforted and encouraged the priestes to enter so that by force they opened the doore and one strake the Bishops Officer ouer the face and entred the Chapter house and many teÌ„porall men with them and long it was ere any sileÌ„ce could be made At last wheÌ„ they were appeased the bishop stode vp and sayd Brethren I maruell not a litle why you be so heady and know not what shal be sayd to you therefore I pray you to keepe silence and to heare me paciently My frendes all you knowe well that we be men fraile of condition and no Aungels and by frailtie and lacke of wisedome wee haue misdemeaned oure selfe towarde the king our soueraigne Lord and his lawes The bishops perswasion to the priestes to helpe theÌ„ to pay there forfaite so that all we of the Cleargie were in the Premunire by reason whereof all our promotions landes goodes and cattels were to hym forfaite our bodies ready to be imprisoned yet his grace moued with pitie and compassion demaunded of vs what we could say why he should not extend his lawes vpoÌ„ vs. Then the Fathers of the Cleargye humbly besought hys grace of mercy To whom he aunswered that he was euer enclined to mercy Then for all our great offences we had litle penaunce For where he might by the rigour of hys law haue taken all our liuelode goods and cattels he was contented with one hundreth thousand pounds to be payd in 5. yeres And although that this summe be more then we may easely beare yet by the rigor of his lawes we
kyng was contented through the persuasions of some so to doe For els as touchyng God and conscience what great neede was of any diuorce where before GOD no Mariage was to be accounted but rather an incestuous detestable adultery as the Act of ParliameÌ„t doth terme it But to our matter agayne After the dissolutioÌ„ of this first Mariage made betwen the king the Lady Princesse Dowager she neuerthelesse bearyng a stout mynde would not yet releÌ„t neither to the determination of the Uniuersities nor to the ceÌ„sure of the Clergy nor of the whole Realme but folowyng the couÌ„saile rather of a few Spanyardes to molest the kyng the realme by sute meanes made to the Pope procured certaine writynges first of monition and aggrauation theÌ„ of excommunication and interdiction to be sent downe from Rome Writinges set vp at Dunkirke against the king wherein the Pope had interdicted both the kyng the whole Realme But the Popes Cursor beyng not the hardyest maÌ„ belike that euer shewed his head thought it much more sure for him to discharge his Popishe carâ—age without the kynges reach so keepyng himselfe aloofe of like a prety man set vp his writynges in the Towne of Dunkirke in Flaunders In the which towne first vpon the Northdoore of the Church was set vp a monition Ioh. Butler of Calis tooke downe the writte at Dunkirke against the King that the kyng of EnglaÌ„d should surcease the sute of diuorce the which Iohn Butler Clerke theÌ„ Commissary of Calice by commaundement tooke downe in a night After that before Whitsonweeke there was set vp in the same place an excoÌ„munication aggrauation regranation interdiction For the which also the sayd Butler by commauÌ„dement was sent to Dunkirke to take it downe K. Henry the realme indicted by the Pope And because the couÌ„sell of Calice would be certified of his diligence therein they sent a seruauÌ„t of the Lord Lisle theÌ„ Deputie of Calice whose name was Cranuell and vpon Wensday in Whitsonweke at vij of the clocke in the mornyng he tooke it downe whole and brought it with hym deliuered the same to the Lord Deputie aforesaid Which was about the yeare .1533 This beyng knowne certified vnto the kyng he was motioned by his counsell that such as were about her and moued her thereto should be put froÌ„ her And therfore the Duke of Suffolke was sent to Bugden beside HuntyngdoÌ„ where y e sayd Lady Katherine lay who perceiuyng her stomacke to coÌ„tinue froward still in auÌ„sweryng him with high wordes The Lady Catherines court discharged sodenly so in a fury to part froÌ„ him into her priuy chamber shut the doore brake vp the doore of her Court discharged a great sort of her houshold seruauÌ„ts yet left her a conuenieÌ„t number to serue her like a Princesse They that remayned still were sworne to serue her as Princesse onely and not as Queene Of whome some sayd they were once sworne to serue her as Queene and otherwise would not serue and so were dismissed The other which were sworne to serue her as Princesse she vtterly refused for her seruants and so she remayned wyth the fewer liuing after this about the space of two yeares ¶ The abolishing of the Pope out of England THese thinges thus finished and dispatched concerning the mariage of Queene Anne and diuorce of Lady Katherine Dowager Anno. 1534. next followeth the yeare 1534. In the which was assembled the hye Court of ParliameÌ„t againe after many prorogations vpon the third day of February wherein was made an Acte of succession for the more suretie of the crowne to the which euery person being of lawfull age Preaching against the Pope should be sworne During this Parliament time euery Sonday preached at Paules crosse a Byshop which declared the Pope not to be head of the Church After this Commissions were sent ouer all England to take the othe of all men and women to the Act of succession Ex Edw. â—allo At which few repined except D. Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester sir Tho. More late Lord Chancellor and D. Nicholas Wilson parson of S. Thomas Apostles in LoÌ„don Wherfore these 3. persons after long exhortatioÌ„ to theÌ„ made by y e Byshop of Canterbury at Lambeth The Byshop of Rochester Sir Tho. More sent to the tower Fysher byshop of Rochester Sir Tho. More refuse to be sworne refusing to be sworne were sent to the Tower where they rrmained were oftentimes motioned to be sworne but the Bishop and sir Tho. More excused theÌ„ by their writings in which they sayd that they had written before the sayd Lady Katherine to be Queene therfore could not well go froÌ„ that which they had written Likewise the Doctor excused that he in preaching had called her Queene and therefore now coulde not withsay it againe Howbeit at length he was well contented to dissemble y e matter so escaped but the other two stoode agaynst all the Realme in their opinion From the moneth of Marche this Parliament farthermore was proroged to the iij. day of Nouemb. abouesaid At what time amongst other diuers statutes most graciously and by the blessed wil of God it was enacted that the Pope and all his colledge of Cardinals with his pardoÌ„s Indulgences which so long had clogged this Realme of England to the miserable slaughter of so many good men which neuer could be remoued away before was now abolished eradicate exploded out of this land sent home againe to their owne countrey of Rome from whence they came God be euerlastingly praysed therefore Amen ¶ An Acte concerning the Kings highnes to be the supreme head of the Church of England and to haue authoritie to reforme and redresse all errours heresies and abuses in the same Cap. 1. ALbeit the Kings Maiesty iustly and rightfully is and ought to be the supreme head of the Church of England and so is recognised by the Clergy of this Realme in their Conuocations yet neuerthelesse for corroboration confirmation thereof and for encrease of vertue in Christes Religion within this Realme of England and to represse extirpe all errours heresies and other enormities abuses heretofore vsed in the same be it enacted by authoritie of this preseÌ„t ParliameÌ„t y t the king our soueraigne Lord his heires successours Kings of this Realme shal be taken accepted reputed y e only supreme head in earth of y e Church of England called Anglicana ecclesia and shall haue enioy annexed and vnited to the Imperial crowne of this realme as wel y e title style therof as all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictioÌ„s priuiledges authorities immunites profites and commodities to the sayd dignitie of supreme head of the same Church belonging apperteining and y t our sayd soueraigne Lord his heires successours Kings of this Realme shal haue full power and authority from time to time to visite represse
et Zelo. Sorcerers and Coniurers with such a wrong fayth ioyned to dumme creatures may and do with lyke reason call vp deuils as holy-water may driue them away cum fide zelo after which sort if our holy water were vsed I doubt not but there be many Marcellus and many Elizeus and many at whose prayer God forgeueth sinne if such as will enioy y e prayer haue faith and zeale as Equitius and were as desirous to driue the deuil out of the temple of their body and soule as Equitius out of the temple of Iupiter So as if holy vse were coupled with holy water there should be more plentie of holynesse then there is but as men be prophane in their liuyng so they cannot bide to haue any thing effectually holy not so much as bread and water fearing lest they should take away sinne from vs which we loue so well Solus Christus peccata diluit who sprinckleth hys bloud by hys ministers as he hath taught hys spouse the Church in which those ministers be ordered wherein many wayes maketh not many sauiours as ignorants do iest whereof I neede not speake further vnto you no more I neded not in the rest in respect of you but me thought ye coniured all men in your sermon to say what they thought to you id quod hanc mihi expressit Epistolam quam boni consules Et Vale. Your louyng friend Ste. Winchester AS I haue set foorth here gentle Reader the cauillyng letter of Winchester agaynst M. Ridleys Sermon so am I right sory that I haue not likewyse the aunswer of the sayd Ridley agayne to ioyne withall For so I vnderstand that not onely M. Ridley but also M. Barlow B. of S. Dauids for Winchester wrote agaynst them both had written and sent immediately their aunsweres to the same refutyng the friuolous and vnsauory reasons of this popish prelate as may well appeare by a parcell additionall of a letter sent by the L. Protector to the sayd Byshop in these wordes And because we haue begun to write to you we are put in remembraunce of a certayne letter or booke which you wrote vnto vs agaynst the bishop of S. Dauids sermon and D. Ridleys to the whiche aunswer beyng immediately made was by negligence of vs forgottē to be sent Now we both send you that and also the aunswer which the B. of s. Dauids wrote to the same booke of yours ¶ Articles and positions ministred and obiected eche of them ioyntly and seuerally to the B. of Winchester as foloweth The 1. Article IN primis that the kings Maiesty iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland Articles layd agaynst Winchester and so is by the Clergy of this realme in theyr conuocation and by acte of Parliament iustly and accordyng to the lawes of God recognised Winchester This first article the B. granteth Winchester graunteth to the kings supremacy The 2. Article Item that hys Maiestie as supreme hed of the sayd Churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set forth lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning religion orders in the sayd churches for the encrease of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses Winchester grūnteth to the full authority of the king 〈◊〉 setting forth his lawes Winchester To this second article he answereth affirmatiuely The 3. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiects are bound by the lawe of God to obey all hys Maiesties sayd lawes Iniunctions procedings concerning religion and orders in the sayd church Winchester To the third article the laid B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 4. Article Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland Wynchester hath sworne obedience to the kinges supremacye Winchester To the fourth article the sayd B. aunswereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 5. Article Item that all and euery his graces subiectes that disobey any his sayd maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinaunces and proceedings already set forth and published or hereafter to be set forth and published ought worthily to be punished according to hys Ecclesiasticall law vsed within this his realme Winchester To this fift article the sayd B. answereth affirmatiuely and granteth it The 6. Article Item that you the sayd Bishop as well in the Kings Maiesties late visitation within your dioces Wynchester complayned of as at sondry tymes haue bene cōplained vpō sondry informatiōs made against you for your doyngs sayings and preachings agaynst sundry Iniunctions orders and other proceedings of hys maiesty set foorth for reformation of errors superstitions and other abuses of religion Winchester This article toucheth other mens actes who or how they are complayned or enformed I cannot throughly tel For at the tyme of the kings Maiesties visitation I was in the Fleete and the morrow after twelfe day I was deliuered at Hampton court my L. of Somerset and my L. of Caunterbury then being in counsaile with many other counsailors was deliuered by these words The kings maiesty hath granted a generall pardon and by the benefit thereof I was discharged Wherunto I answered that I was learned neuer to refuse the kings maiesties pardon Winchester released out of the Fleete by the kinges generall pardon The article of Iustification put to Winchester Winchester prisoner in his own house Winchester denyeth to subscribe to the article of Iustification M. Cicill sent to Winchester Winchester agayne set free and in strength as that was and I would did humbly thanke his maiesty therfore and then they began with me in an article of learnyng touching iustification whereunto they willed me to say my mynd adding therwith that because other learned men had agreed to a forme deliuered vnto me that I should not thinke I could alter it which I receiued of them and promised the Thursday after to repayre to my L. of Somersets house at Sheene with my mynd written which I did and that day seuennight followyng appearing before hym and other of the counsaile was committed to my house for prisoner because I refused to subscribe to the forme of words sentēces that other had agreed vnto as they said In which tyme of imprisonment in my house the Bish. of Rochester then being as sent to me and after M. Smith then M. Cecil to which M. Cecil when I had by learnyng resolued my mynde in the matter I deliuered it and he deliuering it to my lords Grace wrote me in hys name thanks for it and then it was within the tyme of Lent ere I was discharged of y e trouble and so went to Winchester as a man clearely out of all trauell of busines And within 14. daies after that or there abouts began other trauell with me vpon a request made by my Lord of
made this aunswer againe That first touching the Article of submission he woulde in no wise consent affirming as hee had done before that he had neuer offended the kings Maiestye in any such sorte as shoulde geue hym cause thus to submit himselfe praying earnestly to be brought vnto his trial wherin he refused the kings mercy and desired nothing So ye right 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 turned 〈◊〉 altar to 〈◊〉 but iustice And for the rest of the articles he aunswered that after he were past his triall in this firste poynt and were at libertie then it should appeare what he would do in them not being as he said reasonable that he should subscribe them in prisone Of this answer when the king and hys counsel had intelligence by the foresayde Maister of the horse Secretarie Peter the bishop of London and M. Goodricke who had bene wyth him it was agreed that he should be sent for before the whole counsel and peremptorily examined once againe whether he would stand at this poynt or no which if he did then to denouÌ„ce vnto him the sequestration of his benefice and consequently the intimation in case hee were not reformed within 3. monethes as in the daye of his appearance shall appeare The tenor and words of which sequestration with the Intimation followeth The wordes of the Sequestration with the Intimation to the Bishop of Winchester FOr asmuch as the kings maiestie our most gratious soueraigne Lord vnderstandeth The tenour of of the sequestration read to Winchester and it is also manifestly knowne and notorious vnto vs that the clemency long sufferaunce of his maiestie woorketh not in you y e good effect and humblenes and conformitie that is requisite in a good subiect and for that your first disobediences coÌ„teÌ„pts and other misbehauiours for the which you were by hys Maiesties authoritie iustly coÌ„mitted to warde haue â—ithes your said committing dayly more more increased in you in such sort as a great slaunder and offence is therof risen in many parts of the realme whereby also much slander dissention trouble vnquietnes is very like more to ensue if your foresaid offences being as they be openly knowne should passe vnpunished The causes why this sequestratioÌ„ was laid against Winchester we let you wit that hauing speciall and expresse Commission and commaundement from his Maiesty aswell for your contumacies and contempts so long coÌ„tinued and yet daily more increasing as also for the exchange of the slaunder offence of the people which by your sayd ill demeanours is risen and for that also the Church of Winchester may be in the meane time prouided of a good minister that may and will see all things done quietly executed according to lawes and common orders of this Realme Winchester sequestred from his Byshopricke for sondry other great and vrgent causes we do by these presentes sequester all the fruites reuenues landes and possessions of your Bishopricke of Winchester discerne deeme iudge the same to be committed to the seueral receite collection and custody of such person or persons as his Maiesty shall appoynt for that purpose And because your former disobediences and contemptes so loÌ„g coÌ„tinued so many times doubled renued and aggrauated do manifestly declare you to be a person without all hope of recouery plainly incorrigible we eftsoones admonish and require you to obay his maiesties said coÌ„maundement and that you do declare your selfe by subscription of youre hand both willing well conteÌ„ted to accept allow preach and teache to others the sayde articles and all suche other matters as be or shal be set forth by his maiesties authority of supreme head of this church of England on this side within the terme of 3. monthes whereof we appoynt one month for the first monition one month for the second monition and warning and one moneth for the third and peremptorie monition Within which time as you may yet declare your coÌ„formitie and shal haue paper Intimation geuâ— to Winchester pen and inke when you wil cal for them for that purpose so if you wilfully forbeare and refuse to declare your self obedient and conformable as is aforesayd we intimate vnto you that his maiestie who like a good gouernor desireth to keepe both his coÌ„mon wealth quiet and to purge the same of euill men especially ministers entendeth to proceede against you as an incorrigible person and vnmeet minister of this church to depriuation of your sayd bishopprike Neuertheles vpon diuers good considerations and specially in hope he might within his time be yet reconciled it was agreed that the sayd bishops house seruants should be maintained in their present estate vntill y e time that this Iniunction should expire the matter for the meane time to be kept secrete After this sequestration the sayde B. was commensed vnto Lambeth before the Archbishop of Cant. other the kings commissioners by vertue of the kings speciall letter sent vnto the sayde Commissioners to witte to the Archbyshop of Caunterburie Nicholas bishoppe of London The names of the Commissioners delegate in the cause of SteueÌ„ Gardineâ— Thomas bishop of Ely Henry bishop of Lincoln Secretarie Peter Syr Iames Hales knight Doctour Leyson Doctor Olyuer lawyers and Iohn Gosnold Esquire c. before them and by them to be examined by whome were obiected against him 19. special articles in order and forme heere following Articles and positions ministred ioyntly and seuerally obiected to the B. of Winchester IN primis that the kings Maiestie iustly and rightfully is and by the lawes of God ought to be the supreme head in earth of the Church of England and Ireland Articles ministred agaynst Winchester by the Commissioners and so is by the Clergie of this realme in their conuocation and by the Act of Parliament iustly and according to y e lawes of God recognised 2 Item that his maiestie as supreme head of y e saide churches hath full power and authoritie to make and set suche Lawes Iniunctions and ordinances for and concerning Religion anâ— orders in the said churches for the increase of vertue and repressing of all errours heresies and other enormities and abuses 3 Item that all and euery his graces subiectes are bound by the lawes of God to obey all his highnesse saide lawes Iniunctions and proceedings concerning religion orders in the sayd Churches Winchester sworne to the kinges supremacy 4 Item that you Steuen B. of Winchester haue sworne obedience to his Maiestie as supreme head of this Church of England and also of Ireland 5 Item that all and euery his graces subiects that disobey any of his sayde Maiesties lawes Iniunctions ordinances and proceedings already set forth published or hereafter to be set foorth published ought worthely to be punished according to his graces Ecclesiasticall lawes vsed within thys his realme Winchester after his oth fouÌ„d disobedient to the king and his proceedinges 6 Item that you
shoulde haue borne the whole burthen Wherefore my brethren I charitably exhorte you to beare your partes of your liuelode salarie toward the paiment of this summe grauÌ„ted Then it was shortly sayde to the Byshop My Lorde twenty nobles a yeare is but a bare liuing for a Priest for now vittaile and euery thyng is so deare The priestâ— aunswer to the bish that pouertie in maner enforceth vs to say nay Beside that my Lorde we neuer offended in the Premunire for we medled neuer wyth the Cardinals faculties let the Byshoppes and Abbottes which haue offended pay Then the Bishops Officers gaue to the Priestes hygh wordes which caused them to be the more obstinate Also diuers temporall men whych were present comforted the Priestes and bade them agree to no paiment In tâ—ys rumour diuers of the Bishops seruaunts were â—uâ—â—ered and stricken so that the Bishop began to be afraide and wyth faire wordes appeased the noyse and for all things which were done or sayd there he pardoned them gaue to them hys blessing and prayed them to departe in charitie Then they departed thinking to heare no more of the matâ—â—â— but they were deceiued For the Byshop went to Sir Thom. More then being Lorde Chancellor which greatly fauoured the B. and the clergy and to him made a greeuous coÌ„plaint declared the fact very greuously B. Stokesly complaineth to Syr Tho. More Wherupon commaundement was sent to syr Tho. Pargitor Maior of the Citie to attache certaine priests and temporal men and so 15. priestes 5. temporall men were arrested of the whych Certayne priestes and temporall meÌ„ committed to priâ—â— some were sent to the Tower some to the Fleete and other prisons where they remained long after This being done in the yeare of our Lorde 1532. it followeth moreouer the same yeare that diuers preachinges were in the realme one contrary to another coÌ„cerning the kings mariage and in especiall one Thom. Abell Clerke Preaching against the kinges first mariage which was the Queenes Chaplaine to please her withal both preached and also wrote a booke in defence of the sayd mariage wherby diuers simple meÌ„ were persuaded Wherfore the king caused to be coÌ„piled and reduced into a boke the determination of the vniuersities with the iudgemeÌ„ts of great Clerkes which booke being printed set abroade did againe satisfie all indifferent and reasonable persones which were not too much wedded to their willes Mention was made a litle before of a parlameÌ„t begon the 15. day of Ianuary An. 1533. in the which Parlament the coÌ„mons had put vp a Supplication complaining of y e strait dealing of the Cleargie in their proceeding Ex officio The wilked acte Ex officio brokeÌ„ by the king Statut. an 25 Reg. Hen. 8. This coÌ„plaint although at the first it seemed not greatly to be tendered of the king yet in prorogation of y e parlament the time so wrought withall that the King hauing more cleare vnderstaÌ„ding of the abuses enormities of the clergye and in speciall of the corrupt authoritie of the Sea of Rome prouided certayne actes agaynst the same First as concerning the lawes decrees ordinaunces and constitutions made and stablished by the pretensed authoritie of the Byshops of Rome to y e aduauncemeÌ„t of theyr worldly glory y t who so did or spake any thing either agaynst their vsurped power or agaynst y e sayd lawes decrees or constitutioÌ„s of theirs not approued nor grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ holy scripture or els being repugnant to y e kings prerogatiue royal An acte coÌ„cerning the popes lawes shuld therfore staÌ„d in no danger nor be impeachable of heresie And likewise touching such coÌ„stitutions ordinances canoÌ„s prouinciall or Synodall which were made in this realm in y e conuocation of bishops being either preiudicial to y e kings prerogatiue or not ratified before by the kinges assent or being otherwise onerous to the king and his subiects or in anye wise repugnant to the lawes and statutes of this realme they Decrees and constitutions prouinciall of this realme coÌ„mitted to examinatioÌ„ were committed to the iudgment of 32. persons chosen by the king out of that higher lower house to be determined either to stand in streÌ„gth or to be abrogate at their discretions and farther that all y e Clergy of this realme submitting themselues to the kyng should and did promise in verbo Sacerdotij neuer hereafter to presume to assemble in theyr conuocations without the kinges writte nor to enact or execute suche constitutions without hys royall assent c. Ex Statut. Henr. 8. Farther in the same Parliament was enacted and decreed that in causes and matters happening in contention no person should appeale pruoke or sue No man to appeale to Rome out of the kinges dominions to the Court of Rome vnder payne of prouisours prouision or Premunire Item in the same parliament was defined and concluded y t all exportation of Annates and first fruites of Archbishoprickes and Bishoprickes out of this Realme to the Sea of Rome for any bulles brieues or palles * Boner in his prologue before De vera obedientia saithâ— that this rauinous pray of the pope commeth to asmuch almost as the kings reuenues The maneâ—â— of Inuesting by the king or expedition of any such thing should vtterly cease Also for the inuesting of Archbishops Bishoppes or other of any Ecclesiasticall dignitie such order in the sayde Parlament was taken that the king should send a licence vnder the great seal with a letter missiue to the Prior and Couent or to the Deane and Chapter of those Cathedrall Churches where the Sea was vacant by the vertue of which liceÌ„ce or letters missiue they within 12. daies should chose the said person nominated by the king none other and y t election to stand effectuall to all intents which election being done then the partie elect making first his othe and fealty to the king if it were a Bish. that was elect then the king by his letters patents to signifie the sayd election to the Archb. of that prouince and 2. other Bishops or els to 4. bishops within this realme to be assigned to that office without any other suing procuring or obtaining any bulles breues or other things from the Sea of Rome Moreouer against al other whatsoeuer intolerable exactions and great summes of mony vsed to be paid out of this realme to the B. of Rome in pensions censures Peterpence procurations fruites suites for prouisions expeditions of bulles for Archb. and Bishops for delegacies and rescriptes in causes of contentions and appeales Peter pence stopped froÌ„ Rome iurisdictions legatiue also for dispensations licences faculties graunts relaxations writtes called Perinde valere rehabilitations abolitions canonizations and other infinit sorts of bulles breues and instrumeÌ„ts of sundry natures the number whereof were tedious particularly to be recited In the said Parlament it was ordained y t all such vncharitable vsurpations exactions
Laurence the Byshops Register of Caunterbury Edwarde Thwates Thomas Abell Of the which persons the sayd Elizabeth Berton Henry Gold Richard Master Edwarde Bocking Iohn Dering Hugh Riche Richarde Risby were attaynted of Treason by Acte of Parliament and put to execution The residue as Fisher Byshop of Rochester Thomas Golde Thomas Laurence Edwarde Thwates Iohn Adeson Thomas Abell being conuicte and atteynted of misprison were condemned to prison and forfayted theyr goodes possessions to the King Ex Statut an 25 Reg Hen 8. Edward Hall a writer of our Englishe Stories making mention of this Elizabeth Barton aforesayd adioyneth next in his booke A maruelous iudgement of god against Pauier an open enemye to his worde the narration of one Pauier or Pauie a notorious enemie no doubt to Gods truth Thys Pauier beyng the towne Clerke of the Citie of London was a man sayth he that in no case coulde abyde to heare that the Gospell shoulde be in Englishe In so much that the sayd Hall hymselfe heard hym once say vnto hym and to other by swearing a great othe that if he thought the Kings highnes would set forth the Scripture in English and let it be read of the people by his authoritie rather thē he would so long liue he would cut his owne throate but he brake promise sayth Hall for he dyd not cut his throate with any knife but with an halter did hang himselfe Of what minde and intent he so did God iudge My information farther addeth this touching the sayd Pauier or Pauie that he was a bitter enemie very busie at the burning of Richard Bayneham aboue mentioned Who hearing the sayd Baynham at the stake speakyng against Purgatory and transubstantiation Pauier a bitter eenemy against Rich. Baynham set fire sayd he to this hereticke and burne hym And as the trayne of gunpouder came toward the Martyr he lifted vp his eyes and hands to heauen saieng to Pauier God forgiue thee and shewe thee more mercy then thou doest to me The Lord forgiue Sir Thomas More and pray for me all good people and so continued he praieng till the fire tooke hys bowels and his head c. After whose Martyrdome the next yeare folowing this Pauier the towne Clerke of the Citie went and bought ropes Which done he went vp to an hygh garret in hys house to pray as he was wont to doe to a roode which he had there before whom he bitterly wept And as his own mayde comming vp found him so doyng he bad her take the rustye sworde and go make it cleane and trouble him no more and immediately he tied vp the rope and hoong himselfe The maydes hart still throbbed and so came vp and founde him but newly hanged Then she hauing no power to helpe him ranne crieng to the Church to her mistres to fetch her home His seruants and Clerkes he had sent out before to Finisbery Pauier a persecutor hāged him selfe and to Maister Edney Sergeant to the Lord Maior dwelling ouer Byshops gate to tary for him at Finisebery Court till he came but he had dispatched himselfe before so that they might long looke for him before he could come Which was an 1533. To this story of Pauier may also be added the lyke terrible example of Doctor Foxford Chauncellour to the Byshop of London a cruell persecutor and a common butcher of the good Saincts of God who was the condemner of all those aforenamed The terrible hād of Gods iudgement vpon Foxford the Byshops Chācellour The death of W. Warham Archb· of Cant. Tho. Cranmer Archb. of Cant. which were put to death troubled or abiured vnder Byshop Stokesley through all the dioces of London This Foxford dyed about this present yeare and time of whose terrible end it was then certainely reported and affirmed by suche as were of right good credite vnto certayne persons of whom some be yet aliue that he dyed sodenly sitting in his chayre his belly being brust and his guts falling out before him About the same time died also William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury in whose roume succeeded Thomas Cranmer which was the Kings Chapleyne and a great disputer against the vnlawful mariage of Lady Katherine Princesse Dowager being then so called by Act of Parliament Queene Catherine appealeth to Rome Ye heard before how the Parliament had enacted that no person after a certeine day should appeale to Rome for any cause Notwithstanding which Acte y e Queene now called Princesse Dowager had appealed to the Courte of Rome before that Acte made so y t it was doubted whether that Appeale were good or not This question was well handled in the Parliament house but much better in the Conuocation house and yet in both houses it was alledged yea and by bookes shewed that in the Councels of Calcedone Affrike Toletane and diuers other famous Councels in the primatiue Church yea in the tyme of S. Augustine it was affirmed declared determined that a cause rising in one Prouince Concluded by councells of the primitiue church that nōe should appeale out of their prouince should be determined in the same that neither the Patriarke of Cōstātinople should medle in causes moued in the iurisdictiō of the Patriarke of Antioch nor no Byshop should entermedle within an others Prouince or coūtrey Which thyngs were so clerkly opened so cūningly set forth to all intētes y t euery mā that had witte was determined to folow y e truth not wilfully wedded to his owne mynde might playnly see y t al appeales made to Rome were clearely voyde of none effect Which doctrines coūsailes were shewed to y e Lady Katherine Princesse Dowager but she as womē loue to lose no dignitie euer continued in her old song trusting more to the Popes partialitie then to the determination of Christes veritie Wherupon the Archbyshop of Cāterbury Cranmer aboue named accōpanied with y e Bishops of Lōdon Winchester Bathe Lincolne diuers other great Clerkes 〈◊〉 a great number road to Dunstable which is vi myle frō Ampthyl where the Princesse Dowager lay there by a Doctor called Doctor Lee she was ascited to appeare before the sayd Archbyshop in cause of Matrimony in the sayd towne of Dunstable at the day of appearaunce she would not appeare but made default so was called peremptorily euery day .xv. dayes together and at the last for lacke of appearaunce for contumacie by the assent of all the learned men there beyng present she was diuorced from the kyng Lady Catherine solemnly diuorced frō the king their Mariage declared to be voyde and of none effect which sentence geuen the Archbyshop and all the other returned backe agayne ¶ Where note that although this diuorce folowyng after the new Mariage needed not at all to be made the first Mariage beyng no Mariage at all before God A note yet to satisfie the voyce of the people more then for any necessitie the
froÌ„ the king his letters of credence and withall to declare and extend the kinges most effectuous commendations with the harty good will and sincere affections whiche his hignes bare to the sayde Cardinall Chauncellour of Fraunce with no lesse desire also most gladly to do that thing which might be to his commoditie and benefite according as the manifold pleasures grauities and kindnes done on his part for the kinges highnes did worthily deserue Then after such words of mollification to enter into further communication with him in such sort as might best serue his honour And forasmuch as the Cardinall was theÌ„ noted much to be moued with the affections of vayn glory couetous therfore amongst other coÌ„munication The vaine glory and auarice of the Cardinall it was deuised to inferre mentioÌ„ of the Papalitie noting what wayes meanes might be vsed to attayne vnto that dignitie Wherein if the kinges hignes coulde stand him to anye steede as he thought the person of the sayd Chauncellour most meet for the same The fashyoâ— of Princes courtes to be noted so he would not fayle to moue and to procure it to the best furtheraunce of his aduauncement And finally to declare how desirous the kinges highnes was to retayne and make sure vnto him the amitie and friendship of the sayd Chauncellour and that hys hignes deuising by what meanes and wayes he might do the same albeit his grace knew wel that the fayth and sinceritie of the sayd Chauncellour towardes hys mayster was such as no gift pension or other offer could aduance or increase that good will which for hys maysters sake he would employ in the kinges highnes affayres thought that for declaration of hys hartye good will towardes the sayde Chauncellour it were conuenient to offer vnto hym some yearely remembraunce c. This was the summe and effect of the message of the king sent vnto the French king and to other of his counsayle by his ambassadour maister Edward Foxe whiche was especially to signifie and make manifest vnto the sayd French king the vniust dealinges and preiudiciall proceedinges of the pope in calling vp the king of Englande to appeare at Rome by Proxie which was derogatory to y e kinges dignitie and crowne and also preiudiciall both to generall Councels of the primitiue tyme and to the auncient lawes and statutes of this Realme as is afore declared and no lesse hurtfull for example to all other Princes and kinges likewise c. This message so done Steuen Gardiner Ambassadour to the FreÌ„ch king shortly after was sent to the said french king Stephen Gardinar bish of Winchester with the kings answere and message again on this maner y t for so much as the saying of the Frenche king to the ambassadors was this that notwithstanding all the kings Realm shuld agree and condescend neuer so muche to y e right title The French kings saying against the kinges succession which the succession procreated of this his lawfull matrimony hath in this hys realme yet when outward parties shall conceaue anye other or contrary opinion thereof great trouble and vexation might ensue Wherunto the K. made answere agayne declaring y t he could not but greatly marueyle y t the king his brother being so wise a Prince The kinges aunswere to the French king and there to well expert and learned in Chronicles and histories not onely of his owne realme but also of all others or any of his Counsayle being men of such experieÌ„ce as they were taken to be would thinke that the opinion consent of other outward Realms was so highly to be coÌ„sidered and regarded of any prince or king in stablishing or in executing of thinges which mighte be lawfully done and which touched the preseruation of the rightes preeminences dignitie and state of his realme and did also notably conferre vnto the singular benefite and tranquillitie of the same so as the words both of the sayde king hys brother and of the great master did pretend Who furthermore were not ignoraunt them selues 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 realm 〈…〉 bouÌ„d tâ— the agrement of outwarde realmes that many thinges haue bene by hys noble progenitours kinges of Fraunce attempted and done as well in cases of matrimonie as otherwise which in some part in the opinion of y e Popes of Rome then being in some part in the opinion of diuers other outwarde princes states seigniories and common people haue bene thought not perfectly good nor yet much acceptable vnto them and yet that notwithstanding hys said progenitors knowing them selues the prosecuting of those causes to be beneficial to them and to the realm haue not therfore desisted from their said purposes but diligeÌ„tly employing their owne strength and powers with the succours of their frends haue finally atchieued their sayd enterprises wythout requiring or greatly regarding the opinion or agreement therunto of outward princes Againe wheras the Chauncelour of France made thys ouerture to the â—ayde Bishop of Winchester whether the kyng woulde be content to haue indifferent Iudges to be appoynted by the authoritie of the Pope The ouerture of the Chauncellour 〈◊〉 Fraunce to the king to take indifferent iudges by the Popes authority The kinges aunswere to the ouerture to determine his cause wyth a commission decretall from y e same declaring Quid iuris c. The King by his ambassador therunto answearing declared that the Pope hauing done vnto hym so notable and euideÌ„t iniuries as he had done it were hys office and duetie now to labor him selfe to ende this matter and to studie how to make due satisfaction to God and his iustice which hee hath tam indignis modis offended and violated and to deliuer himselfe out of the danger and the perpetual infamie of the world which he hath incurred by reason of these his most vngodly doings and not to looke that the King shoulde make any request or suite vnto hym therfore or recompence for the same c. Furthermore where as the Pope at the request of the French king had in open Consistorie proroged execution of his censures and excommunication against the king vnto the first day of Nouember and woorde thereof was sent to the king by his ambassadours from the great maister of Fraunce that the king mighte haue the sayde prorogation made autentikely in wryting if he woulde The kyng answearing thereunto thought it not vnprofitable that hys ambassadors resident in France should receiue vnto theyr hands the possession of the saide newe prorogation conceiued and wrytten in autentike forme and maner according to the order of the lawes After this againe came other letters to the King from France namely froÌ„ the great maister of France tending to this ende that if the king would do nothing for the pope meaning by the reuocation of such actes of parlament The king requested by the FreÌ„ch king to relent to the Pope as were made in the Realme of England to the Popes preiudice it were
no reason neither shoulde it be possible for the Frenche king to induce the Pope to any gratuitie or pleasure for the king in his affaires Wherunto the king answearing againe sendeth worde to the French king The kinges aunswere to the French kinges request trusting and hoping wel of the perfect frendship of the French king his good brother that he will neuer suffer any suche perswasion to enter into hys breast whatsoeuer the great maister or any other shall say to the contrary thereof nor that he will require any thyng more of him to do for the Pope Chauncelour or other then hys Counsaile hath already deuised to be done in this behalfe especially considering the words of the sayd French kings promise made before as well to the Duke of Northfolke as to the other Ambassadours promising his frendship to to the King simply without requiring him to reuocate or infringe any suche acte or constitution made by the realme and Parlament to the contrary Perswading moreouer and laying before the eyes as well of the Pope as of the French king howe much it should redound to the Popes dishonouâ— and infamie to the sclaunder also of his cause if he should be seene so to pact and couenant wyth the king vpon such conditions for the administration of that thing which he in his owne conscience hath reputed and adiudged to be most rightfull agreeable to iustice and equitie and ought of his office and duetie to do in thys matter simpliciter gratis and wythout all worldly respectes eyther for the aduancement of his priuate lucre and commoditie The Pope seeketh not for iustice but his owne lucre and commodity or for the preseruation of hys pretensed power and authoritie For surely it is 〈◊〉 to be doubted but that the Pope being minded and determined to geue sentence for the inualiditie and nullitie of the kings first pretensed matrimonie hath conceiued and established in hys owne conscience a 〈◊〉 and certain opinion and perswasion that he ought of iustice and equitie so to do Then to see the Pope to haue thys opinion in deede and yet refuse this to doe for the King vnlesse hee shall be content for his benefite and pleasure The Pope â—elleth iustice â—edere iuri suo and to doe some things preiudiciall vnto his subiects contrary to hys honour it â—o easie to be foreseene what the world and the posteritie shall iudge de tam turpi nundinatione iustitiae illius tam foeda sordida lucri honoris ambitione And as foâ— the kings part if he shal not attaine now iustice at the mediation of hys good brother knowing the Pope to be of this disposition and determination in his heart to satisfie all his desires being mooued thereunto by iustice The Pope doth agaynst his 〈◊〉 owne conscieÌ„ce and that the â—et therof is no default of iustice in the cause but onely for that the king woulde not condescende to hys request it is to the king matter sufficient enough for discharge of hys conscience to God and to the worlde although hee neuer did execute in deede hys sayde determination For sith hys corrupt affection is the onely impediment thereof what neede either the king to require him any further to doe in the cause or els his subiectes to doubte any further in the iustnesse of the same Albeit if respects to benefites merites done towardes the Pope the See of Rome The Pope forgetteth his olde benefactors and frendes should be regarded in the attaining of iustice in a cause of so high consequencie as thys is reason would that if it would please the Pope to consider the former kindnesse of the King shewed vnto him in time past whereof hee is very loth to enter the rehearsall ne videatur velle exprobrare quae de alijs fecerit bene he should not nowe require of him any newe benefite or gratuitie to be shewed vnto him but rather studie to recompence hym for the olde graces merites pleasures and benefites before receiued For surely he thinketh that the Pope can not forget howe that for the conseruation of his person his estate and dignitie the king hath not heretofore spared for anye respecte The benefites of the king vpon the Pope when he was taken by the Duke of Burbonâ— in vsing the office of a moste perfecte and stedfaste frend to relinquish the long coÌ„tinued good will established betweene him and the Emperor and to declare openly to all the world that for the Popes sake and in default of hys deliuerance he would become enemie to the sayde Emperour and to make against him actuall warre Besides thys the King hath not failed hym with right large and ample subuentions of money for the better supporting of his charges against the enterprises of the sayde Emperour combinding and knitting him selfe wyth the Frenche king to procure the aduauncement of the sayde Frenche kings armie into Italie to the charges whereof the king did beare little lesse then the one halfe Besides notable losses susteined as well in his customes subsidies and other dueties as also to the no little hinderaunce and dammage of his subiects and marchauntes occasioned by discontinuance of the traffike and entercourse heretofore vsed with the Emperours subiectes In doing of al which thinges the king hath not bene thus respectiue as the Pope nowe sheweth himselfe towardes him but lyke a perfect frend hath bene alwayes contented franckly liberally and openly to expone all his study labour trauayle treasure puisaunce Realme and diuers subiectes for the Popes ayd and y e mayntenance of the state and dignitie of the Church and See of Rome Which thinges although he doth not here rehearse animo exprobandi yet hee doubteth not but the same weighed in the ballaunce of anye indifferent mans iudgement All is lost thaâ— is done for a churle shal be thought to be of that weight valure as that he hath iustly deserued to haue some mutuall correspondencie of kindenes to be shewed vnto hym at y e popes handes especially in the ministration of iustice and in so reasonable iust cause as this is and not thus to haue his most rightfull petition reiected and denyed because he will not follow hys desire and appetite in reuocating of such actes as be here made passed for the weale commoditie of hys realme and subiectes ¶ Thus ye haue heard how instantly the king had laboured by the meanes of the french king to the pope being then in Fraunce for right and iustice to be done for the dissolution and nullitie of his first pretensed matrimonye with hys brothers wife Which when it could not be attayned at the popes handes vnles the king would recompeÌ„ce and require the same by reuocating of such statutes as wer made and enacted here in the high Court of Parliament for the surety of succession and stablishment of the Realme what the king thereunto aunswered agayne ye heard declaring that
done y t he for his priuate fantasie woulde not had chaunced like as his highnesse also would wish it had not happened that such cause had bene geuen vnto hym to compell him so to doe But these things in their outward visage be but worldly and inwardly touch and concerne the soule The seconde parte of his Oration touching the manner of the kinges procedinges Quid autem prodest homini si vniuersum mundum lucretur animae vero suae detrimentum patiatur Primum quaerite regnum Dei c. And yet neither his highnes ignorant what respect is to be had vnto the world and how much he hath laboured and trauailed therein hee hath sufficiently declared and shewed to the world in his acts and proceedings For if he had vtterly contempned the order and processe of the worlde or the frendshippe and amitie of your Maiestie he needed not to haue sent so often and sundry Ambassates to the Pope and to you both nor continued and spente his time in delayes as he hath done hetherto but might many yeres past haue done that he hath don now if it had so liked hym and with as litle difficulty then as nowe if he would haue wythout such respect folowed hys pleasure in that behalf But now I doubt not your maiestie doth wel remember how often the king my master hath sent vnto your highnes and that your maiestie hath heard also what sutes hee hath made to the Pope and how the sayd Pope hath handled him again onely in delay and daliance wyth open commission geuen to his Legates to determine and geue sentence for hym by a commission decretall and secretly to geue them instructions to suspend and put ouer the same How the Pope dalyed with the king by delayes By which meanes and other semblable hee perceaued playnly himselfe to be brought in such a labirinth as going forward that way he were like to come to no end and was therefore compelled to steppe right forth at once to the mazes end there to quyet and repose himselfe at the last And is it not tyme to haue end in seuen yeare or els to seeke for it an other way The pope hath shewed hymselfe both vnwilling to haue an ende and also ready and prone to do him iniurie as well in citing hym to Rome as also sending forth certayne breues to his grace sclaunderous and for the iniustice and iniquitie of them to himself dishonorable as he gaue hys highnes good and iust cause to suspect least any end to be made at hys hand if any he would make might be in hys conscience receiued and followed For the pope doyng iniury in some poynt why should he be thought conuenient Iudge not vsing hymselfe indifferently in this matter as many moe particularities may be shewed and declared considering This generall Councell was the first Councell of Constantinople there is a generall Councell willing al matters to be determined where they first began and that the whole body of our Realm hath for the wealth of the same by a law established the determination of such causes By reason wherof the Bishop of Canterbury as metropolitane of our Realme hath geuen sentence in due iudgement for the kinges partie It is not to be asked nor questioned whether that matter hath bene determined after the common fashion but whether it hath in it common iustice truth and equitie of Gods lawe For obseruatioÌ„ of the common order hys grace hath done that lay in hym and inforced by necessitie hath found the true order mayntainable by Gods worde generall Councels which he hath in substaunce followed with effect and hath done as becommeth hym tendring eyther Gods lawe or hys person or the wealth of hys Realme like as he doubteth not but your maiestie as a wise Prince remembring his cause from the beginning hetherto will of your selfe consider and thinke y t among mortall men nothing shuld be immortall suites must once haue an end Si possis rectè si non quocunque modo And if he cannot as he would his hignesse theÌ„ to do as he may he y t hath a iourny to be perfited must if he caÌ„not go one way assay an other What soeuer hath bene herein done necessitie hath enforced hym that is to say Gods law in the matter and such maner of dealing of the Pope as hee hathe shewed vnto hym in the same doing sundry iniuries w tout effect of iustice wherein he promised the same But as for the kings matter to the Pope he shall entreat with him a parte As touching your maiestie he taketh you for his frend as to a frend he openeth these matters vnto you trusting to find your maiesty no les frendly hereafter vnto him then he hath done heretofore By these matters thus passed and discoursed to and fro betwene the King and these forrain Princes aboue rehersed many things are to be vnderstaÌ„ded of the reader who so is disposed to behold and consider the state proceeding of publike affairs The kinges diuorce iust as wel to the church apperteining as to the common wealth First howe the king cleareth himselfe both iustly and reasonably for hys diuorce made w t the Lady Katherine the Emperors aunt The kinges mariage with Q. Anne lawfull Secondly how he proueth and defendeth his mariage with Queene Anne to be iust lawful both by the authority of Gods word and the comprobation of the best most famous learned men and vniuersities and also by the assent of the whole realme Furthermore for the stablishing of the kings succession in the Imperiall crowne of this Realme The Pope supâ—ressed for the suppression of the pope and vniting the title of supremacie vnto the kings Crowne what order therein was taken and what penaltie was sette vppon the same The kinges title of supremacy as may appeare by the Act of Parliament set foorth An. 1534. Ex Henr. Reg. 26. cap. 13. in these wordes following If any person or persons after the 1. of Februarie next doe maliciously imagine Statut. An. 26. Hen. 8. cap. 13. inuent practise or attempt to depriue the king of the dignitie title or name of hys royall estate c. that then euery such person and persones so offending in any of the premisses their aiders counsellors coÌ„senters and abbettours being therof lawfully conuict according to the lawes and customes of this Realme shal be reputed Denying of the kinges supremacy made treasoÌ„ accepted and adiudged traytours and that euery suche offence in any the premisses committed or done after the said first day of February shal be reputed accepted and adiudged high treason and the offenders therein their aiders consenters counsellors and abbettors being lawfully conuict of any such offence shall haue suffer such pains of death and other penalties as is limited and accustomed in cases of high treason Uppon thys and suche other Actes concluded in those Parlamentes what stomacke the Pope
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
kindes The sacrament in both kindes excluded is not necessary ad salutem by the law of God to all persons and that it is to be beleued not doubted of but that in the flesh vnder forme of bread is the very bloud with the bloud vnder forme of wine is the very flesh as well aparte as they were both together The 3. Article Thirdly that priestes after the order of priesthoode receiued as afore may not mary by the law of God The 4. Article Fourthly that the vowes of chastity or widowhead Aduisedly that is made aboue the age of 21. yeares priestes onely excepted by maÌ„ or woman made to God aduisedly ought to be obserued by the law of God and that it exempteth them from other libertyes of christen people which without that they might enioy The 5. Article Fiftly that it is meete and necessary that priuate Masses be continued and admitted in this english Church and congregation as whereby good ChristeÌ„ people By these benefites of priuate masses is ment the helping of soules in Purgatory ordering themselues accordingly do receiue both godly goodly consolations and benefites And it is agreable also to Gods law The 6. Article Sixtly that auricular confession is expedient and necessary to be retayned and continued The 6. Article vsed and frequented in the Church of God After thâ—se Articles were thus concluded and coÌ„sented vpon the Prelates of the Realme craftely perceiuing that such a foule violent act could not take place or preuayle vnlesse straight and bloudy penalties were set vpon them they caused through theyr acustomed practise to be ordeyned and enacted by the king and the Lordes spiritual and temporall and the commons in the sayd Parliament as foloweth The penalties vpon the 6 Articles That if any person or persons within this Realme of England or any other the kings dominions The penaltyes vpon the 6. articles after the xij day of Iuly next comming by word writing imprinting ciphring or any otherwise shuld publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or holde any opinion that in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar vnder forme of bread and wine after the consecration therof there is not preseÌ„t really Transubstantiation the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the virgin Mary or that after the sayd consecration there remayneth any substaunce of bread or wine or any other substance but the substaÌ„ce of Christ god and maÌ„ or after the time abouesayd publish preach teach say affirme declare dispute argue or hold opinion that in y e flesh vnderforme of bread is not the very bloud of christ or that with the bloud of Christ vnder the forme of wine is not the very flesh of Christ aswell aparte as though they were both together or by any of y e meanes abouesayd or otherwise preach teach declare or affirme the said sacrament to be of other substance then is abouesayd or by any meane contemne depraue or despise the sayd blessed sacrament that then euery such person so offeÌ„ding their ayders comforters counsellers consenters and abâ—eters therein being therof conuicted in forme vnder written by the authority abouesayd should be deemed and adiudged heretickes Suffering without any abiuration and euery of such offence should be adiudged manifest heresy that euery such offender and offenders should therfore haue suffer iudgemeÌ„t execution payn paynes of death by way of burning without any abiuratioÌ„ benefite of the cleargy or Sanctuary to be therfore permitted had allowed admitted or suffered Losse of goodes and also should therfore forfeit and loose to the kinges highnesse his ayres and successors all his or theyr honors manors castles landes tenementes rentes reuersions seruices possessions all other his or theyr hereditaments goods and cattell Opinion against the Sacrament of the aultar made treason termes and freeholdes whatsoeuer they were which any such offence or offeÌ„ces committed or done or at any time after as in any cases of high treason The penalty of the last v. Articles And as touching the other v. articles folowing the penalty deuised for them was this The penalties of the last 5. articles That euery such person or persons which do preach teach obstinately affirme vphold mainteine or defend after the 12. day of Iuly the sayd yeare any thing contrary to the same or if any being in orders or after a vow aduisedly made did mary or make mariage or contract matrimony in so doing should be adiudged as felones and lose both life and forfeit goodes as in case of felony without any benefite of the clergye or priuiledge of the Church or of Sanctuary c. Item that euery such person or persons which after y e day aforesayd by word writing printing cyphring or otherwise did publish declare or holde opinion contrary to the 5. articles aboue expressed being for any such offeÌ„ce duely conuict or attainted for the first time besides the forfayt of all his goodes and cattell and possessions what so euer should suffer imprisonment of his body at the kings pleasure for the second time being accused presented therof conuict should suffer as in case aforesayd of felony Item if any within order of pristhood before the time of the sayd Parliament had maryed or contracted Matrimony or vowed widowhead the sayd matrimony should stand vtterly voyd and be dissolued Item that the same daunger that belonged to priestes marying theyr wiues shuld also redound to the womeÌ„ maryed vnto the Priestes Inquisition vpoÌ„ the 6. articles Furthermore for the more effectuall execution of the premises it was enacted by the sayd Parliament that full authority of Inquisition of all such heresyes fellonies and contemptes should be committed and directed down into euery shyre to certayn persons specially therunto appointed of the which persons three at least prouided alwayes the Archbishop or bishop or his Chauncellor or his Commissarie to be one should sitte foure times at least in the yeare A bloudy inquisition hauing full power to take information accusation by the depositions of any two lawfull persons at the least as well as by the othes of xij men to examine and inquire of all and singuler the heresyes fellonyes and contempts aboue remeÌ„bred hauing also as ample power to make proces agaynst euery person or persons indited presented or accused before them also to heare determine the foresayd heresyes fellonyes contempts and other offences as well as if the mater had bene presented before the Iustices of peace in their Sessions And also that the saide Iustices in theyr Sessions euery Steward or vndersteward or his Deputy in theyr law daies should haue power by y e othes of xij lawfull men to enquire likewise of all singular the heresyes fellonyes contemptes and other offences and to heare and determine the same to all effectes of this present Acte c. Prouided withall that no person nor persons therupoÌ„
accused indited or presented should be admitted to chaleÌ„ge any that shoulde be enpanelled for the triall of any matter or cause other theÌ„ for malice or enuy which chaleÌ„ge should forthwith be tryed in like maner as in cases of felony c. Prouided moreouer that euery person that shoulde be named Commissioner in this inquisition should first take a corporall oth the tenor of which oth here ensueth * The oth of the Commissioners The othe geuen to the Commissioners to enquire vppon true Christians YE shall swere that ye to your cunning witte and power shall truely and indifferently execute the authority to you geuen by the kinges Commission made for correction of heretickes other offenders mentioned in the same Commission without any fauor affection corruption dread or malice to be borne to any person or persons as God you helpe and all Sayntes And thus much briefly collected out of the act and Originals Stat. an 31. Reg Henr. 8. which more largely are to be sene in y e statute an 31 Reg. Henr. 8. concerning the sixe Articles which otherwyse for the bloudy cruelty thereof are called the whip with sixe stringes set forth after the death of Queene Anne and of good Iohn Lambert deuised by the cruelty of y e Bishops but specially of the Bishop of Wint. and at length also subscribed by K. Henry But herein as in many other parts moe the crafty pollicy of that Bishop appeared who like a lurking Serpent most slyly watching his time if he had not taken the king comming out vpon a soddayne there where it was I spare here to report as I heard it it was thought and affirmed by certaine which then were perteining to the king that Winchester had not obteined y e matter so easely to be subscribed as he did These sixe Articles aboue specified although they conteined manifest errours Truth in danger left desolate heresies and absurdities agaynst all Scripture and learning as all men hauing any iudgemeÌ„t in Gods word may plainly vnderstand yet such was the miserable aduersity of that time the power of darcknes that the simple cause of truth and of religion was vtterly left desolate and forsakeÌ„ of all frends For euery man seing the kinges minde so fully addict vpon polliticke respectes to haue these articles to passe forward few or none in all that Parliament would appeare Cranmer stood openly in the Parliament against the 6. articles which either could perceiue that was to be defended or durst defend that they vnderstood to be true saue onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who then being maryed as is supposed like a constant Patron of Gods cause tooke vpon him the earnest defence of the trueth oppressed in the ParliameÌ„t three dayes together disputing against those sixe wicked articles bringing forth suche allegations and authorities as might easely haue helped the cause nisi pars maior vicâ—sset vt saepe solet meliorem Who in the sayd disputation Cranmer willed to departe 〈◊〉 of the Parliament house for his consâ—â—ence Cranmer refused to goe out of the Parliament for matter against his conscience behaued himselfe with such humble modesty and with such obedience in words toward his Prince protesting the cause not to be his but the cause of almighty God that neither his enterprise was misliked of the king agayne his reasons and allegatioÌ„s were so strong that well they could not be refuted Wherfore the king who euer bare speciall fauour vnto him well liking his zealous defeÌ„ce onely willed him to depart out of the Parliament house into the Councell Chamber for a time for sauegarde of his conscience til the Acte should passe and be graunted which he notwithstanding with humble protestation refused to do After the Parliament was finished that matter concluded the king considering the constant zeale of the Archbishoppe in defence of his cause and partly also weighing y e many authorities reasons wherby he had substantially confirmed the same sent the Lord Cromwell which w tin few dayes after was apprehended the ij dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke and all the Lordes of the Parliament to dine with hym at Lambeth where they signified vnto him that it was the kinges pleasure that they all shoulde in his hignes behalfe cherish comfort animate hym Cranmer comforted againe by the king as one that for his trauell in that parliameÌ„t had declared him selfe both greatly learned and also a man descreet wyse and therfore they willed him not to be discouraged in any thing that was passed in that Parliament contrary to hys allegations He most humbly thanked first y e kinges highnes of his singuler good affection towardes him and them all for theyr paynes adding moreouer that he so hoped in God that hereafter his allegations and authorities should take place to the glory of god commodity of the realme Which allegations and authorities of his I wish were amongest vs extant to be seene and read no doubt but they would stand in time to come in great good stead for y e ouer throw of the wicked and pernicious Articles aforesayd Allegations agaynst the vi Articles IN the meane while for so much as the sayd hereticall articles are not so lightly to be passed ouer Allegationâ— agaynst the 6. articles wherby y e rude ignorant multitude hereafter may be deceiued in the false erroneous doctrine of them any more as they haue bene in times past for lack of right instructioÌ„ and experience of the auÌ„cient state course of times in our fore elders dayes I thought therefore the Lord therunto assisting so much as antiquity of stories may helpe to the restoring agayn of truth and doctrine decayed to annexe hereunto some allegations out of auncient recordes which may geue some light to the conuincing of these newfangled Articles and heresies aboue touched And first as touching the Article of transubstantiation wherin this Parliament doth enact that the Sacrament of the Altar is the very naturall body of Christ the selfe same which was borne of the virgin Mary and that in such sort as there remayneth no substance of bread wine after the Priestes consecration but only the body bloud of Christ vnder the outward formes of bread and wine First here is to be noted that this monstrous article of theyrs in that forme of words as in standeth was neuer obtruded receiued or holden either in the Greek Church or in the Latine Church vniuersally for a Catholicke that is for a generall opinion or article of doctrine before y e time of the Laterane Counsell at Rome vnder Pope Innocent the 3. an 1216. And for so much as it hath bene a common persuasioÌ„ amongest the most sort of people The article of transubstantiatioâ— that this article in y e forme of words as here standeth is hath bene euer since Christ his time a true Catholick generall doctrine commonly receiued and taught in the Church being
of the other Lordes what he had promised You shall commend me sayd he to the Kyng and tell hym By that he hath so well tryed and throughly prooued you as I haue done hee shall finde you as false a man as euer came about hym Syr Rafe Sadler the L. CroÌ„wels trusty frend Besides this he wrote also a letter from the Tower to the kyng whereof when none durst take the cariage vpon him sir Rafe Sadler whom he also had preferred to the kyng before beyng euer trusty faythfull vnto hym went to the king to vnderstand his pleasure whether he would permit him to bring the letter or not Which when y e kyng had graunted the sayd M. Sadler as he was required presented the letter vnto the king which he commaunded thrise to be red vnto him in so much the kyng seemed to be mooued therewith Notwithstanding by reason of the Acte of parliament afore passed the worthy and noble Lorde Cromwell oppressed by his enemies and condemned in the Tower and not comming to his answer the 28. day of Iuly an 1541. was brought to the scaffold on Tower hill where he sayd these words followyng I am come hither to die and not to purge my selfe The L. Cromwel brought 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 as some thinke peraduenture that I will For if I should so do I were a very wretch and a miser I am by the law coÌ„demned to die and thanke my lord God that hath appointed me this death for myne offence For sithens the tyme y t I haue had yeares of discretion I haue lyued a sinner and offended my Lord God for the which I aske him hartelie forgiuenes And it is not vnknowne to many of you that I haue bene a great traueller in this world being but of a base degree was called to high estate and sithens the tyme I came thereunto I haue offended my Prince for the which I aske him hartily forgiuenes and beseech you all to pray to God with me that he will forgiue me And now I pray you that be here to beare me record I dye in the catholike fayth not doubting in any Article of my faith no nor doubting in any sacrament of the church Manye haue slaundered me and reported that I haue bene a bearer of such as haue mainteined euill opinions which is vntrue But I confesse that like as God by his holy spirit doth instruct vs in the truth so the deuill is ready to seduce vs I haue bene seduced A true Christian confession 〈◊〉 the L. Cromâ—wel at his death but beare me witnes that I die in the catholike faith of the holy church And I hartily desire you to pray for the kings grace that he may long lyue with you in health and prosperitie and that after him his sonne prince Edward that goodly impe may long raigne ouer you And once again I desire you to pray for me that so long as life remaineth in this flesh I wauer nothing in my faith And so making his prayer kneling on his knees he spake these words the effect whereof here followeth A prayer that the Lord Cromwell sayd at the houre of his death O Lord Iesu which art the onely health of all men liuing The prayer of the L. Cromwel at his death and the euerlasting life of them which die in thee I wretched sinner do submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will and being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed vnto thy mercy willingly now I leaue this fraile and wicked fleshe in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me agayne at the last day in the resurrection of the iust I beseech thee moste merciful lord Iesus Christ that thou wilt by thy grace make stroÌ„g my soule against all temptations and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the deuill I see and knowledge that there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my coÌ„fidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnesse I haue no merites nor good works which I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a great heape but yet thorough thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but wilt take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting lyfe Thou mercifull lord wast borne for my sake thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake thou didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and workes thou wroughtest for my sake thou suffredst most grieuous paines and tormentes for my sake finally thou gauest thy most precious body and thy bloud to be shed on the crosse for my sake Nowe most mercifull Sauior let al these things profit me that thou frely hast done for me which hast geuen thy selfe al so for me Let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the spots and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merites of thy passion and bloudsheding be satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lord thy grace that the faith of my saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer be firme and constant That the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that loue waxe not cold in me Finally that the weaknes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me mercifull Sauiour that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my body yet the eyes of my soule may still behold and looke vpon thee and when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet my heart may cry and say vnto thee Lord into thy hands I commend my soule Lord Iesu receaue my spirit Amen And thus his prayer made after he had godly louingly exhorted them that were about him on the scaffold The death of the â— Cromwel he quietly committed his soule into the hands of God and so paciently suffred the stroke of the axe by a ragged and butcherly miser which very vngodly performed the office ¶ Of the Bible in English printed in the large volume and of Edmund Boner preferred to the Bishoprike of London by the meanes of the Lord Cromwell ABout the time and yere when Edmund Boner bishop of Hereford ambassadour resident in Fraunce begaÌ„ first to be nominate preferred by the meanes of the lord Cromwel to the bishoprike of London The Bibles of the 〈…〉 Paris which was anno 1540. it happened that the said Thomas Lord Cromwell and Erle of Essex procured of y e king of england his gracious letters to the French king to permitte and licence a subiect of his to imprint the Bible in English within the vniuersitie of Paris because paper was there more meete and apt to be had for the doing therof then in the realme of England also that there were more store of good workmen for the readie dispatch of
in the streate looking diligently about them and perceyuing all thynges to be without feare maruelled at this soddayne outrage made signes and tokeÌ„s to them that were in the church to keepe themselues quyet crying to them that there was no daunger But for so much as no word could be heard by reason of the noyse that was within the Churche those signes made them much more afrayd then they were before interpreting the matter as though all had bene on fire without the Church and for the dropping of the lead and falling of other things they should rather tary still within y e church and not to venter out This trouble continued in this maner by the space of certayne houres The next day and also all the weeke following there was an incredible number of bils set vp vpon the Church dores to enquire for thinges that were lost in such variety and number as Domocritus might here agayne haue had iust cause to laugh If any man haue fouÌ„d a payre of shoes yesterday in S. Mary Church or knoweth any man that hath found them c. An other bill was set vp for a gowne that was lost An other intreateth to haue his cappe restored One lost his purse and gyrdle with certeyne mony an other his sword One enquireth for a ring and one for one thing an other for an other To be short there was few in this gaâ—boyle but that either through negligence lost or through obliuion left something behind him Thus haue you hitherto heard a tragicall story of a terrible fire which did no hurt The description whereof although it be not so perfectly expressed according to the worthines of the matter yet because it was not to be passed with silence we haue superficially set foorth some shadow therof wherby the wise discreet may sufficiently consider the rest if any thing els be lacking in setting forth the full narration therof As touching the heretick because he had not done his sufficient penaunce there by occasion of thys hurly burly therfore the next day folowing he was reclaimed into the Church of S. Frideswide where he supplied the rest that lacked of his plenary penaunce The 4. and 5. Mariage of K. Henry the 8. THe same yeare and month next folowing after the apprehension of the Lord Cromwell which was an 1541. the king immediately was diuorced from the Lady Anne of Cleue The cause of which seperation being whollye committed to the Clergy of the Conuocation Anno 1541. it was by them defined concluded and graunted that the kyng being freed froÌ„ that pretensed matrimony as they called it might mary wher he would August The Lady Anne of Cleue diuorced from the king The king permitted to mary after his diuorce The king maried to the Lady Katherine Haward his 5. wife so might she likewise whoÌ„ also consenting to the same diuorcement her selfe by her owne letters was after that taken no more for Queene but onely called Lady Anne of Cleue Whych thinges thus discussed by the Parliament and Conuocation house the king thesame moneth was marryed to his fifte Wyfe which was the Lady Katherine Haward Niece to the Duke of Northfolke and daughter to the Lord Edmund Haward the Dukes brother But this marryage likewise continued not long In the same moneth of August and the same yeare I finde moreouer in some records beside the xxiiij Chapter-house monks aboue recited whom Cope doth sanctify for holy martyrs for suffering in the Popes deuotion against the kinges suprâ—macy other sixe which were also brought to Tiborne and there executed in the like case of rebellion Of whom the first was the Prior of Dancaster the second a monk of the Charterhouse of LoÌ„doÌ„ called Giles Horne some call him William Horne 6. Popishe Monkes for denying the kinges supremacy executed the third one Tho. Epsam a Monke of Westminster who had his Monkes garment pluckt from his backe being the last monke in K. Henries dayes that did weare that monkish weede the fourth one Philpot the fifte one Carewe the sixt was a Fryer See what a difficulty it is to plucke vp blind superstition once rooted in mans hart by a litle custome Now as touching the late maryage betwene the king and the Lady Haward ye heard how this matrimony endured not long for in the yere next folowing 1542. the sayd Lady Katherine was accused to the king of incontinent liuing Anno 1542. not onely before her mariage with FrauÌ„ces Direham but also of spousebreach sith her maryage with Tho. Culpeper For the which both the men aforesayd by acte of Parliament were atteinted and executed for high treason and also the sayd Lady Katherine late quene with the Lady Iane Rochford widow late Wyfe to George Boleyne Lord Rochford It is reported of some that this Lady Rochforde forged a false letter against her husband Queene Anne his sister by the which they wer both cast away Which if it be so the iudgement of God then is here to be marked The kinges minde inclining to reformaâ—â—on of religion brother to Queene Anne Boleyne were beheaded for theyr desertes within the Tower Ex Hallo alijs After the death and punishment of this Lady his fifth wife the king calling to remembraunce the wordes of the Lord Cromwell and missing now more and more his old Counsellor and partly also smelling somewhat the wayes of Winchester beganne a litle to set his foote agayne in the cause of Religion And although he euer bare a speciall fauor to Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury as you shall heare more hereafter God willing in the lyfe of Cranmer yet now the more he missed the Lord Cromwel the more he inclined to the Archbishop also to the right cause of Religion And therefore in the same yeare and in the month of October after the execution of this Queene the king vnderstanding some abuses yet to remayne vnreformed namely about pilgrimages and Idolatry and other thinges moe besides to be corrected within his dominions directed his letters vnto the foresaid Archbishop of Canterbury for the speedy redresse and reformation of the same The tenor of which letters hereafter fully ensueth in these wordes ¶ The kinges letters to the Archbishop for the abolishing of Idolatry The kings letters to the Archbyshop for reforming of Idolatry RIght reuerend father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greet you well letting you to wit that whereas hertofore vpon the zeale and remembraunce whiche we had to our bounden duety towardes almighty God perceiuing sundry superstitions and abuses to be vsed and embraced by our people wherby they grieuously offended him and his word we did not onely cause the Images and bones of such as they resorted and offered vnto with the ornamentes of the same and all such writinges and monumentes of fayned myracles wherewith they were illuded to be taken away in all places of our Realme but also by our Iniunctions commaunded that no
Papistes who will needes be both accusers and also â—â—dges in their owne opinions and causes and be not iudges your selues of your owne phantasticall opinions and vayne expositions for in such high causes ye may lightly erre And although you be permitted to reade holy scripture and to haue the worde of God in your mother tongue you must vnderstand that it is licenced you so to do onely to informe your owne conscience and to instruct your children and family and not to dispute and make scripture a rayling and a taunting stocke agaynst priestes and preachers as many light persons do I am very sory to know and heare how vnreuerently that most precious iewel the word of God is disputed rymed How are they 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Gods word when none 〈…〉 to â—ead it vnder the degree of a Gâ—nâ—leman song iangled in euery Alehouse and Tauerne contrary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same And yet I am euen as muche sory â— Hierom wisheth the Scriptures not onely to be read of all men but also to be song of women at their rockes of plowmen at the plow of 〈◊〉 at their loome c. that the readers of the same folow it in doing so faintly coldly For of this I am sure that charity was neuer so faynt amongest you vertuous * Godly liuing though it encrease not with the Gospel so much as we wisheâ— yet the defecte thereof is not to bee imputed to the Gospel And if we well coÌ„pare tyme with time we shall find by vewing the bookes of the old Warmot questes of 〈◊〉 and baâ—des and wicked liuers 〈◊〉 presented to one nowe besides 〈◊〉 the common stues godly liuing was neuer less vsed nor god himselfe amongest Christians was neuer lesse reuerenced honored or serued Therfore as I sayde before be in charitye one with an other like brother and brother Loue dread and serue God to the which I as your supreme head and soueraigne Lord exhort and require you and then I doubt not but that loue and league that I spake of in the beginning shall neuer be dissolued or broken betwene vs. And as touching the lawes which be now made and concluded I exhort you the makers to be as diligent in putting them in execution as you were in making furthering the same or els your labour shall be in vayne your coÌ„mon wealth nothing relieued Notes vpon the foresayd exhortation The kinges Oration expeÌ„ded with notes vpon the same PRinces which exhort to concorde and charitie doe well but Princes which seeke out the causes of discord reforme the same do much better The papist and protestant Hereticke and Pharisee the old Mumpsimus and the newe Sumpsimus be teâ—mes of variance and dissention and be I graunt Symtomata of a sore wound in the commoÌ„ wealth but he that will amend this wound must first beginne to search out the causes and to purge the occasion thereof otherwise to cure the sore outwardlye whiche inwardlye doth fester and ranckle still it is but vayne The roote and ground of al this greeuance riseth here of the prelates and clergy of Rome seeking as it seemeth altogether after riches pompe honour of this world to mayntayn y e same vnder pretence of religion doe in verye deed subuert religioÌ„ vnder y e title of the church they bring into the churche manifest errours absurdities intollerable who pretending to be fathers of the churche if they transgressed but in maners and lightnes of life or neglygence of gouernement they might be borne withall for peace concords sake and here modesty ciuillitie quietnes vnitie charitie might haue place amongst modest natures But now they obscure the glory of the sonne of God which in no case ought to be suffered they extinct the light grace of the Gospell they clogge mens consciences they set vp Idolatry mayntayn Idols they bring in false inuocation they restrayne lawfull matrimonye whereby groweth filthy pollution adultery and whoredome in the Church vnspeakable they corrupt the sacramentes they wrast the scripture as worldly purposes they kill and persecute Gods people Briefly theyr doctrine is damnable theyr lawes be impious their doinges are detestable And yet after all this they crept craftely into the hartes of princes vnder the title of the Church coulor of concord making kinges and princes beleue that all be heretickes and schismatickes which will not be subiect to their ordinary power Now almighty God who is a ielous God not suffering the glory of his sonne to be defaced nor his truth to be troden vnder foot stirreth vp againe the harts of his people to vnderstaÌ„d his truth to defend his cause WhervpoÌ„ of those two partes as two mighty flintes thus smiting together coÌ„meth out the sparcle of this diuisioÌ„ which by no wise can be quenched but that one part must nedes yeld geue ouer There is no neutrality nor mediatioÌ„ of peace nor exhortation to agremeÌ„t that will serue betwene these two contrary doctrines but either the Popes errors must geue place to Gods word or els the veritye of God must geue place vnto them Wherefore as the good intent and plausible Oration of the king in this behalf was not to be discommended in exhorting his subiectes to charity so had he much more deserued commendation if he hadde sought the right way to worke charity to helpe innocency amongst his subiects by taking away the impious law of the 6. articls the mother of all diuision and manslaughter For what is this to the purpose to exhort in wordes neuer so much to charity and in deed to geue a knife to the murtherers hand to run vpon his naked brother which neither in conscience can leaue his cause nor yet hath power to defend himselfe As by experience here foloweth to be seene what charity ensued after this exhortation of the king to charity by the racking and burning of good Anne Askew with 3. other poore subiectes of the king within halfe a yeare after whereof shortly you shall heare more declared When these Chauntries and colledges thus by Acte of ParliameÌ„t wert geuen into the kings hands as is aboue remembred which was about the moneth of DeceÌ„ber an 1545. the next Lent following D. Crome preaching in the Mercers chappel among other reasons and persuatioÌ„s to rouse the people from the vayn opinion of Purgatory inferred this grounding vpon the sayd act of parliameÌ„t that if Trentals and Chauntry masses could auayle the soules in Purgatory then did the Parliament not wel in geuing away Monasteryes Colledges chauÌ„tries which serued principally to that purpose But if the parliament did wel as no maÌ„ could deny in dissoluing them D. Cromes Dilemma agaynst priuate masses and bestowing the same vpon the king then is it a playne case that such Chauntries and priuate masses do nothing conferre to relieue them in Purgatory This dilemma of D. Crome no doubt was insoluble D.
proceedings called before them all the Iustices of peace where was vttered vnto them by the Lord Rich then Lord Chauncellour an eloquent and learned admonition the tenor whereof ensueth IT hath bene vsed and accustomed before this tyme to call at certayne tymes the Iustices of peace before the Kings Maiesties Counsaile An exhortation or adâ—onition vnto the Iustices of peace to geue vnto them admonition or warnyng diligently as is their dutie to looke to the obseruing of such thyngs as be committed to theyr charges according to the trust which the Kinges Maiestie hath in them Howbeit now at this tyme we call you before vs not onely of custome but rather of necessitie For hearyng daily and perceiuing of necessitie as we do the great negligence and the little heed which is taken and geuen to the obseruyng of the good and wholesome lawes and orders in this realme wherupon much disorder doth daily ensue and the kings maiesties proclamations and orders taken by the Counsaile as we are aduertised not executed the people are brought to disobedience and in a maner all his Maiesties study and ours in setting a good and most godly stay to the honour of God and the quiet of the Realme is spent in vayne and come to nothing The which as we haue great hope and trust not to be altogether so yet so much as it is and so much as it lacketh of keepyng the Realme in a most godly order and stay we must needes impute and lay the fault thereof in you which are the Iustices of peace in euery Shiere to whom we are woont to direct our writinges and to whose trust and charge the Kings Maiestie hath committed the execution of all hys Proclamations of hys actes of Parliament and of hys lawes We are informed that many of you are so negligent and so slacke herein that it doth appeare you do look rather Iustices slacke in furthering of Religion as it were through your fingers then diligently see to the execution of the sayd lawes and Proclamations For if you would according to your duties to your othe to the trust which the kinges Maiesty hath in you geue your diligeÌ„ce and care toward the execution of the same most godly Statutes and Iniunctions there should no disobedience nor disorder nor euill rule be begon or arise in any part of the realme but it should by and by be repressed kept downe reformed But it is feared and the thing it selfe geueth occasion therto that diuers of you do not onely not set forth but rather hinder so much as lyeth in you the Kings maiesties procedinges and are content that there should arise some disobedience and that meÌ„ should repine against godly orders set forth by his maiesty you do so slackly looke to the execution of the same So that in some shyres which be further off it may appeare that the people haue neuer heard of diuers of his maiestyes proclamations or if they haue heard you are content to wincke at it to neglect it so that it is all one as though it were neuer commaunded But if you do consider and remember your dueties first to almighty God and then to the Kings maiestie the wealth of the whole realme the safegard of your owne selues you must needes see that except such orders as the kings Maiestie hath set and hereafter shall appoynt be kept neither can the realme be defended if the enemie should inuade nor in peace it cannot stand but vpon the contempt of good and wholesome lawes all disorder and inconueniences should come the people should be wyld and sauage and no man sure of his owne If at any tyme there was occasion and cause to be circuÌ„spect and diligent about the same there was neuer more tyme then now How we stand in Scotland you know that their foreine power maketh great preparation to aide them and in deed doth come to their ayde wherof we are surely informed and certified The fruite of obedience in a Realme Wherfore if there should not be good order and obedience kept in the realme the realme were lyke vtterly to be destroyed Neuer forreine power could yet hurt or in any part preuaile in this realm but by disobedience and misorder within our selues That is the way wherwith God will plague vs if he mynd to punish vs. And so long as we do agree among our selues and be obedient to our prince and to his godly orders and laws we may be sure that God is with vs that foreine power shall not preuayle agaynst vs nor hurt vs. Wherfore once againe and stil we must and do lay this charge vpon you that are the better of the shiere and Iustices of the peace that with so conuenient speed as you can you do repayre downe into your Countries and you shal geue warning to the gentlemen of the shiere which haue not necessarie busines here that they repaire downe eche man to his countrey Order taken for Iustices and there both you and they who be reckoned the stay of euery shiere to see good order and rule kept You that your Sessions of gaole deliuery and quarter Sessions be well kept and therein your meetyngs be such that iustice may be wel and truly ministred the offenders and malefactors punished according to the lawes of this Realme without any feare of any man or that for fauour you should suffer those to escape which with their euill example might bring other to the like mishap that all vagabonds and lewd and light tale tellers and sedicious bearers of false newes of the kings maiestie or of hys counsaile or such as will preach without licence be immediately by you represt and punished And if there should chaunce any lewd or light fellowes to make any routes or riotes or vnlawfull assemblies any seditious meetings ProuisioÌ„ against priuy conspiracy rebellion vprores or vprisings in any place by the seditious and diuelish motion of some priuy Traitors that you and they appease them at the first and apprehend the first authors and causers thereof and certifie vs with speed The lightnes of the rude and ignorant people must be represt and ordered by your grauitie wisedome And here you may not if any such thing chance dissemble with those such lewd men and hide your selues for it shall be required of you if such misorder be and surely without your ayde and helpe or your dissembling such misorder can not be Nor we do not say that we feare any such thing or that there is any such thing likely to chaunce but we geue you warning before least it should chaunce We haue to much experience in this realme what inconuenience commeth of such matters And though some light persons in their rage do not consider it yet we doe not doubt but you way it and know it well enough Prouision agaynst foreine power And if it should chaunce our enemies who are mainteyned by other forraine power and the
Vowes 〈◊〉 going 〈◊〉 pilgrimaâ—â— 2 Item that any person may lawfully marrie without any dispensation from the B. of Rome or any other manne with any persone whome it is not prohibited to contracte matrimonie by the lawe Leuiticall 3 Item that the vowing and going of pilgrimage to Images or to the bones and reliques of any Sainctes hath ben superstitiously vsed and cause of much wickednes and idolatrie and therfore iustly abolished by the said late king of famous memorie and the Images and reliques so abused haue ben of great and godly consideratioÌ„s defaced and destroyed 4 Item that the counterfaiting of S. Nicholas S. Clement S. Katherine Gaddinâ—â—â—bout 〈◊〉 S. Nichoâ—â—â— c. Scriptureâ— be in thâ— vulgare tongue and S. Edmond by children heeretofore brought into the church was a meere mockerye foolishnesse and therefore iustly abolished and taken away 5 Item it is conuenient and godly that y e scripture of the olde Testament and new that is the whole Bible be had in English and published to be read of euery man that who soeuer doth repel dehort me from the reading therof doth euell and damnably 6 Item that the sayd late king of iust ground and reason did receiue into hys handes the authoritie and disposition of chauntries and such liuings as were geueÌ„ for the maintenaunce of priuate masses and did well change diuers of them to other vses 7 Also the kings maiestie that now is by the aduise consent of the Parliament did vpon iuste ground and reason Chauntâ—â— Masses 〈◊〉 put dowâ— suppresse abolish and take away the sayd chauntryes and suche other liuings as were vsed and occupied for maintenaunce of priuate Masses and Masses satisfactorye for the soules of theÌ„ which are dead or finding of obites lights or other like things The 〈◊〉 full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaunges to the Câ—â—â—munion the Masse that was wonte to be sayde of priestes was full of abuses and had very fewe thinges of Christes institution besides the Epistle Gospell Lordes prayer and the wordes of the Lords supper the rest for the more part were inueÌ„ted and deuised by bishops of Rome and by other men of the same sort and therfore iustly taken away by the statutes and lawes of this realme and the coÌ„munion which is placed in the stead thereof is very godly and agreeable to the Scriptures 8 Item that it is most conuenient and fit and according to the first institution that all Christen men should receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both the kindes Anno 1550. that is in bread and wine 9 And the masse wherein the Priest doth onely receiue and the other doe but looke on is but the inuention of man and the ordinance of the bishop of Romes churche nor agreeable to Scripture 10 Item that vpon good and godly coÌ„siderations it is ordred in the said boke and order that the Sacrament should not be lifted vp and shewed to the people to be adored but to be w t godly deuotion receiued as it was first instituted 11 Item that it is well politikely and godly done that the kings maiestie by Act of Parlament hath commanded all images which haue stande in Churches or Chappels to be clerely abolished dâ—faced least hereafter at any time they should geue occasion of Idolatrie or be abused as many of them heretofore haue bene with pilgrimages and such Idolatrous worshipping 12 And also that for like godly and good considerations by the same authoritie of Parliament all Masse bokes Cowchers Grailes and other bokes of the seruice in latin heretofore vsed should be abolished and defaced as wel for certaine superstitions in them contained as also to auoid dissention and y t the saide seruice in the church should be thorow the whole realme in one vniform conformitie and no occasion through those olde bookes to the contrary 13 That bishops priests and deacons haue no commaundement of the law of God either to vow chastitie or to abstaine continually from mariage Vowel chaâ—â—ity of Priestes hath no coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God 14 Item that al canons coÌ„stitutions lawes positiue and ordinances of man which doe prohibite or forbid mariage to any bishoppe priest or deacon be iustly and vpon godly grounds and coÌ„siderations taken away and abolished by authority of Parlament 15 The Homilies lately commanded and set foorth by the kings maiestye to be red in the congregation of England are godly and wholesome Homelies â—o be read in â—he church and doe teache such doctrine as ought to be embraced of all men 16 The boke set forth by the kings maiesty by authority of Parliament containing the forme maner of making and consecrating of archbishops The kinges booke of order bishops priests and deacons is godly in no poynt contrary to the wholesom doctrine of the gospel therfore ought to be receiued and approued of all the faithfull members of the church of England and namely the ministers of Gods worde by them commended to the people 17 That the orders of Subdeacon Benet and Colet and suche others as were commonly called Minores ordines Orders of Subdeacon Benet Colet needâ—es in the Church Doctrine of our saluatioÌ„ sufficiently contayned 〈◊〉 the scripture Paraphrases of Erasmus be not necessarye by the woorde of God to be reckened in the church and be iustly left out in the sayd booke of orders 18 That the holy Scriptures containe sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal saluatioÌ„ through faith in Iesus Christ and that nothing is to be taught as required of necessity to eternal saluation but that which may be concluded and prooued by the holy Scriptures 19 That vpon good and godly considerations it was and is commaunded by the kings maiesties Iniunctions that the Paraphrases of Erasmus in English shoulde be set vp in some conuenient place in euery parish Churche of thys realme where as the parishioners may most commodiously resort to read the same 20 And because these Articles aforesaid do containe onely such matters as be already published and openly set forthe by the kings maiesties authority by the aduise of his highnesse Counsaile for many great and godly considerations and amongst others for the common tranquillity and vnity of the realme Wynchester required to â—ubscribe to these articles his maiesties pleasure by the aduise aforesayd is that you the B. of Winchester shall not only affirm these Articles wyth subscription of your hande but also declare and professe your selfe well contented willing and ready to publish and preach the same at such times and places and before suche audience as to his Maiestie from time to time shal seeme conuenient and requisite vpon the pain of incurring suche penalties and punishmentes as for not doing the same maye by his Maiesties lawes be inflicted vpon you These Articles were sent the 15. of Iuly The bishop of Winchester receiuing and perusing these Articles
time of king Henry the thirde the same time the Barons as our Lordes do now demaunded aide of the Maior and citie of London and that in a rightfull cause for the common weale which was for y e execution of diuers good lawes against y e king which would not suffer those lawes to be put in execution and the citie did aide them it came to an open battel and the Lordes preuailed against y e king and tooke the king and sonne prisoners and vpon certaine conditions the Lordes restored the kinge and his sonne againe to their liberties among all other conditions thys was one that the king should not only graunt his pardon to the lordes but also to the citizens of London the which was graunted yea and the same was ratified by act of parlament But what folowed of it Was it forgotteÌ„ No surely nor forgeuen neither during the kings life The liberties of the citie were taken away straungers appoynted to be our heads and gouernours the Citizens geuen awaye body and goods and from one persecution to an other wer most miserably afflicted Such is it to enter into the wrath of a Prince as Salomon sayeth The wrath and indignation of a Prince is death Wherfore for as much as this aide is required of the kinges Maiestie 〈◊〉 wrath 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 whose voyce wee ought to hearken vnto for he is our high Shepehearde rather then vnto the Lordes and yet I woulde not wishe the Lordes to be clearely shaken off my counsell is that they wyth vs and we with them maye ioyne in sute and make our moste humble petition to the kings maiestie that it would please his highnes to heare such complaint against the gouernement of the Lorde Protectoure as maye be iustly alleaged and prooued and I doubte not but thys matter will be so pacified that neither shal the king nor yet the Lordes haue cause to seeke for further aide neither we to offende any of them both After this tale the Commons stayed and the Lorde Maior and his brethren for that time brake vppe till they had further communed wyth the Lordes To make short I lette passe what order by the Citie was taken 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 noted 〈◊〉 the City leuied 〈◊〉 men but they were not 〈◊〉 But the conclusion was that the Lordes vppon what occasion I knowe not sate the next daye in Counsaile in the Starre chamber from thence sente sir Philip Hobby wyth theyr letter of credence to the kings maiestie beseeching his maiestie to geue credit to that which the sayd sir Philip should declare vnto his maiestye in their names and y e king gaue him liberty to speake and most gently heard all that he had to say Who so haÌ„dled the matter declaring his message in the name of the Lords that in the end the Lord Protector was commaunded from the kings presence The Lord Protector committed to prison in Winsore castle The Lord Protector committed to the towâ—â— Articles obiected against the â—ord Protectour shortly was committed to warde in a tower within the castle of Windsore called Bewchamp Tower and soone after were stayed sir Tho. Smith maister Whalley master Fisher many other gentlemen that attended vpon the Lorde Protectour The same day the Lordes of the Counsaile resorted to the Kinge and the next day they brought from thence the Lorde Protector and the other that were there stayed and conueyed them through the Citie of London vnto the Tower and there left them Shortlye after the Lordes resorted vnto the Tower and there charged the Lorde Protectour with sundry articles as follow Articles obiected against the Lord Protectour 1 IN primis you tooke vppon you the office of Protectour and Gouernour vpon condition expressely and specially that you woulde doe nothinge in the kinges affaires publikely or priuately but by the assent of the late kinges executors 2 Also you contrary to the sayde condition of your owne authority did stay and let iustice and subuerted the lawes as wel by your letters as by your commaundements 3 Also you caused diuers persones being arested and imprisoned for treason murder manslaughter and felonie to be discharged and set at large against the kings lawes and statutes of this realme 4 Also you haue made and ordained Lieutenants for the kings armies other weighty affaires vnder your owne wryting and seale 5 Also you haue communed with the Ambassadours of other Realmes discoursing alone with them the waighty causes of this Realme 6 Also you haue sometime rebuked checked and taunted as well priuately as openly diuers of the kings moste honourable Counsailours for shewing declaring theyr aduises and opinions against your purposes in the kings waightye affaires sayinge sometimes to them that you neede not to open matters vnto them and would therfore be otherwise aduised and that you would if they were not agreeable to your opinyon put them oute and take other at your pleasure 7 Also you had and helde against the lawe in your owne house a Courte of Requestes and thereby did enforce diuers the kinges subiectes to answeare for their free holdes and goodes and determined the same to the subuersion of the same lawes 8 Also you being no Officer without the aduise of the Counsaile or the more part of them did dispose of the Offices of the kings gift for money and graunted leases and Wardes of the kings and gaue presentations to the kings benefices bishoprikes hauing no authority so to do And farther you did meddle with the selling of y e kings landes 9 Also you commaunded Multiplication and Alcumistry to be practised to abuse the kings coyne 10 Also you caused a proclamation to be made concerning enclosures wherby the common people haue made diuers insurrections leuied open warre and distreâ—ed spoyled diuers of the kings subiects which proclamation went foorth against the wil of the whole counsaile 11 Also you haue caused a commission with certaine articles thereunto annexed to be made our concerning enclosures of commons high wayes decaying of cottages and diuers other things geuing the Commissioners authority to heare and determine the same causes to the subuersion of the lawes and statutes of this realme whereby much sedition insurrection and rebellion haue risen and growen among the kings subiects 12 Also you haue suffered the rebels and traitours to assemble and to lie in campe and armor against the king his Nobles and gentlemen without any speedye subduing or repressing of them 13 Also you did comfort and encourage diuers of the sayde rebelles by geuing of them diuers summes oâ— your owne mony and by promising to diuers of them sees rewards and seruices 14 Also you in fauour of the sayde rebels did againste the lawes cause a Proclamation to be made y t none of the said rebels or traitors shuld be sued or vexed by any person for any their offences in the said rebellion to the clear subuersion of the same lawes 15 Also you haue
out of the same Catechisme to Iulianus Apostata and the booke for a Dialogue set out by the sayd Iulianus Apostata wherein Christ and Pilate were the speakers Westons sermon confuted by M. Couerdalle with many other things Which Sermon with al the poynts therof maister Couerdall the same time learnedly confuted by wryting which remaineth yet in my handes to be seene In the weeke following began the disputations in the conuocation house in Paules Churche whereof sufficient hath bene before declared pag. 1342. The 26. day of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge went to Clarehall and in the presence of Doctoure Walker displaced Doctour Madewe and placed Maister Swynborne in the Maistership there by force of the Lorde Chauncellours letters for that he was as they termed it Vxoratus that is maried The 28. day of October Running before the law the Papistes in the kings colledge in Cambridge not tarying the making of any lawe but of their blinde zeale had their whole seruice againe in the Latin tong contrary to the law then in force The last of October the Uicechauncelloure of Cambridge did sharpely reprooue and threaten one M. Thrackold for that he challenged the sayd Uicechauncellor who had suffered maister Bouell contrary to the statutes then in force quietly wythout punishment to depart notwithstanding that he refused to sweare to the supremacie of the Queene and the abrogation of the bishop of Rome The third day of Nouember The Queenes proceedinges maintained in Cambridge before the law the Uicechauncellor sent for the Curate of the rounde Parish in Cambridge commaunding hym not to minister any more in the English toung saying he would haue one vniforme order of seruice throughoute the Towne and that in Latine wyth Masse which was established the xij day of this moneth The 6. day of Nouember M. Pollarde preached at S. Michaels and in his Sermon approoued Purgatorie The 28. day of Nouember the Archdeacons Officiall visited in Hynton where hee gaue in charge to present all suche as did disturbe the Queenes proceedings in letting the Latine seruice the setting vp of their altars and saying of Masse or any parte thereof whereby it was easie to see how these good fellowes ment to proceede hauing the law once on their side that thus readely against a manifest law would attempt the punishment of any man The 15. day of December K. Edwardes Actes repealed there was two Proclamations at London the one for the repealing of certaine actes made by kynge Edwarde and for the setting vppe of the Masse for the 20. day of December then next folowing the other was that no man should interrupt any of those that would say Masse The Parliament beginning aboute the v. daye of October continued till the fifth of December In the whyche Parliament were dissolued as well all Statutes made of Fremunire in the time of King Henrie viij c. as also other lawes and statutes concerning religion and administration of Sacraments decreed vnder king Edwarde the 6. as is partly aboue touched In the which Parliament moreouer was appoynted the 20. day of December next ensuing the same yeare .1553 that all the olde forme and manner of Church seruice vsed in the last yere of king Henry should now againe be restored On Newyeares euen being the last of December the Lorde Marques of Northampton was deliuered oute of the Tower About this time a Priest at Caunterbury sayde Masse on the one day A priest of Canterbury repenting his saying Masse the next day after he came into the pulpit and desired all the people to forgeue him for he said he had betraied Christe but not as Iudas did but as Peter did and there made a long Sermon against the Masse The day after Newyeares day being the seconde daye of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord. 1554. foure Ambassadours came into London from the Emperour and were honorably receiued Their names were these Le Countie de Egmont Le Countie de Lalen Mounsieur Corire Le Chauncellour Nigre About this time a great number of newe Byshoppes Deanes c. were chosen more then were made at one time since the Conquest Theyr names are these D. Holyman B. of Bristow D. Coates B. of Westchester New Bishops made D. Hopton Byshop of Norwiche D. Bourne B. of Bathe D. White B. of Lyncolne D Mores B. of Rochester D. Morgan Bishop of S. Dauies D. Poole B. of S. Asse D. Brookes Bish. of Glocester D. Moreman coadiutour to the Byshop of Exceter after his decease Byshop of Exceter D. Glin B. of Bangor Maister Fecknam Deane of Paules D. Rainoldes Deane of Bristow with others The 12. day of Ianuarie the Uicechancellour of Cambridge called a congregation generall wherein amongste other things he shewed that the Quene would haue there a Masse of the holy Ghost vppon the 18. day of Februarie then next following for that it was her birthe day whyche was fulfilled the day appoynted and that very solemnely Upon the Saterday being the 13. of Ianuarie Doctour Crome was committed to the Fleete Also vpon the Sonday following one M. Addington was committed to the Tower D. Crome committed to the Fleete Also this same Sonday knowledge was giuen in the Court openly by the B. of Winchester that the marryage betweene the Queenes maiestie the king of Spaine was concluded and the day following being monday and the 15. of Ianuary The mariage of Q. Mary the Maior with the Aldermen and certaine Commoners were at the Court and there they were commanded by the Lord Chauncellor to prepare the Citie ready to receiue the said king of Spaine who declared vnto them what a Catholicke mighty prudent wise prince the said king is with many other commendations of him Upon the Saterday folowing being the 20. of Ian. the Court of the first fruites and tenthes was dissolued Upon the Thursday at night following the 25. day of Ianuarie the Lorde Marques of Northampton was againe committed to the Tower and sir Edward Warnar with him Who were brought to the Tower by the Maior Uppon the Saterdaye followinge being the 26. of Ianuary Iustice Hales was committed to the Marshalsee and the same day maister Rogers was cōmitted to Newgate Iustice Hales committed to the Marshalsey M. Rogers committed to Newgate Upon this Saterday Sonday and Monday folowing the Londiners prepared a number of souldiors by the Queenes commaundement to goe into Kent against the Commons whereof were chiefe Captaines the Duke of Northfolke the Earle of Wormewood sir Harry Iernyngham sir George Haward and 10. other captaines Which soldiors when they came to Rochester bridge where they should haue set vpon their enemies most of them as it is sayde lefte theyr owne Captaines and came wholy to the Kentishmen and so the foresaid Captaines returned to the Court both void of men and victory leauing behind them both 6. peeces of ordinance and treasure Aboute the latter ende of Ianuarie the Duke of
of D. Tresham who supplying the roome of y e Subdeane in Christes Church A Popish exhortatiâ—â— of Doct. Tresham after he had called all the Studentes of the Colledge together with great Eloquence art persuasory began to commend the dignity of the masse vnto them declaring that there was stuffe in Scripture enough to proue the masse good Then to allure them to the catholick seruice of the Church he vsed these reasons declaring that there were a goodly coÌ„pany of Copes The great reasons oâ— D. Treshâ—â— that were appoynted to Windsore but he had fouÌ„d the Queene so gracious vnto him that they should come to Christes church Now if they like honest men would come to Church they should weare them on holydayes And besides all this he would get them the Lady Bell of Bampton that should make the sweetest ring in all England And as for an holy watersprinckle he had already the fayrest that was within the realme Wherfore he thought that no man would be so mad to forgo these commodityes c. Which thinges I rehearse that it may appeare what want of descretion is in the fathers of popery into what idle follies such men do fall Whome I beseech the Lord if it be his pleasure to reduce to a better truth to opeÌ„ theyr eyes to see theyr owne blindnes To proceed now further in the course race of our story where as we left being before in the moneth of NoueÌ„ber it foloweth more that in the * Where note that the Prince of Queen Maryes Statutes doth erre his suppâ—â—tation which saith that this Parlâ—â—ment begâ—â— the 11. of this monâ—â—â— which daâ— was then Sonday xij day of the same month of Nouember being Monday beganne the Parliament holden at Westminster to the beginning whereof both the king and Queene rode in theyr Parliament robes hauing 2. swords borne before them The Earle of Penbroke bare his sword the Earle of Westmerland bare the Queenes They had ij cappes of maynteinaunce borne before them whereof the Earle of Arundell bare one and the Earle oâ— Shrewsbury the other Cardinall Poole landed at Douer vpon the Wednesday being the xxi day of Nouember on which day one Act passed in the parliameÌ„t for his restitution in bloud vtterly repealing as false most slaunderous that Act made against him in king Henry the eightes tyme and on the next day being Thursday and the xxij of Nouember the King and the Queene both came to the Parliament house to geue theyr royall assent to establish this Act agaynst his comming Cardinal Poole arâ—â—ueth in England Ex Statuâ—â— an 1. 〈◊〉 Regis Pâ—â—lip 〈◊〉 cap. 8. Nouembâ—â— 28. Upon the Saterday being the xxiiij of Nouember the sayd Cardinal came by water to London so to Lambeth house which was ready prepared agaynst his comming Upon the Wednesday folowing being the 28. of Nouember there was generall procession in Paules for ioy y t the Quene was conceiued and quick with child as it was declared in a letter sent from the counsell to the Byshop of London The same day at this procession was present ten Bishops with al the Prebendaries of Paules and also the Lord Maior with the Aldermen and a greate number of Commons of the City in theyr best aray The Copy of the CouÌ„cels letter here foloweth ad perpetuam rei memoriam * A Copy of a letter sent from the Counsell vnto Edmund Boner Byshop of London concerning Queene Mary conceiued with Childe AFter our harty commendations vnto your good Lordshippe whereas it hath pleased almighty God amongest other his infinite benefites of late most graciouslye poured vpon vs and thys whole Realme to extend his benediction vpon the Queenes maiesty in such sort as she is conceiued and quicke of childe Wherby her maiesty being our natural liege Lady queene vndoubted inheritor of this imperiall crowne good hope of certayn succession in the crowne is geuen vnto vs consequeÌ„tly the great calamities which for want of such succession might otherwise haue fallen vpon vs our posterity shall by Gods grace be well auoyded if we thankefully acknowledge this benefite of almighty God endeuoring our selues with earnest repentance to thanke honor and serue him as we be most bounden These be not onely to aduertise you of these good newes to be by you published in all places within your Dioces but also to pray and require you that both your selfe do geue God thankes with vs for this his especial grace and also geue order that thankes may be openly geuen by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your sayde Dioces and that likewise all priestes and other Ecclesiasticall ministers in theyr Masses and other diuine seruices may continually pray to almighty God so to extend his holy hand ouer his maiesty the kinges highnes and this whole Realme as this thing being by his omnipotent power graciously thus begon may by the same be well continued and brought to good effect to the glory of his name Whereunto albeit we doubt not ye woulde of your selfe haue had special regard without these our letters yet for the earnest desire we haue to haue this thing done out of hand diligently continued we haue also written these our letters to put you in remembraunce and so bid your Lordshippe most hartily well to fare From Westminster the 27. of Nouember 1554. Your assured louing frendes S. Winton Chancel Arundell F. Shrewesbury Edward Darby Henry Sussex Iohn Bathon R Rich. Thomas Warthom Iohn Huddilstone R. Southwell Also the same day in the afternoone Cardinall Poole came to the Parliament house Cardinall Poole commeth to the Parlament which at that present was kept in the great Chamber of the Court at Whitehall for that the Queene was then sicke and could not go abroad where as the King and Queenes Maiesties sittyng vnder y e cloth of Estate the Cardinall sitting on theyr right hand with all the other Estates of the Parliament being present the Byshop of Winchester being Lord Chauncellor began in this maner ¶ The wordes of Winchester for receiuing of the Cardinall MY Lordes of the vpper house you my Maisters of the nether house here is present the right reuerend father in God my Lord Cardinall Poole come froÌ„ the apostolicke Sea of Rome 〈◊〉 words 〈◊〉 Cardâ—â—all Poole As Ambassador to the king and Queenes Maiesties vpon one of the weightiest causes that euer happened in this Realme whiche perteineth to the glory of God and your vniuersall benefite The which Ambassage theyr Maiesties pleasure is to be signified vnto you all by his owne mouth trusting that you will receiue and accept it in as beneuolent and thankefull wise as their highnesses haue done and that you will geue an attent and inclinable eare vnto him When the Lord Chauncellor had thus ended his talke the Cardinall taking the time then offered began hys Oration wherin he declared the causes of
much ado and a great number also to be sore afrayd Ye heard a little before the Councels letter sent to B. Boner signifiyng the good newes of Queene Mary to be not onely conceyued but also quicke with childe which was in the moneth of Nouember the xxviij day Of this child great talke began at this tyme to ryse in euery mans mouth with busy preparation and much ado especially amongst such as semed in England to cary Spanish hartes in English bodies In number of whom here is not to be forgotten nor defrauded of his condigne commendatioÌ„ for his woorthy affection toward his Prince and her issue one sir Rich. Southwel who being the same tyme in the parlament house when as the Lordes were occupied in other affaires matters of importance sodainly starting vp for fulnes of ioy brast out in these words folowing Tush my Maisters quoth he what talke ye of these matters I would haue you take some order for our yong maister that is now comming into the world apace The wordes of Sir Rich. Southwell â—n the Parliament house for his yong master lest he find vs vnprouided c. By the which words both of him and also by the foresaid letters of the counsaile and the common talke abroad it may appeare what an assured opinion was theÌ„ conceiued in mens heds of Queene Mary to be conceiued and quicke with child In so much that at the same tyme and in the same Parliament there was eftsoones a bill exhibited and an Act made vpon the same the words wherof for the more euidence I thought here to exemplificate as vnder followeth ¶ The wordes of the Acte ALbeit we the Lordes spirituall and temporal the commons in this present parliament assembled Ex sâ—at â—n 1. 2. Phil. Mar. cap. 10. haue firme hope confidence in the goodnes of almighty God that like as he hath hitherto miraculously preserued the Queenes maiesty from many great imminent perils and daungers euen so he will of his infinite goodnes geue her highnes strength the rather by our continuall prayers to passe well the danger of deliuerance of chylde The iudgement of the 〈…〉 in God 〈…〉 wherwith it hath pleased him to al our great comforts to blesse her Yet forasmuch as all things of this world be vncertaine and hauing before our eyes the dolorous experience of this inconstant gouernment during the tyme of the raigne of the late king Edward the 6. do plainly see the manifold inconueniences great dangers and perils that may ensue to this whole realme if foresight be not vsed to preuent all euill chances if they should happen For the eschewyng hereof we the Lordes spirituall temporall and the commons in this present Parliament assembled for and in consideration of a most speciall trust and confidence thot we haue and repose in the kings maiesty Order taken by Parliament for Q. Maries child for and coÌ„cerning the politike gouernment order and administration of this realm in the tyme of the yong yeres of the issue or issues of her maiesties body to bee borne if it should please God to call the Queenes highnes out of this present lyfe during the tender yeares of such issue or issues which God forbid according to such order and maner as hereafter in this present Acte his highnes most gracious pleasure is should be declared and set forth haue made our humble sute by the assent of the Queenes highnes that his maiestie would vouchsafe to accept and take vppon hym the rule order education and gouernment of the sayd issue or issues to bee borne as is aforesayd vpon which our sute beyng of his said maiestie most graciously accepted it hath pleased his highnesse not onely to declare that like as for the most part his maiesty verely trusteth that almighty God who hath hitherto preserued the Queenes maiesty to geue this realme so good an hope of certayne succession in the bloud royall of the same realme will assist her highnes with his graces and benedictions to see the fruite of her body well brought forrh Trust disapoynted lyue and able to gouerne whereof neither all this realme ne all the world besides should or coulde receiue more comfort then his maiesty should and would yet if such chaunce should happen hys maiesty at our humble desires is pleased and contented not onely to accept and take vpoÌ„ him the cure and charge of the education rule order and gouernmeÌ„t of such issues as of this most happy Mariage shall be borne betweene the Queenes highnes and him but also during the time of such gouernment would by all wayes and meanes study trauaile and employ hymselfe to aduance the weale both publike priuate of this realme and dominions thereunto belonging according to the sayd trust in his maiestye reposed with no lesse good will and affection then if his highnesse had bene naturally borne amongst vs. In consideration whereof be it enacted by the King and the Quenes most excellent maiesties by the assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same c. as it is to be seene in the Acte more at large ratified and confirmed at the same Parliament to the same entent and purpose ¶ Thus much out of the Acte and statute I thought to rehearse to the entent the Reader may vnderstand not so much how Parliaments may sometimes be deceiued as by this childe of Queene Mary may appeare as rather what cause we Englishmen haue to render most earnest thanks vnto almighty god who so mercifully against the opinion expectatioÌ„ and working of our aduersaries hath helped deliuered vs in this case which otherwise might haue opened such a window to the Spaniardes to haue entred and replenished this land that peradueÌ„ture by this tyme Englishmen should haue enioyed no great quiet in their owne countrey the Lord therefore make vs perpetually myndfull of his benefits Amen Thus we see then how man doth purpose but God disposeth as pleaseth him For all this great labour prouision and order taken in the Parliament house for their yoÌ„g maister long looked for commyng so surely into the world in the end appeared neither yong maister nor young maistresse that any man yet to this day can heare of Furthermore as the labour of the lay sort was herein deluded The Prayers of the Papistes of what litle effect they are with God so no lesse ridiculous it was to behold what litle effect the prayers of the Popes Churchmen had wyth almighty God who trauailed no lesse with their processions Masses and Collects for the happy deliueraunce of thys yong maister to come as here followeth to be seene ¶ A prayer made by D. Weston Deane of Westminster daily to be sayd for the Queenes deliueraunce O Most righteous Lord God which for the offence of the first woman hast threatened vnto all women a common sharpe A prayer for
iustice nor vnwoonted to thy mercy It is well knowen vnto vs how maruelously thou diddest worke in Sara of the age of xc yeares and in Elizabeth the barren and also far striken in age for thy counsel is not in the power of men Thou Lord that art y e searcher of harts thoughts thou knowest that thy seruaÌ„t neuer lusted after man neuer gaue her selfe to wanton coÌ„pany nor made her selfe pertaker w t them that walk in lightnes but she consented to take an husband with thy feare not with her lust Thou knowest that thy seruaunt tooke an husband not for carnal pleasure but only for the desire loue of posteritie wherein thy name might be blessed for euer and euer Geue therfore vnto thy seruaunts Phillip our king and Mary our Queene a male issue which may sit in the seat of thy kingdome Geue vnto our Queene thy seruant a little infant in fashion and body comely beautifull in pregnant wit notable and excellent Graunt the same to be in obedience like * It is not best such one to be graunted vnto you 〈◊〉 being lyke Abrahamâ— Ioseph Moses and Salomon hâ— may chauÌ„â—â— to smel oâ— your corrupt doctrine and detest yoâ— bloudy tyranny c. Abraham in hospitalitie like Loth in chastitie and brotherly loue lyke Ioseph in meekenes myldnes like Moses in strength valiantnes like Sampson Let him be found faythful as Dauid after thy hart Let him be wise among kings as the most wise Salomon Let him be like Iob a simple and an vpright man fearing God eschewyng euill Let hym finally be garnished with the comelynes of all vertuous coÌ„ditions and in the same let him waxe old and lyue that he may see his childrens children to the third fourth generation And geue vnto our soueraigne Lord and Lady K. Phillip and Queene Mary thy blessing and long life vpoÌ„ earth And graunt that of theÌ„ may come kings Queenes which may stedfastly continue in faith loue and holynesse And blessed be their seed of our God that all nations may know thou art only God in all the earth which art blessed for euer and euer Amen ¶ Another prayer for Queene Mary and her conceiued chyld O Almighty father which diddest sanctifie the blessed Virgine and mother of Mary in her conception and in the byrth of Christ our sauiour thy onely sonne also by thy omnipotent power didst safely deliuer the prophet Ionas out of the Whales belly Defend O Lord we beseech thee An other prayer for the same thy seruaunt Mary our Queene with child conceyued and so visite her in and with thy godly gift of health that not onely the child thy creature within her conteined may ioyfully come from her into this worlde and receyue the blessed Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation enioying therwith dayly encrease of all princely and gracious gifts both of body soule but that also she the mother thorowe thy speciall grace and mercy may in tyme of her trauaile auoyde all excessiue dolour and payne and abide perfect and sure from all perill and danger of death with long and prosperous life thorough Christ our Lord Amen It followeth now further in processe of the story that vpon the Tuesday being the x. of Ianuary xix of the lower house of the Parliament with the Speaker Ianuary 1â— came to the White Hall to the kyng and there offred him the gouernment of the realme and of the Issue if the Queene should faile which was confirmed by act of Parliament within ten dayes after Upon Wednesday folowing Ianuary â—â— beyng the xxvi of Ianuary the Parliament was cleane dissolued In this Parliament among other things the bishop of Rome was established and all such lawes as were made against hym since the xx yeare of K. Henry the 8. were repealed also cardinall Poole bish Pates The Pope supremacy establisheâ— by Parlament Matters coÌ„â—cluded in the Parlaâ—ment Lilly other were restored to their bloud Also there was an acte made for speakyng of words that whosoeuer should speake any thyng agaynst the king or Queene or that might mooue any sedition or rebellion at the first tyme to haue one of his eares cut of or to forfeit an C. markes and at the second tyme to haue both his eares cut off or els to forfeit an C. pounds who so euer should write cipher or print any of the premisses to haue their right hand cut off Three statutes agaynst heretickes reâ—uiued Also in this Parliament three statutes were reuiued for triall of heresie one made in the fift yere of Richard the 2. an other in the 2. yeare of Henry the 4. and the third in the 2. yeare of Henry the 5. Also the doyng of M. Rose and the other that were with him was communed of in this Parliament and vpon that occasion an acte was made that certaine euill prayers should be treason agaynst the Queenes highnes The prayers of these men were thus God turne the hart of Queene Mary from Idolatrie or els shorten her dayes Wherof read the statute Ann. 1. 2. Reg. Phil. Mariae Cap. 9. As touching the taking of M. Rose his felows word was brought therof to M. Hooper being theÌ„ in the Fleete Whereupon the said M. Hooper sendeth aunswer againe with a letter also of consolation sent to the sayd prisoners the copie wherof I thought here not to ouerpasse ¶ The aunswer of M. Hooper to a letter sent vnto him concerning certaine prisoners taken in Bowe churchyard 〈◊〉 aunâ—â—re to a 〈…〉 sent 〈◊〉 him THe grace of God be with you Amen I perceiue by your letter how that vpon Newyeres day at night there were taken a godly company of Christians whilest they were praying I doe reioyce in that men can be so well occupied in this perilous time and flee vnto God for remedy by prayer as well for theyr owne lackes and necessities as also charitably to pray for them that persecute them So doth the worde of God commaund all men to pray charitably for them that hate them and not to reuile any Magistrate with wordes or to meane him euill by force or violence They also may reioyce that in well doyng they were taken to the prison Wherfore I haue thought it good to send them this little writing of consolation praying God to send them pacience charitie constancie in the truth of his most holy word Thus fare you well and pray God to send his true word into this Realme againe amongest vs which the vngodly Bishops haue now banished Ianua 4. ann 1555. ¶ A letter of consolation sent from M. Hooper to the godly brethren taken in Bow churchyard in prayer and layd in the Counter in Breadstreat THe grace fauor consolation and ayd of the holy ghost be with you now and euer So be it Dearely beloued in the Lord euer sithens your imprisonment A letter of 〈◊〉 Hooper 〈◊〉 of most â—eauenly â—onsolatioÌ„ I haue
broughte in the Bishop of Rome and sette him in his olde authoritie beginneth to set vp abbeis againe hath made the mariage of priestes vnlawfull hath tourned the English seruice into Latine againe hath set vp the Masse againe w t like baggage and pulled downe the holy Communion and all this is done by consente of Parliament If the Acts of Parliament made in king Henries time in K. Edwards had theyr foundatioÌ„ vpon Gods word where vpon all positiue lawe ought to be grounded then these which are stablished in the Quenes time being cleane contrary to the others as they are not warranted by gods woorde so are they wicked and therfore to be both spoken and wrytten against of all menne as well of priuate as of publique persons If your Actes my Lord Chancellour which you haâ—e lately coyned I call them yours because ye only beare the swinge deuise and decree what yee list all other men are forced to followe be good and according to Gods woord then the former Actes were naught whych thing ye seeme to say in vtterly taking of them away and setting vp of the contrary if the former were nought why then did ye consent vnto them and confirme them to be good by your voluntarie and aduised wryting as it appeareth and will to the worldes ende in your Booke de vera Obedientia where you prooue the Queene a Bastard and the bishop of Rome to be an vsurper and to haue no authoritie in the Realme of Englande Yee must needes confesse that the moste parte of your Actes of Parliament in these latter dayes haue bene according to the fantasies of a fewe King Henry in his time established by Parliament in a manner what he listed and many thinges that might well haue bene amended In Kinge Edwardes dayes the Duke of Somersette and Northumberlande bare a great stroke in thyngs and did not all things syncerely Euen so since the Quene that nowe is came to the gouernement of the realme al things are ordered by your deuise and head and the whole Parliament house is ledde as you list by reason whereof they are compelled to condescende to thinges both contrarye to Gods manifest woorde and also contrary to theyr owne consciences so great is your crueltie For to bryng youre wicked purposes to passe and to establish your Antichristian kingdome whych I truste the Lorde wyth the breathe of hys mouthe will spedely blowe ouer yee haue called three Parliamentes in one yeare and an halfe that what you coulde not compasse by subtill perswasion ye might bring to passe by tyrannical threatning for if yee hadde not vsed cruell force in your doinges yee had neuer broughte to passe suche thinges as this daye yee haue to the vtter defacing and abolishing of Gods true religion and to the casting away and destruction of your naturall Countrey so much as in you lieth And as it is moste true that Actes of Parliament haue in these latter dayes bene ruled by the fantasies of a fewe and the whole Parliament house contrary to their minds was compelled to consent to such things as a few had conceiued So it muste needes be graunted that the Papistes at all times were moste readie to apply them selues to the present worlde and like menne pleasers to follow the fantasies of suche as were in authoritie and turne with the estate which way so euer it tourned Yea if the estate should chaunge ten times in one yeare they woulde euer be ready at hande to chaunge with it and so folowe the crie and rather vtterly to forsake God and be of no religion then that they would forgoe lust or liuing for God or for religion King Henrie by Parliamente accordinge to Goddes woorde putte downe the Pope the Clergie consented and all men openly by othe refused this vsurped supremacie knowing by Gods worde Christ to be head of the churchâ— and euery Kinge in hys Realme to haue vnder and nexte vnto Christe the chiefe Soueraigntie King Edward also by Parliament according to Gods woorde sette the marriage of Priestes at libertie abolished the Popish and idolatrous masse chaunged the Latin seruice and sette vp the holy Communion the whole Cleargie consented heereunto many of them set it foorth by then preaching and all they by practising confirmed the same Notwythstanding now when the state is altered and the lawes chaunged the Papisticall cleargie wyth other like worldlinges as menne neither fearing God neyther flying worldly shame neither yet regardinge their consciences othes or honestie like wauering weather Cockes tourn rouÌ„d about putting on harlots foreheades sing a newe song and crie wyth an impudent mouth Come a-againe come againe to the catholicke churche meaning the Antichristian church of Rome which is the Synagogue of Sathan and the very sincke of all superstition heresie and Idolatrie Of what force I pray you may a man think these Parliamentes to be which scantly can stand a yere in strength Or what credite is to be geuen to these law makers which are not ashamed to establish contrary lawes and to condempne that for euill which before the thing in it selfe and the circumstances remaining al one they affirmed and decreed to be good Truelye yee are so readye contrarye to all ryghte to chaunge and turne for the pleasure of manne that at the lengthe I feare GOD wyll vse you lyke chaungelings Anno 1554. Aprill and both tourne you foorth of his kingdom and out of your owne countrey Yee charge the Gospell preachers with the vndoyng of thys realme nay it is the turning papists whych haue not onely sette a sale theyr Countrey like Traitours but also troubled the simple people so that they canne not tell what they may beleeue For that which they affirmed and preached to be newe doctrine in King Edwardes dayes nowe they crie against it as it were moste abhominable heresye This fault I trust yee shall neuer finde at our hands Therefore to conclude that whiche I purposed for somuche as the Actes of Parliament of these latter times are one contrary to an other and those which yee nowe haue stablished in your time are contrary to Gods most manifest woorde as is the vsurped supremacie of the Byshoppe of Rome the Idolatrous Masse the Latine Seruice the prohibiting of lawfull marriage which Sainte Paul calleth the Doctrine of Deuilles wyth many suche other I say it is not onely lawfull for any priuate man which bringeth Gods woorde for hym and the authoritie of the primatiue and best Churche to speake and wryte against such vnlawfull lawes but it is hys duetie and he is bounde in very conscience to doe it Which thyng I haue prooued by diuers examples before and nowe will adde too but one other which is wrytten in the fifth of the Actes where it appeareth that the high Priestes the Elders Scribes and Pharisies decreed in their Councell and gaue the same coÌ„maundement to the Apostles that they should not preache in the name of Christe as yee haue also forbidden
of Testamentes Mortuaries which Bylles were so reasonable Redresse of the greeues of the commons that the spirituall Lordes assēted to them all though they were sore agaynst their myndes and in especiall the probate of Testamentes sore displeased the Byshops and the Mortuaries sore displeased the Parsons and Uicares After these Actes thus agreed the commons made an other Act for pluralities of benefices none residence buying and sellyng and takyng of fermes by spirituall Parsons which Act so displeased the spiritualtie that y e priests rayled on the commōs of the lower house and called them heretickes and schismatikes for the which diuers Priestes were punished This Act was sore debated aboue in the Parliament chamber and the Lordes spirituall would in no wise consent The third bill of the cōmons for pluralities c. Wherfore the kyng perceiuyng the grudge of his cōmons caused viij Lordes viij of his Commons to mete in the starre chamber at an afternoone and there was sore debatyng of the cause in so much that the tēporall Lordes of the vpper house which were there tooke part with the Commons agaynst the spirituall Lordes and by force of reason caused them to assent to the Bill with a litle qualifiyng which Bill the next day was wholy agreed to in the Lords house to the great reioysing of the lay people and to the great displeasure of the spirituall persons And thus much concerning these Bylles agaynst the Cleargy by the way Now to returne to the Cardinall agayne during the time of the said Parliament there was brought downe to the Commons the booke of Articles which the Lords had put vp to the King against the Cardinall The chiefe Articles were these 1 FIrst that he without the Kings assent had procured to be Legate Articles against the Cardinall by reason whereof he tooke away the right of all Byshops and spirituall persons 2 In al writings that he wrote to Rome or to any other Prince he wrote Ego rex meus I and my King as who would say that the King were his seruaunt 3 That he slaundered the Church of England to y e court of Rome for his suggestion to be Legate was to reforme the Church of England which as he wrote was Facta in reprobum sensum 4 He without the Kings assent caried the Kings great Seale with him into Flaunders when he was sente Ambassadour to the Emperour 5 Without the Kings consent he sent commission to Sir Gregory de Cassalis Knight to conclude a league betweene the King and the Duke of Ferrarie 6 That he hauing the French pockes presumed to come and breathe on the King 7 That he caused the Cardinalles Hat to be put on the Kings coyne 8 That he had sent innumerable substance to Rome for the obteining of his dignities to the great impouerishmēt of the Realme with many other things which are touched more at large in Chronicles These articles with many moe being read in the cōmon house were confessed by the Cardinal and signed with his hand Also there was shewed an other writing sealed with his seale by the which he gaue to the Kyng all his moueables and vnmoueables You haue heard hytherto declared how y e Cardinall was attainted in the Premunire how he was put out of the office of the Chauncelour lay at Asher which was in the yeare of our Lord 1530. Anno. 1530. The next yeare after in the Lent season the king by the aduice of his counsayle licenced him to go into his dioces of Yorke and gaue hym commandemēt to keepe him in his dioces and not to returne Southward without the Kings speciall licence in writing So he made great prouision to go Northward apparelled his seruants newly and bought many costly things for his houshold but diuers of his seruaunts at this tyme departed from him to the Kings seruice and in especiall Thomas Crumwell one of his chiefe counsaile and chiefe doer for him in the suppression of Abbeys After that all things necessary for his iourney were prepared he tooke his iourney Northward til he came to Southwell which was in his dioces and there he continued that yeare euer grudging at his fall as you shall heare heereafter but the sands which he had geuen to his Colleges in Oxford and Ipswich were now come to the Kings hands by his attainder in the Premunire and yet the King of his gentlenes and for fauour that he bare to good learning erected againe the Colledge in Oxford and where it was named the Cardinalles Colledge he called it the Kings College and endued it with faire possessions and ordeined newe statutes and ordinances The Cardinalls Colledge now called Christes College in Oxforde and for because the Colledge of Ipswich was thought to be nothing profitable therefore he leaft that dissolued Notwithstāding that the Cardinall of Yorke was thus attainted in the Premunire as is aboue mentioned yet the King being good vnto him had graunted him the Bishopricks of Yorke and Winchester with great plentie of substance had licenced him to lye in his dioces of Yorke where he so continued the space of a yeare But after in the yeare folowing The Cardinall complayneth to the Pope of the king which was 1531. he being in his dioces wrote to the Court of Rome and to diuers other Princes letters in reproch of the King and in as much as in him lay he stirred them to reuenge his cause against the King and his Realme in so much that diuers opprobrious words against the King were spoken to Doctor Edward Keerne the Kings Oratour at Rome and it was sayd to him that for the Cardinalles sake the King should haue the woorse speede in the suite of his matrimonie The Cardinall also would speake faire to the people to winne their harts and declared euer that he was vniustly and vntruely ordered which faire speaking made many men beleeue that he sayd true and to Gentlemen he gaue great giftes to allure them vnto him and to be had in more reputation among the people The Cardinalls proud◠iourneie toward 〈◊〉 he determined to be installed or inthronised at Yorke with all the pompe that might be and caused a throne to be erected in the Cathredral Church in such an height and fashion as was neuer seene and sent to all the Lords Abbots Priors Knightes Esquiers and Gentlemen of his dioces to be at his Manor of Cawood the sixt day of Nouember and so to bring hym to Yorke with all maner of pompe and solemnitie The King which knew his doings and priuie conueyance all this yeare dissembled the matter to see what hee would do at length till that he saw his proud hart so highly exalted that he would be so triumphātly installed without making the king priuie yea and in manner in disdaine of the King thought it not meete nor conuenient to suffer him any longer to cōtinue in his malitious proud purposes and
wolues were so prosperous y t then there were but few theeues yea theft was at that tyme so rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penalty of death vpon felony as your grace may well perceiue in his institutes There was also at that time but few poore people and yet thei did not begge The cause of so many beggâ—â—s theeues and idle people in England but there was geuen them enough vnasked for there was at that time none of these rauenous wolues to aske it from them as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles Is it any maruell though there be now so many beggers theues and â—ole people Nay truely What remedy make lawes agaynst them I am in doubt whether ye be able The popeâ— clergy stronger in Parliâ—mente â—hen 〈◊〉 as hath appeared by thâ—ir cruell lawes against the poore Gospellers Are they not stronger in your owne Parliament house then your selfe What a number of Bishops Abbots and Priors are Lordes of your Parliament Are not all the learned men of your realme in fee with them to speake in your Parliament house for them agaynst your crowne dignity and common wealth of your realme a few of your owne learned Counsell onely excepted What lawe can be made agaynst them that may bee auayleable Who is hee though he be greued neuer so sore that for the murther of his auncester No lawe nor remedye against the clergie rauishmeÌ„t of his wife of his daughter robbery trespasse manne debt or any other offence dare lay it to theyr charge by any way of action and if he do then is he by and by by theyr wyknes accused of heresy yea they will so handle him ere he passe that except he will beare a Fagot for theyr pleasure he shal be excommunicate then be all his actions dashed So captiue are your lawes vnto them that no man whom they list to excommunicate All lawes and actions captiue 〈◊〉 the clergy men may be admitted to sue any actioÌ„ in any of your Courts If any man in your Sessions dare be so hardy to indite a Priest of any such crime he hath ere the yeare go out such a yoake of heresye layd in his necke that it maketh him wish that he had not done it Your grace may see what a worke there is in LondoÌ„ Of Richard Hunne read before pag. 806 how the Bishop rageth for inditing of certayne Curates of extortion incontineÌ„cy the last yere in the Wardmote quest Had not Richard Hunne commenced action of Premunire against a Priest he had bene yet aliue and no heretick at all but an honest man Did not diuers of your noble progenitors The statute of Mortmayne seeyng theyr crowne and dignity runne into ruine and to be thus craftily translated into the handes of this mischieuous generatioÌ„ make diuers statutes for the reformation thereof among which the statute of Mortmayne was one to the intent that after that time they should haue no more geuen vnto them But what auayled it haue they not gotten into theyr handes more landes since theÌ„ any Duke in England hath Halfe the profite of the realme in the clergies handes the statute notwithstandyng Yea haue they not for all that translated into theyr handes from your grace halfe your kingdome throughly the onely name remayning to you for your auÌ„ceters sake So you haue the name and they the profit Yea I feare if I should wey all thinges to the vttermost they would also take the name vnto them and of one kingdome make twayne the spirituall kingdome as they call it for they will be named first and your temporall kingdome And which of these 2. kingdoms suppose you is like to ouergrow the other yea to put y e other cleare out of memory Truly the kingdome of the bloudsuppers for to them is geuen daily out of your kingdome and that that is once geuen them commeth neuer from them agayne Such lawes haue they that none of them may neither geue nor sell nothing What law can be made so strong agaynst theÌ„ that they either with mony or els with other pollicy will not breake or sette at nought What kingdome can endure that euer geueth thus froÌ„ him and receiueth nothing agayne Oh how all the substaunce of your realme your sword power crowne dignity obedience of your people runneth headlong into the insatiable whirlepole of these gredy goulfes to be swallowed and deuoured Neither haue they any other colour to gather these yearely exactions into their handes The most good that the Popes clergye doth in England is to pray 〈◊〉 soules out of Purgatorye but that they say they pray for vs to God to deliuer our soules out of the paynes of Purgatory without whose prayer they say or at least without the Popes pardon we coulde neuer be deliuered thence Which if it be true then it is good reason that we geue theÌ„ all these things although it were a huÌ„dred times as much But there be many men of great litterature and iudgement that for the loue they haue vnto the trueth and vnto the common wealth haue not feared to put theÌ„selues into the greatest infamy that may be in abiection of all the world yea in peril of death to declare theyr opinion in this matter which is that there is no Purgatory but that it is a thing inuented by the couetousnes of the spiritualty Purgatory denyed onely to translate all kingdomes from other princes vnto theÌ„ and that there is not one word spokeÌ„ of it in all holy Scripture They say also that if there were a Purgatory and also if that the Pope with his pardons for money may deliuer one soule thence he may deliuer hym as well without mony if he may deliuer one he may deliuer a thousaÌ„d if he may deliuer a thousand he may deliuer them al and so destroy Purgatory and then heâ—s a cruell tyrant without all charity if he keepe them there in prison and in payne tyll men will geue him money If the Pope may deliuer soules â—ut of Purgator◠〈◊〉 money hee may then as 〈◊〉 deliuer them without 〈◊〉 if it pleased him Agayne if he deliuerâ—â— he can deliuer a thousanâ—â— he can deliuer a thousanâ—â— can deliuer all and so maâ— gaâ—â—e deliuerie and a 〈◊〉 dispatch of all 〈◊〉 if hee woulde and if he wâ—ll not wheÌ„ he may theÌ„ is there no charitye in him Likewise say they of all the whole sort of the spiritualtye that if they will pray for no man but for theÌ„ that geue theÌ„ money they are tyrants lacke charity suffer those soules to be punished and payned vncharitably for lacke of theyr prayers This sorte of folkes they cal hereticks these they burne these they rage agaynst put to open shame and make them beare Fagots But whether they be heretickes or no well I wot that this Purgatory the popes pardons are all the cause of the translatioÌ„ of your kingdome so fast
redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all suche errours abuses offences contemptes enormities whatsoeuer they be which by any maner of spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of almighty God the encrease of vertue in Christes religiō and for the conseruation of y e peace vnitie and tranquility of this realme any vsage custome forreine lawes forreine authoritie prescription or any thing or things to the contrary heereof notwithstanding The Kings Proclamation for the abolishing of the vsurped power of the Pope The kinges proclamatiō against the Pope TRustie and welbeloued we greete you well and where as not onely vpon good and iust and vertuous groundes and respects edified vpon the lawes of holy Scripture by due consultation deliberation aduisement and consent as well of all other our nobles and commons temporall as also spirituall assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by authoritie of the same we haue by good and wholesome lawes and statutes made for thys purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realme the abuses of the Byshop of Rome his authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vsurped as well vpon vs and our Realme as vpon all other Kings and Princes and their Realmes lyke as they themselues haue confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our sayde Nobles and Commons both spirituall and temporall assembled in our high Court of Parliament The stile of supreame head annexed to the crowne of England haue vpon good lawfull and vertuous groundes and for the publicke weale of this our Realme by one whole assent graunted annexed knit and vnited to the Crowne Imperiall of the same the title dignitie and style of supreme head or gouernour in earth immediately vnder God of the Church of England as we be and vndoubtedly haue hetherto bene which title and style both the Byshops and Cleargie of this our Realme haue not only in conuocation assembled consented recognised and approoued lawfully and iustly to apperteyne vnto vs but also by word othe profession and writing vnder their signes and seales haue confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same vtterly renouncing all other othes and obedience to any other foreyne Potentates and all foreine iurisdictions and powers as well of the sayd Byshop of Rome as of all other whatsoeuer they be as by their sayd professions and writings corroborated with the subscription of their names and apension of their seales more playnely appeareth We let you witte that calling to our remembrance the power charge and commission geuen vnto vs of Almighty God and vpon a vehement loue and affection toward our louing and faithfull subiectes perceiuing right well what greate rest quietnes and tranquilitie of conscience and manyfold other commodities might insurge and arise vnto them if that the sayde Byshops and other of the Cleargy of this our Realme should set foorth declare and preach to them the true and sincere worde of God and without all maner colour dissimulation and hypocrisie manifest and publish the great and innumerable enormities and abuses which the sayde Byshop of Rome as well in the title and style as also in authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vnlawfully and vniustly hath vsurped vpon vs and our progenitours and also other Christen Princes haue therefore adressed our letters vnto the Byshop of the dioces straightly charging and commaunding him in the same that not onely he in his owne proper person shall declare teach and preach vnto the people forthwith vpon the receat of our sayd letters vnto him directed euery Sonday and other high feastes through the yeare the true meere and sincere word of God and that the same title stile and iurisdiction of supreme head apperteineth only to our Crowne and dignitie Royall likewise as the sayd Byshop and all other the Byshops of our Realme haue by othe affirmed and confirmed by subscription of their names and setting to their seales but also geue warning monition and charge to al maner Abbots Priours Deanes Archdeacons Prouosts Parsons Vicares Curates and all other Ecclesiasticall persons within his sayd diocesse as well to teache preach publish and declare in all maner Churches our foresayde iust title style and iurisdiction euery Sonday and high feast thorough the yeare and further to monish and commaund all other Scholemaysters within his sayd diocesse to instruct and teach the same vnto the children committed vnto them as also to cause all maner prayers orizons rubrickes Canons of Masse bookes and all other bookes in the Churches wherein the sayde Byshop of Rome is named or his presumptuous and proud pompe and authoritie preferred vtterly to be abolished eradicate and rased out and his name and memory to be neuer more except to hys contumely and reproch remembred but perpetually suppressed and obscured and finally to desist and leaue out all such Articles as be in the generall sentence The Popes name and memorye abolished which is vsually accustomed to be read four times in the yeare and do tende to the glory and aduancemēt of the Bishop of Rome his name title and iurisdiction Whereupon we esteeming and reputing you to be of such singular and vehement zeale and affection toward the glory of Almighty God and of so faythfull louing and obedient harte towards vs as ye will not only do and accomplish with all power wisedome diligence and labour whatsoeuer should or might be to the preferment and setting forwarde of Gods worde but also practise studie and endeuour your selfe with all your pollicie wit power and good will to amplifie defend and mayntayne all such interest right title stile iurisdiction and authoritie as is in any wise apertaining vnto vs our dignity prerogatiue crowne imperiall of this our Realme haue thought good expediēt not only to signifie vnto you by these our letters the particularities of the charge monition and commaundement geuen by vs vnto the sayd Byshop as before is specified but also to require and straightly charge and commaund you vpon payne of your allegeance and as ye shall auoyde our high indignation and displeasure at your vttermost perill laieng apart all vayne affections respects or other carnall considerations and setting onely before your eyes the mirror of truth the glory of God the dignitie of your soueraigne Lord and King and the great concord and vnitie and inestimable profite and vtilitie that shal by the due execution of the premisses insue to your selfe and all other faithfull and louing subiectes ye make or cause to be made diligent searche and waite and especially in euery place of youre shirewicke whether the said Bishop do truly sincerely and without all maner cloke colour or dissimulation execute and accomplishe our will and commaundement as is aforesaid And in case ye shall heare perceiue and approuably vnderstand and know that the said Bishop or any other ecclesiasticall person within his dioces do omit and
Iacob yet vnderstand good Reader that it was written in very deede to Iohn Frith as is aboue tolde thee For the more proofe and euidence whereof read Frithes booke of the Sacramente and there thou shalte finde a certayne place of this Epistle repeated word for word beginning thus I call God to record against the day we shall appeare before our Lorde Iesus to geue a reckening of oure doings that I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word against my conscience c. Which Epistle Iohn Frith hymselfe witnesseth that he receaued from Tyndall as in hys testimonie aboue appeareth ¶ The death of the Lady Katherine and of Queene Anne THe same yeare in the which W. Tyndall was burned which was the yeare of our Lord 1536. in the begynning of the yeare Anno. 1536. first died Lady Katherine Princes Dowager in the moneth of Ianuary The death of Lady Katherine 〈◊〉 Dowagar After whome the same yeare also in the moneth of May next following followed the death also of Queene Anne who had now bene married to the King the space of three yeares In certeine records thus we finde that the Kyng being in his Iustes at Greenewich sodenly with a fewe persons departed to Westminster and the next daye after Queene Anne his wife was had to the Tower The death of Queene Anne with the Lord Rochford her brother and certayne other and the xix day after was beheaded The wordes of this worthy and Christian Lady at her death were these Good Christen people I am come hether to die for according to the Law and by y e Lawe I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it The wordes of Queene Anne at her death I am come hether to accuse no man nor to speake any thing of that whereof I am accused and condemned to die but I pray God saue the King and sende him long to raigne ouer you for a gentler or a more mercifull Prince was there neuer and to me he was euer a good a gentle and soueraigne Lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause I require them to iudge the best And thus I take my leaue of the world and of you all and I hartely desire you all to pray for me O Lord haue mercy on me To God I commend my soule And so she kneeled downe sayeng To Christ I commend my soule Iesu receiue my soule repeating the same diuers times till at length the stroke was geuen and her head was striken off And this was the end of that godly Lady and Queene Godly I call her Queene Anne beheaded CommendatioÌ„s of Quene Anne for sundry respectes whatsoeuer the cause was or quarell obiected against her Fyrst her last wordes spoken at her death declared no lesse her sincere fayth and trust in Christ then dyd her quiet modestie vtter forth the goodnesse of the cause and matter whatsoeuer it was Besides that to such as wisely can iudge vpon cases occurrent this also may seeme to geue a great clearing vnto her that the King the third day after was maried in his whites vnto an other Certaine this was that for the rare and singular giftes of her minde so well instructed and geuen toward God with suche a feruent desire vnto the trueth and setting foorth of sincere Religion ioyned wyth like gentlenes modestie and pitie toward all men there hath not many suche Queenes before her borne the Crowne of England Principally this one commendation she left behinde her that during her life the Religion of Christ most happely florished and had a right prosperous course Many things might be written more of the manyfolde vertues and the quiet moderation of her milde nature how lowly she would beare not onely to be admonished The milde nature of Queene Anne in taking admâ—nition but also of her owne accorde woulde require her Chapleynes playnely and freely to tell whatsoeuer they sawe in her amisse Also how bountifull shee was to the poore passing not only the common example of other Queenes but also the reuenues almost of her estate in so much that the almose which she gaue in three quarters of a yeare in distribution is summed to the number of xiiij or xv thousand pounds Beside the great peece of money which her grace intended to impart into foure sundry quarters of the Realme as for a stocke there to be employed to the behoofe of poore artificers and occupyers Agayne The great Almose of Queene Annne what a zelous defender she was of Christes Gospell all the world doth knowe and her actes doe and will declare to the worldes ende Amongst which other her actes this is one that shee placed M. Hugh Latymer in the Byshopricke of Worcester and also preferred Doctor Shaxton to his Byshopricke being then accompted a good man Furthermore what a true fayth she bare vnto the Lorde this one example may stande for many for that when King Henry was with her at Wodstocke and there being afrayde of an olde blinde prophesie for the which neyther he nor other Kings before him durst hunt in the sayde parke of Woodstocke nor enter into the Towne of Oxford at last thorough the Christian and faithfull counsayle of that Queene he was so armed against all infidelitie that both he hunted in the foresayde parke and also entred in the Towne of Oxford and had no harme But because touching the memorable vertues of this worthy Queene partly we haue sayd something before partly because more also is promised to be declared of her vertuous life the Lord so permitting by other who then were about her I will cease in this matter further to proceede This I can not but meruayle why the Parlament holden this yeare that is the xxviij yeare of the King which Parliament three yeares before had established and confirmed this Mariage as most lawfull shoulde now so sodeinly and contrary to their owne doings Statuâ— An. 28. Hen. 8. cap. 7. repeale and disable the sayd Mariage agayne as vnlawfull beeyng so lawfully before contracted But more I meruayle why the saide Parliament after the illegitimation of the Mariage enacted not contented with that should further proceede and charge her with such carnall desires of her body as to misuse her selfe with her owne naturall brother the Lorde Rochford and others Parliamentâ— not alwayes constant being so contrary to all nature that no naturall man will beleeue it But in this Acte of Parliament did lie no doubt some great mistery which heere I will not stand to discusse but onely that it may be suspected some secrete practising of the Papistes here not to be lacking considering what a mightie stoppe she was to their purposes and proceedings and on the contrary side what a strong Bulwarke she was for the maintenance of Christes Gospell and sincere religion which they then in no case could abide By reason wherof it may easily be considered that this Christian and deuout Debora could lacke no enemies
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
out of Wales was brought to the gallowes and there also with the foresayd Frier as is sayde was set on fire Whome the Wealshmen muche worshipped and had a Prophecye amongest them that this Image shoulde set a whole forrest on fyre Which prophecy tooke effect for he set this Fryer Forest on fire and consumed hym to nothing The Fryer when he saw the fire come and that present death was at hand he caught hold vpon the lader and would not let it go but so vnpaciently took his death as neuer any man that put his trust in God at any time so vngodly or vnquietly ended his life In the month of October Nouember the same yere shortly after the ouerthrow of these images and pilgrimages folowed also the ruine of the Abbeis religious houses which by the speciall motion of the Lord Cromwel or rather and principally by the singuler blessing of almighty God were suppressed being geuen a litle before by acte of Parliament into the kinges hand wherupoÌ„ not onely the houses were rased but theyr possessions also disparcled among the nobility in such sort The ruyne dissolutioÌ„ of Abbeyes â—onasteryes in England as all friers monkes Chanons Nunnes and other sectes of religion were then so rooted out of this Realme from the very foundation that there semeth by Gods grace no possibility hereafter left for the generation of those straunge weedes to grow here any more according to the true verdict of our Lord and Sauior Christ in his Gospell saying Euery plantation being not planted of my father Math. 15. shal be plucked vp by the rootes c. ¶ The history of the worthy Martir of God Iohn Lambert otherwise named Nicolson with his troubles examinations and aunsweres as well before the Archbishop of Caunterbury Warham and other Bishops as also before K. Henry 8. by whom at length he was condemned to death burned in Smithfielde Ann. 1538. IMmediatly vpon the ruine and destruction of the monasteries Anno 1538. the same yeare in the month of Nouember followed the trouble and condemnation of Iohn Lambert y e faythfull seruaunt of Iesus Christ and Martyr of blessed memory This Lambert being borne and brought vp in Northfolke was first conuerted by Bilney and studied in the Uniuersity of Cambridge Where after that he had sufficiently profited both in Latin and Greeke and had translated out of both tongues sondry things into the English tongue being forced at last by violence of the time he departed from thence to the partes beyond the seas to Tyndall and Frith Lambert â—â—eacher to the Englysh 〈◊〉 at Antwerpe and there remained the space of a yeare and more being preacher and Chapleine to the Englishe house at Antwerpe till he was disturbed by sir Thomas More and by the accusation of one Barlow was caried froÌ„ Antwerpe to London Lambert brought froÌ„ Antwerpe to London where he was brought to examination first at Lambeth then at the Bishops house at Oxford before Warham y e Archb. of Cant. and other aduersaries hading 45. articles ministred agaynst him wherunto he rendred answere agayne by writing The which answeres for as much as they conteine great learning may geue some light to the better vnderstanding of the common causes of religion now in controuersy I thought here to exemplify the same Lambert accused by one Baâ—â—ow as they came right happely to our handes The copy both of the articles and also of his aunsweres here in order foloweth ¶ Articles to the number of 45. layd to Lambert IN primis whether thou wast suspecte or infamed of heresy Articles agaynst Iohn Lambert 2. Whether euer thou hadst any of Luthers bookes and namely sith they were condemned how long thou kepst them and whether thou hast spent any study on them 3. Whether thou wast constitute priest and in what Dioces and of what bishop 4. Whether it be lawfull for a Priest to mary a wife and whether a priest in some case be bouÌ„d by the law of God to mary a wife 5. Whether thou beleuest that whatsoeuer is done of man whether it be good or ill commeth of necessity 6. Whether the sacrament of the aulter be a sacrament necessary vnto saluation and whether after the consecration of the bread and wine done by the priest as by the minister of God there is the very body and bloud of Christ in likenes of bread and wine 7. Item what opinion thou holdest touching the Sacrament of Baptisme whether thou doest beleue that it is a sacrament of the Church and a necessary sacrament vnto saluation and that a Priest may baptise and that the order of baptising ordeined by the church is necessary and wholsome 8. Item whether you beleue that matrimony be a sacrament of the church necessary to be obserued in the church that the order appointed by the Church for the solemnising therof is allowable and to be holden 9. Item whether thou doest beleue orders to be a sacrameÌ„t of the church Sacrament of orders and that saying of masse ordeined by the Church is to be obserued of Priestes whether it be deadly sinne or not if it be omitted or contemned and whether the order of Priesthoode were inuented by mans imagination or ordeined by God 10. Item whether penaunce be a sacrament of the Church and necessary vnto saluation Sacrament of penance and whether auricular confession is to be made vnto the priest or is necessary vnto saluation and whether thou beleuest that a ChristiaÌ„ is bouÌ„d besides contrition of hart hauing the free vse of an apte or meet priest vnder necessity of saluation to be confessed vnto a Priest and not vnto any lay man be he neuer so good and deuout whether thou beleuest that a Priest in cases permitted vnto him may absolue a sinner beyng contrite and confessed from his sinnes and enioine him wholsome penaunce 11. Item whether thou doest beleue and holde Sacrament of confession that the sacrament of confirmation extreme vnction be sacrameÌ„ts of the church and whether that they doe profite the soules of them which receiue them and whether thou beleuest the foresayde seuen sacramentes to geue grace vnto them that do duly receiue them 12. Whether all thinges necessary vnto saluation are put in holy Scripture Vnwritten verities and whether things onely there put be sufficient and whether some thinges vpon necessity of saluation are to be beleued and obserued which are not expressed in Scripture 13. Whether thou beleuest that Purgatory is and whether that soules departed be therin tormented and purged Purgatory 14 Whether holy martyrs apostles and confessors departed from this world ought to be honored and called vpon Praying to Saintes and prayed vnto 15. Whether the Sayntes in heauen as Mediatours pray for vs 16. Whether thou beleuest that oblations pilgrimages may be deuoutly and meritoriously done to the sepulchres and reliques of sayntes Pilgrimage 17. Whether
late mariage of the Ladie Anne of Cleue who in the beginning of the yere of our Lord. 1540. was maried to the king as also greued partly at the dissolution of the Monasteries The mariage of Queene Anne Cleue and fearing the growing of the Gospell sought al occasions how to interrupt these happy beginnings and to traine the king to their owne purpose Now what occasion this wilye Winchester found out to worke vpon ye shall heare in order as followeth It happened the same time that the Lorde Cromwell for the better establishing of sincere religion in this realm deuised a mariage for y e king to be concluded betwene him the Lady Anne of Cleue The occasiâ—â— which Winchester did worke by This Lady Anne of Cleue was maryed to the king 〈◊〉 1540. whose other sister was already maried vnto the duke of Saxony By this mariage it was supposed that a perpetual league amitie and ally shold be nourished between this realm and the princes of Germany so therby godly religion might be made more strong on both parts against the bishop of Rome and his tyrannical religion But the diuel euer enuying the prosperity of the gospell layd a stumbling blocke in that cleare way for the king to stumble at For when the parentes of the noble lady were commoned withall for the furtherance of y e sayd mariage among others of her frends whose good wil was required y e duke of Saxony her brother in law misliked y e mariage partly for that he wold haue had her bestowed vpon some prince of Germany more nigh vnto her sister partly for other causes which he thoght reasonable Wherupon it followeth that the slacknes of the Duke in that behalfe being espyed crafty Winchester taking good holdfast theron so alienated the kinges mind from the amity that semed now to begin and grow betwene the Duke and the king that by the occasion thereof he brought the king at length cleane out of credit with that religioÌ„ and doctrine which the duke had then mayntained many yeares before Thus wily Winchester with his crafty fetches partly vpon this occasion aforesayd partly also by other pestilent perswations creping into the kinges eares ceased not to seeke all meanes how to worke his feat to ouerthrow Religion first bringing him in hatred with the Germane Princes The king brought out of credite with the doctrine of the Germaynâ— Princes then putting him in feare of the Emperor of the French king of the Pope of the king of Scottes and other forraigne powers to rise agaynst him but especially of Ciuil tumultes commotions here within this realme which aboue all thinges he most dreaded by reason of innouation of religioÌ„ and dissoluing of Abbies and for abolishing of rites and other customes of the Church sticking so fast in the mindes of the people that it was to be feared least theyr hartes were or woulde be shortly styrred vp agaynst him The wicked councell of Steph. Gardiner and other about the king vnlesse some spedy remedy were to the contrary prouided declaring moreouer what a dauÌ„gerous matter in a common wealth it is to attempt new alterations of any thing but especially of Religion Which being so he exhorted the king for his owne safegard and publicke quiet and tranquility of his realme to see betime how and by what pollicy these so manifold mischiefes might be preueÌ„ted Agaynst which no other way nor shift could better be deuised then if he would shew himself sharp and seuere agaynst these new Sectaryes Anabaptistes SacrameÌ„taries as they called them would also set forth such Articles confirming the auncient Catholick fayth as wherby he might recouer agayne his credence with Christen Princes and whereby all the world besides might see and iudge him to be a right and perfite Catholicke By these such like crafty suggestions The king abused by wicked couÌ„cell the king being to much seduced and abused began to withdraw his defeÌ„ce from the reformation of true Religion supposing thereby to procure to himselfe more safety both in his owne realme and also to auoide such daungers which otherwise might happen by other Princes especially seing of late he had refused to come to the generall Councell at Uincence being thereto inuited both by the Emperor other forraigne poteÌ„tates as ye haue heard before And therfore although he had reiected the Pope out of this Realme yet because he woulde declare himselfe neuerthelesse to be a good Catholicke sonne of the mother Church and a withstander of new innouations and heresies as the blinde opinion of the world did then esteme them first he stretched out his hand to the condemning and burning of Lambert Anno. 1540. then after he gaue out those Iniunctions aboue prefixed now further to encrease this opinion with all men The Popes crafty factorâ— in England in the yeare next folowing which was of the Lorde 540. through the deuise and practise of certayne of the Popes factors about him he suÌ„moned a solemne ParliameÌ„t to be holden at Westminster the 28. day of Aprill of all the states and Burgeses of the Realme Also a Synode or conuocation of all the Archbishops Bishops and other learned of the Clergy of thys Realme to be in like maner assembled The Acte of the vi Articles In which ParliameÌ„t Synode or conuocation certein Articles maters and questions touching religioÌ„ were decreed by certein prelates The 6. Articles to the nuÌ„ber especially of 6. commonly called the 6. Articles or the whip with 6. stringes to be had receiued among the kings subiects in pretence of vnity But what vnity therof folowed y e groning harts of a great number and also the cruell death of diuers both in the dayes of K. Henry of Queene Mary can so well declare as I pray God neuer the lyke be felt hereafter The doctrine of these wicked articles in the bloudy act conteined although it be worthy of no memory amongest christen men but rather deserueth to be buried in perpetuall obliuion yet for that the office of history compelleth vs therunto for the more light of posterity to come faythfully and truly to comprise thinges done in the church as well one as another this shal be briefely to recapitulate y e suÌ„me effect of the foresayd 6. articles in order as they were geuen out and hereunder do folow The first Article THe first Article in this present Parliament accorded and agreed vpon was this that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultar by the strength and efficacy of Christes mighty worde it being spoken by the priest is present really vnder the forme of bread and wine the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ conceiued of the virgine Mary and that after the coÌ„secration there remayneth no substaunce of bread or Wyne or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man The 2. Article Secondly that the communion in both
for the second time being duely conuicted it was made felonie as the other were In this constitution if the Lord Cromwell and other good men of the Parliament might haue had their wyll there is no doubt but the first crime of these concubinarye Priests as well as the second had had the same penaltie as the other vj. Articles had and should haue bene punished with death But Steuen Gardiner with his felowe Byshops who then ruled all the roste so basted this extraordinarie Article with their accustomed shiftes that if they were taken and duely conuicte for their not castè nor cautè at first time it was but forfaite of goodes Also for the second conuiction or atteinder they so prouided that the next yeare folowing that punishment and paine of death by Acte of Parliamente 〈◊〉 an 〈…〉 c. 10. was cleane wiped away and repealed And why so Because sayeth the Statute that punishment by payne of deathe is very sore and much extreme therefore it pleaseth the Kyng wyth the assente of the Lordes that that clause aboue written concerning felonie and paynes of deathe and other penalties and forfaitures for and vpon the first and seconde conuiction or atteynder of anye Prieste or woman The Acte aâ—ainst the â—horedome 〈◊〉 Priestes 〈◊〉 â—fter what 〈◊〉 for anye suche offences of whoredome or aduoutrie aforesayde shall be from hencefoorth voyde and of none effecte c. So that by this statute it was prouided for all suche votaries as liued in whoredome and adulterie for the first offence to lose his goodes and all his spirituall promotions except one For the second to forfaite all that he had to the King For the third conuiction to susteyne continuall imprisonment In these vngodly proceedings of the Popes Catholicke Clergie two things we haue to note The maniâ—est impiety â—f the popes â—octrine â—isclosed 1. First the horrible impietie of their doctrine directly fighting against the expresse authoritie of God his word forasmuch as that which God permitteth they restrayne that which he biddeth they forbid Habeat sayeth he non habeat say they taking exceptions agaynste the worde of the Lord. That which he calleth honorable and vndefiled they call heresie that which he cuÌ„mendeth and instituteth they punish with paynes of death Not onely the Priestes that marry but them also that say or cyphre that a Prieste may marry at the first they kill as felons Neither can any Miserere take place for chaste and lawfull wedlocke where as coÌ„trariwise a spirituall man may thrise defile his neighbours wife or thrise defloure his Brothers daughter and no felonie at all layde to his charge What is this in plaine words to say but that it is lesse sinne thrise to commit aduoutry then once to marry 2. The seconde is to be noted how these paynted hypocrites doe bewray their false dissembled dealinges vnawares with whome a man might thus reason Tell vs you Priests and votaries Dilemma â—gainst 〈◊〉 that will not marry which so precisely flie the state of Matrimonie intende you to liue chaste and are able so to do without wiues or do you keepe your selues chaste honest without them and without burning or not If ye be not able why then mary you not why take you not the remedy appointed of God Why make you those vowes which you can not performe or why do you not breake them being made falling thereby in daunger of breakyng Gods commandemeÌ„t for keeping your owne If you be able and so do intend to coÌ„tinue an honest and a continent conuersation without wiues then shall I aske of you according as Doct. Turner grauely truely layeth to your charge why do you so carefully prouide a remedie by your lawes aforehand for a mischiefe to come whiche you may auoide if ye list Doct. Turâ—eâ— huntyng â—he Romish Foxe vnlesse eyther ye listed not to stand though ye might or else saw your owne infirmitie that you could not though ye would And therefore fearing your owne weake fragilitie you prouide wisely for your selues aforehand that where other shall suffer paines of death at the first for well doing you may fall thrise in abhominable adultery and yet by the law haue your liues pardoned And heere commeth out your owne hypocrisie by your selues bewrayed For where as you all confesse that you are able to liue chaste if ye wil without wiues this moderation of the lawe prouided before against your aduouterous incontinencie playnely declareth that eyther ye purpose willingly to fal or at least ye feare and stand in doubt not to be able to stand And why then do you so confidently take such vowes vpon you standing in such doubt and feare for the performance thereof And be it to you admitted that all do not fall but that some keepe their vow The Paâ—istes beâ—â—ay their 〈…〉 though some viciously run to other mens wiues and daughters then here againe I aske you seeing these vicious whorehunters and aduouterous persons amongst you do liue viciously as you can not deny and may do otherwise if they list as you coÌ„fesse what punishmeÌ„t then are they worthy to haue which may liue coÌ„tinent and wil not neither yet will take the remedy prouided by God but refuse it Which beyng so then what iniquitie is this in you or rather impietie inexcusable against God and man to procure a moderation of lawes for such The impiety of the Papistes inexcusable and to shew such compassion and clemeÌ„cie to these so heynous adulterers whorehunters and beastly fornicators that if they adulterate other mens wiues neuer so oft yet there is no death for them and to shew no compassion at all nor to finde out any moderation for such but at the very first to kill theÌ„ as felons and heretickes which honestly doe mary in the feare of God or once say that a Priest may mary How can ye heare be excused O you children of iniquitie What reason is in your doyng or what truth in your doctrine or what feare of God in your harts You that neither are able to auoyde burnyng pollutioÌ„ without wedlocke nor yet will receaue that remedy that the Lord hath giuen you how will you stand in his face wheÌ„ hee shall reuele your operations and cogitations to your perpetuall confusion vnlesse by tyme ye conuert and repent And thus beyng ashamed of your execrable doyngs I cease to defile my penne any further in this so stinkyng matter of yours leauyng you to the Lord. It was declared before Read afore pag. 1130. pag. 1136. that what tyme these vi Articles were in hand in the Parliament house Cranmer then beyng Archbyshop of Canterbury onely withstoode the same disputyng iij. dayes agaynst them whose reasons and Arguments I wish were extant and remaynyng After these Articles were thus passed and concluded the kyng who alwayes bare especiall fauour vnto Cranmer perceiuyng him to bee not a litle discomforted therewith sent all the Lordes of the Parlament and
the king to the conuocation house sent him therewith to the Conuocation house among the Byshops Cromwell commyng with the kynges signet boldly into the Clergy house and there placyng himselfe among the Byshops W. Warham beyng then Archbyshop begā to make his Oration declaryng to them the authoritie of a kyng and the office of subiectes and especially the obedience of Byshops Churchmen vnder publicke lawes necessaryly prouided for the profite quyet of the cōmon wealth Which lawes notwithstandyng they had all transgressed highly offended in derogation of the kynges royall estate fallyng in the law of Premunire in that no◠onely they had consented to the power Legatiue of the Cardinall For the copie of the Bishops 〈◊〉 to the Pope read before pag. 1025. The clergy condemned in the Premunire Syr Tho. Cromwell made knight and M. of the kinges Iewel house but also in that they had all sworne to the Pope contrary to the fealtie of their soueraigne Lord the kyng therfore had forfeyted to the kyng all their goodes cattels landes possessions and whatsoeuer liuynges they had The Byshops hearyng this were not a litle amased and first began to excuse and deny the fact But after that Cromwell had shewed them the very copie of their othe made to the Pope at their cōsecration and the matter was so playne that they could not deny it they begā to shrinke and to fall to entreatie desiryng respite to pause vpon the matter Notwithstandyng the end thereof fell so out that to be quite of that Premunire by Act of Parliament it cost them to the kyng for both the prouinces Canterbury and Yorke no lesse then .118840 poundes whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 1530. whereof before you may read more at large pag. 1020. After this an 1522. Syr Thomas Cromwell growyng in great fauour with the kyng Cromwell made M. of the Rolles Cromwell made knight of the Garter was made Knight Maister of the kynges Iewell house shortly after was admitted also into the kynges Coūsaile which was about the commyng in of Queene Anne Bullen Furthermore within two yeares ofter the same an 1524. he was made Maister of the Rolles Doct. Taylor beyng discharged Thus Cromwel springyng vp in fauour and honour after this in the yeare .1527 a litle before the byrth of kyng Edward was made Knight of the Garter L. Cromwell made Earle of Essex great Chamberlaine of England and Vicegerent to the king not long after was aduaunced to the Earledome of Essex and made great Chamberlaine of England Ouer and besides all which honours he was constitute also Uicegerent to the kyng representyng his person Whiche office although it standeth well by the law yet seldome hath there bene sene any besides this Cromwell alone either to haue susteined it or els to haue so furnished the same with counsayle and wisedome as Cromwell did And thus much hytherto cōcernyng the steppes and degrees of the Lord Cromwels risyng vp to dignitie and high estate Now somewhat would be sayd likewise of the noble Actes the memorable examples and worthy vertues not drowned by ease of honour in him but encreased rather quickened by aduauncemēt of authority place to work more abundantly in the common wealth Among y t which his woorthy actes and other manyfolde vertues in thys one chiefely aboue all other riseth his commendation The actes and doinges of the L. Cromwell described for his singular zeale and laborious trauaile bestowed in restoring the true Church of Christ and subuerting the Synagogue of Antichrist the Abbeyes I meane and religious houses of Friers and Monkes For so it pleased almighty God by the meanes of the said Lord Cromwell to induce the King to suppresse first the Chauntries then the Friers houses and small Monasteries till at length all the Abbeys in England both great and lesse were vtterly ouerthrowne and pluckt vp by the rootes The which acte and enterprise of him as it may geue a president of singular zeale to all Realmes christened which no Prince yet to this day scarse dare folow so to this Realme of Englande it wrought such benefit commoditie as the fruite thereof yet remayneth and will remayne still in the Realme of Englande though we seeme little to feele it Rudely and simply I speake what I suppose without preiudice of other which can inferre any better reason In the meane time my reason is this that if God had not raised vp thys Cromwell as he did to be the instrument of rooting out of the Abbeyes and Celles of straunge religion The L. Cromwel a profitable instrument in suppressing Abbayes what other men see I know not for my part I neuer yet saw in thys Realme any such Cromwell since Cromwels time whose hart and courage might not sooner haue bene subuerted with the money and bribes of Abbots then he to haue subuerted any Abbey in all England But heere I must of necessitie answeare the complaynt of certayne of our countrey men For so I heare of many the subuersion of these Monasteries to be reprehended The defence of the L. Cromwell for ouerthrowing the Abbayes as euill and wicked The building say they mighte haue bene conuerted vnto schooles and houses of learning The goodes and possessions might haue bene bestowed to much better and more godly vse of the poore and mainteining of hospitalitie Neyther do I denie but that these thyngs are well and godly spoken of them and could willingly embrace their opinion with my whole hart if I did not consider heerein a more secret and deeper meaning of Gods holy prouidence then at the first blush peraduenture to all men doth appeare And first to omit the wicked and execrable life of these religious orders The abhominable life in Monasteryes bewrayed by their owne confessiō ful of al feditie found out by the Kings visitours and in their Registers also recorded so horrible to be heard so incredible to be beleeued so stinking before the face of God and man that no maruayle it is if Gods vengeance from heauen prouoked woulde not suffer anye stone or monument of these abhominable houses to be vnplucked vp But as I sayd letting these things passe vnder chaste silence whiche for very shame will abhorre any storie to disclose let vs now come to the first institution of these orders and houses of Monkerie and consider howe and to what end they were first instituted and erected here among the Saxons at the first foundation of them about the time 666. In the former parte of thys Hystorie declaration was made before Read afore pag. 133.134 page 133.134 first by whome and at what time these Monkish houses heere in England among the Saxons flowing no doubt out of the order of Saint Benet The first beginning of religious houses in the time of the Saxons and brought in by Augustine began first to be founded as by Augustine the Monke Furseus Medulphus
to Maister Shiriffe sayd haue ye any Articles agaynst me for the which I am condemned No cause shewed why Doct. Barnes dyed And the Shriffe aunswered no. Then sayd he is there here any mā els that knoweth wherfore I dye or that by my preachyng hath takē any errour Let them now speake I will make thē aunswere And no man aunswered Then sayd he well I am condēned by the law to dye as I vnderstand by an Acte of Parliamēt but wherfore I cānot tell D. Barnes praying for his enemyes but belike for heresie for we are lyke to burne But they that haue bene the occasiō of it I pray God forgeue them as I would be forgeuen my selfe And Doct. Stephē Byshop of Winchester that now is if he haue sought or wrought this my death either by word or deede I pray God forgiue him as hartly as freely as charitably and without faynyng as euer Christ forgaue them that put him to death And if any of the Counsell or any other haue sought or wrought it through malice or ignoraūce I pray God forgiue their ignoraunce and illuminate their eyes that they may see and aske mercy for it I beseeche you all to pray for the kynges grace as I haue done euer since I was in prison and do now that God may geue him prosperitie and that he may long raigne amōg you D. Barnes prayeth for the king after him that godly Prince Edward may so raigne that he may finishe those thynges that his father hath begon I haue bene reported a preacher of sedition disobedience vnto the kyngs Maiestie but heare I say to you that you al are bound by the commaūdement of God to obey your Prince with all humilitie with all your hart yea not so much as in a looke to shew your selues disobedient vnto him that not onely for feare of the sword but also for conscience sake before God Yea and I say further if the kyng should cōmaunde you any thyng agaynst Gods law if it be in your power to resist him yet may you not do it Then spake he to the Shiriffe and sayd M. Shiriffe I require you on Gods behalfe 5. requestes of Doct. Barnes to the king to haue me cōmēded vnto the kynges grace to shewe him that I require of his grace these fiue requestes First that where his grace hath receaued into his handes all the goodes and substaunce of the Abbeyes Then the Shiriffe desired him to stop there The 1. request He aunswered Maister Shiriffe I warrant you I will speake no harme for I know it is well done y t all such superstition be cleane taken away and the kyngs grace hath well done in takyng it awaye But his grace is made a whole kyng The king of England made a whole king by poore preachers and obeyed in his Realme as a kyng which neither his father nor graūdfather neither his aunceters that raigned before him euer had that through the preachyng of vs and such other wretches as we are which alwayes haue applied our whole studies and giuen our selues for the settyng forth of the same and this is now our reward Well it maketh no matter Now he raigneth among you I pray God long may he liue and raigne among you Would to God it might please his grace to bestow the sayd goodes or some of them to the comfort of his poore subiectes which surely haue great neede of them The second that I desire his grace is that he will see that matrimonie be had in more reuerence then it is and that men for euery light cause inuented The second request of Doctor Barnes to the king cast not off theyr wiues and liue in adultery and fornication and that those that be not maried should not abhominably liue in whoredome folowing the filthy lustes of the fleshe The third that the abhominable swearers may be punished and straightly looked vpon The 3. request for the vengeance of God wil come on them for their mischieuous othes Then desired he maister Pope to haue him commended to Maister Edgar Doct. Barnes request to M. Edgar to leaue swearing and to desire him for the deare bloud of Iesu Christ that he woulde leaue that abhominable swearing which he vsed for surely except he did forsake it he woulde come to some mischieuous ende The fourth that his grace would set forth Christs true Religion The 4. request and seeing he hath begon that he would go forward and make an end for many things haue bene done but much more is to do and that it would please his grace to looke on Gods word himselfe for that it hath ben obscured with many traditions inuented of our owne braynes Now said he how many petitions haue I spoken of And the people said foure Well said he euen these foure be sufficiente whiche I desire you that the Kinges grace may be certified of and say that I most humbly desire him to looke earnestly vpon them and that his grace take heede that he be not deceiued with false preachers and teachers and euill councell for Christ sayth that such false Prophets shal come in Lambes skinnes Then desired he all men to forgeue him and if hee had sayd any euill at any time vnaduisedly whereby he had offended any man or geuen anye occasion of euill that they would forgiue it him and amende that euill they tooke of him Doct. Barnes cleareth himselfe of al heresi and to beare him witnes that he detested and abhorred all euill opinions and doctrines against the worde of God and that he died in the faith of Iesu Christ by whom he doubted not but to be saued And with those words he desired them all to pray for him and then he turned him about and put off his clothes making him ready to the fire paciently there to take his death The like confession made also Hierome and Garret professing in like maner their beliefe reciting all the articles of the Christian faith briefly declaring their myndes vpon euery article The protestatiō and confession of Hierome and Garret as the time would suffer whereby the people might vnderstand that there was no cause nor errour in their fayth wherefore iustly they ought to be condemned Protesting moreouer that they denied nothyng that was eyther in the old or new Testament set foorth by their soueraigne Lorde the King whome they prayed the Lord long to continue amongst them with his most deare sonne Prince Edward Which done Hierome addeth this exhortation in few words folowing I say vnto you good breethren that God hath bought vs all with no small price neyther with golde nor siluer The exhortation of Hierome 〈◊〉 the people or other such things of small value but with his most precious bloud Be not vnthankefull therefore to him againe but do as much as to Christian men belongeth to fulfill his commaundementes that is loue your brethren Loue
Damlip brought to Calice to suffer setting out of London conueyed the sayde Adam Damlyp vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen and there committed him to the Maiors prison Upon whiche daye Iohn Butler the Commissary aforesayd and Syr Daniell his Curate of S. Peters were also committed to the same prison and commandement geuen no man to speake with Butler Upon Saterday next was the day of execution for Damlyp The cause whiche firste they layd to his charge was for heresie But because by an acte of Parliamente all suche offences done before a certayne daye were pardoned through which Acte he could not be burdened with anye thing that he had preached or taught before yet for the receiuing of the foresayd French crowne of Cardinall Pole as you heard before he was condemned of treason and in Calice cruelly put to death being drawne hanged and quartered The death and Martyrdome of Damlyp The daye before his execution came vnto hym one M. Mote The constant courage of Adam Damlip not caring for his death then person of our Lady Church of Calice saying your foure quarters shall be hanged at four partes of the towne And where shall my head be sayd Damlip Upon the Lanterne gate said Mote Then Damlip answeared Then shall I not neede to prouide for my buriall At hys death Sir Rafe Ellerker Knight then knight Marshall there would not suffer the innocent godly maÌ„ to declare either his faith or the cause he died for but sayd to the executioner dispatch the knaue haue done For sir Wil. Mote appointed there to preache declared to the people how he had bene a sower of seditious doctrine and albeit he was for y e pardoned by the generall pardon yet he was coÌ„demned for being a traytor against the king To the which wheÌ„ Adam Damlip would haue replied purged himselfe the foresaid Sir Rafe Ellerker would not suffer him to speake a word but commanded him to be had away And so most meckely Damlip falsly accused of treason innocently put to death patiently and ioyfully the blessed and innocent Martyr tooke his death sir Rafe Elerker saying that he would not away before he saw the traytors hart out But shortly after the sayd Sir Rafe Ellerker in a skirmishe or roade betweene the Frenchmen and vs at Bullayne was among other slayne An example of Gods iust reuengment Whose onely death sufficed not his enemies but after they had stripped him starke naked they cut off his priuie members and cut the hart out of his bodye and so leaft him a terrible example to all bloudy and mercilesse men For no cause was knowne why they shewed such indignation against the saide sir Rafe Ellerker more then against the rest but that it is written Faciens iustitias Dominus iudicia omnibus iniuria pressis As touching Ioh. Butler and sir Daniel his Curate imprisoned as ye heard the same day with Damlip vpon Sonday next following An other trouble of Iohn Buâ—leâ— and Syr Daniell his Curate they were coÌ„mitted to Io. Massy aforesayd keeper of the Marshalsey and his company and brought to the Marshalsey where he continued and his Curate nine moneths and more At last being sore laid vnto by Sir George Gage Sir Iohn Baker and Sir Thomas Arundell knightes but especially by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for y e reteining of Adam Damlip yet by friendes soliciting the Kings highnes for him namely sir Leonard Musgraue and his brother Baunster Ex scripto testimoniâ— Caletienâ—â—â—â— who were bounde for his appearance in a thousande pound he at length by great labour and long time was discharged and at last by licence permitted to returne to Calice againe Ex scripto testimonio Caletiensium Furthermore as touching William Steuens aboue mentioned who remained all this while prisoner in the Tower W. Steuens an earnest Protest are falsly condemned for Poperye the same was also condemned with Adam Damlip of treason which was for note and crime of Popery in lodging Adam Damlip which came from Cardinal Poole the traytor in his house at the Lord Deputies commaundement Notwithstanding the King afterwarde vnderstanding more of the said William Steuens how innocent he was from that crime W. Steuens with the rest pardoned by the king being knowne to all men to be an earnest and zelous Protestant gaue him his pardon and sent him home againe to Calice and so likewise all the other thirteene aboue mentioned The story of a poore labouring man in Calyce BY the credible information writing of the said Calyce men which were then in trouble A poore 〈◊〉 burned at Calice for the right faith of the Sacrament it is reported of a certaine poore laboring maÌ„ of Calice who after the preaching of Adam Damlyp being in certaine company said that he would neuer beleeue that a priest coulde make the Lordes body at his pleasure Wherupon he was then accused and also condemned by one Haruey Commissary there Which Haruey in time of his iudgement inueying against hym with opprobrious words sayd that he was an heretike should die a vile death The poore man whose name yet I haue not certainly learned answering for himselfe againe saide that hee was no hereticke but was in the fayth of Christ. A notable example of Gods iudgâ—â—ment vpon bloudy perâ—secuter And where as thou sayest said he that I shall dye a vile death thou thy selfe shalt dye a viler death and that shortly and so it came to passe for within halfe a yeare after the said Haruey was hanged drawne and quartered for treason in the sayd towne of Calice An other history of one Dodde a Scottish man burned in Calice AFter the burning of this poore man there was also an other certaine scholer counted to be a Scottish man One Dodâ—â— burned in Calice named Dodde who coÌ„ming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him and being examined thereupon and standing constantly to the truth that hee had learned was therefore condemned to death and there burned in the sayd towne of Calice within the space of a yeare or thereabout after the other godly Martyr aboue mentioned And for so much as I am presently in hand wyth matters of Calice The story 〈◊〉 W. Crosbowmaker bearing a billet in Calice I can not passe from thence without memorie of an other certayne honest man of the same township named William Button aliâs Crosbowmaker although the time of this story is a litle more ancieÌ„t in yeares which story is this William Crosbowmaker a souldier of Calice and the kings seruant being a man as some natures be W. Crosbowmaker questions somwhat pleasantly disposed vsed when he met with Priests to demaund of them certayne merry questions of pastyme as these Whether if a man were sodenly taken and wanted an other thing he might not without offence occupy one of the Popes pardons in steede of a broken paper Another question was whether
wreaked During the time of these sixe articles aforesayd which brought many good men vnto death yet so it happened by another contrary acte sette forth before for the kinges supremacy as ye haue heard that the contrary sect also of the Papistes was not all in quiet For besides the death of Moore and the Bishop of Rochester and the other Charterhouse Monkes Friers and Priestes aboue specified about this yeare were also condemned and executed by the same law two other Larke Priest of Chelsey Germaine Gardine traytors agaynst◠the kings supremacye of whom one was a Priest of Chelsey named Larke which was put to death at London for defending the B. of Romes supremacy aboue the kynges authority The other was Germine Gardiner nere kinsman to Steuen Gardiner and yet more neare to his secret coūsell as it is supposed who likewise in practising for the Pope agaynst the kings iurisdiction was taken wyth the maner and so brought vnto the Gibbet Upon the detection of this Germaine Gardiner being Secretary to Gardiner bishop of Winchester his kinsman it semed to some Suspitiō against Steuē Gardiner and so was also insinuated vnto the king not to be vnlike but that the sayd Germain neither would nor durst euer attempt any such matter of popery without some setting on or consent of the Bishop he being so nere vnto him to all his secrets as he was Wherby the king began somewhat more to smell and misdoubt the doinges of the Bishop but yet he so couertly and clearely conueyed his matters playing vnder the boord after his wonted fetches in such sort as I can not tel how still he kept in with the king to the great inquietatiō of the publick state of the Realme and especially of Christes Church In declaring the dreadfull lawe before set forthe of the sixe ayticles which was an 1540. ye heard what penaltye was appoynted for the breach of the same in like case as in treason felony so that no remedy of any recātatiō would serue Stat. an 35. Reg. Henr. 8. This seueritye was a little mitigated by an other Parliament holden afterward an 1544. by the which parliament it was decreede that such offenders which were conuict in the sayd articles for the first time should be admitted to recant and renounce their opinions And if the party refused to recant in such forme as should be layd vnto him by his Ordinary or after his recantation The rigour of the 6. articles a little aswaged if he eftsoones offended agayne then for the second time he should be admitted to abiure and beare a fagot Which if he denyed to do or els being adiured if he the third time offended then he to susteine punishment according to the Lawe c. Although the straitnes rigor of the former act was thus somewhat tempered as ye see and reformed by this presēt Parliament yet notwithstanding the venome and poison of the errors and mischiefe of those articles remayned still behind not remoued but rather confirmed by this Parliament aforesayd By the which Parliament moreouer many thinges were prouided for the aduauncement of Popery vnder the coulor of religion so that all maner of books of the old and new Testament bearing the name of Will Tindall or any other hauing Prologues or conteining any matters annotations preambles wordes or sentēces contrary to the sixe articles were debarred In like maner all songs playes and Enterludes with all other books in English conteining matter of religion tending any way agaynst the sayd articles were abolished In the which Parliament furthermore it was prouided that the text of the new Testament or of the Bible being prohibited to all women artificers prentises iourneimen seruingmen yeomen husbandmen and laborers yet was permitted notwithstanding to noble men and gentle men gentlewomen to read and peruse to their edifying so that they did it quietly without arguing discussing or expounding vpon the Scripture Ouer and besides Qualification of the acte of the 6. articles wheras before the offender or defendaunt might not be suffered to bring in any witnesses to purge and try himself In this Parliament it was permitted to the party detect or complayned on to try his cause by witnesses as many or mo in nūber as the other which deposed agaynst him c. Other qualifications of the acte of the sixe Articles AFter this Parliament moreouer folowed an other parliament an 1545. wherein other qualifications more speciall of the sixe articles were prouided That where as before the cruell statute of the sixe articles was so strayt y t if any of the kinges subiectes had bene cōplayned of by any maner of person as wel being his enemy as otherwise he should be indicted presently vpon the same without anye further examination or knowledge geuē to the party so accused so thereupon to be attached committed and in fine to be condemned it was therfore by this parliamēt prouided that all such presentmentes and indictmentes shoulde not be brought before the Commissioners otherwise then by the othes of xij men or moe of honesty and credit with out corruption or malice accordingly Item that no such indictmentes or presentmentes should be taken but within one yeare of the offences committed eyther els the sayd indictmentes to stand voyd in the law Item that no person accused vpon any such offence agaynst the sixe articles should be attached or committed to ward before he were therof indicted vnlesse by speciall warrant from the king c. Item by the authority of the sayd Parliament it was considered and enacted that if any preacher or reader for any word spoken supposed to be agaynst the sixe articles shoulde be accused not within the space of 40. dayes of the sayd his reading or preaching then the partie accused to be acquited Item that the Iustices or inquirers of suche presentmentes should haue full power to alter and reforme all panelles of inquirie returned before them in like maner as the Iustices of peace may do in theyr Sessions vpon any other inquiries Item that the party so accused or indicted vppon his tryall may haue all manner of chalenges peremptory onely excepted as other persons arraigned for felony may haue by the lawes of this realme Stat. anno 1545. R. Hen. 8. By these qualifications moderatiōs of the 6. articles it may appere that the king begā somwhat to grow out of fauor with Ste. Gardiner to discredit his doings wherby he was y e more forward to incline somewhat in furthering the desolate cause of religiō as may appeare both by these premisses also by other prouisions determinations of the foresayd parliament an 1545. wherein it was decreed by act of parliamēt A Statute for examination of tha Canon law y t the king should haue full power authority to appoynt 32. persons to wit 16. of y e clergy 16. of the tēporalty to peruse ouersee examine the Canōs cōstitutions ordinaūces
ere this time But to let this matter of syr George Blage passe wee will now reduce our storie againe to Anne Askew and her fellowe Martyrs who the same weeke were burned and could finde no pardon Anno 1546. Then the Catholicke fathers when they had broughte this christian woman wyth the residue as aboue hath ben declared vnto theyr rest they being now in their ruffe and triumph like as the Phariseis when they hadde broughte Christ to his graue deuised w t themselues howe to keepe him down stil to ouertreade truth for euer Whereupon consulting with certaine of the Counsell they made oute a straight and harde proclamation authorised by the kinges name for the abolishing of the scripture al such English bookes which might geue any light to the setting foorth of Gods true word and grace of the Gospel the copie and tenour of which Proclamation is this as followeth A Proclamation for the abolishing of English bookes after the death of Anne Askew set forth by the king An. 1546. the 8. day of Iuly THe kings most excellent Maiestie vnderstanding howe vnder pretence of expounding and declaring the truthe of Goddes Scripture A proclamation for the abolishing of Englishe bookes diuers leud and euil disposed persons haue taken occasion to vtter and sow abroade by bookes imprinted in the English tongue sondry pernitious and detestable errours heresies not onely contrary to the lawes of this realme but also repugnant to the true sence of Gods law and his word Nay rather for the ignorance and lack of Gods Scripture many haue taken occasion of error heresies â—ntollerable by reason whereof certaine men of late to the destruction of their owne bodies soules and to the euill example of others haue attempted arrogaÌ„tly and malitiously to impugne the truth and therewith trouble the sober quiet and godly Religion vnited and established vnder the kings Maiestie in this his realme his highnesse minding to foresee the daungers that myght ensue of the sayd bookes is enforced to vse hys generall prohibition commaundement and proclamation as followeth First that from henceforth no man woman or person of what estate The new â—estament of Tindals of Couerdals translation in Englishe forbidden condition or degree so euer he or they be shal after the last day of August next ensuing receiue haue take or keepe in his or their possession the text of the newe Testament of Tyndalles or Couerdales translation in English nor any other then is permitted by the Acte of Parliament made in the Session of the Parliament holden at Westminster in the 34. or 35. yere of his maiesties most noble raigne nor after the sayd day shall receiue haue take or keepe in his or their possession any maner of bookes prynted or wrytten in the English tongue which be or shal be set forth in the names of Frith Tindal Wickliffe Ioy Roy Basil Bale Barnes Couerdale Englishe bookes in Scripture reâ—â—rayned Turner Tracy or by any of them or any other booke or bookes containing matter contrary to the sayde Acte made An 34 or 35. but shall before the last day of August next coÌ„ming deliuer the same English booke or bookes to his maister in that housholde if hee be a seruaunt or dwell vnder any other and the maister or ruler of the house suche other as dwell at large shall deliuer all such bookes of the sortes aforesaid as they haue or shal come to their haÌ„ds deliuered as afore or otherwise to the Maior Bailiffe or chiefe Constable of the towne where they dwell to be by them deliuered ouer openly within 40. daies next folowing after the said deliuerie to the Shiriffe of the shire or to the Byshops Chancellour Commissary of the same diocesse to the entent the said Bishop Chauncellour Commissary and Shiriffe and euery of them shall cause them incontinently to be openly burned which thing the kinges Maiesties pleasure is that euery of them shall see executed in most effectuall sort â—urning of â—cripture â—ookes and of their doings thereof make certificate to the kings Maiesties most honourable Councell before the 1. of October next comming And to the intent that no man shall mistrust any daunger of such penall statutes as be passed in this behalfe for the keeping of the sayd bookes the kings Maiestie is most graciously contented by this proclamation A baitâ— to bâ—ing in bookes to pardon that offence to the sayd time appoynted by this proclamation for the deliuery of the said bokes and commaundeth that no Bishoppe Chauncellor Commissarie Maior Bailiffe Shiriffe or Constable shall be curious to marke who bringeth foorth such bookes but only order burne them openly as is in this proclamation ordered And if any man after the last day of August next comming shall haue any of the sayde bookes in his keeping or be proued and conuinced by sufficient witnesse before 4. of the kings most honourable counsail to haue hidden theÌ„ or vsed theÌ„ or any copy of any of them or any parte of theÌ„ wherby it shuld appeare that he willingly hath offeÌ„ded the true meaning of this proclamation the same shall not onely suffer imprisonment and punishment of his body at the kings maiesties will and pleasure The penaltye limited but also shall make suche fine and raunsome to his highnesse for the same as by his Maiestie or 4. of hys graces said counsaile shal be determined c. Finally his Maiestie straightly chargeth and commandeth that no person or persons of what estate degree or condition so euer he or they be from the day of this proclamation presume to bring any maner of English booke concerning any maner of Christian religion printed in the parties beyonde the seas into this realme to sell geue or disâ—â—ibute any English booke printed in outwarde parties or the copie of any such booke or any part thereof to any persone dwelling within this his graces realme or any other hys maiesties dominions vnlesse the same shal be specially licenced so to doe by his highnesse expresse graunâ— to be obtained in writing for the same vppon the paines before limited and therewithall to incurre his maiesties extreeme indignation For so much as it is hath alwayes bene the common guise and practise of the popes church to extinct condemne and abolish all good bookes and holesome treatises of learned men vnder a false pretence of errors heresies The vntrue dealing of the Papistes in gathering heresies where none is wherof examples aboundantly maye appeare in this historie aboue Now for the better triall hereof to see and trie the impudent shamelesse vanitie of these Catholicke ClergimeÌ„ in mistaking falsifying deprauing blaspheming and slandering where they haue no cause against al right honest dealing yea against their own knowledge conscience and manifest verity of Gods worde I shall therfore desire the attentiue Reader before we passe any further to consider expend here 2. things by the way First what opinioÌ„s
be all these fantasies for if you perseuer in these erroneous opinions ye wil repent it when you may not mende it Thomas saide I trust my cause be iust in the presence of God Thomas Forret Fryer Iohn Kelow fryer Benerage Dunkane Simpson Priest Rob. Foster gentleman with 3. or 4. other of Striueling Martyrs and therefore I passe not muche what doe followe thereupon and so my Lorde and he departed at that tyme. And soone after a Summons was directed from the Cardinall of S. Andrewes and the sayde Bishop of Dunkelden vpon the saide Deane Thomas Forret vpon 2. blacke Friers called frier Iohn Kelowe and an other called Benarage and vpon one priest of Striueling called Duncane Sympson and one Gentleman called Robert Foster in Striuelyng with other three or foure wyth them of the towne of Striuelyng who at the day of their appearaunce after their summoning were coÌ„demned to the death without any place of recantation because as was alleged they were heresiarkes or chiefe heretikes and teachers of heresies and especially because manye of them were at the bridall and marriage of a Priest who was vicar of Twybodye beside Striuelynge and did eate fleshe in Lent at the said bridal and so they were altogether burnt vpon the castle hill of Edenbrough where they that were first bounde to the stake godly and marueilously did comfort them that came behinde Heere foloweth the manner of persecution vsed by the Cardinall of Scotland against certaine persons in Perth Persecuters Martyrs Theyr Causes Dauid Beton Byshop and Cardinall of S. Andrewes Robert Lambe William Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Iames FouÌ„leson Hellen Stirke hys wife FIrst there was a certaine Acte of Parlamente made in the gouernement of the Lorde Hamleton Earle of Arran Anno. 154â— and Gouernour of Scotlande geuinge priuiledge to all men of the Realme of Scotlande to reade the Scriptures in their mother tongue and language secluding neuerthelesse all reasoning conference conuocation of people to heare the Scriptures reade or expounded Proclamation in Scotland permitting the priuâ—te â—eading of Scripture Which liberty of priuate reading being granted by publike proclamation lacked not hys owne â—ruite so that in sondrie partes of Scotland therby were opened the eies of the elect of God to see the truthe and abhorre the Papistical abhominations Amongest the which were certaine persones in S. Iohnston as after is declared At thys time there was a Sermone made by Fryer Spense Blasphemous doctriâ—e of a Papist Robert Lambe Martyr in saint Iohnston aliâs called Perth affirmynge prayer made â—o saintes to be so necessarye that wythoute it there coulde be no hope of saluation to man Whyche blasphemous doctrine a Burges of the sayd towne called Robert Lambe could not abide but accused hym in open audience of erroneous doctrine and adiured hym in Gods name to vtter the trueth The which the Frier being striken with feare promised to doe but the trouble tumulte and sturre of the people encreased so that the Frier coulde haue no audience and yet the sayde Roberte wyth greate daunger of his life escaped the handes of the multitude Robert Lambe in great daunger namely of the women who contrary to nature addressed them to extreme cruelty against him At this time in the yeare of our Lorde 1543. the ennemies of the truth procured Iohn Chartuous who fauoured the truthe and was Prouost of the saide citie towne of Perth to be deposed from his office by the sayde Gouernours authoritie A papist set in office and a Papist called Maister Alexander Marbecke to be chosen in his roume y t they myght bring the more easily their wicked enterprise to an ende Robert Lambe Will. Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Hellen Styrke his wyfe cast in prison After the deposing of the former Prouost and election of the other in the moneth of Ianuary the yere aforesayde on saint Paules day came to sainte Iohnston the Gouernour the Cardinall the Earle of Argile Iustice sir Iohn Campbell of Lunde knighte and Iustice Deâ—orte the Lorde Borthwyke the Bishop of Dumblane and Orkeney with certaine other of the Nobilitie And althoughe there were manye accused for the crime of heresie as they terme it yet these persones were onely apprehended vppon the sayde sainte Paules day Robert Lambe William Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Iames Founleson and Hellen Stirke his wife and cast that night in the Spay tower of the sayde Citie the morowe to abide iudgement Uppon the morrowe when they appeared and were brought foorth to iudgement in the towne was said in generall to all their charge the violating of the Acte of Parliament before expressed and their conference and assemblies in hearing and expoundinge of scripture againste the tenour of the sayde Acte Robert Lambe was accused in speciall for interrupting of the Frier in the pulpit whyche he not onely confessed but also affirmed constantly that it was the duetie of no manne whych vnderstood and knewe the trueth to heare the same impugned wythoute contradiction and therefore sundry which there were presente in iudgement who hidde the knowledge of the truth shoulde beare their burden in Gods presence for consenting to the same The sayde Robert also wyth William Anderson and Iames Raueleson were accused for hanging vp the image of S. Fraunces in a corde Lambe Anderson Raueleson for hanging S. Fraunces in a corde Iames Hunter for vsing suspect company nailing of Rammes hornes to his head and a Cowes rumpe to hys taile and for eatinge of a goose on Alhalow euen Iames Hunter being a simple man and wythout learning and a Fletcher by occupation so that hee coulde be charged wyth no greate knowledge in Doctrine yet because he often vsed the suspect companye of the rest he was accused The woman Hellen Stirke was accused for that in her childbed she was not accustomed to cal vpon the name of the virgine Mary Hellen Styrke for calling vpon Iesus and not our Lady in childebed being exhorted thereto by her neyghbours but onely vpon God for Iesus Christes sake and because she said in like maner that if she her selfe had beene in the time of the virgin Mary God might haue looked to her humilitie and base estate as hee did to the virgines in making her the mother of Christe thereby meaninge that there was no merites in the virgine whyche procured her that honour to be made the mother of Christe and to bee preferred before other women but Gods only free mercy exalted her to that estate Whiche woordes were counted moste execrable in the face of the Clergie and whole multitude Iames Raueleson aforesayde building a house set vppon the round of his fourth staire the 3. crowned diademe of Peter carued of tree which the cardinal tooke as done in mockage of his Cardinals hat and this procured no fauor to the sayd Iames at theyr handes These forenamed persones vppon the morrowe aftâ—â— sainte Paules day were condemned and iudged
to deathe and that by an Assise for violatinge as was alleaged the Acte of Parliament in reasoning and conferrynge vppon Scriptures for eating flesh vppon dayes forbidden for interrupting the holy frier in the pulpitte for dishonouryng of Images and blaspheming of the virgine Mary as they alleaged After sentence geuen theyr handes were bounde and the men cruelly entreated Which thing the woman beholding desired likewise to be bounde by the sergeantes with her husband for Christes sake There was great intercession made by the Towne in the meane season for the lifâ— of these persones aforenamed to the Gouernour who of him self was willing so to haue done that they myght haue bene deliuered But the Gouernour was so subiect to the appetite of the cruel priestes that he could not do that which he would Yea they manaced to assist his ennemies and to depose him except he assisted their crueltie There were certaine priestes in the Citie who did eate and drinke before in these honest mens houses to whoÌ„ the priestes were much bounden These priestes were earnestly desired to entreate for their hostesse at the Cardinalles handes but they altogether refused desiring rather theyr death then preseruation So cruell are these beastes from the lowest to the highest Then after they were caried by a great band of armed men for they feared rebellion in the towne except they had theyr men of warre to the place of execution whych was common to all theeues that to make their cause appeare more odious to the people Robert Lambe at the gallowes foote made his exhortation to the people desiring them to feare God and leaue the leauen of Papisticall abominations The Marâ—tyrdome 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 manifestly there prophesyed of the ruine and plague whych came vpon the Cardinall thereafter So euerye one comforting an other and assuring them selues to sup together in the kingdome of heauen that night commended themselues to God and died constantly in the Lord. The woman desired earnestly to die with her husband but shee was not suffered yet folowing him to the place of execution shee gaue him comfort exhorting hym to perseueraunce and pacience for Christes sake and parting from him with a kisse sayd on this maner Husband reioyce for we haue liued together many ioyful dayes but this day in which we must die ought to be most ioyfull to vs both because we must haue ioy for euer Therefore I will not bid you good night for we shall sodainely meete with ioy in the kingdome of heauen The woman after was taken to a place to be drowned and albeit she had a child sucking on her brest yet this moued nothing the vnmercifull hearts of the enemies So after she had commended her children to the neighbors of the towne for Gods sake and the sucking barne was geuen to the nurse she sealed vp the truth by her death Ex Registris instrumentis à Scotia missis * The condemnation of M. George Wiseheart Gentleman who suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ Iesus at saint Andrewes in Scotland An. 1546. Marche 1. wyth the Articles obiected againste him and his answeares to the same WIth most tender affection and vnfained heart consider gentle Reader the vncharitable manner of y e accusation of M. George Wiseheart Anno 1546 made by y e bloudy enemies of Christs faith Note also the articles whereof he was accused by order digested and hys meeke answeares The exaâ—â—ation of George 〈◊〉 so farre as he had leaue and leisure to speake Finally ponder with no dissembling spirite the furious rage and tragicall cruelnes of the malignant Church in persecuting of thys blessed man of God and of the contrary hys humble pacient and most godly answeres made to them sodainly without all feare not hauing respect to their glorious manasings and boysterous threats but charitably and wythout stop answearing not moouing his countenaunce nor changing his visage as in his accusation hereafter folowing manifestly shall appeare But before I enter into his Articles I thoughte it not impertinent somewhat to touche concerning the life and conuersation of this godlye man according as of late came to my handes certified in wryting by a certaine scholler of hys sometime named Emerey Tylney whose wordes of testimoniall as he wrote them to me here folow Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde a thousande fiue hundreth fortie and thre there was in the vniuersitie of Cambridge one maister George Wiseheart commonlye called maister George of Bennettes Colledge who was a man of talle stature polled headed and on the same a rounde Frenche cappe of the best Iudged of Melancholye complexion by his Phisiognomie blacke heared long â—earded comelye of personnage well spoken after his countrey of ScotlaÌ„d courteous lowly louely glad to teach desirous to learn was wel traueled hauing on him for his habit or clothing neuer but a mantell friese gowne to the showes a blacke Millian fustian dowblet and plaine blacke hosen course newe canuesse for his Shirtes and whyte fallinge Bandes and Cuffes at the handes All the whych Apparell hee gaue to the poore some weekelye some monethly some quarterlye as hee liked sauing hys Frenche cappe whyche hee kepte the whole yeare of my being with hym Hee was a manne modest temperate fearinge God hatinge Couetousnesse For his Charitie had neuer ende nyghte noone nor daye hee forbare one meale in three one daye in foure for the moste parte except somethyng to comforte nature Hee lay harde vppon a pouffe of straw course newe canuesse Sheetes whyche when hee chaunged hee gaue awaye hee hadde commonly by his beddes side a tubbe of water In the whyche hys people being in hedde the candell puâ—te out and all quiet he vsed to bathe hymselfe as I being very yong being assured often heard him and in one light nighte descerned hym hee loued mee tenderly and I him for my age as effectually He taught wyth great modestie and grauitie so that some of his people thought hym seuere and woulde haue slaine hym but the Lorde was hys defence And hee after due correction for their malice by good exhortation amended them and he went hys way O that the Lord hadde left hym to me his poore boye that hee might haue finished that he hadde begonne For in his Religion he was as you see heere in the rest of hys life when he went into Scotland with diuers of the Nobilitie that came for a treatie to kinge Henry the eighte Hys learning no lesse sufficient then his desire alwayes prest and readye to doe good in that hee was able bothe in the house priuately and in the Schoole publikely professing and reading diners authours If I shoulde declare hys loue to mee and all menne hys Charitie to the poore in geuinge relieuinge caringe helpinge prouidinge yea infinitelye studyinge howe to doe good vnto all and hurte to none I shoulde sooner wante woordes then iuste cause to commende All thys I testifie wyth my whole heart and trueth of thys Godly manne
to reuoke one sillable of these Articles which they haue condemned And now as they doe curse and excommunicate me for their damnable heresie so I againe likewise doe curse and excommunicate them for the holy veritie of God Christ which is only the Iudge of all iudge and determine this matter betwene vs whether of these two excommunications hys or mine shall stande and preuaile before him Amen In storying the life of Luther Rea◠〈◊〉 pag. 849. before pag. 849. it was declared how the sayd Luther in the beginning first being reiected of the Cardinall Caietanus appealed from y e cardinall vnto the Pope When that would not serue neither could not any tollerable submission of Luther to y e pope be receiued but that the P. with his Cardinals contrary to all equity and conscience wold nedes procede against him and against the expresse truth of Gods word thinking by meere authoritie to beare downe the veritie as he had vsed before to do Luther folowing the iustnes of his cause Read afoâ—â— pag. 812. was then compelled to appeale from the Pope to the next generall councell and so did as before you may read pag. 812. Which was 2. yeares before the Popes Bull agaynst Luther came out The tenour of which appellation before omitted I thought here to exhibite wherby the reader considering the great change of religion and state of the church which since hath ensued may also perceiue y e true originall cause and occasion howe it first began by what order degrees it after encreased what humility and submission first on Luthers part was shewed and again what insolencie wrong and violence on the Popes part was declared And further where Pope Leo in his Bull aboue prefixed seemeth to pretend certaine conditions of fauour charity and money offred to Luther in the beginning how false vain that is by this present appeale may appeare The copie wherof as it was drawen by the publike notarie and exhibited is this as in forme here followeth The tenour and forme of the Appeale of Martine Luther from Pope Leo to the next generall Councell IN nomine Domini Amen The appeale of 〈◊〉 Luther 〈◊〉 the pope 〈◊〉 the next â—â—â—nerall coâ—â—â—cell Anno a natiuitate eiusdem .1518 indictione sexta die vero solis vigesima octaua mensis Nouemb. Pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo patris Domini nostri Domini Leonis diuina prouidentia Papae decimi anno sexto in mea Notarij publici testiumque infra scriptorum ad hoc specialiter vocatorum rogatorum praesentia constitutus c. The effect of the sayd Appeale of Luther in English THe effect of the appeale aforesayde is this Luthers aâ—â—peale from the pope English That for somuche as the libertie of appealing is prouided for a remedie to relieue the oppressed from iniurie and violence of the superiour it was therefore lawful for Martine Luther so to do especially being manifold waies iniuried and molested by the See of Rome and other the Popes confederates as hee in the sayde appeale declareth For at firste whereas he modestly disputing of the errors and abuses of the Popes pardons did somwhat withstand the impudeÌ„t rauen and blasphemies of them that come about with the Popes pardons to poll and rob the people he was therefore openly railed vpon and defamed by them in their publike sermones to be an heretike and consequently vppon the same accused to Pope Leo for an heretike by Marius the Popes Proctor and others Then was obteined of the Pope a commission to cite vp the sayde Luther to appeare at Rome before the Cardinalles by Hieronymus and Syluester Prieras hys mortall ennemies where as he could by no way appeare wythout manifest danger of his life both by the way and also in the citie of Rome For the consideration whereof Duke Ih. Fridericke Prince Electour and the Lantgraue entreated for hym to haue his cause indifferently to be heard and to be committed to two parties that were equall and not partiall yet notwithstanding the sute of these princes and the contrary labour of the Cardinals whiche were his capitall aduersaries so preuailed at Rome that the cause of Luther was still detained in their owne handes and contrary to all indifferencie was committed to the hearing of the Popes Legate then in Germanie called Cardinalis Sancti Sixti Who being no lesse enemie against Luther then the other and notwithstanding that Luther obediently appeared at his call and with humble protestation submitted himselfe to be aunswered by the Scriptures and referred himselfe to the iudgement of the Sea of Rome and of four Uniuersities to witte Basill Friburge Louane and Paris yet contrary to all equitie shewing forth no Scripture nor reason reiecting his gentle protestation submission and honest offer with all other his requests and sutes he would needes forthwith haue him to reuoke his errours threatning and menasing him most cruelly and commanded him no more to come in his sight Whereupon Luther being thus proudely reiected of the Cardinall Luther appeal 〈◊〉 the Câ—â—dinall to the pope made his appeale from the sayde Cardinall to Pope Leo being better informed This appellation also being contemned of the Pope who would neither come to any agreement nor take any reasonable condition nor shew Luther his errours by the scripture nor yet referre the matter by learning to be decided but would needes perforce proceede against him by meere authoritie and oppression at Rome Luther then seeing there was no other refuge or remedie for his owne defence and seeing moreouer the truth of Gods worde to lie vnder foote by might and authoritie oppressed so that none durst almost confesse the same M. Luther appealeth from the pope to the next generall Councell and that the poore flock was so misled in errours and vaine opinions to the seduction of their soules for these and other such causes he being necessarily thereunto compelled commensed thys Appeale from the Pope misinformed to the nexte generall Councell that should be calling for the helpe of the publick notarie and testimonie also of sufficient witnesses requisite in that behalfe accordingly ¶ The death of K. Henry the viij with the maner thereof ANd thus closing vp this eight booke with the death of King Henry the 8. I will now the Lorde Christ assisting me with his grace proceede next to the time reigne of King Edward his sonne The 〈◊〉 and maner of the kings death after that first I shall intermitte a few wordes touching the death of the sayde Kyng Henry his father and the maner of the same Who after long languishing infirmitie growing more and more vppon him lay from S. Steuens day as is aboue mentioned to the latter end of Ianuary His Phisicians at length perceiuing that he would away Of the Act that â—one shoulde speake of the kinges death Vid. Stat. 〈◊〉 Henr. 8. and yet not daring to discourage him with death for feare of the Act past before
in Parliamente that none shoulde speake anye thing of the Kings death the Act being made onely for Southsayers and talkers of prophesies moued them that were about the King to put him in remembrance of his mortall state and fatall infirmitie Which when the rest were in dread to do M. Deny who was specially attendant vpon hym boldly comming to the King told him what case he was in to mans iudgement not like to liue and therefore exhorted him to prepare himselfe to death calling himselfe to remembrance of his former life and to call vpon God in Christ betime for grace and mercy as becommeth euery good Christian man to do Although the K. was loth to heare any meÌ„tion of death yet perceiuing the same to rise vpon the iudgement of hys Phisicians and feeling his owne weakenes he disposed himselfe more quietly to harken to the wordes of his exhortation and to consider his life past Which although he much accused yet said he is the mercy of Christ able to pardon me all my sinnes though they were greater then they be M. Deny being glad to heare him thus speake required to know his pleasure whether he would haue any learned man sent for to conferre withall and to open hys mind vnto To whome the King aunswered againe that if he had any he would haue D. Cranmer who was then lying at Croydon And therefore M. Denye asking the King whether he woulde haue him sente for I will first said the King take a little sleepe and then as I feele my selfe I will aduise vpon the matter After an houre or two the King awaking and feeling feeblenes to encrease vpon him commanded D. Cranmer to be sent for but before he could come y e king was speachles and almost senseles Notwithstanding perceiuing D. Cranmer to be come he reaching his hande to D. Cranmer did hold him fast but could vtter no word vnto hym and scarse was able to make any signe Then the Archbyshop exhorting him to put his trust in Christ and to call vpon his mercy desired him though he could not speake yet to geue some token with his eyes or with hand as he trusted in the Lord. Then the King holding him with his hand did wring his hand in his as hard as he could and so shortly after departed after he had reigned in this land the terme of 37. yeares and 9. monethes The kings children leauing behinde him three children Edward Mary and Elizabeth Moreouer for so much as mention is inserted in thys place of the good inclination of King Henry in his latter dayes to the reformation of religion Talke betweene Thom. Cranmer Archbishop of Cant. and the Duke of Suffolk about Ste. Gardiner by the occasion hereof it commeth also to minde somewhat likewise to adde by way of appendix touching the talke betweene the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer and the Duke of Suffolke Charles Branden as coÌ„cerning the Kings purpose and intent conceaued against the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner in that he could neuer allowe any reformation in religion in this realme and namely beeing offended with this that men should vse in their talke The Lord as well as our Lord. The sayd Duke sayd vnto the sayd Archbyshop We of the Counsell had him once at a good lift and should well haue dispatched him from his authoritie if the Kings Maiestie our Maister had stayed himselfe from admitting him to his presence as then hys highnes was content that we should throughly haue sifted and tried him It was my Lord quoth the Duke to the Archbishop at that time when Gardiner his Secretarie was attached and suffred for defending the Popes authoritie For then I and certaine of the Counsell hauing conference with the Kings Maiestie for that matter his highnesse was fully perswaded that the Bishops Secretarie being in such speciall fauour with his Maister would neuer stande so stiffe in defence of the Bishop of Romes vsurped power and authoritie Stephen Gardiner appoynted by the king to to be had to the Tower without his said maisters both aduise knowledge and perswasion For already quoth the King he played but a homely part with me when he was Ambassadour to the Pope concerning my cause of diuorce And therefore quoth the King to me send for him my Lord incontinently and by assistance of two or three moe of the Counsell whome you thinke good let him be committed to the Tower to aunswere to suche thynges as may bee obiected agaynst hym Thys communicatioÌ„ was in y e euening so that we purposed to haue executed the kinges pleasure and commaundement y e next morning How beit our talke was not so secrete but that some of his friendes of the priuy chamber then suspecting the matter where he had many frends sent him word ther of Who incontinently repayred to the kings presence Ste. Gardiner priuily commeth to the king and finding some matter to minister vnto y e king his highnesse sayd to the bish We doe marueile that your secretary hath thus notoriously offended agaynst vs our lawes It is surely though that you are not all cleare in this offeÌ„ce but that you are of the same opinion with him therefore my Lord be playne with me King Henry layeth to Winchesters charge and let me know if you be y e way infected or no If you will tell me the trueth I will rather pardon the fault but if you halt or dissemble with me looke for no fauour at my hand With this monition Winchester fell downe vppon hys knees besought his maiesty of mercy and pardon Winchester confesseth his popery to the king manifestly confessing y t he of long time had bene of that opinion w t his sayd secretary and there bewayling himselfe promised from that day forward to reform hys opinion become a new man Well quoth y e king this way you haue of me that which otherwise you should neuer haue obtayned I am content to remitte all thinges past and pardon you vpon your amendment The next morning I had worde how the matter was handled whereupon I came to his highnes sayde Your Maiestie hath preuented our commission whiche I and other had from your grace concerning my Lord of Winchesters coÌ„mitting to the tower Wot you what quoth the K. hee hath confessed himselfe as giltie in this matter as hys man K. Henryes nature to pardon them that come to him and confesse their fault and hath with muche sorrowe pensiuenes sued for my pardon And you know what my nature and custome hath bene in such matters euermore to pardon them that will not dissemble but confesse their fault Thus wilâ—ly and politickely he got himselfe out of our hands But if I had suspected this I would haue had him in the tower ouer night and stopped his iourny to y e court Well sayd my Lord of Caunterbury hee was euermore to good for you all Moreouer as touching this foresaid
vnity concord in al things and especially in the true fayth and religion of God and therewithal also duely wayed the great daunger that his louing Subiects were in for confessing the gospell of Christ through many and diuers cruell statuts made by sondry his predecessors against the same which being stil left in force mought both cause the obstinate to conteÌ„n his graces godly procedings and also the weak to be fearefull of theyr christianlike profession he therfore caused it among other things by the authority of the same parliament to be enacted Statut. an 1. Reg. Edwardi 6. Cap. 12. that all Actes of Parliament Statutes touching mentioning or in any wise concerning religion or opinions that is to say as well y e statute made in the first yeare of the reigne of king Rich. the second The statute made An· 1. Reg. Rich. 2. An. Reg Hen 5. An. 25. Reg. HeÌ„ 8. Item An. 31. Henr. â— An. 34. Henr. 8. An. 35. Henr. 8. repealed Item note for the statute An. 2. Reg. HeÌ„ 4. cp 15. because that statute was repealed by an estatute made 25. an Henr. 8. therefore the same is here omitted The bloudy statute of the 6. articles repealed and the statute made in the second yeare of the reigne of King Henry the fift and the statute made in the 25. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry .8 coÌ„cerning punishment and reformation of hereticks and Lollards and euery prouision therein conteined and the Statutes made for the abolishment of diuersity of opinions in certain Articles concerning Christian religion commoÌ„ly called the 6. Articles made in the 31. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry 8. also the statute made in the ParliameÌ„t begon the 16. day of Ianuary in the 33. yeare of the reigne of the sayd K. HeÌ„ry the 8. and after proroged vnto the 21. day of Ianuary in the 24. yeare of his sayd raigne touching mentioning or in any wise concerning bookes of the olde and new Testament in English the printing vttering selling geuing or deliuering of bookes or writings and reteining of english bookes or writinges and reading preaching teaching or expounding the scriptures or in any wise touching meÌ„tioning or coÌ„cerning any of the sayd matters And also one other statute made in the 35 yeare of the Raigne of the sayd K. Henry 8. concerning the qualification of the Statute of the sixe Articles and all and euery other act or acts of parliament concerning doctrine or matters of religion and al and euery braunch article sentence matter paines or forfaytures conteined meÌ„tioned or in any wise declared many of the same Actes or Statutes should from thenceforth be vtterly repealed made voyd and of none effect By occasion wherof as wel al such his godly subiects as were then still abiding within this Realme had free liberty publickely to professe the Gospel as also many learned zealous preachers before banished were now both licensed freely to returne home agayne also encouraged boldly and faythfully to trauel in theyr fuÌ„ction and calling so that God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified Moreouer in the same Session his Maiestye with the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the same Parliament assembled throughly vnderstanding by the iudgement of the best learned that it was more agreable vnto y â— first institution of the sacrament of the most precious body and bloud of our Sauior Christ and also more conformable to the common vse and practise both of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche by the space of fyue hundreth yeares and more after Christes Ascension that the sayde holye Sacrament shoulde bee ministred vnto all Christen people vnder both the kindes of bread and wine then vnder the forme of bread onely and also that it was more agreable vnto the sayd first institution of Christ and the vsage of the Apostles and primatiue Churche that the people being preseÌ„t should receiue the same with the priest then that the priest should receiue it alone dyd by theyr authority moreouer enacte that the sayde holy Sacrament should be from theÌ„ceforth commonly deliuered and ministred vnto the people throughout the churches of Englâ—d and Ireland and other the kinges dominioÌ„s vnder both y e kindes of bread and of wine The asseâ—â—bly oâ— Byâ—shop◠〈◊〉 others at Windsore except necessity otherwise required and also that the Priest that should minister the same should at the least one day before exhort all persons which should be present likewise to resort prepare themselues to receiue the same And at y e day prefixed after some godly exhortation made by the minister wherin should be further expressed the benefit and comfort promised to them which worthely receiue this holy Sacrament the daunger and indignation of God threatned to them which presume to receiue the same vnworthely to the end that euery man might try and examine his owne conscience before he should come thereunto the sayd Minister shoulde not without a lawfull cause denye the same to any person that would deuoutly and humbly desire it any Law Statute The assemâ—bly of Byshops and others 〈◊〉 Windsore ordinaunce or custome contrary therunto in any wise notwithstanding After which most godly consent of the parliament the king being no lesse desirous to haue the forme of administration of the Sacrament truely reduced to the ryght rule of the scriptures and first vse of the primatiue church then he was to establish the same by the authority of his owne regall lawes appoynted certain of the most graue and best learned Bishops and others of his Realme to assemble together at his Castle of Windsor there to argue and entreat vpon this matter and conclude vpon and set forth one perfect and vniforme order according to the rule and vse aforesayd And in the meane while that the learned were thus occupyed about theyr conferences the Lord Protectour and the rest of the kinges Councell farther remembring that that time of the yere did then approch wherin were practised many superstitious abuses and blasphemous ceremonies agaynst the glory of God and trueth of his word determining the vtter abolishing thereof directed theyr letters vnto the godly and reuerend father Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Caunterbury Metropolitane of England requiring him that vpon the receit thereof he should will euery Bishop within his Prouince forthwith to geue in charge vnto all the Curates of theyr Diocesses that neither candles should be any more borne vpoÌ„ Candlemas day neither yet ashes vsed in Lent Candleâ—â—â— to be 〈◊〉 on Candâ—â—â—mas day nor Palmes vpon palme Sonday Whereupon the Archbishop zealously fauouring thee good and Christianlike purpose of the king and his CouÌ„sell Ashes for bidden on Ashwednesday 〈◊〉 Edm. Boâ—â—â— did immediately in that behalfe write bnto all the rest of the Bishops of that prouince and amongest them vnto Edmund Boner then Bishop of London Of whose rebellious and obstinate contumacy for that we
to the Byshop at Westminster for abolishing of Images Hyberniae Regem fidei defensorem in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hybernicae supremum caput sufficienter legitimae autorisatus Reuerendo in Christo confratri nostro domino Thomae eadem permissione Westm. Episcopo salutem fraternam in Domino charitatem Literas reuerendissimi in Christo patris domini D. Thomae permissione diuina Cantuar. Archiepiscopi totius Angliae primatis Metropolitani tenorem literarum missâ—â—uÌ„ clarissimorum prudentissimorum dominorum de priuatis consilijs dicti illustrissimi domini Regis in se continen nuper cum ea qua decuit reuerentia humiliter recepimus exequend in haec verba Thomas permissione diuina Cant. c. And then makyng a full recitall as well of the Archbishops precept as also of the Counsels letters aboue specified he concluded with these wordes Quocirca nos Edmund Episc. antedictus Literis praedictis pro nostro officio obtemperare vti decet summopere cupientes vestrae fraternitati tam ex parte dicti excellentissimi Domini nostri Regis ac praefatoâ—um clarissimorum dominoruÌ„ de priuatis suis consilijs quà m praedicti Reuer patris domini Cant. Archiepiscopi tenore praesentium committimus mandamus quatenus attentis per vos diligenter consideratis Literarum huiusmodi tenoribus eos in omnibus per omnia iuxta vim formam effectum earundem cum omni qua poteris celeritate accommoda per totam Dioces vestram West debite effectualiter exequi faciatis procuretis Datum in aedibus nostris London vicesimo die Febr. An. Dom. 1548. Et regni dicti illustrissimi domini nostri Regis Anno secundo Now by the tyme that these things were thus determined the learned men which the kyng had appointed as ye haue heard before to assemble together for the true and right maner of administring the Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ An vniforme order of the Communion accordyng to the rule of the Scriptures of God and first vsage of the Primatiue Churche after theyr long learned wyse and deliberate aduises dyd finally conclude and agree vppon one godly and vniforme order of receiuing the same not much differyng from the maner at this present vsed authorised within this realm and church of England commonly called the Communion Which agreement beyng by them exhibited vnto the kyng and of hym most gladly accepted was thereupon publikely imprinted and by his maiesties Councell perticularly deuided and sent vnto euery bishop of the realme requiring and commaundyng them by their letters on the kings Maiesties behalfe that both they in their own persons should forthwith haue diligent and carefull respect to the due execution thereof and also should with all diligeÌ„ce cause the bookes which they then sent them to be deliuered vnto euery Parson Uicar and Curate within their Dioces that they likewise might well and sufficiently aduise themselues for the better distribution of the sayd communion according to the tenour of the sayd booke agaynst the feast of Easter then next ensuyng as more fully appeareth by these their letters here followyng ¶ Letters Missiue from the Counsaile to the Bishops of the Realme concernyng the Communion to be ministred in both kyndes Anno 1548. AFter our most harty commendatioÌ„s to your Lordship where in the Parliament late holden at Westminster The Communion in both kindes to be ministred it was amongest other things most godly established that according to the first institution and vse of the primatiue church the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ shuld be distributed to the people vnder the kyndes of bread wyne according to the effect whereof the kinges maiestie mynding with the aduice and consent of the Lord Protectors grace the rest of the Counsaile to haue the sayd Statute well executed in such sort or lyke as it is agreeable with the word of God so the same may be also faithfully and reuerently receiued of his most louing subiects to their comforts and wealth hath caused sundry of his maiesties most graue and well learned Prelates and other learned men in the Scriptures to assemble themselues for this matter who after long conference together haue with deliberate aduise finally agreed vpon such an order to be vsed in all places of the kings maiesties dominions in the distribution of the sayd most holy sacrament as may apeare to you by the booke thereof which we send herewith vnto you Albeit knowing your Lordships knowledge in the Scriptures and earnest good will zeale to the settyng foorth of all things accordyng to the truth thereof we be well assured you will of your owne good will and vpon respect to your duetie diligently set forth this most godly order here agreed vpon and commaunded to be vsed by the authoritie of the kyngs maiestie yet remembryng the crafty pratise of the deuill who ceaseth not by his members to worke by al wayes and meanes the hinderance of all godlines And consideryng furthermore that a great number of the Curates of the Realme eyther for lacke of knowledge can not or for want of good mynd will not be so redy to set forth the same as we would wish and as the importance of the matter and their owne bounden duties requireth we haue thought good to pray and require your Lordship and neuerthelesse in the kings maiesties our most dread Lordes name to commaund you to haue an earnest diligence and carefull respect both in your owne person and by all your officers and Ministers also to cause these bookes to be deliuered to euery Person Vicar and Curate within your Diocesse with such diligence as they may haue sufficient tyme well to instruct and aduise themselues for the distribution of the most holy Communion accordyng to the order of this booke before this Easter tyme and that they may by your good meanes be well directed to vse such good gentle and charitable instruction of their simple and vnlearned parishioners as may be to all their good satisfactions as much as may be praying you to consider that this order is set forth to the intent there should be in all partes of the Realme and among all men one vniforme manner quietly vsed The execution whereof lyke as it shall stand very much in the diligence of you and others of your vocation so doe we eftsoones require you to haue a diligent respect thereunto as ye tender the kings Maiesties pleasure and will aunswer for the contrary And thus we bidde your Lordship right hartily farewell From Westminster the 13. of March 1548. Your Lordships louyng friends Tho. Canterbury R. Rich. W. Saint Iohn Iohn Russell Hen. Arundel Anth. Wingfield W. Peter Edward North. Ed. Wootton By meanes as well of this letter and the godly order of the learned as also of the statute and acte of parliament before mentioned made for the stablishyng thereof all priuate blasphemous Masses
offend and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he shuld for the same 3. offence suffer imprisonment during his life If any such person or persons aforesaid so offending had not any benefice or spiritual promotion y t then he shoulde for his first offence suffer imprisonment by the space of vi monthes without bayle or maynprise and for his second offence imprisonment during hys life Which request or rather actuall agreement of y e lordes and commons of the Parliament beyng once vnderstoode of the kyng was also soone ratified and confirmed by hys regall consent and authoritie and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presently imprinted and commaÌ„ded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions thereof accordyng to the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute Moreouer in the same Session of the sayd ParliameÌ„t it was enacted and established by the authoritie thereof that for as much as great horrible and not to be rehearsed inconueniences had from tyme to tyme risen amongst the priests ministers and other officers of the clergy through their compelled chastitie Lawes and 〈…〉 againâ—t 〈…〉 and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of mariage that therefore all and euery law and lawes positiue canons constitutions and ordinances theretofore made by the authoritie of man onely which did prohibite or forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persones of what estate condition or degree so euer they were or by what name or names they were called which by gods law may lawfully marry in all and euery article braunche and sentence concernyng onely the prohibition for the mariage of the persons aforesayd should be vtterly voyd and of none effect And that all maner of forfaitures paynes penalties crimes or actions Mariage of Priestes â—et â—ree which were in the sayd lawes conteyned and of the same dyd follow concernyng the prohibition for the mariage of the sayd Ecclesiastical persons shuld be thencefoorth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate and of none effect By occasion whereof it was thenceafter ryght lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person not hauyng the gift of chastitie most godly to liue in the pure and holy estate of matrimony according to the lawes worde of God But if the first Iniunctions statutes and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded with muche lesse good affection were these especially the booke of common praier of diuers now receiued yea and that of some of them Edmund Boner B. of London which had alwayes before in outward shew willingly allowed the former doings as appereth most plainly amongst others by Boner the B. of London Who although by his former letters other mandates he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kings proceedings yet did he at that present notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion and the abolishyng of all priuate masses and also this Statute of the ratifieng and confirming of the booke of Common prayer still suffer suÌ„dry idolatrous priuate masses of peculiar names as the Apostles masse the Lady masse and such lyke to be dailye solemnly sung within certaine perticular chappels of hys cathedral church of Paules cloking them with the names of the apostles communion and our Ladies communion not once findyng any fault therewith vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsaile hauyng intelligence thereof were fayne by their letters to commaund hym to looke better thereunto And then beyng therewith somewhat pricked forwards perhaps by feare he was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of his cathedrall church of Paules thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein as the tenure of the Counsailes sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them did import Which both two letters I haue for the more credite here followyng inserted ¶ A Letter directed from the Kings Counsaile to Edmund Boner B. of London for abrogating of priuate Masses namely the Apostles Masse within the church of S. Paule vsed vnder the name of the Apostles Communion 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 progating priuate Masses AFter harty commendations Hauing very credible notice that within that your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse and other masses of such peculiar name vnder the defence nomination of our Ladies communion and the Apostles communion vsed in priuate chappels and other remote places of the same and not in the Chauncell The Apoâ—â—les 〈…〉 Paul contrary vnto the kings maiesties proceedings the same beyng for the misuse displeasing to God for the place of Paules in example not tollerable for the fondnes of the name a scorne to the reuerence of the communion of the Lords body and bloud we for the augmentation of gods glory and honour and the consonance of his maiesties lawes and the auoyding of murmure haue thought good to will command you that from henceforth no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer vsed but that the holy blessed communion according to the acte of Parliament be ministred at the high aultar of the church and in no other places of the same only at such tyme as your high masses were wont to be vsed except some number of people desire for their necessary businesse to haue a communion in the mornyng and yet the same to bee executed in the Chauncell at the high aulter as it is appoynted in the booke of the publike seruice without cautele or digression from the common order And herein you shal not onlye satisfie our expectation of your conformitie in all lawfull things but also auoyd the murmure of sundry that be therwith iustly offended And so we bid your Lordship hartely farewell From Richmond the 24. of Iune an 1549. Your louing friendes E. Somerset W. Saint Iohn Ed. Montague R. Rich. Chan. Fra. Shrewsbury W. Cecill ¶ To my right worshipfull friendes and most louyng good brethren M. Deane of Paules with all the Canons Residentaries Prebendaries Subdeanes and Ministers of the same and euery of them with speede RIght worshipfull with most harty commendations So it is this Wensday the xxvi of Iune goyng to dynner Boners letter to the Deane and Chapter of Paules I receaued letters from the kynges Counsell by a Pursiuaunt and the same I doe send now herewith vnto you to the intent you may peruse them well and proceede accordyngly praying you in case all be not present yet those that be now resident and supplying the places may in their absence call the company together of the Church and make declaratioÌ„ hereof vnto them Thus committyng you to God right well to fare Written with speede this xxvi of Iune at one of the clocke Your louyng brother Ed. London Ouer and besides all this the Lord Protectour wyth the residue of the kings priuie and learned Counsel assemblyng together in the Starre chamber about the same mater that is for the aduancement and setting forward of the kings so godly
your Prince and King by almightye God if any wise we coulde aduaunce Gods honour more then we doe we would doe it and see that ye become subiectes to Gods ordinances obeying vs your Prince and learne of them which haue authoritie to teache you whiche haue power to rule you and will execute our iustice if we be prouoked Learne not of them whose fruits be nothing but wilfulnes disobedience obstinacie dissimulation and destruction of the realme For the masse we assure you no small studie nor trauell hath bene spent by al the learned Clergy therein 4. The Masse and to auoyde all contention it is brought euen to the verye vse as Christ left it as the apostles vsed it as holy fathers deliuered it in dede somwhat altred from y t the Popes of Rome for their lucre brought to it And although ye may hear the contrary of some Popish euil men yet our maiestie which for our honour may not be blemished nor stained assureth you that they deceiue you abuse you and blowe these opinions into your heads for to finish their owne purposes And so likewise iudge you of confirmation of children and let them answeare you this one question Thinke they that a child christened Confirmation is damned because it dieth before bishopping They be confirmed at the time of discretion to learne that they professed in the lacke therof by Baptisme taught in age that which they receiued in infancie Baptisme 〈◊〉 without any Bishoping and yet no doubt but they be saued by Baptisme not by confirmation made Christes by Christening and taught howe to continue by Confirmation Wherfore in the whole marke good subiects how our doctrine is founded vpō true learning and theirs vpon shamelesse errors To cōclude beside our gentle maner of information to you what soeuer is contained in our booke either for baptisme sacrament Masse Confirmation and seruice in the church is by our parlament established by the whole clergie agreed yea by the bishops of the realme deuised further by Gods word confirmed And how dare ye trust yea how dare ye geue care without trembling to any singuler person to disallow a Parliament a subiect to perswade against our maiestie a man of his single arrogancie against the determination of the Bishops and all the clergie anye inuented argument against the word of God But nowe you our subiects we resort to a greater matter of your blindnes of your vnkindnes a great vnnaturalnes such an euill that if we thought it had not begon of ignorance and continued by persuasion of certaine traitors amongst you which we thinke few in number but in their doings busie Anno 1549. we coulde not be perswaded but to vse our sword and doe iustice and as we be ordained by God that is to redresse your errors by auengmēt but loue and zeale yet ouercommeth our iust anger but howe long that will be God knoweth in whose hand our hart is and rather for your owne causes being our Christened subiectes we would ye were perswaded then vanquished informed then forced taught then ouerthrowen quietly pacified then rigorously persecuted The rebells require the 6. Articles Ye require to haue the statute of the 6. articles reuiued and knowe ye what ye require or knowe yee what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quickly repented too bloudy they were to be borne of oure people and yet at the first in deede made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by subtile persons we of pitie because they were bloudy tooke them away and you nowe of ignorance will aske them againe You knowe full well that they helped vs to extende rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword very often they were as a whetstone to our sworde for your causes we left to vse them And since our mercie mooued vs to wryte our lawes wyth milke equitie how be ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you witte the same hath bene adnulled by our parlament The 6. Articles taken away by Parliament with great reioyce of our subiects and not now to be called by subiectes in question Dare then any of you with the name of a subiecte stand against an acte of parliament a lawe of the whole realme What is our power if lawes shoulde be thus neglected Yea what is your suretie if lawes be not kept Assure you most surely y t we of no earthly thing vnder y e heauē make such a reputation as we doe of this one thyng to haue our lawe obeyed and this cause of God which we haue taken in hande to be thorowly maintained from the which we will neuer remooue a heares breadth A notaple zeale and a princely word of a king nor geue place to any creature liuing much lesse to any subiecte but therein will spende our owne royall person oure crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our highe honour For heerein in deede resteth our honoure heerein standeth our kingdome heerein doe all kinges knowledge vs a king And shall any of you dare breathe or thinke against our honor our kingdome or crowne In the end of thys your request as we be geuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force vntill our full age The kinges age To this we thinke if ye knew what ye spake ye wold neuer haue vttered y e motion nor euer geuen breath to such a thoughte For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king nowe as we shal be or shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue not we the right we shal haue If ye woulde suspend and hang our doings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no differēce of yeres nor time but as a naturall man and creature of God wee haue youth by his suffrance shall haue age we are your rightful king your liege Lord your king annoynted your king crowned the soueraign king of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not only when we shal be 21. of yeares A king possesseth his crowne not by yeares but by Gods ordinaunce but when we were of 10. yeares We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and discente from our father king Henry the eight You are our subiects because we be your king and rule we will because God hath willed It is as great a fault in vs not to rule as in a subiect not to obey If it be considered they which moue this matter if they durst vtter them selues would deny our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will encrease not diminish his honor enlarge not abate hys power knowledge not defer his kingdome to certaine yeares al is one to speake against our crowne
had ben belied of euil men and misreported not to â—eare a true hart to his grace but a rebellious minde in denying his royall power in his minoritie where in deede he sayeth his grace should finde hym alwayes during life both in heart woorde and deede to do and acknowledge otherwise to be most willing to shew c. and to doe all other thinges for his grace as willingly as any other subiecte or as those that were his denouÌ„cers who hee thought were not sent of his grace but pretensed Commissioners c. Further he complained of his denuntiation by certain commissioners who sayde they were sent by his grace alleaging the same not to be lawful and of his long sharpe imprisonment that the commissioners obserued neyther law nor reasonable order but extremitie And wher he had made appeale to his grace and he coulde not haue it he desired to haue lawe to prosecute sue his appeale for his remedy that he coÌ„sidering his vocation might not be shut vp put from libertie which his meanest subiects haue Then he desired hys graces letters of Supersedeas against the commissioners and that the matter might be heard before the counsaile and then he doubted not but to be found a true faithfull man and heerein to haue wrong So in the ende hee concluded this prostrating him selfe euen to the very ground and humbly kissing his graces fete to be the thing onely which he humbly desired c. THis done the supplication perused the King eftsoone geueth in charge and commaundement Boners appellation to the king perused tryed and found by the Lawe vneffectuall and vnreasonable to certain men of honor and worship persons skilfull in the lawe as to Lorde Rich high Chancelor the L. treasurer the L. Marques Dorset the B. of Ely Lord Wentworth sir Anthony Wingfield sir W. Harbert knightes Doc. Nich. Wootton Ed. Mountague Lorde chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Baker knight with Iudge Hales Ioh. Gosnold D. Oliuer and also Doctour Leyson that they scanning and perusing all such actes matters and muniments of the sayd Boner by him exhibited produced propounded and alleaged with al and singular his protestations recusations appellatioÌ„s should vpon mature consideration therof geue their directed answere vpon the same The sentence of Boners depriuation by the Peeres learned men of the realme found to be iust and lawfull whether the appellation of the said Boner were to be deferred vnto and whether the sentence defined against him stood by the law sufficient and effectual or not Who eftsoones after diligent discussion and considerate aduisement had of all singular the premisses gaue their resolute answere that the pretensed appellation of Edmund Boner aforesayde was nought and vnreasonable and in no wise to be deferred vnto and that the sentence by the Commissioners against him was rightly and iustly pronounced And this was the coÌ„clusion of Boners whole matter and depriuation for that time Thus then leauing doctor Boner a while in the Marshalsey with his keeper The first trouble of the L. Protector was about the moneth of Octob. an 1549. we will proceede the Lorde permitting further in the course of our storie as the order of yeres and time requireth And although the trouble of the Lord Protector falleth heere ioyntly with the depriuatioÌ„ of D. Boner yet because he was shortly again deliuered out of the same throughe the Lordes mightye woorking I will therefore delay the tractation thereof till the time of his seconde trouble whych was two yeares after and so in the meane time returning agâ—ine into our discourse inteÌ„d by the Lords leaue to collect and continue the matters begoÌ„ touching y e kings godly proceedings for reformatioÌ„ of religion in the foresaid yere of our lord concurring an 1549. And heere first a note woulde be made of Peter Martyr and of his learned trauels Disputation of Pete Martyr with Doct. Chedsey in Oxforde and disputation in the vniuersitie of Oxford the sayde present yeare with doct Chedsey other moe about the matter of the sacrament which was that the substance of breade and wine was not changed in the sacrament that the body and bloude of Christe was not carnally and bodily in the bread and wine but vnited to the same sacramentally In like maner some touch or mention here also would be made of the Ecclesiasticall lawes Ecclesiasticall lawes by Acte of Parlament to be compyled by 32. persons Statut. an 3. Edou 6. for the gathering and compiling wherof 32. persons were assigned by Act of parlament the sayde present yeare 1549. But because these bee rather matters of tractation then Hystoricall I meane God willing to deferre the further consideration thereof vnto the ende of the historie of this kinges dayes and so to passe forward to other matters in the meane while Bookes of Latine seruice called in and abolished IT followeth then in storie that certaine of the vulgare multitude Euill disposed people thinking to haue their latin seruice again after the apprehension of the L. Protectour hearing of the apprehension of the Lord Protectour and supposinge the alteration of publicke Seruice into Englishe and administration of the Sacramente and other rites lately appoynted in the Churche had beene the Acte chiefly or only of the sayd Lorde Protectour beganne vppon the same to noyse and brute abroad that they shuld nowe haue theyr olde Latine seruice wyth holy bread and holy water The kings commaundement to the Byshops and theyr other like superstitious ceremonies againe whereuppon the King wyth the body and state of the priuie Counsell then being directed oute his letters of request and straite commaundement to the Byshoppes in their diocesse to cause and warne the Deane and Prebendaries of their Cathedrall Churches all Persons vicares and Curates with the Churchwardens of euery Parishe wythin their Diocesse to bring in and deliuer vp all Antiphoners Missales Grailes Processionals Manuals Legendes Bookes of Latinâ— seruice called in Pies Portuases Iournals and Ordinals after the vse of Sarum Lincolne Yorke Bangor Herforde or any other priuate vse Anno 1549. and all other bookes of seruice the hauing wherof might be any let to y e seruice now set foorth in English charging also and commaunding all suche as should be found stubborne or disobedient in this behalf to be committed vnto warde And because the Kinge moreouer was aduertised that there was a slacknes and a frowardnes among the people refusing to pay towarde the finding of breade and wine for the holy Communion by reason wherof the Communion in many places was omitted the Bishops in like manner had geuen in charge to prouide for redresse therof Common bread vsed in the holy Communion to punish them which should refuse so to do Wherby it may appeare to vs now that no wafer cakes but common bread was then by the kinges appoyntment ordinarily receiued and vsed in Churches This was about the
power lieth ministred iustice indifferently to all persons whiche doing then wee thinke your grace should not thinke it any lacke of frendship that wee did not certifie you of the offense of youre Chaplayne although in deede the cause hath already bene certified And we trust your grace both of youre naturall nearenes to the Kings Maiestie and your owne good wisdome will not mislike our Ministerie in the execution of the lawes of the Realme and the pleasure of the Kyngs Maiestie So we wish to your grace from the bottome of our hart the grace of almighty God with the riches of his holy giftes * The Lady Mary to the Counsell the 11. of May. MY Lordes it appeareth by your letters of the vj. of this presēt which I haue receaued that the imprisonmēt of my Chaplaine Doctour Mallet is for saying of Masse and that he was condemned for the same In deede I haue heard that he was endited but neuer condēned Neuerthelesse I must needes confesse and say that he did it but by my commaundement and I sayde vnto him that none of my Chaplaynes shoulde be in daunger of the lawe for saying Masse in my house And thereof to put hym out of doubt the Emperours Embassadour that dead is declared vnto him before that time how after what sorte the promise was made to his Maiesty wherby it appeareth that the mā hath not in that willingly offēded Wherfore I pray you to discharge him of emprisonment and set him at liberty if not ye minister cause no◠only to him but to others to thinke that I haue declared more then was true whiche I woulde not wittingly doo to gaine the whole world And heerein as I haue often sayde the Emperours Maiestie can be best iudge And to be playne with you according to mine old custome there is not one amongst the whole number of you all that woulde be more loth to be founde vntrue of their word then I. And well I am assured that none of you haue found it in me My Lordes I pray you seeke not so much my dishonour as to disprooue my word whereby it should appeare too plaine that you handle me not well And if you haue cause to charge my Chaplaine for this matter lay that to mee and I wyll discharge it againe by your promise made to the Emperours Maiestie which you can not rightfully denie wishing rather that you had refused it in the beginning then after such promise made and to such a person to seeme to go from it which my Lordes as your very friend I hartely desire you to consider and to geue me no cause to thinke you otherwise then my friends considering I haue alwayes and yet do God is my iudge wishe to you all no worse neyther in soules nor bodies then to my selfe and so wyth my hartye commendations I commit you all to God From Beaulien the 11. of May. Your assured friend to my power Mary ¶ The Counsaile to the Lady Mary the 27. of May. 1551. AFter our due commendations to your grace although the same receiueth not aunswere so soone as perchance was looked for vpon the returne of your graces seruaunt Yet we doubt not but youre grace vnderstanding that where we haue matters of estate pertaining to the Kings Maiestie in hand as in deede we haue had of late the differring of the answere in a matter being no greater requireth to be borne withal And touching the answere of your graces letter for D. Mallet we pray your grace to vnderstande that although you write he was indited but not condemned and so seeme to take exception at the maner of his imprisonment yet if they which enformed your grace of that maner of reason in the law were as well disposed to please your grace with truth as the reason in deede is not true then should they haue told your grace that by the Acte of Parliament if either Mallet haue bene conuicted by the othes of twelue men or that the fact hath bene notorious then the punishment doth follow iustly The trueth of the one and the other way of conuiction in this case is notorious enough besides his flying from the processe of the lawe And where your grace to releeue him woulde take the fault vpon your selfe we are sory to perceiue your grace so ready to be a defence to one that the Kings lawe doth condemne Neuerthelesse he is not punished because your grace bad him and willed him to do that which was an offence but he is punished for doing it and if we should not so see the Kings lawes executed without respecte it might appeare that we too much neglected our duty and for that your grace taketh it as a discredite to your selfe that he should be punished for that you bad him do alledging to him that you had authoritie so to do and so promise made to the Emperour it hath bene both written and sayde to your grace what is the truth in that behalfe and howsoeuer that your grace pretendeth your licence to haue Masse said before your selfe for a time of your reconciliation it had bene so far out of reason for to haue desired that whosoeuer was your Chapleine might say Masse in any house that was yours when your graces selfe was not there For so is D. Mallets offence for saying Masse at one of your houses where your grace was not whych thing as it was neuer graunted so do we not remember that euer it was demaunded The sute that hath bene at anye tyme made either by the Emperous Embassadour that dead is or by him that now is was neuer but in respect of your grace and not to be taken that the Emperour or his his Embassadour meant to priuiledge mayster D. Mallet or any other to say Masse out of your presence Wherefore as we do plainely write to your grace so do we pray you to take it in good part and thinke we be as ready to do our due reuerence towards your grace in any thyng wee may doe with our dutie to our maister as any youre grace may commaund and of suche wisedome we knowe your grace to be that ye should iudge the better of vs for that we be diligent to see the lawes of the Realme executed wherein resteth the strength and safegard of the kings Maiestie our soueraigne Lord and Maister The Lady Mary to the Lordes of the Counsayle 21. Iune 1551. MY Lords although I receiued by my seruant this bearer who lately deliuered vnto you my letters wherein I desired to haue my Chaplayne D. Mallet discharged of his imprisonmente your gentle message in generall wordes for the whyche I geue you my hartye thankes yet haue I no knowledge whether you will set him at liberty or no But I thinke that your waighty affayres at that time was the let and cause ye did not write For else I doubt not you would haue aunswered me Wherefore not being satisfied and vnderstandyng yee would gladly pleasure mee I thought
at large In whome I wyshe thee to continue in health and to perseuere in the trueth Anno 1549. ⧠The first entring of Queene Mary to the Crowne with the alteration of Religion and other perturbations happening the same time in this Realme of England Anno 1553. WHat time King Edward by long sickenesse beganne to appeare more feble and weake in the meane while during the time of this his sickenesse The reigne of Queene Mary a certayne mariage was prouided concluded and shortly also vpon the same solempnised in the moneth of May betwene the Lord Gilford sonne to the Duke of Northumberland 〈◊〉 â—â—tweene the Lorâ— Gilfoâ—d and the Lady â—ane and the Lady Iane the Duke of Suffolkes daughter whose mother being then aliue was daughter to Mary King Henryes second sister who first was maried to the French king and afterward to Charles Duke of Suffolke But to make no long tariance hereupon the mariage being ended and the king waxing euery day more sicke then other where as in deede there seemed in him no hope of recouerye it was brought to passe by the consent not onely of the Nobility but also of all the chiefe Lawyers of the Realme that the king by his Testament did appoynt the foresayde Ladye Iane daughter to the Duke of Suffolke to be inheretrice vnto the crowne of England passing ouer his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth To this order subscribed all the kinges Counsell and chiefe of the Nobility Syr Iames Hales standeth with Queene Mary the Maior and city of London and almoste all the Iudges and chiefe Lawyers of this Realme sauing onely Iustice Hales of Kent a man both fauoring true Religion and also an vpright iudge as any hath bene noted in this Realme who geuing his consent vnto Lady Mary would in no case subscribe to Lady Iane. Of this man God willing you shall perceiue more in the sequele of this story The causes layd agaynst Lady Marye were as well for that it was feared she would mary with a Straunger and thereby entangle the crowne as also that she would cleane alter Religion vsed both in king Henry her father and also in king Edwarde her brothers dayes so bring in the pope to the vtter destruction of the Realme which indeed afterward came to passe as by the course and sequele of this story may well appeare Two things feared in Queene Mary Much probable matter they had thus to coniecture of her by reason of her great stubbernnes shewed and declared in her brothers dayes as in the letters before mentioned passing betwene her and king Edward the Counsell may appeare The matter being thus concluded and after confirmed by euery mans hand King Edwarde an Impe of so great hope not long after this departed by the vehemency of his sickenes when he was sixtene yeares of age with whom also decaid in maner the whole florishing estate and honor of the English nation Queene Iane proclaâ—med at â—ondon ComparisoÌ„â—â—tweene 〈◊〉 king â—dward â—oung Lady 〈◊〉 This 〈◊〉 of the Lady Iane was M. Elmer When king Edwarde was deade this Iane was established in the kingdome by the Nobles consent and was forthwith published Queene by proclamation at London and in other Cityes where was any great resort and was there so taken and named Betweene this young Damosell and kyng Edwarde there was litle difference in age though in learning knowledge of the tongues she was not onely equall but also superior vnto him being instructed of a Mayster right notablye learned If her fortune had bene as good as was her bringing vppe ioyned wyth â—inenesse of wit vndoubtedly she might haue semed comparable not onelye to the house of the Uaspasians Sempâ—onians and mother of the Grachies yea to anye other women beside that deserued high prayse for theyr sigulart learning but also to the vniuersity men which haue taken many degrees of the Schooles In the meane time while these thinges were a working at London Mary which had knowledge of her Brothers death writeth to the Lords of the Councell in forme as foloweth ¶ A Letter of the Lady Mary sent to the Lordes of the Counsell wherein shee claymeth the Crowne after the decease of king Edwarde Lady Maryes letter sent to the Counâ—ayle wherein shee 〈◊〉 the Crowne MY Lordes we greete you well and haue receiued sure aduertisement that our dearest Brother the king our late soueraigne Lord is departed to Gods mercye whiche newes howe they be woefull vnto our hart he onely knoweth to whose will and pleasure we must and do humbly submitte vs and our willes But in this so lamentable a case that is to witte now after hys Maiesties departure and death concerning the Crowne and gouernaunce of thys Realme of England with the title of Fraunce and all thinges thereto belonging what hath bene prouided by Act of Parliament and the Testament and last will of our dearest Father besides other circumstaunces aduauncing our right you know the Realme and the whole world knoweth the Rolles and Recordes appeare by the authority of the kyng our sayde Father and the king our sayde brother and the subiectes of thys Realme so that we verily trust that there is no good true subiect that is can or would pretend to be ignoraunt therof and of our parte wee haue of our selues caused and as God shall ayde and strength vs shall cause our right and title in this behalfe to be published and proclaymed accordingly And albeit this so weighty a matter seemeth straunge that the dying of oure sayde brother vpon Thursday at night last past we hytherto hadde no knowledge from you thereof yet we consider your wisedomes and prudence to be such that hauing eftsoones amongest you debated pondered and well wayed this present case with our estate with your own estate the common wealth and all our honours wee shall and may conceiue greate hope and trust with much assuraunce in your loyaltye and seruice and therefore for the tyme interprete and take thinges not to the worst and that ye yet will like Noble men woorke the best Neuerthelesse wee are not ignoraunt of your consultations to vndoe the prouisions made for our preferment nor of the great bandes and prouisions forceable wherewith yee bee assembled and prepared by whom and to what ende God and you know and nature can but feare some euill But be it that some consideration politicke or whatsoeuer thing else hath mooued you thereto yet doubte you not my Lordes but we can take all these your doynges in gracious part being also right ready to remit fullye pardon the same with that freely to eschewe bloudshed and vengeance agaynst all those that canne or will intend the same trusting also assuredly you will take and accept this grace and vertue in good part as appeateyneth and that wee shall not be enforced to vse the seruice of other our true subiectes and frendes which in thys our iust and right cause
that will saye the contrary that all that is contained in the holy Communion set out by the most innocent and godly Prince king Edward the 6. in his high court of Parliament is conformable to that order which our Sauiour Christ did both obserue and commaund to be obserued which his Apostles primatiue church vsed many yeares whereas the Masse in many things not onely hath no foundation of Christe his Apostles nor the primatiue Church but is manifestly contrary to the same and coÌ„taineth many horrible abuses in it And although many either vnlearned or malitious do report that M. Peter Martyr is vnlearned yet if the Queeneâ— highnes wil graunt thereunto I with the sayde M. Peter Martyr and other 4. or 5. whiche I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vppon vs to defende not onely the common praiers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites ceremonies but also al the doctrine and religion set out by our said soueraigne Lord king Edward the 6. to be more pure and according to Gods worde then any other that hath bene vsed in England these 1000. yeares so that Gods word may be iudge that the reasons and proufes of both parties may be sette out in wryting to the intent as well that all the worlde maye examine and iudge thereon as that no man shall start backe from his wrytinge And where they boast of the faith that hath bene in the Churche these 1500. yeres we will ioyne with them in this poynt and that the same doctrine and vsage is to be followed whiche was in the Church .1500 yeres past and we shall prooue that the order of the Churche let out at this present in this Realme by Acte of Parlament is the same that was vsed in the Church .1500 yeres past so shall they be neuer able to prooue theirs The same Thursday beinge the 7. of Septemb. Lorde Mountacute chiefe Iustice and Lorde chiefe Baron were deliuered out of the Tower The 13. of September the reuerende father M. Hughe Latimer was committed to the Tower The 14. of Septemb. the bishop of Caunterburye was committed to the Tower The 26. of September one Maister Graye of Cambridge called before hym one M. Garth for that he would not suffer a boy of Peter house to helpe hym saye Masse in Penbroke hal which was before any law was established for that behalfe The Queene came to the Tower of London vpon the Thursday being the 28. of September Amongest these Pageantes stood a certaine man vpon the top of the Eagle vpon Paules steeple with a flagge in his hand and vpon the Saterday following shee rode from the Tower thorough the Citie of London where were made many Pageants to receiue her and so was triumphantly brought to Westminster to White hall Uppon the Sonday being the first day of October the Queenes highnesse went from White hall to Westminster Abbey accompanied wyth the most part of the Nobility of this Realme namelye these The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Shrewsburie the Marques of Winchester the Earls of Darby Bedford Worcester Cumberland Westmerland Oxford Sussex Deuonshire Penbroke the Lord Dacres of the North Lord Ferris Lorde Cobham Lord Aburgeiny Lord Wentwoorth Lord Scroupe Lord Rich Lord Uaus Lorde Hawarde Lord Conias Lord Morley Lorde Paget and the Lorde Willowbye with many other Nobles and all the Embassadours of diuers countreys the Maior of London wyth all the Aldermen Also out of the Abbey to receiue her comming came three siluer Crosses and to the number of four score or neare vppon Q. Mary crowned Doctor sayes Sermon Generall pardon at the Queens CoronatioÌ„ â—xempted 〈◊〉 of the Pardon of singing men all in very rich gorgeous coapes Amongest whom were the Deane of Westminster and diuers of her Chaplaines which bare euerye one some ensigne in their handes and after them followed 10. Byshops mytred all and their Croyser staues in theyr handes and rich Copes vpon them euery one And in this order they returned froÌ„ Westminster hal before the Quene to the Abbey where she was crowned by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lorde Chancellor of England At the time of the Coronation Doctour Day Bishop of Chichester made a sermon to the Queenes maiestie and to the rest of the nobilitie Also there was a generall Pardon proclaimed wythin the Abbey at the sayd time of her Coronation out of which Proclamation all the prisonners of the Tower and of the Flete were excepted and 62. more Wherof M. Whitchurch and M. Grafton were two The thirde of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge did chalenge one M. Pierson for that hee ministred still the Communion in his owne Parish and did receyue straungers of other Parishes to the same and woulde not say masse Whereupon within 2. dayes after he was cleane discharged from farther ministring in his Cure Uppon the Wedensday following Q. Mary rideth to the Parliament house Sergeant Pollard speaker in the Parliament The Earle of Huntington deliuered out of the Tower M. Saunders for preaching agaynst the Masse committed to the Marshalsey the Archb. of Yorke was committed to the Tower Uppon Thursdaye being the 5. of October 1553. the Queene road to the Parliament in her roabes and all the nobilitie with her and when they were set in the Parliament house the Bishop of Winchester made to them a solemne Oration and Sergeant Pollarde was chosen speaker of the Parliament The same day the Bishops of Lincolne Harford and Westchester were discharged from the Parliament and Conuocation Also the 10. daye of October the Earle of Huntington was deliuered out of the Tower Upon the Sonday after being the 15. of Oct. M. Laurence Saunders preached at Alhallowes in Breadstreete in y e morning where he declared the abhomination of the masse with diuers other matters very notably and godly Wherof more shal be heard by the Lordes leaue heereafter when we come to his story In which his doing as he shewed himselfe to be Gods faithful minister so is he sure not to be defrauded of gods faithful promise who sayth Omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus confitebor ego illum coram patre meo qui est in coelis Math. 10. But about noone of the same day he was sent for by the bishop of London and from thence committed to the Marshalsee Upon the Sonday folowing being the 20. of October Doctor Weston preached at Paules Crosse. D. Westons popish Sermon at Paules Who in the beginning of his Sermone willed the people to praye for the soules departed on this wise You shall pray for all them y t be departed that be neither in heaueÌ„ nor hell but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heaueÌ„ that they may be releued by your deuout prayers He named the Lordes table an oyster board He saide that the Catechisme in Latin lately sette out was abhominable heresie likened the setters
tyme of weaknes Likewise when the king first came if it had bene done they might haue sayd it had bene by force violence But now euen now * Imo poâ—â—stas tenebrarum hora est the houre is come when no thing can be obiected but that it is the mere mercy and prouidence of God Nowe hath the Popes holynesse Pope Iulius the 3. sent vnto vs this most reuerend father Ste. Garâ—â—â—ner clawâ—eth the Cardinalâ— Cardinall Poole an Ambassadour from his side What to doe not to reueÌ„ge the iniuries done by vs agaynst his holines sed benedicere malediceÌ„tibus to geue his benedictioÌ„ to those which defamed and persecuted him And that we may be the more meete to receiue the sayd benedictioÌ„ I shall desire you that we may alway acknowledge our selues offeÌ„ders agaynst his holines Note hoâ— the meaning of Sâ— Paules wordes is here applâ—â—ed I do not exclude my selfe forth of the number I will flere cum flentibus gaudere cum gaudentibus that is weep with them that weep and reioyce with them which reioyce And I shall desire you that we may deferre the matter no longer for now hora est the houre is come The King and the Queenes Maiesties haue already restored our holy Father the Pope to his supremacy and the three estates assembled in the Parliament representing the whole body of the Realme haue also submitted themselues to his holines and his successors * For eueâ— Winchestâ—â— a false Pâ—â—â—phet S. Paule though 〈◊〉 was the fâ—â—ther of mâ—â—ny Churâ—ches in Christ Ieâ—â—â— yet was hâ— neuer so arragant 〈◊〉 take vpon him to be supreme head of 〈◊〉 church 〈◊〉 left that 〈◊〉 to Chriâ—â— laboure to bring 〈◊〉 vnder him for euer Wherefore let not vs any longer stay And euen as S. Paule sayd to the Corinthians that he was theyr father so may the Pope saye that he is our Father for we receiued our doctrine first from Rome therefore he may challenge vs as his owne We haue all cause to reioyce for hys holynesse hath sent hither and preueÌ„ted vs before we sought him such care hath he for vs. Therefore let vs say Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemur in ea Reioyce in this day which is of the Lordes working that suche a noble man of byrth is come yea suche a holye Father I meane my Lord Cardinall Poole which can speake vnto vs as vnto brethren and not as vnto straungers who hath a long time bene absent And let vs now awake whiche so long haue slept and in our sleepe haue done so much naughtines agaynst the Sacramentes of Christ denying the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar and pulled downe the * So Ezechâ—â—as pulled downe thâ— hill Altâ—â— which Mâ—â—nasses afteâ—â—ward did vp and 〈◊〉 we commend thâ— doings oâ— Ezechias disproue the facte 〈◊〉 the other aultars which thing Luther himselfe would not doe but rather reproued them that did examining them of theyr beliefe in Christ. This was the summe of this Sermon before his prayers wherein he prayed first for the Pope Pope Iulius the 3. withall his Colledge of Cardinals the B. of LondoÌ„ with the rest of that order then for the king and Queene the nobility of this Realme and last for the commons of the same with the soules departed lying in the paynes of Purgatory This ended the time being late they beganne in Paules to ring to theyr Euening song wherby the precher could not be well heard whiche caused him to make a short end of this clerkly Sermon About this very time a Poste or Messenger was sent froÌ„ the whole Parliament to the Pope to desire him to coÌ„firme and establish the sale of Abbey landes and Chauntry landes For the Lordes and the Parliament would grauÌ„t nothing in the Popes behalfe before theyr purchases were fully confirmed Upon the Thursday folowing being the 6. day of december and S. Nicholas day Decemb. all the whole Conuocation both Bishops and other were sent for to Lambeth to the Cardinall The Châ—â—â—ter of Paules â—â—â—solued by the Carâ—â—â—nall Decembâ—â— 12. who the same day forgaue them all theyr perâ—urations schismes and heresies and they all there kneeled downe and receiued his absolution and after an exhortation and gratulation for theyr conuersion to the catholicke church made by the Cardinall they departed Upon the Wednesday being the 12. of December fiue of the 8. menne which lay in the Fleete that were of M. Throgmortons quest were discharged and set at libertye vpon their fine payed which was ccxx li a piece and the other â—oure put vp a Supplication therein declaring that their goods did not amount to the summe that they were appointed to pay and so vpon that declaration paying lx.li. a piece they were deliuered out of prison vpon S. Thomas day before Christmas beyng the xxi of December Upon the Saterday followyng beyng the xxij of December all the whole Parliament had strait commaundement that none of them should depart into their countrey this Christmas nor before the Parliament were ended Which commandement was wonderful contrary to their expectations For as well many of the Lords as also many of the inferior sort had sent for their horse and had them brought hither December â—8 Upon the Friday following being the 28. of December and Childermas day the Prince of Piedmont came to the court at Westminster Anno. 1555. Upon Newyeares day at night folowing certain honest men and women of the Citie to the number of xxx a minister with them named M. Rose were taken as they were in a house in Bow Churchyard at the Communion and the same night they were al committed to prison And on the Thursday following being the 3. day of Ianuary M. Rose was before the B. of Winchester beyng L. Chancellor and from thence the same day he was committed to the Tower after certaine communication had betweene the Bishop and him The acte of supremacy passed in the Parlament The same day the Act of the supremacie past in the parlament Also the same day at night was a great tumult betwene Spaniards English men at Westminster wherof was like to haue ensued great mischief through a Spanish Frier which got into the Church and rong Alarum The occasion was about two whores which were in the cloister of Westminster with a sort of Spaniards A styrre betweene the Spanyardes and English men at Westminster whereof whilest some playd the knaues with them other some dyd keepe the entry of the Cloister with Dags in harneis In the meane tyme certaine of the Deanes men came into the cloister and the Spaniards discharged their dags at them and hurt some of them By and by the noyse of this doyng came into the streetes so that the whole towne was vp almost but neuer a stroke was striken Notwithstandyng the noise of this doyng with the Deanes men and also the ringing of the Alarum made
to keepe his house which myght haue mooued hym thereunto He did see the recouery of religion in England for that present desperate he knew he could not want a liuyng in Germany and he coulde not forget his wyfe and x. children and to seeke means to succour them But all these things set apart after he was called to answer in Christes cause he would not depart but stoutly stood in defence of the same and for the triall of that truth was content to hazard his lyfe Thus he remayned in hys owne house as prisoner a long tyme till at the length through the vncharitable procurement of Boner Bishop of London who could not abyde such honest neighbours to dwell by him M. Rogers sent to Newgate he was remooued from his owne house to the prison called Newgate where he was lodged among theeues and murtherers for a great space during which tyme what businesse he had with the aduersaries of Christ all is not knowen neither yet any certaintie of his examinations further theÌ„ he hymselfe did leaue in writyng which God would not to be lost but to remayne for a perpetuall testimony in the cause of Gods truth as here followeth recorded and testified by his owne writyng ¶ The Examination and aunswere of John Rogers made to the L. Chancellor and to the rest of the Counsell the 22. of Ianuary Anno. 1555. The Lord Chauncellour FIrst the L. Chancellour said vnto me thus Sir Examination aunswere of M. Iohn Rogers ye haue heard of the state of the realme in which it standeth now Rogers No my Lord I haue bene kept in close prison and except there haue bene some generall thyng sayd at the table wheÌ„ I was at dinner or supper I haue heard nothing and there haue I heard nothing whereupon any speciall thing might be grounded L. Chan. Then sayd the L. Chancellor Generall thynges generall things mockingly Ye haue heard of my L. Cardinals commyng and that the Parliament hath receyued his blessing not one resisting vnto it but one man which did speake against it Such an vnitie and such a myracle hath not bene seene And all they of which there are eyght score in one house sayd one that was by whose name I know not haue with one assent and * Ful sore against theyr wills if they could otherwise haue chosen consent receyued pardon of their offences for the schisme that we haue had in England in refusing the holy father of Rome to be hed of the Catholike Church How say ye are ye content to vnite and knit yourselfe to the fayth of the catholike church with vs in the state in which it is now in England Wyll ye do that Rogers The Catholike Church I neuer did nor will dissenâ— from L. Chancel Nay but I speake of the state of the Catholike church in that wyse in which we stand now in England hauyng receaued the Pope to be supreme head Rog. No head of the Catholicke Church but Christ. I know none other head but Christ of his catholike church neither will I acknowledge the Bishop of Rome to haue any more authority then any other bishop hath by the word of God and by the doctrine of the olde and pure Catholike church 400. yeres after Christ. L. Chaun Why didst thou then acknowledge King Henry the 8. to be supreme head of the church if Christ be the onely head Rog. The supremacie of king Henry 8. how it is to be taken I neuer graunted hym to haue any supremacy in spirituall thyngs as are the forgeuenesse of sinnes geuing of the holy Ghost authoritie to be a Iudge aboue the worde of God L. Chan. Yea said he and Tonstall B. of Duresme and N. B. of Worcester Tonstall B. of Duresme N. Bishop of Worcester if thou hadst said so in his dayes and they nodded the hed at me with a laughter thou hadst not ben alyue now Rog. Which thing I denied and would haue told how hee was said and ment to be supreme head But they looked laughed one vpon another and made such a busines that I was coÌ„strayned to let it passe There lyeth also no great waight thereupon for all the world knoweth what the meanyng was The L. Chancellor also sayd to the L. Wil. Haward that there was no inconuenience therin to haue Christ to be supreme head The meaning why K. Henry was titled â—upreame head and the B. of Rome also and when I was ready to haue answered that there could not be two heds of one church and haue more plainly declared the vanity of that his reason the L. Chancellor said what saist thou make vs a direct answer whether thou wilt be one of this catholike church or not with vs in the state in which we are now Rog. My L. without faile I cannot beleeue that ye your selues do thinke in your harts that he is supreme head in forgeuing of sinne The Bishops contrary to theyr former doinges and wrytinges c. as is before sayd seyng you all the bishops of the realme haue now xx yeares long preached and some of you also written to the contrary and the Parliament hath so long agone condescended vnto it And there he interrupted me thus L. Chan. Tush that Parlament was with most great crueltie constrained to abolish and put away the primacie froÌ„ the bishops of Rome Rog. With crueltie Why then I perceyue that you take a wrong way with crueltie to perswade mens consciences For it should appeare by your doyngs now that the cruelty then vsed hath not perswaded your consciences How would you then haue our consciences perswaded wyth cruelty L. Chan. I talke to thee of no cruelty but that they were so often so cruelly called vpon in that Parlament to let the Act go forward yea and euen with force driuen thereunto where as in this parliament it was so vniformly receiued as is aforesayd Rog. Here my L. Paget told me more plainly what my L. Chauncellor ment Truth goeth not by number nor by the greater part Unto whom I answered My Lord what will ye conclude thereby that the first Parliament was of lesse authoritie because but few condescended vnto it and this last Parliament of great authoritye because more condescended vnto it It goeth not my Lord by the more or lesser part but by the wyser truer godlier part and I would haue sayd more but the L. Chauncellour interrupted me with his question willyng me once agayne to aunswer him For sayd he we haue mo to speake with theÌ„ thou 10. Prisoners out of Newâ—â—tâ— to be 〈◊〉 before 〈…〉 〈…〉 the 10. yelded which must come in after thee And so there were in deed ten persons moe out of Newgate besides two that were not called Of which ten one was a citizen of London which graunted vnto them and ix of the contrarye which all came to prison agayne and refused the cardinals blessing and the authoritie of his
specially seeing the like had bene permitted in that olde Churche euen in generall Councels yea and that in one of the chiefest councels that euer was 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 the B. of 〈◊〉 vnto which neither any Actes of thys Parlament nor yet any of the late general Councels of the Bishops of Rome oughte to be compared For sayde I if Henry the eight were aliue and should call a Parliament and begin to determine a thing and heere I woulde haue alledged the example of the Acte of making the Queene a Bastarde and of making himselfe the Superiour head but I coulde not being interrupted of one whome God forgeue then will ye poynting to my Lorde Chauncellour and yee and yee and so yee all poyntinge to the rest of the Byshops say Amen yea and it like your grace it is mete that it be so enacted c. M. Rogers 〈◊〉 suffered to speake Here my L. Chauncellor would suffer me to speake no more but had me sit downe mockingly saying that I was sent for to be instructed of them and I woulde take vppon me to be their instructer My Lorde quoth I I stand and sit not shall I not be suffred to speake for my life Marke here â—he spirite of this prelate Shall we suffer thee to tel a tale and to prate quoth he and with that he stoode vp and began to face me after hys olde arrogant proude fashion for he perceiued that I was in a way to haue touched them somwhat which he thought to hynder by dashing mee oute of my tale and so hee dyd For I could neuer be suffered to come to my tale agayne no not to one word of it but he had much like communication with me as he had the day before and as his maner is taunt vpon taunt and checke vpon checke For in that case being Gods cause I tolde hym he should not make me afraid to speake L. Chaun See what a spirit this fellow hath sayde he fineding fault at mine accustomed earnestnesse and harty maner of speaking Rog. The godly spirite of M. Rogers I haue a true spirite quoth I agreeing and obeying the word of God and would further haue sayd that I was neuer the worse but the better to be earnest in a iuste and true cause and in my master Christes matters but I might not be heard And at the length he proceeded towardes his excommunication and condemnation after that I had told hym that his Church of Rome was the Churche of Antichriste The church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist meaning the lawes and doctrine now vsed in Rome meaning the false doctrine and tyrannicall lawes with the maintenance thereof by cruel persecution vsed by the Bishops of the said church which the B. of Winchester and the rest of his fellow bishops that are now in EnglaÌ„d are the chiefe members Of lawes I meane quoth I and not of all men and women which are in the popes church Likewise when I was saide to haue denied their sacrameÌ„t whereof he made his wonted reuerent mention more to maintaine his kingdom therby then for the true reuerence of Christes institution more for his owne and his Popish generations sake then for religion or Gods sake I tolde him after what order I did speake of it for the manner of hys speakyng was not agreeing to my woords which are before recited in the communication that wee had the 28. of Ianuarie wherewith he was not contented but he asked the audience whether I had not simply denied y e sacrameÌ„t How the Bishop of Winchester seketh for bloud They would haue said and did what he lusted for the most of them were of his owne seruants at that day the 29. day of Ianuary I meane At the last I said I wil neuer denye that I sayd that is that your doctrine of the Sacrament is false but yet I tell you after what order I sayde it To be short he red my condemnation before me perticularly mentioning therein but 2. Articles firste that I affirmed the Romish catholike church to be the church of antichrist and that I denied the reality of their sacrament He cursed me to be disgraded and condemned and put into the hands of the laitie and so he gaue me ouer into the shriues hands which were much better then his ¶ The copie of which his condemnation here I thought to put downe in English to the entent that the same being here once expressed may serue for all other sentences condemnatory through the whole storie to be referred vnto The Sentence condemnatorie against Maister Rogers IN the name of God Amen Wee Steuen by the permission of God Bishop of Winchester lawfully and ryghtly proceeding with all godly fauoure by authority and vertue of our office againste thee Iohn Rogers priest The 〈◊〉 definitâ—â—â— against M. Râ—geâ—s alias called Mathewe before vs personally heere present being accused and detected and notoriously slaundered of heresie hauing heard seene and vnderstand and with al diligent deliberation wayed discussed and considered the merites of the cause all thinges being obserued which by vs in thys behalfe in order of law ought to be obserued sitting in our iudgement seat the name of Christ being first called vpon and hauing God onely before our eyes because by the actes enacted propounded and exhibited in this matter and by thine owne confession iudicially made before vs we do finde that thou hast taught holden and affirmed and obstinately defended diuers errours heresies and damnable opinions contrarye to the doctrine and determination of the holy church as namely these That the catholike churche of Rome is the church of Antichrist Item His Articles that in the Sacrament of the aultare there is not substantially nor really the natural bodye and bloude of Christe The which aforesayde heresies and damnable opinions being contrary to the law of God and determination of the vniuersall and Apostolicall Church thou hast arrogantly stubburnely and wittingly mainteined held and affirmed and also defended before vs as wel in thys iudgement as also otherwise and with the like obstinacie stubbornnesse malice and blindnesse of heart both wittingly and willingly haste affirmed that thou wilt beleeue maintaine and holde affirme and declare the same Wee therefore S. Wint. B. Ordinarie and Diocesan aforesayd by the consent and assent as well of our reuerend brethren the Lord Bishops heere present and assistent as also by the counsell and iudgement of diuers worshipfull lawyers and professours of Diuinitie wyth whome wee haue communicated in thys behalfe doe declare and pronounce thee the sayde Iohn Rogers otherwise called Mathewe through thy demerites transgressions obstinacies wilfulnesses whych thou manifolde wayes hast incurred by thine owne wicked and stubburne obstinacie to haue bene and to be guiltie in the detestable horrible and wicked offence of hereticall prauitie and execrable doctrine and that thou haste before vs sondry times spoken maintained and wittingly and stubbornely defended the sayde
curssed and execrable doctrine in thy sundry coÌ„fessions assertions and recognitions heere iudicially before vs oftentimes repeated and yet stil doest maintaine affirme and beleue y e same and that thou haste beene and arte lawfully and ordinarily conuicted in this behalfe Wee therefore I say all be it folowing the example of Christ Which woulde not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue we haue gon about oftentimes to correct thee and by al lawfull meanes that wee coulde and all wholesome admonitions that wee did knowe to reduce thee againe vnto the true faith and vnitie of the vniuersall catholike churche notwithstandinge haue founde thee obstinate and stifnecked willingly continuing in thy damnable opinions and heresies and refusing to retourne againe vnto the true faith and vnitie of the holy mother Church and as the childe of wickednesse and darkenesse so to haue hardned thy heart that thou wilt not vnderstand the voice of thy shephard which with a fatherly affection doth seeke after thee nor wilte not be allured w t his fatherly and godly admonitions wee therfore Ste the B. aforesaid not willing that thou which art wicked shuldest now become more wicked and infect the Lords flocke with thine heresie which we are greatly afraide off wyth sorrowe of minde and bitternesse of hearte doe iudge thee and diffinitiuely condemne thee the sayde Iohn Rogers otherwise called Mathew thy demâ—rites defaultes being agrauate through thy damnable obstinacy as gilty of most detestable heresies and as an obstinate impenitent sinner refusing penitently to returne to the lappe and vnity of the holy mother church and that thou hast ben and art by law excommunicate doe pronounce and declare thee to be an excommunicate person Also we pronouÌ„ce and declare thee being an heritike to be cast out from the church left vnto the iudgement of the secular power now presently so doe leaue thee as an obstinate heretike and a persone wrapped in the sentence of the greate curse to be disgraded worthely for thy demerites requiring them notwithstanding in the bowels of our Lord Iesus Christ that thys execution and punishment worthely to be done vpon thee may so be moderated that the rigor therof be not too extreme nor yet the gentlenes too much mitigated but that it may be to the saluation of thy soule to the extirpation terror and conuersion of the heretikes to the vnitie of the Catholike fayth by thys our sentence definitiue which we heere lay vpon and against thee and doe with sorrowe of heart promulgate in this forme aforesaid M. Rogers and M. Hooper sent to Newgate After this sentence being read he sent vs M. Hoper I meane and me to the Clinke there to remaine till nyghte and when it was darke they caried vs M. Hoper going before with the one sherife and I comming after with the other with bils and weapons enough out of the Clinke led vs through the bishops house and so thorow S. Marie Oueries churchyarde and so into Southwarke and ouer the bridge on procession to Newgate through the city But I must shewe you this also that when he had red the condemnation he declared that I was in the great cursse and what a vengeable daungerous matter it were to eate and drinke with vs that were accursed A vengeable thing to be in the Popes Church or to geue vs anye thyng for all that so did shoulde be pertakers of the same great cursse Well my Lord quoth I heere I stand before God and you M. Rogers wordes to the the Bishop of Winchester and all this honorable audience and take him to witnesse that I neuer wittingly or willingly taughte any false doctrine and therfore haue I a good conscience before God and all good men I am sure that you and I shall come before a iudge that is righteous before whome I shall be as good a man as you and I nothing dout but that I shall be found there a true member of the true Catholike church of Christ euerlastingly saued And as for your false churche ye neede not to excommunicate me foorth of it I haue not bene in it these 20. yeares the Lorde be thanked therefore But now ye haue done what ye can my Lorde I pray you yet graunt me one thing What is that quoth he That my poore wife being a straunger may come and speake with me so long as I liue M. Rogers request to haue his wife come to him while he liued could not to be graunted For she hath ten children that are hers mine and somewhat I would counsell her what were best for her to do No quoth he shee is not thy wife Yes my Lord quoth I and hath ben these 18. yeres Should I graunt her to be thy wife quoth he Chuse you quoth I whether ye will or not she shal be so neuerthelesse Shee shall not come at thee quoth he Then I haue tried out all your charitie sayde I. You make your selfe highly displeased with the Matrimonie of priestes but you maintaine open whoredom as in Wales quoth I where euery priest hath his whore opeÌ„ly dwelling with him and lying by him euen as your holy Father suffereth all the priestes in Dutchlande and in Fraunce to do the like Therto he answered not but looked as it were a squint at it and thus I departed and saw him last Other good matter there is besides penned by M. Rogers in the prison which he thought and would haue aunswered if he myght haue bene permitted touching whych matter as heere vnder foloweth to be seene by hys owne setting downe HItherto dearely beloued ye haue heard what was said nowe heare what I purposed the nighte before to haue sayd if I could haue bene permitted Two things I purposed to haue touched The one howe it was lawfull for a priuate man to reason and wryte against a wicked acte of Parliament or an vngodly counsell whych the L. Chauncelor the day before denied me Thother was to proue that prosperitie was not alwaies a token of Gods loue And thys I purpose to speake off because the Lorde Chauncellour boasted of hym selfe that hee was deliuered fourth of prison as it were by myracle preserued of God to restore true religion and to punish mee and suche other whom he termed hereticks Concerning these two poynts in this manner I purposed to haue proceeded It is not vnknowen to you that king Henrie the eight in hys time made his daughter the Queene that now is a bastarde he abolished the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome hee pulled downe Abbeys and all this hee did by the consent of Parliament King Edwarde the sixte in hys time made lawfull the mariage of priests turned the seruice into English abolyshed the idolatrous Masse with all like superstitious truÌ„perie sette vp the holy Communion and all by consent of Parliament The Queene that nowe is hath repealed the Acte that made her bastarde hath
vs notwythstanding when they were charged therewithall they aunsweared Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus that is we ought more to obey God then man euen so we may and doe answere you God is more to be obeyed then maÌ„ your wicked lawes can not so tongue tie vs but we will speake the truthe The Apostles were beaten for theyr boldnesse and they reioyced that they suffered for Christes cause Yee haue also prouided roddes for vs and bloudy whippes yet when ye haue done that whiche Goddes hande and Counsell hathe determined that yee shall doe be it life or deathe I truste that God wil so assist vs by his holy spirite and grace that wee shall paciently suffer it praise God for it and whatsoeuer become of mee and others whiche nowe suffer for speaking and professing of the truthe yet be yee sure that Goddes woorde will preuaile and haue the ouer hande when youre bloudy lawes and wicked decrees for want of sure foundation shall fal in the dust and that which I haue spoken of your Actes of Parliament the same may be sayd of the generall Councels of these latter dayes whych haue bene wythin these fiue hundreth yeares where as the Antichrist of Rome by reason of hys vsurped authority ruled the roaste and decreed suche things as made for his gaine not regarding Goddes glorye and therefore are they to be spoken wrytten and cried against of all such as fear God and loue hys truthe And thus muche I purposed to haue sayde concerning the first poynte Nowe touching the second poynte That where as my Lorde Chauncellour hadde the daye before sayde hys pleasure of them that ruled the Realme while hee was in prysone and also reioyced as though God hadde make this alteration euen for his sake and his Catholike Churche as hee calleth it and to declare as it were by myracle that we were before in a Schisme and Heresie and the Realme was nowe brought to an vnitie and to a trueth and I can not tell whereto Thereto was I fully purposed to haue sayde Secondlye my Lorde where as yee yesterdaye so highly dispraised the gouernment of them that ruled in innocent King Edwardes dayes it maye please your Lordshippe to vnderstande that wee poore Preachers whome yee so euill allowe did moste boldly and plainely rebuke theyr euill gouernaunce in manye things speciallye theyr couetousnesse and neglecte and small regarde to liue after the Gospell as also theyr negligence to occasion other to liue thereafter wyth mo things then I can now rehearse Thys can all London testifie wyth vs I would also haue tolde hym what I my selfe for my parte did once at Pauls Crosse concerning the misuse of Abbeys and other church goodes and I am assured right well that neuer a Papiste of them all did euer so much therein as I did I thanke the Lorde therefore I was also as it is well knowen faine to aunsweare therefore before all the Counsell and manye of my brethren did the like so that wee for the not rebuking of theyr faultes shall not aunsweare before God nor be blame worthy before menne Therefore lette the Gentlemen and the Courtiers them selues and all the Citizens of London testifie what we did But my Lord you could not abide them for that which they did vnto you and for that they were of a contrary Religion vnto you Whereâ—ore in that you seeme so infest against them it is neither any iust or publique cause but it is your owne priuate hate that maketh you to reporte so euill of their gouernaunce And yee may now say what yee list of them when they be partely dead and gone and partly by you put out of office But what shal be sayde of you when your fall shall folowe yee shall then heare And I muste say my conscience to you I feare me ye haue and wil with your gouernance bring England out of Gods blessing into a warme sunne I pray God you doe not I am an Englishe manne borne and God knoweth doe naturally wishe well to my Countrey And my Lorde I haue often prooued that the thyngs which I haue much feared afore hande shoulde come to passe haue in deede followed I praye God I may faile of my gessing in thys behalfe but truely that will not be wyth expellyng the true woorde of God out of the Realme and wyth sheading of innocent bloude And as touching your reioycing as thoughe God had sette you alofte to punishe vs by myracle for so you reporte and bragge openly of yourselfe and to minister Iustice if wee will not receaue youre holye fathers mercye and thereby to declare youre churche to be true and oures false to that I aunsweare thus Goddes workes be wonderful are not to be compreheÌ„ded and perceiued by maÌ„s wisedome not by the witte of the moste wise and prudent Yea they are soonest deceiued and doe moste easely iudge amisse of Goddes wonderfull woorkes that are moste worldly wise God hathe made all the wisedome of thys worlde foolishnesse first Corrinthians the firste and the seconde Chapter Dedit dilectam animam suam in manus inimicorum eius Hierem. xij That is Hee doeth putte his beloued and deare heart into the handes of the ennemies thereof Thys thing doeth God whiche thing all wise menne accompte to be the moste foolish and vnwise parte that can be Will the wise of the worlde trowe ye putte their most deare frendes and tenderly beloued children into their enmies handes to kill slaye burne c. that is vnto them a madnesse aboue all madnesse And yet doeth God vse thys order and thys is an highe and singular wisedome in his syght which the world taketh to be most extreme madnes Canne the worlde shewe a cause whye hee suffered the greate multitude of innocente children to be murthered of Herode of Ascalon or why he putte that moste holy man Iohn Baptiste into the handes of Herode hys sonne to be headed and that in prisone secreatly wythout open iudgement moste tyrannously Whye he suffered hys beloued Apostle Iames to be beheaded of another Herode Acts 12 Whye he suffered his beloued seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be foure hundred yeares in thraldome and bondage and vnder Pharao And all the stocke of Iuda and Beniamin hys beloued children and Churche to come vnder the power sweard and tyrannie of Nabuchodonosor No verely but hys true Catholicke Churche knoweth diuers causes heereof whyche are nowe too long to reherse and whych I would right gladly shew if I had time But this I am righte sure off that it was not because that the aforesayd Godly menne were in heresies and subiecte to false gods seruices and Idolatrie and that theyr aduersaries were men of God and beloued of God The contrarye was true Ihon Baptist was beloued of God and Herode hated and so foorth of the rest and Iohn Baptist the innocent children Iames the Children of Israel in Egypte and in Babylon were the catholike members and
death yet ministred to him a quicke dispatch mooued belike by some compassion not to haue him stande in the torment where the tormentors of M. Hooper suffred him without all compassion to stand three quarters of an houre in the fire And as touching the chiefe doers and authors of his martyrdome what Consul or Proconsul was there to be conferred with the Chancelour heere which brought this Martyr to burning Let this suffice Bookes and treatises written by M. Hooper This good Bishop and seruaunte of God being in prison wrote diuers Bookes and Treatises to the number of 24. wherof some he wrote to the parlament in Latine and one to the Bishop of Chichester D. Day besides he wrote of the sacraments of the Lordes praier and of the x. Commaundements with diuers other Here folowe certaine of M. Hoopers letters AS you haue hearde the whole storie of the life and martyrdome of thys good manne declared More of his letters ye shall read in the book of Letters of the Marâ—â—â— so nowe let vs consequently adioyne some parte of hys letters wrytten in the time of hys imprisonment moste fruitfull and worthy to be read especially in these daungerous dayes of all true Christians which by true mortification seeke to serue and followe the Lorde through all tempests and stormes of thys malignaunt worlde as by the readyng and perusing of the sayde letters you shall better feele and vnderstande A letter of M. Hooper to certaine godly professors and louers of the truth instructing them howe to behaue them selues in that wofull alteration and change of Religion THe grace mercye and peace of God the father through oure Lorde Iesus Christ be w t you my deareâ— brethren A letter of â— Hooper and withal those that vnfainedly loue and embrace his holy Gospel Amen It is told me that the wicked Idol the Masse is stablished again by a law passed in the parlameÌ„t house Learn the truth of it I pray you what penaltie is appointed in the Acte to such as speake against it also whether there be any compulsion to constraine men to be at it The statute thorowly knowen such as be abroad at liberty The fauourers oâ— Gods word secluded out of the Parliament both in the hye house and lower agaynst all right and reason may prouide for themselues auoid the danger the better Doubtles there hath not bene seene before our time such a parliament as this is y t as many as were suspected to be fauourers of Gods word shuld be banished out of both houses But we must geue God thanks for that truth he hath opened in the time of his blessed seruant king Edward y e sixth and pray vnto him that we deny it not nor dishonour it w t Idolatrie but that we may haue strength and pacience rather to die ten times then to denie him once Blessed shall we be if euer God make vs worthy of that honor to shed our bloude for hys names sake And blessed then shall we thinke y e parents which brought vs into this worlde that we shoulde from this mortalitie be caried into immortalitie If we followe the commaundement of S. Paule that sayth If ye then be risen againe with Christ Colos. 3. seeke those thynges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God We shall neither departe from the vaine transitorie goodes of this world nor from this wretched and mortal life with so great paines as other doe Let vs pray to our heauenly father that we may know and loue his blessed will and the glorious ioy prepared for vs in time to come and that we maye knowe and hate all things contrary to his blessed will and also the paine prepared for the wicked in the world to come Ther is no better waye to be vsed in this troublesome time for your consolation then many times to haue assemblies together of such men and women as be of your religion in Christ and there to talke and renewe among your selues the truthe of your Religion to see what ye be by the worde of God He exhorteth the brethren to resorte and conferre among theÌ„ selues together and to remember what yee were before yee came to the knowledge thereof to weigh and conferre the dreames and false lies of the Preachers that nowe preache with the worde of God that retaineth all truth and by such talke and familiar resorting together ye shall the better find out all their lies that nowe goe about to deceiue you also both know and loue the truth that God hath opened to vs. It is much requisite that the members of Christe comfort one an other make prayers together conferre one wyth an other Conference amongest brethren comfortable so shal ye be the stronger and Gods spirite shal not be absent froÌ„ you but in the middest of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godly things pacient in aduersitie and strong in persecution Ye see how the congregation of the wicked by helping one an other make their wicked religion and them selues strong against Gods truth and his people If ye may haue some learned man that can oute of the Scriptures speake vnto you of faith and true honouring of God also that can shewe you the descent of Christes Church from the beginning of it vntill this day that ye may perceiue by the life of youre forefathers these two things the one that Christes worde which said that all his must suffer persecution and trouble in the worlde be true the other that none of al his before our time escaped trouble then shal yee perceiue that it is but a follie for one that professeth Christ truely to looke for the loue of the world Thus shal ye learne to beare trouble Iohn 10. to exercise your religion and feele in dede that Christes wordes be true In the worlde ye shall suffer persecution And when ye feele your religion in dede say ye be no better then your forefathers but be glad that ye may be counted worthy souldiours for this warre and pray to God when yee come together that hee will vse and order you and youre doings to these three endes which ye must take heede of the first that ye glorifie God the next Three thinges to be taken heede of that yee edifie the Church and Congregation the thirde that ye profite your owne soules In all your doings beware ye be not deceiued For although thys time be not yet so bloudye and tyrannous as the time of our forefathers that coulde not beare the name of Christ wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes Luke 18. yet is oure time more perillous both for body and soule Therefore of vs Christ sayde Thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth hee shall finde faithe vppon the earthe Hee sayd not Thinke ye he shal find any man or woman Christened in name a Christian but he spake of the faith
his counsell that my life mother children brethren sisters and frendes with other delightes of life G. Marsh forsaketâ— kindred al togethâ—â— to sticke 〈◊〉 Christ. were as deare sweet vnto me as vnto any other man and that I would be as loth to lose them as an other would if I might hold them with good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ and seeing I could not doe that my trust was that God would strenthen me with his holy spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my selfe sayd I for a sheepe appaynted to be slayne paciently to suffer what crosse so euer it shal please my merciful father to lay on me And so after I had desired them that if I were committed to prison my frendes might be suffered to relieue me they departed Mayster More afore this brought vnto me a booke of one Alphonsus a Spanish Frier Alphonsuâ— booke brought 〈◊〉 G. Marsh of all heresies wherwith the church of Rome which he called Christes true church had bene troubled since Christes time willing me to read and take Counsell of that booke appoynted me a place where this author did write agaynst them that say the lay people ought to receiue vnder both kindes This Authour I perceiued did vehementlye write agaynst Luther Melancthon PellicaÌ„ other Germaynes of this our time in all pointes defeÌ„ding y e blasphemous abuses and enormities of the Romish Church condeÌ„ning as detestable heresies whatsoeuer was written taught or beleued contrary to the same vsing for his stroÌ„gest and surest argumentes the consent agrement and determinatioÌ„ of the Romish Church So within a fewe dayes Mayster More came to me againe asking me how I liked the book I sayd the authour of the booke did in all poyntes beyng a Papist allow the rites and abuses of the Romish church Marshes iudgement of Alphoâ—sus booke and shewed him further that this author without authority and contrary both to the Scriptures olde Doctors did condemn for heresy the lay people receiuing of this sacrament vnder both kindes where as this Authour witnesseth his owne selfe that Christes church 900. yeares after Christ vsed the contrary So in conclusion he rebuketh me saying I was vnlearned erred from the Catholicke fayth stubburne and stoode altogether in mine owne conceite I aunswered for my learning I knowledge my selfe to know nothing but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified and that my fayth was grounded vpon Gods holy word onely such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in vntill the last day God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing either of stubbernes selfe wilfulnes vayn glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the feare of God and desired him to speake to my Lord and his Counsell that I might finde some geÌ„tlenes and mercy at theyr handes He made me but short answere Then I sayd I commit my cause vnto God who hath numbred the hayres of my head and appoynted the dayes of my life saying I am sure God which is a righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my bloude according as he hath promised Then he tooke his booke froÌ„ me and departed I continued still in Ward vntill Low sonday and after dinner my keeper Richard Scot came to mee into my chamber G. Marsh 〈◊〉 to Lancaster Castell and told me that two young men were come to cary me to Lancaster and so deliuered me vnto them a great company both of my Lordes seruauntes and others accompanying and bringing mee on the way vnto Rich. Addertons and somewhat further counselling and perswading like as is aforesayd To whome I made playne aunswere that in matters of faith I would geue place to no earthly creature So they comforted me and sayd y t they wer sory for me saying if I knew mine opinion to be good I did wel and so they departed willing my bringers to entreate me honestly My bringers by the way shewed me they were willed aduised to binde me and that they desired first to see me and after they had looked on me sitting at dinner they answered they would take charge of me beyng loose for they sayd I seemed to be an honest man The first night we were all night at Broughton and the second day we came to LaÌ„caster betimes at after noone and so they kept me all night with them of their geÌ„tlenes and on the morow deliuered me to y e Iaylor who brought me into the highest prison where I do remaine G. Marsh caused to â—old vp his handes at Lancaster amongest other malefactours After that the sayd George came to Lancaster Castle there being brought with other prisoners vnto the Sessions was made to hold vp his haÌ„ds w t other malefactors The Earle of Darby had this communication with him as here followeth Communication betweene George Marsh and the Earle of Darby Talke betweene G. Marsh and the Earle of Darby I Sayd vnto my Lord I had not dwelled in the countrey these three or foure yeares past and came home but lately to visite my mother children and other my friends and to haue departed out of the country before Easter theÌ„ next to haue gone out of the realme Wherfore I trusted seing nothing could be layd against me wherein I had offended agaynst the lawes of this realme his Lordship would not with captious questions examine me to bring my body into daunger of death to the great discomfort of my mother but suffer me to auoyd peaceably seeing I might haue fled out of the country and yet of mine owne will came to hys Lordship He sayd to his Counsell he had heard tell of me aboue at London and intended to make search for me and take me either in Lancashyre or aboue at London and asked me into what land I would haue gone The Earle of Darby chaâ—geth the calme of 〈◊〉 of heresie I aunswered I would haue gone either into Almain or els into Denmarke He sayd to his Counsell in Denmarke they vsed suche heresie as they haue done in England but as for Almayne hee sayde the Emperour had destroyed them So after such like woordes I sayde vnto him my trust was that his Lordship being of the honourable Counsell of the late king Edward consenting and agreeing to acts concerning fayth toward God and religion vnder great payne woulde not so soone after consent to put poore men to shamefull death as he had threatned me for embrasing the same with so good a conscience He aunswered that he with the Lord Windsor Lord Dacars The Earle of Darby L. 〈◊〉 and Lord Dacars in â— Edwards 〈◊〉 agreed 〈…〉 with one moe whose name I haue forgotten did not consent to those Actes and that the nay of them foure would be to be seene as long as y e ParliameÌ„t house stode Then my Lord did rehearse the euill luck of the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke with
as the rest of the examinates doe and that this sayd Iurate was present there at the deed doyng After the depositions of these foresayd witnesses being taken published and denounced the sayd B. speakyng to Wil. Flower asked hym if he knew any matter or cause why his sentence should not be red and he to be pronounced as an heretike Wherevnto the martyr of God answereth agayne as followeth I haue nothyng at all to say for I haue already sayd vnto you all that I haue to say that I haue said I will not go from and therfore do what you wyll c. ⧠The burning of William Flower at Westminster the 24. of Aprill An. 1555. ¶ A prayer and confession of W. Flower OH eternall God most mighty and mercifull father who hast sent downe thy sonne vpon the earth Flowers prayer to saue me all mankynd who ascended vp into heauen agayne and left hys bloud here vpon the earth behynd hym for the redemption of our sins haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vppon me for thy deare sonne our sauiour Iesus Christes sake in whom I confesse onely to bee all saluation and iustification and that there is none other mean nor way nor holynes in which or by which any man can be saued in this world This is my fayth which I beseech all men here to beare witnesse of Then he sayd the Lords prayer and so made an end Then M. Cholmley came to him willyng hym to recant his heresie Talke betweene W. Flower and M. Cholmely whereby he might do good to the people or els he would be damned Flower answered as followeth Sir I beseech you for Gods sake be contented for that I haue sayd I haue said and I haue bene of this fayth from the beginnyng and I trust to the liuyng God hee will geue me his holy spirite to continue to the ende Then he desired all the world to forgeue hym whome he had offended as he forgaue all the world This done first his hand beyng held vp agaynst the stake was stroken of his left hand beyng stayed behynde hym At the which striking of his hand certaine that were present beholders of the matter and purposely obseruyng the same credibly enformed vs that he in no part of hys body did once shrinke at the strikyng therof but once a little he stirred his shoulders And thus fire was set vnto hym who burning therein cried with a loud voyce Oh the sonne of God haue mercye vpon me Oh the sonne of God receyue my soule three tymes and so his spech beyng taken from hym he spake no more liftyng vp notwithstandyng his stumpe with hys other arme as long as he could And thus endured this constant witnes and faythfull seruaunt of God the extremitie of the fire beyng therein cruelly handled by reason that to his burning little wood was brought so that for lacke of fagots there not sufficient to burne hym they were fayne to strike hym downe into the fire Where he lying along which was dolefull to behold vpon the ground hys nether part was consumed in the fire whilest hys vpper part was cleane without the fire hys tongue in all mens sight still moouyng in hys mouth May. 1555. The 3. of May a letter was sent to George Colte and Thom. Daniell to make search for and apprehend Iohn Bernard and Iohn Walshe who vsed to repaire to Sudbury and carying about with them the bones of Pigotte that was burned do shew them to the people persuading them to be constant in his religion and vpon examination to commit them to further orderyng accordyng to the lawes This day Stephen Appes was committed to the litle ease in the Tower there to remayne two or three dayes vntill further examination The 12. day M. Thomas Rosse preacher was by the counsailes letters deliuered from the Tower to the Shiriffe of Northfolke to be conueyed and deliuered to the B. of Norwich and he eyther to reduce hym to recant or els proceed agaynst hym according to the law The 16. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer signifiyng what the L. had done for Rosse and that order should be geuen according to his L. request for letters to the Bishops as Appes whom the Lieuetenant of the Tower reporteth to be mad his L. perceiuyng the same to be true should commit hym to Bedlem there to remayne vntill their further order The 26. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer to conferre with the B. of London and the Iustices of Peace of that Countie wherein they are to be executed that are alredy condemned for religion vpon agrement of places to geue order for their execution accordingly· The 28. a letter was sent to the L. Treasurer to cause speedie preparation to be made of such mony as was appoynted for such persons as should cary the ioyful tidings of Queene Maries good deliuery of chyld to diuers princes so as they be not compelled to stay when tyme shall come The Embassadors were to the Emperour the L. Admirall to the French King the L. Fitzwaters to the kyng of Romains Sir Henry Sidney to the K. of Portingall Rich. Shelley whose free passage through France M. Doctor Wootton was willed to procure by letters the 24. of Iune The 29. was a letter directed to Sir Frances Inglefield to make search for one Iohn D. at LondoÌ„ Anno 15â—5 May. and to apprehend him and send him to the Counsaile and to make search for such papers bookes as may thinke may touch the same D. or one Benger ⧠The burning and Martyrdome of Iohn Cardmaker Iohn Warne Vpholster which suffered both together in Smithfield An. 1555. May. 30. 〈◊〉 Cardâ—â—â—er and 〈◊〉 Warne â—â—â—tyrs VPon the 30. day of May suffred together in Smithfield Iohn Cardmaker otherwise called Tailour Prebendarie of the church of Wels Ioh. Warne Upholster of the parish of S. Iohn in Walbrooke Of whome it remaineth now particularly to entreat beginning first with M. Cardmaker who first was an obseruant Frier before the dissolution of the Abbeys then after was a maried Minister and in king Edwards time appointed to be Reader in Paules where the Papistes were so much agrieued with hym for his doctrines sake that in his reading they cut and mangled his gowne with their kniues This Cardmaker being apprehended in the beginnyng of Queene Maries raigne Cardmaker 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 apâ—â—â—hended 〈◊〉 layd in 〈◊〉 Fleete with M. Barlowe Bishop of Bathe was brought to London and layde in prison in the Fleete king Edwards lawes yet beyng in force But after the Parliament was ended in which the Pope was againe admitted as supreme hed of the church and the Byshops had also gotten power and authoritie Ex officio to exercise their tyranny these two were both brought before Winchester Chauncellour and others appointed by Commission as before is mentioned to examine the fayth of such as were then prisoners and as vnto others before so now vnto
Harpsfield THe bishop after many perswasions to cause him to recant willed him to depart as then and to come againe on Saterday at 8. of the clocke in the morning 〈…〉 the Popes lawe Thomas Wattes priâ—â—tely appeareth againe before the Byshop Where the Bishop being absent D. Nicholas Harpesfielde as then being his deputie did sit and earnestly exhorted him to deny his opinions To whome in the ende he answeared Wel ye haue a law to condemne me and I submit my selfe to the law but not to the lawes of the Church as you call it And farther I doe affirme and will stande to mine answeres that I haue made Wherupon D. Harpsfield willed him to appeare there againe vpon friday being the 10. day of the same month of May. Uppon which day the bishop priuately sent for the sayd Thomas Wattes into his chamber and there wyth many faire promises tempted and tried him whether hee would reuoke hys errours as he then termed them But Wattes aunsweared hym in this sorte I will not beleeue your Church neither the Romish Churche and therefore you doe but labour in vaine thus to trauaile with me He was here vpon againe dismissed for that time Wattes aunswere to the Byshop vntil friday the 17. day of May and then commaunded to appeare in the Consistorie whych commandement he obeyed hauing the accustomed former Articles ministred vnto him made then such answeres as before Thomas Wattes brought againe to the consistorie THus being tost to and fro from day to day and houre to houre he was at the last the 18. day of the month of May The 〈…〉 of Thomas Wattes brought into the consistorie where firste was made a briefe recitall of all the former processe and there the sayd Wattes being by the byshop and others willed to deny his profession made this final answer God kepe me from the doctrine that ye wold haue me to come vnto which ye haue now declared And I beseech God y t I may perseuer in that that I haue done for I wil stand to mine answers The Byshop perceiuing his faire flattering promises nothing to preuaile hauing no great store of other reasons to perswade with put forth his last and strongest argument of condemnation Sentence of condemnation agaynst Thomas Wattes Which being ended he was deliuered to the sheriffes of London by them was sent to Newgate where he remained vntil the 9. day of Iune or as some record to the 22. of May at what time he was caried vnto Chelmesforde and there was brought to Scots house keeping then an Inne at Chelmesforde where as they were eating meat with Hauks and the rest that came downe to their burning they prayed together both afore and after their meate Then Wats went and praied priuately to himself and afterward came to his wife and his 6. childreÌ„ being there and said these words in effect Wife and my good children I must now depart from you The 〈◊〉 of Thomas Wattes to his wife 〈◊〉 children Therfore hence forth know I you no more but as the Lord hath geuen you vnto me so I geue you againe vnto the Lord whom I charge you see you do obey and feare him and beware yee turne not to this abhominable papistrie against the which I shall anone by Gods grace geue my bloude Let not the murthering of Gods Saintes cause you to relent but take occasion thereby to be the stronger in the Lords quarel and I doubt not but he wil be a mercifull father vnto you All these and suche like woordes spake he vnto them and they vnto him of whome two as it is sayd offered to be burnt wyth him In the ende he badde them farewell and kissed them all and was caried to the fire The burning of Thomas Wattes Martyr At the stake after he had kissed it he spake to my Lord Rich these or the like words My Lord sayth he beware The wordes of Thomas Wattes to the L. Rich. beware for you doe against your owne conscience herein and without you repent the Lord wil reuenge it For you are the cause of this my death Concerning the childebed of Queene Mary as it was rumoured among the people LOng perswasion had bene in England with great expectation for the space of halfe a yeare or more The Childbirth of Q. Mary that the Queene was conceiued w t childe This report was made by the Queenes Phisitions other nie about the Court so that diuers were punished for saying the contrary And commaundement was geuen that in all churches supplication and prayers should be made for the Queenes good deliuerie the certificate whereof ye may read before in the letter of the Counsel sent to Boner pag. 1405. And also the same moreouer may appeare by prouision made before in the Act of Parliament for the childe pag. 1410. And now for somuch as in y e beginning of this month of Iune about Whitsontide Rockers and Nurses prouided for Queene Maryes childe the time was thought to be nie that this young Maister should come into the world and that midwiues rockers nurses with the cradle all were prepared and in a readines sodeÌ„ly vpon what cause or occasion it is vncertaine a certaine vaine rumour was blowne in London of the prosperous deliuerance of the Queene and the birth of the childe In so muche that the Bels were rong Bonfiers and processions made not only in the Citie of London Processions and bonfiers in LondoÌ„ for ioy of the young Prince and in most other partes of the realme but also in the towne of Antwarpe gunnes were shot off vppon the riuer by the English shippes and the Mariners thereof rewarded wyth an hundred pistolettes or Italian crownes by the Ladie Regent who was the Queene of Hungarie Triumph at Antwarpe for the same Such great reioysing and triumph was for the Queenes deliuerie that there was a Prince borne Yea diuers Preachers namely one the Parson of S. Anne within Aldergate after Procession and Te Deum song tooke vpon him to describe the proportion of y e child how faire howe beautifull and great a Prince it was as the like had not bene seene In the middest of this great adoe there was a simple man this I speake but vppon information dwelling w tin 4. miles of Barwicke that neuer had bene before halfe way to London whiche sayde concerning the Bonfiers made for Queene Maries childe Here is a ioyful triuÌ„ph but at length al wil not proue worth a messe of potage Q. Maryes childe would not come as in dede it came to passe For in y e end al proued clean coÌ„trary the ioy and expectations of meÌ„ were much deceiued For the people were certified y t the Queene neither was as then deliuered nor after was in hope to haue any child At thys time many talked diuersly some sayd thys rumour of the Queenes conception was spread for a poâ—icie
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case