of the soyl among the Tenants The Protector was a great friend to the Commons and complained much of the Oppression of the Landlords There was a Commission issued out to enquire concerning Inclosures and Farms and whether those who purchased the Abbey Lands and were obliged to keep up Hospitality performed it or not and what encouragement they gave to Husbandry but this turned to nothing So the Commons rose every where yet in most of the Inland Counties they were easily dispersed and it was promised that their grievances should be redressed The Protector against the Councils mind set out a Proclamation against all new Inclosures and for indemnifying the People for what was past Commissioners were also sent every where to hear and determine all Complaints but the power that was given to them was so arbitrary that the Landlords called it an Invasion of Property when their Rights were thus subjected to the pleasure of such Men. The Commons understanding that the Protector was so favourable to them were thereby the more encouraged and it was afterwards objected to him that the Convulsions England fell in soon after was chiefly occasioned by his ill Conduct in which he was the more blamed because he acted against the mind of the greatest part of the Council The Rebellion in Devonshire June 10. In Devonshire the Insurrection was more formidable the superstition of the Priests joining with the rage of the Commons so they became quickly 10000. strong The Lord Russel was sent against them with a small force and was ordered to try if the matter could be composed without blood but Arundel a Man of Quality commanding the Rebels they were not a loose body of People easily dissipated They sent their Demands to Court That the old Service and Ceremonies might be set up again that the Act of the six Articles and the Decrees of General Councils might be again in force that the Bible in English should be called in that Preachers should pray for the Souls in Purgatory that Cardinal Pool should be restored that the half of the Abbey Lands should be restored to found two Abbeys in every County and that Gentlemen of 100. Marks a Year might have but one Servant and they desired a safe Conduct for their Chief Leaders in order to the Redress of their particular Grievances afterwards they moderated their desires only to points of Religion Cranmer writ a large Answer to these shewing the Novelty and Superstition of those Rites and Ceremonies and of that whole way of worship of which they were so fond and that the amendments and changes had been made according to the Scriptures and the Customes of the Primitive Church and that their being fond of a Worship which they understood not and being desirous to be kept still in ignorance without the Scriptures shewed their Priests had greater power over them than the common reason of all Mankind had as for the six Articles that Act had never past if the King had not gone in Person to the Parliament and argued for it yet he soon saw his error and was slack in executing it After that there was a high threatning Answer sent them in the King's name charging them for their Rebellion and blind obedience to their Priests In it the King's authority under Age was largely set forth for by the pretence of the Kings Minority the People generally were made believe that their rising in Arms was not Rebellion In Conclusion they were earnestly invited to submit to the Kings mercy as others had done whom the King had not only pardoned but had redressed their just Grievances At the same time the like spirit of rage inflamed the Commons in Norfolk they pretended nothing of Religion And in Norfolk but only to destroy the Gentry and put new Counsellors about the King they were led by one Ket a Tanner and in a few days grew to be 20000. They encamped near Norwich and committed great out-rages Parker afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury went in among them and with great freedom inveighed against their Rebellion and Cruelty and warned them of the Judgments of God that would fall on them for which he was in great danger of his life Ket was now their Prince and in imitation of the ancient Druids he did Justice upon complaints brought before him under an Oak called from thence the Oak of Reformation The Marquess of Northampton was sent against them with Orders to keep at a distance and cut off their provisions There was at the same time a rising likewise in Yorkshire where the Commons being incouraged by some pretended Prophecies run together and committed acts of great barbarity on some Gentlemen The French begin a War The French King hearing of all this resolved to take his advantage and regain Bulloigne three days before he marched with his Army the English Embassadour pressing him upon the Intimations that were given him of his designs he assured him on the faith of a Gentleman that he would not begin a War till he first gave warning But many Princes reckon it a part of their Prerogative to be exempted from such ties by which only poor Subjects ought to be fettered All these things falling upon the Government at once it may be easily imagined they were under no small consternation A Fast was proclaimed at Court where Cranmer preached with great freedom and vehemence he laid out before them their vitious and ill lives particularly of those who pretended a love to the Gospel and set before them the Judgments of God that they might look for and inlarged on the fresh example of the Calamities of Germany and intimated the sad apprehensions he had of some terrible stroke if they did not repent and amend their lives The Rebels in Devonshire besieged Exeter The Rebels every where routed the Citizens resisted their assaults but could not so easily resist the assaults that hunger made on them for they were not provided for a Siege They were reduced at last to great extremities which made the Lord Russel after he had got such supplies as he judged necessary resolve to fall upon them They possessed themselves of a Bridge behind him both to inclose him and to hinder others from joyning with him but he marched back and did quickly beat them from it with the loss of 600. of their Men and by that essay he perceived how easie a work it would be to disperse them he upon that marched forward to Exeter and beat the Rebels from a Bridge that opened his way to their Camp killing a 1000. of them upon which they raised the Siege and retired in great disorder to Lanceston he pursued them as long as they kept in a body and great numbers of them were killed some of their Leaders and Priests were taken and hanged So happily was that Rebellion subdued without any loss on the Kings side But the Marquess of Northampton was not so successful in Norfolk he marched into Norwich The Rebels
day before the dissolution of the Parliament The Lords added a Proviso confirming the Duke of Somerset's Attainder but that was cast out by the Commons Some Writings had been sealed with relation to a Marriage between the Earl of Hartford the Dukes Son and the Earl of Oxford's Daughter and the Lords sent down a Bill voiding these but upon a division in the House of Commons 68. were for it and 69. were against it so it was cast out The House was now thin when we find but 137. Members in it but that is one of the effects of a long Parliament many grow infirm and many keep out of the way on design and those who at their first Election were the Representatives of the People after they have sat long become a Cabal of Men that pursue their own Interests Tonstall is imprisoned more than the Publick Service Tonstall Bishop of Durham upon some Informations was put in Prison in the former year The Duke of Northumberland intended to erect a great Principality for his Family in the North and the accession of the Jurisdiction of the County Palatine which is in that See seemed so considerable that he resolved to ruine Tonstall and so make way for that He complied in all the changes that were made though he had protested against them in Parliament he writ also for the Corporal Presence but with more Eloquence than Learning He was a candid and moderate Man and there was always a good correspondence between Cranmer and him and now when the Bill was put in against him he opposed it and protested against it by which he absolutely lost the Duke of Northumberland but all the Popish complying Bishops went along with it There were some Depositions read in the House of Lords to justifie it but when the Bill with these was sent down to the Commons they resolved to put a stop to that way of condemning Men without hearing them so they sent a Message to the Lords that he and his Accusers might be heard face to face and that not being done they let the Bill fall By these Indications it appeared that the House of Commons had little kindness for the Duke of Northumberland Many of them had been much obliged to the Duke of Somerset so it was resolved to have a new Parliament and this which had sat almost five years was on the 15th of April dissolved The Convocation did confirm the Articles of Religion A Reformation of Ecclesiastical Laws prepared that had been prepared the former year and thus was the Reformation of Worship and Doctrine now brought to such perfection that since that time there has been very little alteration made in these But another Branch of it was yet unfinished and was now under consultation touching the Government of the Church and the rules of the Ecclesiastical Courts Two Acts had passed in the former reign and one in this impowering XXXII to revise all the Laws of the Church and digest them into a body King Henry issued out a Commission and the Persons were named who made some progress in it as appears by some of Cranmer's Letters to him In this Reign it had been begun several times but the Changes in the Government made it be laid aside Thirty two were found to be too many for preparing the first draught so Eight were appointed to make it ready for them These were Cranmer and Ridley Cox and Peter Martyr Traheron and Taylor and Lucas and Gosnold two Bishops two Divines two Civilians and two Common Lawyers but it was generally believed that Cranmer drew it all himself and the rest only corrected what he designed Haddon and Cheek were imployed to put it in Latine in which they succeeded so well and arrived at so true a purity in the Roman stile that it looks like a work of the best Ages of that State before their Language was corrupted with the mixture of barbarous terms and phrases with which all the later Writings were filled but none were more nauseously rude than the Books of the Canon-Law The Work was cast into fifty one Titles perhaps it was designed to bring it near the number of the Books into which Justinian digested the Roman Law The Eight finished it and offered it to the XXXII who divided themselves into Four Classes every one was to offer his Corrections and when it had past through them all it was to be offered to the King for his Confirmation but the King died before it was quite finished nor was it ever afterwards taken up yet I shall think it no useless part of this work to give an account of what was intended to be done in this matter as well as I relate what was done in other things The first Title of it was concerning the Catholick Faith The heads of it it was made Capital to deny the Christian Religion The Books of Scripture were reckoned up and the Apocrypha left out The four first General Councils were received but both Councils and Fathers were to be submitted to only as they agreed with the Scriptures The second enumerates and condemns many Heresies extracted out of the Opinions of the Church of Rome and the Tenets of the Anabaptists and among others those who excused their lives by the pretence of Predestination are reckoned up 3. The judgment of Heresie was to lye in the Bishops Court except in exempted places Persons suspected might be required to purge themselves and those who were convicted were to abjure and do Penance but such as were obstinate were declared Infamous and not to have the benefit of the Law or of making Testaments and so all Capital proceedings for Heresie were laid aside 4. Blasphemy against God was to be punished as obstinate Heresie 5. The Sacraments and other parts of the Pastoral Charge were to be decently performed 6. All Magick Idolatry or Conjuring was to be punished arbitrarily and in case of obstinacy with Excommunication 7. Bishops were appointed once a Year to call all their Clergy together to examine them concerning their Flocks and Itinerant Preachers were to be often imployed for visiting such Precincts as might be put under their care 8. All Marriages were to be after asking of Banes and to be annulled if not done according to the Book of Common Prayer Corrupters of Virgins were to marry them or if that could not be done to give them the third part of their Goods and suffer Corporal punishment Marriages made by force or without consent of Parents were declared null Polygamy was forbid and Mothers were required to suckle their Children 9. The degrees of Marriage were setled according to the Levitical Law but spiritual kindred was to be no barr 10. A Clergy-man guilty of Adultery was to forfeit his Goods and Estate to his Wife and Children or to some pious use and to be banished or Imprisoned during life a Layman guilty of it was to forfeit the half and be banished or Imprisoned during life Wives that were
proposed to Heath who was still a Privy Councellour and he after some Conference about it with his Brethren accepted of it Nine of a side were to dispute about three Points Worship in an Unknown Tongue the power that every particular Church had to alter Rites and Ceremonies and the Masse's being a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Dead and the Living All was to be given in in Writing The Bishops were to begin in every Point and they were to interchange their Papers and answer them The last of March was the first day of Conference which held in Westminster Abby in the presence of the Privy Council and both Houses of Parliament The Bishop of Winchester pretended there had been some mistake in the Order and that their Paper was not quite finished but that Dr. Cole should deliver in discourse what they had prepared though it was not yet in that order that it could be Copied out The secret of this was The Bishops had resolved openly to Vindicate their Doctrine but not to give any Papers or enter into dispute with Hereticks or so far to acknowledge the Queen's Supremacy as to engage in Conferences at her command Cole was observed to read almost all he said though he affected to be thought only to deliver a discourse so as if most part of it had been Extemporary The substance of it was Arguments for against the Worship in an unknown Tongue that though the Worship in a known Tongue had been appointed in the Scriptures yet the Church had power to change it as she changed the Sabbath and had appointed the Sacrament to be received fasting though it was Instituted after Supper to eat blood was forbid and a Community of goods was set up by the Apostles yet it was in the power of the Church to alter these things he enlarged on the evil of Schism and the necessity of adhering to the Church of Rome Vulgar Tongues changed daily but the Latine was the same was spread over many Countries The People might reap profit from Prayers which they understood not as well as absent Persons The Queen of Ethiopia's Eunuch read Isaiah though he understood him not and Philip was sent to explain that Prophecy to him Horn when this was ended read the Paper drawn by the Reformers he began it with a Prayer and a Protestation of their sincerity They founded their Assertion on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians in which he enjoyned them to pray with understanding that so the Unlearned might say Amen and that nothing should be spoken that might give an uncertain sound but that all things should be done to edification and though the speaking with strange Tongues was then an extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost yet he forbids the using it where there was not an Interpreter Things so expresly enjoyned could not be indifferent or fall under the power of the Church The Jews had their Worship in the Vulgar Tongue so had also the most barbarous Nations when converted to Christianity The natural use of Speech was that every thing which was said might be understood Quotations were brought to shew that Psalms were daily sung in the Vulgar Tongue among all Nations When they ended their Paper it was received with a shout of applause and was put in the Lord Keeper's hands signed by them all But the Bishops refused to deliver theirs The next day was appointed for considering the second Point but the Bishops resolved to go no further in the Conference for they saw by the applause of the People that the Audience was more favourable to the other side so the next day of Meeting they offered an answer to the Paper given in the former day by the Reformers The Lord Keeper told them that according to the Order laid down they were first to go through the three Points before they might be suffered to reply but they said Cole had the former day only given his own sense in an Extemporary discourse Their foul dealing in this was condemned by the whole Audience so the Lord Keeper required them to go to the second Point but they refused to begin and moved that the other side should be made to begin and though the Lord Keeper shewed them that this was contrary to the Order agreed on before-hand yet they continued all resolute and would not proceed any further Ferknam only excepted but he said he could do nothing alone since the rest would not joyn with him The Bishops of Winchester and Lincoln said the Faith of the Church ought not to be examined except in a Synod of Divines and it gave too great an encouragement to Hereticks to dispute with them and that both the Queen and her Council deserved to be excommunicated for suffering them to argue against the Catholick Faith before an Unlearned Multitude Upon this they were sent to the Tower and the Conference broke up but the Reformers thought the advantage was much on their side and that things were now carried much more fairly than had been in those Conferences and Disputes that were in the beginning of the former Reign The Papists on the other hand said it was visible the Audience was prepossessed and that the Conference was appointed only to make way for the changes that the Parliament was then about with the Pomp of a Victory and therefore as they blamed the Bishops for undertaking it so they justified them for breaking it off The Book of Common-Prayer was now revised The English Service is again set up the most considerable alteration was that the express Declaration which was made in the second Book set out by King Edward against the Corporal Presence was left out that so none might be driven out of the Communion of the Church upon that account The matter was left undetermined as a speculative Point in which People were left at liberty The Book of Ordination was not specially mentioned in the Act which gave occasion to Bonner afterwards to question the Legality of Ordinations made by it But it had been made a part of the Common-Prayer-Book in the 5th year of King Edward and the whole Book then set out was now confirmed so that by a special Act made some years after this it was declared that that Office was understood to be a part of it When the Bill for the English Service was put in to the House of Lords Speeches made against it by some Bishops Heath and Scot Bishop of Chester and Ferknam made long Speeches against it grounded chiefly on the Authority of the Church the Antiquity of the established Religion and Novelty of the other which was changed every day as appeared in King Edward's time They said the consent of the Catholick Church and the perpetual succession in St. Peter's Chair ought to have more autherity than a few Preachers risen up of late They also enlarged much against the Sacriledge the robbing of Churches and the breaking of Images that had been committed by the
Sermons only as set Discourses which they will censure or commend as they think they see cause but are resolved never to be the better for them If to all these sad Considerations we add the gross Sensuality and Impurity that is so avowedly practised that it is become a fashion so far it is from being a reproach the Oppression Injustice Intemperance and many other Immoralities among us what can be expected but that these Abominations receiving the highest Aggravation they are capable of from the clear Light of the Gospel which we have so long enjoyed the just Judgments of Heaven should fall on us so signally as to make us a reproach to all our Neighbours But as if all this were not enough to fill up the measure of our Iniquities many have arriv'd at a new pitch of Impiety by defying Heaven it self with their avowed Blasphemies and Atheism and if they are driven out of their Atheistical Tenets which are indeed the most ridiculous of any in the World they set up their rest on some general Notions of Morality and Natural Religion and do boldly reject all that is revealed and where they dare vent it alas where dare they not do it they reject Christianity and the Scriptures with open and impudent scorn and are absolutely insensible of any Obligation of Conscience in any thing whatsoever and even in that Morality which they for Decencies sake magnify so much none are more bare-facedly and grosly faulty This is a direct Attempt against God himself and can we think that he will not visit for such things nor be avenged on such a Nation And yet the Hypocrisy of those who disguise their flagitious Lives with a Mask of Religion is perhaps a Degree above all though not so scandalous till the Mask falls off and that they appear to be what they truly are When we are all so guilty and when we are so alarmed by the black Clouds that threaten such terrible and lasting Storms what may be expected but that we should be generally struck with a deep sense of our crying Sins and turn to God with our whole Souls But if after all the loud Awakenings from Heaven we will not hearken to that Voice but will still go on in our Sins we may justly look for unheard of Calamities and such Miseries as shall be proportioned to our Offences and then we are sure they will be great and wonderful Yet if on the other hand there were a general turning to God or at least if so many were rightly sensible of this as according to the Proportion that the Mercies of God allow did some way ballance the Wickedness of the rest and if these were as zealous in the true Methods of imploring God's Favour as others are in procuring his Displeasure and were not only mourning for their own Sins but for the Sins of others the Prayers and Sighs of many such might dissipate that dismal Cloud which our sins have gathered and we might yet hope to see the Gospel take root among us since that God who is the Author of it is merciful and full of Compassion and ready to forgive and this holy Religion which by his Grace is planted among us is still so dear to him that if we by our own unworthiness do not render our selves incapable of so great a Blessing we may reasonably hope that he will continue that which at first was by so many happy concurring Providences brought in and was by a continued Series of the same indulgent care advanc'd dy Degrees and at last raised to that pitch of perfection which few things atttain in this World THE CONTENTS BOOK I. Of the Beginnings of the Reformation and of the Progress made in it by King Henry the Eighth THe Vnion of the Houses of York and Lancaster in King Hen. the 8th Pag. 1 Empson and Dudley disgraced Pag. 2 He is very Liberal Pag. 3 Is successful in his Wars ibid He is courted both by France and Spain Pag. 4 Francis the 1st is taken Prisoner Pag. 5 And afterwards the Pope Pag. 7 Scotland in disorder ibid Factions in the English Council Pag. 8 Cardinal Wolsey 's Rise ibid And Greatness Pag. 9 Charles Brandon 's Advancement Pag. 10 The King is well with his Parliament Pag. 11 The King's Education Pag. 12 His Learning and Vanity Pag. 13 The way of promoting Bishops ibid A Contest for the Ecclesiastical Immunity Pag. 14 Hunn Imprisoned Murdered and his Body burnt Pag. 16 The King much addicted to the Papacy Pag. 20 Car. Wolsey intends to reform the Clergy ibid The summoning of Convocations Pag. 21 The State of the Monasteries Pag. 22 Wolsey suppresses many Pag. 23 The Progress of Wikliff's Doctrine ibid The Cruelty of the Clergy Pag. 24 Laws made against Hereticks Pag. 25 Warham persecutes the Lollards Pag. 27 The Progress of Luther 's Doctrine Pag. 29 The King writes against him Pag. 30 The King's Marriage Pag. 32 Matches proposed for his Daughter Pag. 33 The King has scruples about his Marriage Pag. 34 1627. And applies to the Pope for a Divorce Pag. 37 Who is very favourable Pag. 38 1528. Campegio sent as Legate to try it Pag. 40 He comes into Engl. with a Decretal Bull Pag. 42 Campana sent over to deceive the King Pag. 43 The Pope resolved to join with the Emperour Pag. 44 1529. The Pope's Sickness Pag. 45 Wolsey aspires to the Popedom Pag. 46 The Pope promises to confirm the Sentence that should be given by the Legates Pag. 47 The Process begins in England Pag. 50 The Queen appeals to the Pope Pag. 51 The Pope grants an Avocation Pag. 52 Cranmer 's Rise and Wolsey 's Disgrace Pag. 54 1530. A Parliament is called Pag. 56 The King's Debts are discharged Pag. 57 Vniversities declare against the Marriage Pag. 58 It is condemned by the Sorbon Pag. 60 The Opinions of the Reformers about it Pag. 61 The English Nobility write to the Pope about it and he answers them Pag. 62 Arguments for the Divorce Pag. 63 Arguments against it Pag. 66 1531. A Session of Parliament Pag. 69 The Laws formerly made against the Pope's Bulls ibid The Clergy sued in a Premunirc Pag. 76 Poisoning made Treason Pag. 78 The King leaves the Queen ibid A Tumult among the Clergy ibid The Pope joins himself to France Pag. 79 1532. Differences betwixt the King and the House of Commons Pag. 81 The Pope writes to the King Pag. 82 The King answers Pag. 83 The King cited to Rome and Cardinals corrupted Pag. 84 The Bishops Oaths to the Pope and the King Pag. 87 More lays down his Office Pag. 88 The King of England and France meet Pag. 89 The King marries Ann Boleyn Pag. 90 1533. The Parliam condemns Appeals to Rome Pag. 91 Cranmer made Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 92 The Convocation condemns the Marriage Pag. 93 Cranmer gives Sentence with the Censure s of it Pag. 95 The Proceedings at Rome upon it Pag. 98 Queen Elizabeth born Pag. 99
their Contests about Superiority but never declared in St. Peter's Favour St. Paul withstood him to his Face and reckoned himself not inferour to him If the Dignity of a Person left any Authority with the City in which he sat then Antioch must carry it as well as Rome and Jerusalem where Christ suffered was to be prefererd to all the World for it was truly the Mother-Church Christ said to Peter Vpon this Rock will I build my Church The Ancients understood by the Rock either the Confession Peter had made or which is all one upon the matter Christ himself and tho it were to be meant of St. Peter all the rest of the Apostles are also called Foundations that of Tell the Church was by many Doctors of the Church of Rome turned against the Pope for a General Council The other Priviledges ascribed to St. Peter were either only a precedence of Order or were occasioned by his Fall as that Feed my Sheep it being a restoring him to the Apostolical Function St. Peter had also a limited Province the Circumcision as St. Paul had the Uncircumcision that was of far greater extent which shewed that he was not considered as the Universal Pastor In the Primitive Church St. Cyprian and other Bishops wrote to the Bishops of Rome as to their fellow Bishop Colleague and Brother they were against Appeals to Rome and did not submit to their Definition and in plain Terms asserted that all Bishops were equal in Power as the Apostles had been It is true the Dignity of the City made the Bishops of Rome to be much esteemed yet in the first Council of Nice the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch were declared to have the same Authority in the Countries about them that the Bishops of Rome had over those that lay about them It is true the East being over-run with Arrianism from which the West was better preserved the oppressed Eastern Bishops did take shelter in the Protection the Bishops of Rome gave them and as is natural to all People they magnified that Authority which was so useful to them But the second General Council indirectly condemned all Appeals to Rome for it decreed that every Province should be governed by its own Synod and allowed no higher Appeal but to the Bishops of the Diocess Constantinople being made the Imperial City the second and fourth General Council gave it equal Priviledges with Rome because it was new Rome which shews that the Dignity of the Sees flowed from the greatness of the Cities The African Churches condemned all Appeals to Rome and the Popes who complained of that pretended only to a Canon of the Council of Nice for it and then they did not talk of a Divine Right but search being made into all the Copies of the Canons of the Council that was found to be a Forgery When the Emperour Mauricius gave the Title Vniversal Bishop to the Patriarch of Constantinple Gregory the Great complained of the Ambition of that Title which he calls equal to the Pride of Lucifer and since England received the Faith by those whom he sent over it appeared from thence what was the Doctrine of that See at that time and by consequence what where the first Impressions made on the English in that matter It is true Boniface the third got the same Title by Phocas's Grant and Boniface the eighth pretended to all Power both spiritual and temporal but the Progress of their Usurpations and the Wars raised to maintain them were very visible in History The Popes swore at their Consecrations to obey the Canons of the eighth first General Councils which are manifested against Appeals and their Universal Jurisdiction small regard is to be had to the Decrees of latter Councils being Cabals pack'd and managed as the Popes pleased Several Sees as Ravenna Milan and Aquileia pretended Exemption from the Papal Authority Many English Bishops had asserted that the Popes had no Authority against the Canons and to that day no Canon the Popes made was binding till it was received which shewed the Pope's Authority was not believed founded on a divine Authority and the Contests that the Kings of England had with the Pope's concerning Investitures Bishops doing the King Homage Appeals to Rome and the Authority of Papal Bulls and Provisions shewed that the Pope's Power was believed subject to Laws and Custom and so not derived from Christ and St. Peter and as Laws had given them some Power and Princes had bin forced in ignorant Ages to submit to their Usurpations so they might as they saw cause change those Laws and resume their Rights The next Point inquired into was And for the King's Supremacy the Authority that Kings had in matters of Religion and the Church The King of Israel judged in all Causes and Samuel called Saul the Head of the Tribes David made many Rules about the Service at the Temple and declaring to Solomon what his Power was 1 Chron. 28.21 2 Chron. 8.14 15. he told him that the Priests were wholly at his Command and it is also said that Solomon appointed the Priests their Charges in the Service of God and that they departed not from his Commandment in any matter he turned out one High-Priest and put another in his room Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josias made also Laws about Ecclesiastical Matters In the New Testament Christ was himself subject to the Civil Powers and charged his Disciples not to affect Temporal Dominion They also wrote to the Churches to be subject to the Higher Powers and call them Supream and charge every Soul to be subject to them so in Scripture the King is called Head and Supream and every Soul is said to be under him which joyn'd together makes up this Conclusion that He is the supream Head over all Persons In the Primitive Church the Bishops only made Rules or Canons but pretended to no compulsive Authority but what came from the Civil Magistrate The Roman Emperours called Councils presided in them and confirmed them and made many Laws concerning Ecclesiastical Matters so did also Charles the Great The Emperours did also either chuse the Popes themselves or confirm their Elections Church-men taking Orders were not thereby discharged from the Obedience they formerly owed their Princes but remained still Subjects And tho the Offices of the Church had peculiar Functions in which the People were subject to them that did not deliver them from their Obedience to the King as a Father's Authority over his Children cuts not off the King's Power over him They found also that in all times the Kings of England had assumed an Authority in Ecclesiastical Matters Ina Alfred Edgar and Canetus had made many Laws about them so had also most of the Kings since the Conquest which appeared particularly in the Articles of Clarendon and the Contests that followed upon them and from the daies of King Ina they had granted Exemptions to Monasteries from the Episcopal Jurisdiction down to William the
Conquerors time besides many other Acts that clearly imported a Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes But they did at the same time so explain and limit this Power that it was visible they did not intend to subject Religion wholly to the Pleasure of the King for it was declared that his Power was only a Coercive Authority to defend the true Religion to abolish Heresies and Idolatries to cause Bishops and Pastors to do their Duties and in case they were negligent or would not amend their Faults to put others in their room Upon the whole matter they concluded that the Pope had no Power in England and that the King had an intire Dominion over all his Subjects which did extend even to the regulating of Ecclesiastical Matters These things being fully opened in many Disputes The Clergy submitted to it and published in several Books all the Bishops Abbots and Priors of England Fisher only excepted were so far satisfied with them or so much in love with their Preferments that they resolved to comply with the Changes which the King was resolved to make Fisher was in great esteem for Piety and strictness of Life and so much pains was taken on him A little before the Parliament met Cranmer proposed to him that he and any five Doctors he would choose and Stokesly with five on his side should confer on that point and examine he Authorities that were on both sides he accepted of it and Stokesly wrote to him to name time and place but Fisher's Sickness hindered the Progress of that motion The Parliament met the 15th of January A Session of Parliament there were but seven Bishops and twelve Abbots present the rest it seems were unwilling to concur in making this change tho they complied with it when it was made Every Sunday during the Session a Bishop preached at St. Paul's and declared that the Pope had no Authority in England Before this they had only said that a General Council was above him and that the Exactions of that Court and Appeals to it were unlawful but now they went a strain higher to prepare the People for receiving the Acts then in Agitation On the 9th of March The Pope's Power taken away the Commons began the Bill for taking away the Pope's Power and sent it to the Lords on the 14th who past it on the 20th without any dissent In it they set forth the Exactions of the Court of Rome grounded on the Pope's Power of dispensing and that as none could dispense with the Laws of God so the King and Parliament only had the Authority of dispensing with the Laws of the Land and that therefore such Licenses or Dispensations as were formerly in use should be for the future granted by the two Arch-bishops some of these were to be confirmed under the Great Seal and they appointed that thereafter all Commerce with Rome should cease They also declared that they did not intend to alter any Article of the Catholick Faith of Christendome or of that which was declared in the Scripture necessary to Salvation They confirmed all the Exemptions granted to Monasteries by the Popes but subjected them to the King's Visitation and gave the King and his Council power to examine and reform all Indulgences and Priviledges granted by the Pope The Offenders against this Law were to be punished according to the Statutes of Premunire This Act subjected the Monasteries entirely to the King's Authority and put them in no small Confusion Those that loved the Reformation rejoyced both to see the Pope's Power rooted out and to find the Scripture made the Standard of Religion After this Act The Act of the Succession another past in both Houses in six Days time without any Opposition Settling the Succession of the Crown confirming the Sentence of Divorce and the King's Marriage with Queen Anne and declaring all Marriages within the Degrees prohibited by Moses to be unlawful All that had married within them were appointed to be divorced and their Issue illegitimated and the Succession to the Crown was settled upon the King's Issue by the prefent Queen or in default of that to the King 's right Heirs for ever All were required to swear to maintain the Contents of this Act and if any refused to swear to it or should say any thing to the Slander of the King's Marriage he was to be judged guilty of misprision of Treason and to be punished accordingly The Oath is also set down in the Journals of the House of Lords by which they did not only swear Obedience to the King and his Heirs by his present Marriage but also to defend the Act of Succession and all the Effects and Contents in it against all manner of Persons whatsoever by which they were bound to maintain the Divorce both against the Pope's Censures and the Emperour if he went about to execute them At this time An Act regulating the proceedings against Hereticks one Philips complained to the House of Commons of the Bishop of London for using him cruelly in Prison upon Suspicion of Heresy the Commons sent up this to the Lords but received no Answer So they sent some of their Members to the Bishop desiring him to answer the Complaints put in against him But he acquainted the House of Lords with it and they all with one consent voted that none of their House ought to appear or answer to any Complaint at the Bar of the House of Commons So the Commons let this particular Case fall and sent up a Bill to which the Lords agreed regulating the Proceedings against Hereticks That whereas by the Statute made by King Henry the Fourth Bishops might commit Men upon Suspition of Heresy and Heresy was generally defined to be whatever was contrary to the Scriptures or Canonical Sanctions which was liable to great Ambiguity therefore that Statute was repealed and none were to be committed for Heresy but upon a Presentment made by two Witnesses None were to be accused for speaking against things that were grounded only upon the Pope's Canons Bail was to be taken for Hereticks and they were to be brought to their Trials in open Court and if upon Conviction they did not abjure or were Relapses they were to be burnt the King 's Writ being first obtained This was a great check to the Bishop's Tyrrany and gave no smal comfort to all that favoured the Reformation The Convocation sent in a Submission at the same time The Submission of the Clergy by which they acknowledged That all Convocations ought to be assembled by the King 's Writ and promised upon the Word of Priests never to make nor execute any Canons without the King's Assent They also desired That since many of the received Canons were found to be contrary to the King's Prerogative and the Laws of the Land there might be a Committee named by the King of 32 the one half out of both Houses of Parliament and the other
Upon this he was again seized on and condemned for having said That Thomas Becket was a Murderer and was damned if he did not repent And that in the Sacrament Christ's Body was received by Faith and not chewed with the Teeth Sentence past upon him by Stokesly and he was burnt Soon after this More delivered up the Great Seal so the Preachers had some ease Crome and Latimer were accused but abjured Tracy Ancestor to the present Lord Tracy made a Will by which he left his Soul to God in hopes of Mercy through Christ without the help of any other Saint and therefore he declared that he would leave nothing for Soul-Masses This Will being brought to the Bishop of London's Court to be proved after his Death provoked them so much that he was condemned as an Heretick and an Order was sent to the Chancellour of Worcester to raise his Body but he went further and burnt it which could not be justified since he was not a Relapse Tracy's Heirs sued him for it and he was turned out of his place and fined in 400 l. The Clergy proclaimed an Indulgence of fourty days Pardon to any that carried a Faggot to the burning of an Heretick that so Cruelty might seem the more Meritorious And an aged Man Harding being condemned by Longland Bishop of Lincoln as he was tied to the Stake one flung a Faggot with such force at him that it dashed out his Brains After an Intermission of two Years Gardiner represented to the King That it would give him great Advantages against the Pope if he would take hold of some occasion to shew his hatred of Heresy So Frith seemed a fit Person to offer as a Sacrifice to demonstrate his Zeal He was a young Man much famed for Learning Frith's Sufferings and was the first that writ against the Corporal Presence in the Sacrament in England He followed Zuinglius's Doctrine on these Grounds Christ received in the Sacrament gave Eternal Life but this was only to those that believed from which he inferred that he was received only by Faith St Paul said that the Fathers before Christ eat the same Spiritual Food with Christians from which it appears that Christ is now no more corporally present to us then he was to them And he argued from the nature of Sacraments in general and the ends of the Lord's Supper that it was only a Commemoration Yet upon these Premises he built no other Conclusion but that Chist's presence was no Article of Faith Frith put these Reasons in Writing which falling into More 's hands was answered by him but Frith never saw that till he was put in Prison And then tho he was loaded with Irons and had no Books allowed him he replied He insisted much on that Argument That the Israelites did eat the same Food and drank of the same Rock that was Christ and since Christ was only mystically and by Faith received by them he concluded that he was now received only by Faith He shewed that Christ's Words This is my Body were accommodated to the Jewish Phrase of calling the Lamb the Lord 's Passover and confirmed his Opinion with many Passages out of the Fathers in which the Elements were called Signes and Figures of Christ's Body and they said that upon Consecration they did not cease to be Bread and Wine but remained still in their own proper Natures He also shewed That the Fathers were Strangers to all the Consequences of that Opinion as that a Body could be in more places than one at once or could be in a place after the manner of a Spirit Yet he concluded That if that Opinion were held only as a Speculation so that Adoration were not offered to the Elements it might be well tollerated but that he condemned as gross Idolatry This was intended by him to prevent such Heats in England as were raised in Germany between the Lutherans and Helvetians by reason of their different Opinions concerning the Sacrament He was seized on in May 1533 and brought before Stokesly Gardiner and Longland They objected to him his not believing Purgatory nor Transubstantiation He gave his Reasons that determined him to look on neither of these as Articles of Faith but he thought that neither the affirming nor denying them ought to be determined positively The Bishops seemed unwilling to proceed to Sentence but he continuing resolute Stokesly pronounced it and so delivered him to the Secular Arm obtesting that his Punishment might be moderated so that the Rigour might not be too extream nor yet the gentleness of it too much mitigated This Obtestation by the Bowels of Christ was thought a Mockery when all the World knew that it was intended that he should be burnt One Hewet a Prentice of London was also condemned with him on the same account When they were brought to Smithfield Frith expressed great Joy and hugged the Faggots with some Transport Cook a Priest that stood by called to the People not to pray for them more then they would do for a Dog Frith smiled at that and prayed God to forgive him The Fire was kindled which consumed them to ashes This was the last Instance of the Cruelty of the Clergy at this time for the Act formerly mentioned regulating their Proceedings followed soon after Philips at whose Complaint that Bill was begun was committed upon Suspicion of Heresy a Copy of Tracy's Will was found about him and Butter and Cheese being also found in his Chamber in Lent But he being required to abjure appealed to the King as Supream Head and upon that he was set at Liberty but whether he was tried by the King or not is not upon Record The Act that was past A stop put to further Cruelties gave the new Preachers and their Followers some Respite The King was also impowered to reform all Heresies and Idolatries And his Affairs did now oblige him to unite himself to the Princes of Germany that by their means he might so imbroil the Emperour's Affairs asnot to give him leisure to turn his Arms against England and this produced a slackning of all Severities against them For those Princes in that first fervour of the Reformation made it an Article in all their Treaties that none should be persecuted for favouring their Doctrine The Interests the Reformers had at Court The Queen did also openly protect them she took Latimer and Shaxton to be her Chaplains and promoted them to the Bishopricks of Worcester and Salisbury Cranmer was fully convinced of the necessity of a Reformation and that he might carry it on with true Judgment and justify it by good Authorities He made a great Collection of the Opininions of the Antient Fathers and later Doctors in all the Points of Religion of which I have seen two Volumes in Folio But by a Letter of the Lord Burghly's it appears there were then six Volumes of his Collections in his hands He was a Man of great Candor and much Patience
the King's Marriage with Queen Anne Then the lower House made an Address to the upper House complaining of 67 Opinions that they found were much spread in the Kingdom they were either the Tenets of the old Lollards or the new Reformers or of the Anabaptists and many of them were only unsavoury and indiscreet Expressions which might have flowed from the Heat and Folly of some rash Zealots who by petulant Jeers and an Affectation of Wit had endeavoured to disgrace both the received Doctrines and Rites They also complained of some Bishops who were wanting in their Duty to suppress such Abuses which was understood as a Reflection on Cranmer Shaxton and Latimer It was hoped that Cranmer was now declining by Queen Ann's Fall and the other two who were raised by her would not have stood long if he had been once disgraced yet they premised to this a Protestation that they intended to do nothing that might displease the King whom they acknowledged to be their Supream Head and they were resolved to obey his Laws and they renounced the Pope's Authority with all his Laws All these Projects failed for Cranmer was now fully established in the King's Favour Cromwell was sent to them with a Message from the King That they should reform the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the Rules set down in Scripture which ought to be preferred to all Glosses or Decrees of Popes There was one Alesse a Scotch-man whom Cromwell entertained in his House and he being appointed to deliver his Opinion largely shewed that there was no Sacraments instituted by Christ but Baptism and the Lord's Supper Stokesly answered him in a long Discourse upon the Principles of the School-Divinity upon which Cranmer took occasion to shew the Vanity of that sort of Learning and the Uncertainty of Tradition and that Religion had been so corrupted in the latter Ages that there was no finding out the Truth but by resting in the Authority of the Scriptures Fox Bishop of Hereford seconded him and told them the World was now awake and would be no longer imposed on by the Niceties and dark Terms of the Schools for the Laity now did not only read the Scriptures in the vulgar Tongues but searched the Originals themselves therefore they must not think to govern them as they had been in the Times of Ignorance Among the Bishops Cranmer Goodrick Shaxton Latimer Fox Hilsey and Barlow prest a Reformation but Lee Arch-bishop of York Stokesly Tonstall Gardiner Longland and several others opposed it as much But the Contest had been sharper if the King had not sent some Articles to them to be considered of by them so they whose chief Design it was to recommend themselves to Preferment by the easiness of their Compliance with him in all Points did agree on the following Particulars 1. Articles of Religion agreed on That the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the People according to the Scripture the three Creeds and the four first General Councils 2. That Baptism was necessary to Salvation and that Children ought to be baptized for the pardon of Original Sin and obtaining the Holy Ghost 3. That Penance was necessary to Salvation and that it consisted in Confession Contrition and Amendment of Life with the External Works of Charity to which a lively Faith ought to be joyned and that Confession to a Priest was necessary where it might be had 4. That in the Eucharist under the forms of Bread and Wine the very Flesh and Blood of Christ was received 5. That Justification was the Remission of Sins and a perfect Renovation in Christ and that not only outward good Works but inward Holiness was absolutely necessary As for the outward Ceremonies the People were to be taught that it was meet to have Images in Churches but they ought to avoid all such Superstition as had been usual in time past and not to worship the Image but only God 2. That they were to honour the Saints but not to expect those things from them which God only gives 3. That they might pray to them for their Intercession but all Superstitious Abuses were to cease and if the King should lessen the number of Saints Days they ought to obey him 4. That the use of the Ceremonies was good and that they contained many Mystical Significations that tended to raise the mind towards God such were Vestments in Divine Worship Holy Water Holy Bread the carrying of Candles and Palms and Ashes and creeping to the Cross and the Hallowing the Font with other Exorcisms 5. That it was good to pray for departed Souls and to have Masses and Exequies said for them but the Scriptures having neither declared in what Place they were nor what Torments they suffered that was uncertain and to be left to God therefore all the Abuses of the Pope's Pardons or saying Masses in such or such Places or before such Images were to be put away These Articles were signed by Cromwel the two Arch-bishops sixteen Bishops fourty Abbots and Priors and fifty of the lower House to them the King added a Preface declaring the Pains that he and the Clergy had been at for the removing the Differences in Religion that were in the Nation and that he approved of these Articles and required all his Subjects to accept them with the like Unanimity with which they were consented to and he would be thereby encouraged to take further Pains in the like Matters for the future When these things were published They are variously censured those that desired a Reformation tho they did not approve of every Particular yet were well pleased to see things brought under Examination and since some things were at this time changed they did not doubt but more Changes would follow they were glad that the Scriptures and the Ancient Creeds were made the Standards of the Faith without adding Tradition and that the nature of Justification and the Gospel-Covenant were rightly stated that the immediate Worship of Images and Saints was condemned and that Purgatory was left uncertain but the necessity of Auricular Confession and the Corporal Presence the doing Reverence to Images and praying to Saints were of hard Digestion to them yet they were glad to see some grosser Abuses removed and a Reformation once set on foot The Popish Party were sorry to see four Sacraments past over in silence and the Trade about Purgatory put down and were very apprehensive of the Precedent of bringing matters of Religion under debate which would bring on other Alterations When these things were known beyond Sea the Court of Rome made great use of them to let all Princes see the necessity of adhering to the Holy See for no sooner did England depart from that than it began to change the Doctrine likewise The Germans on the other hand said This was a Political Daubing for satisfying all Parties and that it savoured not of the Sincerity that became the Professors of True Religion to
instruct their Hearers in the Fundamentals of Religion of which they had known little formerly This made the Nation run after these Teachers with a wonderful Zeal but they mixed too much Sharpness against the Friars in their Sermons which was judged indecent in them to do tho their Hypocrisy and Cheats did in a great measure excuse those Heats and it was observed that our Saviour had exposed the Pharisees in so plain a manner that it did very much justify the treating them with some Roughness yet it is not to be denied but Resentments for the Cruelties they or their Friends had suffered by their means might have too much Influence on them This made it seem necessary to suffer none to preach at least out of their own Parishes without Licence and many were licensed to preach as Itinerants There was also a Book of Homilies on all the Epistles and Gospels in the Year put out which contained a plain Paraphrase of those Parcels of Scripture together with some practical Exhortations founded on them Many Complaints were made of those that were licensed to preach and that they might be able to justify themselves they began generally to write and read their Sermons and thus did this Custom begin in which what is wanting in the heat and force of Delivery is much made up by the strength and solidity of the Matter and has produced many Volumes of as excellent Sermons as have been preached in any Age. Plays and Enterludes were a great Abuse in that time in them Mock-Representations were made both of the Clergy and of the Pageantry of their Worship The Clergy complained much of these as an Introduction to Atheism when things Sacred were thus laught at and said They that begun to laugh at Abuses would not cease till they had represented all the Mysteries of Religion as ridiculous The graver sort of Reformers did not approve of it but political Men encouraged it and thought nothing would more effectually pull down the Abuses that yet remained than the exposing them to the scorn of the Nation A War did now break out between England and Scotland at the Instigation of the King of France A War with Scotland King Henry set out a Declaration pretending that the Crown of Scotland owed Homage to him and cited many Precedents to shew that Homage was done not only by their Kings but by consent of the States for which Original Records were appealed to The Scots on the other hand asserted that they were a free and independent Kingdom that the Homages antiently made by their Kings were only for Lands which they had in England and that those more lately made were either offered by Pretenders in the case of a doubtful Title or were extorted by Force And they said their Kings could not give up the Rights of a free Crown and People The Duke of Norfolk made an In-road into Scotland with 20000 Men in October but after he had burnt some small Towns and wasted Teviotdale he returned back to England In the end of November an Army of 15000 Scots with a good Train of Artillery was brought together They intended to march into England by the Western Road. The King went to it in Person but he was at this time much disturbed in his Fancy and thought the Ghost of one whom he had unjustly put to death followed him continually he not only left the Army but sent a Commission to Oliver Sinclare then called his Minion to command in chief This disgusted the Nobility very much who were become weary of the Insolence of that Favourite so they refused to march and were beginning to separate While they were in this Disorder 500 English appeared and they apprehending it was a fore Party of the Duke of Norfolk's Army refused to fight so the English fell upon them and dispersed them they took all their Ordinance and Baggage and 1000 Prisoners of whom 200 were Gentlemen The chief of these were the Earls of Glencarn and Cassilis The News of this so over-charged the Melancholy King that he died soon after leaving only an Infant Daughter newly born to succeed him The Lords that were taken were brought up to London and lodged in the Houses of the English Nobility Cassilis was sent to Lambeth where he received those Seeds of Knowledg which produced afterwards a great Harvest in Scotland The other Prisoners were also instructed to such a degree that they came to have very different Thoughts of the Changes that had been made in England from what the Scotish Clergy had possessed them with who had encouraged their King to engage in the War both by the assurance of Victory since he fought against an Heretical Prince and the Contribution of 50000 Crowns a Year The King's Death and the Crowns falling to his Daughter made the English Council lay hold on this as a proper Conjuncture for uniting the whole Island in one therefore they sent for the Scotish Lords and proposed to them the marrying the Prince of Wales to their young Queen this the Scots liked very well and promised to promote it all they could And so upon their giving Hostages for the performing their Promises faithfully they were sent home and went away much pleased both with the Splendor of the King's Court and with the way of Religion which they had seen in England A Parliament was called A Parliament called in which the King had great Subsidies given him of six Shillings in the Pound to be paid in three Years A Bill was proposed for the advancement of true Religion by Cranmer and some other Bishops for the Spirits of the Popish Party were much fallen ever since the last Queen's Death yet at this time a Treaty was set on foot between the King and the Emperour which raised them a little for since the King was like to engage in a War with France it was necessary for him to make the Emperour his Friend Cranmer's Motion was much opposed and the timorous Bishops forsook him yet he put it as far as it would go An Act about Religion tho in most Points things went against him By it Tindall's Translation of the Bible was condemned as crafty and false and also all other Books contrary to the Doctrine set forth by the Bishops But Bibles of another Translation were still allowed to be kept only all Prefaces or Annotations that might be in them were to be dashed or cut out All the King's Injunctions were confirmed No Books of Religion might be printed without Licence there was to be no Exposition of Scripture in Plays or Enterludes none of the Laity might read the Scripture or explain it in any publick Assembly But a Proviso was made for publick Speeches which then began generally with a Text of Scripture and were like Sermons Noblemen Gentlemen and their Wives or Merchants might have Bibles but no ordinary Woman Tradesman Apprentice or Husbandman might have any Every Person might have the Book set out by the
Bishops and the Psalter and other Rudiments of Religion in English All Church-men that preached contrary to that Book for the first Offence were only required to recant for the second to abjure and carry a Faggot but were to be burnt for the third the Laity for the third Offence were only to forfeit their Goods and Chattels and to be liable to perpetual Imprisonment but they were to be proceeded against within a Year The Parties accused were not allowed Witnesses for their Purgation The Act of the six Articles was confirmed and it was left free to the King to change this Act or any Proviso in it There was also a new Act past giving Authority to the King's Proclamations and any nine Privy Counsellours were empowered to proceed against Offenders To this the Lord Mountjoy dissented and it is the only Instance of any Protestation against any of the publick Acts that past in this whole Reign By the Act about Religion as the Laity were delivered from the fear of Burning so the Clergy might not be burnt but upon the third Conviction The Act being also put entirely in the King's Power he had now the Reformers all at mercy for he could bind up the Act or execute it as he pleased and he affected this much to have his People depend entirely upon him The League offensive and defensive for England and Calais and for the Netherlands was sworn by the King and the Emperour and Assurances were given that tho the King would not declare Lady Mary legitimate upon which the Emperour insisted much yet she should be put in the Succession to the Crown next Prince Edward The Emperour was glad thus to engage the Kings of England and France in a War by which the Germans were left without Support and so he resolved to carry on his great design of making himself Master of Germany In Scotland the Earl of Arran Affairs in Scotland Hamilton next in Blood to the young Queen was established in the Government during the Queen's Minority he was a Man of great Vertue and much inclined to the Reformation but was soft and easie to be wrought on King Henry sent Sir Ralph Sadler to him to induce him to set forward the Match and to offer him Lady Elizabeth to his Son It was agreed and confirmed in Parliament that the Young Queen should be bred in Scotland till she was ten Years old the King of England sending a Nobleman and his Lady with others not exceeding twenty to wait on her and after that Age she was to be sent to England and in the mean while six Hostages were to be given but all the Clergy headed by Cardinal Beaton set themselves much against this The Queen-Mother opposed it much and it was also said a Match with the French would be more for the Interest of the Nation who being at so great a distance could not oppress them so easily as the English might for if the French opprest them the English would be ready to protect them but if they came under the Yoke of England they could expect no Protection from any other Prince This meeting with that Antipathy that was then formed between the two Nations and being inflamed by the Clergy turned the People generally to prefer a Match with France to that which was proposed for the Prince of Wales The French sent over the Earl of Lennox to make a Party against the Governour they sent also over the Governour 's Base-Brother afterwards made Arch-bishop of St. Andrews to take him out of the hands of the English and he made him apprehend great danger if he went on in his Opposition to the Interests of Rome that he would be declared illegitimate as being begotten in a second Marriage while the first that was annulled because of a Precontract did subsist for if the annulling the first should be reversed then the second could be of no force and if that were once done the Earl of Lennox who was next to him in blood would be preferred to him These threatnings joyned with his Brother 's Artifices had their full Effect on him for he turned off wholly from the Interests of England and gave himself up to the French Councils When it was thus resolved to break the Match with England the Lords that had left Hostages for their faithful performing the Promises they made to King Henry were little concerned either in their own Honour or in the safety of their Hostages only the Earl of Cassilis thought it was unworthy of him to break his Faith in such a manner so he came into England and put himself in King Henry's Hands who upon that called him another Regulus but used him better for he gave him his Liberty and a Noble Present and sent him back with his Hostages but resolved to take a severe Reparation of those who had failed him in that Kingdom At the same time he began the War with France one of the Reasons he gave for it was that Francis had failed in the matter of shaking off the Pope's Authority and advancing a Reformation in which he had promised to second him The King married Katherine Parre Some burnt at Windsor Widow to Nevill Lord Latimer She secretly favoured the Reformation but could not divert a Storm which fell then on a Society at Windsor Person a Priest Testwood and Marbeck two Singing-men and Filmer one of the Town were informed against by Dr. London who had insinuated himself much into Cromwel's Favour and was eminently zealous in the Suppression of the Monasteries But now he made his Court no less dextrously to the Popish Party Gardiner moved in Council That a Commission might be granted for searching all suspected Houses for Books written against the six Articles So the four before mentioned were found to have some of them and upon that account were seized on Sir Philip Hobbey and Dr. Hains Dean of Exeter were also put in Prison There was a Concordance of the Bible and some Notes upon it in English found written by Marbeck which was look'd on as the Work of some learned Man for it was known that he was illiterate Marbeck said the Notes were his own gathered by him out of such Books as he fell on And for the Concordance he said he compiled it by the help of a Latin Concordance and an English Bible tho he understood little Latin He had brought it to the Letter L. This seemed so incredible that it was look'd on only as a Pretence to conceal the true Author so to try him they gave him some Words of the Letter M and shut him up with a Latin Concordance and an English Bible and by his Performance in that they clearly saw that the whole Work was his own and were not a little astonished at the Ingeniousness and Diligence of so poor a Man When the King heard of it he said Marbeck was better imployed than they were that examined him So he was preserved tho the other
of Age he was put into the hands of Dr. Cox and Mr. Cheek the one was to form his mind and to teach him Philosophy and Divinity the other was to teach him the Tongues and Mathematicks other Masters were also appointed for the other parts of his Education He discovered very early a good disposition to Religion and Vertue and a particular Reverence for the Scriptures for he took it very ill when one about him laid a great Bible on the Floor to step up on it to somewhat which was out of his reach without such an advantage He profited well in Letters and wrote at eight Years old Latin Letters frequently both to the King to Q. Katherine Parre to the Archbishop of Canterbury and his Uncle the Earl of Hartford who had been first made Viscount Beauchamp being the Heir by his Mother of that Family and was after that advanced to be an Earl In the end of his Fathers life it had been designed to create him Prince of Wales for that was one of the reasons given to hasten the attainder of the D. of Norfolk because he held some places during life which the King intended to put in other hands in order to that Ceremony Upon his Fathers death the E. of Hartford and Sir Anth. Brown were sent to bring him up to the Tower of London and when King Henry's death was published he was proclaimed King At his coming to the Tower his Fathers Will was opened K. Hen. testament by which it was found that he had named 16. to be the Governors of the Kingdom and of his Sons person till he should be eighteen Years of Age. These were the Archbishops of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Lord Chancellor Lord St. John Great Master Lord Russel Lord Privy Seal Earl Hartford Lord Great Chamberlain Vis Lisle Lord Admiral Tonstall B. of Duresme Sir Anth. Brown Master of the Horse Sr Will. Paget Secretary of State Sr Ed. North Chancellour of the Augmentations Sir Ed. Mountague L d Chief Just of the Common Pleas Judge Bromley Sir Anth. Denny and Sir Will. Herbert Chief Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Sr Ed. Wotton Treasurer of Callis Doctor Wotton Dean of Canterbury and York They were also to give the Kings Sisters in Marriage and if they married without their consent they were to forfeit their right of succession for the King was Impowered by Act of Parliament to leave the Crown to them with what limitations he should think fit to appoint There was also a Privy Council named to be their Assistants in the Government if any of the 16. died the Survivers were to continue in the Administration without a power to substitute others in their rooms who should die It was now proposed that one should be chosen out of the 16. to whom Ambassadours should address themselves and who should have the chief direction of affairs but should be restrained to do nothing but by the consent of the greater part of the other Co-executors The Chancellor who thought the Precedence fell to him by his Office since the Archbishop did not meddle much in secular Affairs opposed this much and said it was a change of the Kings will who had made them all equal in power and dignity and if any were raised above the rest in Title it would not be possible to keep him within due bounds since great Titles make way for High Power but the Earl of Hartford had so prepared his Friends that it was carried that he should be declared the Governour of the Kings Person and the Protector of the Kingdom A Protector chosen with this restriction that he should do nothing but by the advice and consent of the rest Upon this advancement and the opposition made to it two Parties were formed the one headed by the Protector and the other by the Chancellour the favourers of the Reformation were of the former and those that opposed it were of the latter The Chancellor was ordered to renew the Commissions of the Judges and Justices of Peace and King Henry's great Seal was to be made use of till a new one should be made The day after this all the Executors took their Oaths to execute their trust faithfully the Privy Councellors were also brought into the Kings presence who did all express their satisfaction in the choice that was made of the Protector and it was ordered that all dispatches to foreign Princes should be signed only by him All that held Offices were required to come and renew their Commissions Bishops take out Commissions and to swear Allegiance to the King among the rest the Bishops came and took out such Commissions as were granted in the former Reign only by those they were subaltern to the Kings Vicegerent but there being none now in that Office they were immediately subaltern to the King and by them they were to hold their Bishopricks only during the Kings pleasure and were impowered in the Kings name as his Delegates to perform all the parts of the Episcopal function Cranmer set an Example to the rest in taking out one of those It was thought fit thus to keep the Bishops under the terror of such an Arbitrary power lodged in the King that so it might be more easie to turn them out if they should much oppose what might be done in points of Religion but the ill consequences of such an unlimited power being well foreseen the Bishops that were afterwards promoted were not so fettered but were provided to hold their Bishopricks during life The late King had in his Will required his Executors to perform all the promises he had made A Creation of Noblemen so Paget was required to give an account of the Promises the late King had made and he declared upon Oath that upon the prospect of the attainder of the D. of Norfolk the King intended a Creation of Peers and to divide his Lands among them the Persons to be raised were Hartford to be a Duke Essex a Marquess Lisle Russel St. John and Wriothesly to be Earls Sir Tho. Seimour Cheyney Rich Willoughby Arundell Sheffield St. Leger Wymbish Vernon and Danby to be Barons and a division was to be made of the Duke of Norfolks Estate among them some shares were also set off for others who were not to be advanced in Title as Denny and Herbert and they finding Paget had been mindful of them but had not mentioned himself had moved the King for a share to him The King appointed Paget to give notice of this to the Persons named but many excused themselves and desired no addition of honor since the Lands which the King intended to give them were not sufficient to support that dignity The Duke of Norfolk prevented all this for being apprehensive of the ruine of his Family if his Estate were once divided he sent a message to the King desiring him to convert it all to be a Revenue to the Prince of Wales This wrought so much on the
and Equity and said that all people even those who complained most of arbitrary power were apt to usurp it when they were in authority And some thought the delivering the doctrine of Justification in such nice terms was not sutable to the plain simplicity of the Christian Religion Lady Mary was so alarmed at these proceedings that she wrote to the Protector that such changes were contrary to the honour due to her Fathers Memory and it was against their duty to the King to enter upon such points and endanger the publick Peace before he was of Age. To which he wrote answer That her Father had died before he could finish the good things he had intended concerning Religion and had expressed his regret both before himself and many others that he left things in so unsetled a state and assured her that nothing should be done but what would turn to the Glory of God and the Kings Honour He imputed her Writing to the importunity of others rather than to her self and desired her to consider the matter better with an humble Spirit and the assistance of the Grace of God The Parliament was opened the fourth of November A Parliament meets and the Protector was by Patent authorized to sit under the Cloath of State on the Right hand of the Throne and to have all the Honours and Priviledges that any Unkle of the Crown either by Father or Mothers side ever had Rich was made Lord Chancellour The first Act that past five Bishops only dissenting An Act of Repeal was A Repeal of all Statutes that had made any thing Treason or Felony in the late Reign which was not so before and of the six Articles and the authority given to the Kings Proclamations as also of the Acts against Lollards All who deni'd the Kings Supremacy or asserted the Popes for the first offence were to forfeit their goods for the second were to be in a Pramunire and were to be attainted of Treason for the third But if any intended to deprive the King of his Estate or Title that was made Treason none were to be accused of Words but within a month after they were spoken they also repealed the power that the King had of annulling all Laws made till he was twenty four years of age and restrained it only to an annulling them for the time to come but that it should not be of force for the declaring them null from the beginning Another Act past with the same dissent An Act about the Sacrament for the Communion in both kinds and that the people should always communicate with the Priest and by it irreverence to the Sacrament was condemned under severe penalties Christ had instituted the Sacrament in both kinds and S. Paul mentions both In the Primitive Church that custome was universally observed but upon the belief of Transubstantiation the reserving and carrying about the Sacrament were brought in this made them first endeavour to perswade the World that the Cup was not necessary for Wine could neither keep nor be carried about conveniently but it was done by degrees the Bread was for some time given dipt as it is yet in the Greek Church but it being believed that Christ was entirely under either kind and in every crumb the Council of Constance took the Cup from the Laity yet the Bohemians could not be brought to submit to it so every where the use of the Cup was one of the first things that was insisted on by those who demanded a Reformation At first all that were present did communicate and censures past on such as did it not And none were denied the Sacrament but Penitents who were made to withdraw during the Action But as the devotion of the World slackned the people were still exhorted to continue their Oblations and come to the Sacrament though they did not receive it and were made believe that the Priest received it in their stead The name Sacrifice given to it as being a holy Oblation was so far improved that the World came to look on the Priests officiating as a Sacrifice for the dead and living From hence followed an infinite variety of Masses for all the accidents of humane life and that was the chief part of the Priests trade but it occasioned many unseemly jests concerning it which were restrained by the same Act that put these down Another Act past without any dissent An Act concerning the nomination of Bishops That the Conge d'elire and the Election pursuant to it being but a shadow since the person was named by the King should cease for the future and that Bishops should be named by the Kings Letters Patents and thereupon be consecrated and should hold their Courts in the Kings name and not in their own excepting only the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's Court And they were to use the Kings Seal in all their Writings except in Presentations Collations and Letters of Orders in which they might use their own Seals The Apostles chose Bishops and Pastors by an extraordinary gift of discerning Spirits and proposed them to the approbation of the people yet they left no rules to make that necessary In the times of Persecution the Clergy being maintained by the Oblations of the people they were chosen by them But when the Emperours became Christians the Town Councils and eminent men took the Elections out of the hands of the Rabble And the Tumults in popular Elections were such that it was necessary to regulate them In some places the Clergy and in others the Bishops of the Province made the choice The Emperours reserved the Confirmation of the Elections in the great Sees to themselves But when Charles the Great annexed great Territories and Regalities to Bishopricks a great change followed thereupon Church-men were corrupted by this undue greatness and came to depend on the humours of those Princes to whom they owed this great encrease of their wealth Princes named them and invested them in their Sees But the Popes intended to separate the Ecclesiastical State from all subjection to Secular Princes and to make themselves the heads of that State at first they pretended to restore the freedom of Elections but these were now ingrossed in a few hands for only the Chapters chose The Popes had granted thirty years before this to the King of France the nomination to all the Bishopricks in that Kingdome so the King of Englands assuming it was no new thing and the way of Elections as King Henry had setled it seemed to be but a Mockery so this change was not much condemned The Ecclesiastical Courts were the Concessions of Princes in which Trials concerning Marriages Wills and Tithes depended so the holding those Courts in the Kings name was no Invasion on the Spiritual Function since all that concerned Orders was to be done still in the Bishops name only Excommunication was still left as the Censure of those Courts which being a Spiritual Censure ought to have been reserved to
Laws and Orders of Council but that he would acknowledge no fault not having committed any The things objected to him were that he refused to set out in his Sermon the King's power when he was under Age and had affronted the Preachers whom the King had sent to his Diocess that he had been negligent in executing the King's Injunctions and refused to confess his fault or ask the King pardon and it was said that the Rebellions raised in England might have been prevented if he had timously set forth the King's authority he answered that he was not required to do it by any Order of Council but only in a private discourse yet Witnesses being examined upon those particulars the Delegates proceeded to sentence of deprivation against him notwithstanding his Appeal to the King in Person and he was appointed to lie still in the Tower where he continued till Queen Mary discharged him Nothing was pretended to excuse the severity of these proceedings but that he having taken out a Commission for holding his Bishoprick only during the King's pleasure he could not complain when that was intimated to him and if he had been turned out meerly upon pleasure without the Pomp of a Process the matter might have been better excused Poinet was put in his See and had 2000. Marks in Lands assigned him for his subsistence Story was put in Rochester and upon Veysy's resignation Coverdale was made Bishop of Exeter The scruples that Hooper made were now so far satisfied that he was content both to be consecrated in his Vestments and to use them when he preached before the King or in his Cathedral but he was dispensed with upon other occasions By this time the greater number of the Bishops were Men that heartily received the Reformation The Articles of Religion agreed on so it was resolved now to proceed to a settlement of the Doctrine of the Church many thought that should have been done in the first place But Cranmer judged it was better to proceed slowly in that matter he thought the Corruptions in the Worship were to be begun with since while they remained the addresses to God were so defiled that thereby all People were involved in unlawful compliances he thought speculative Opinions might come last since errours in them were not of such ill consequence and he judged it necessary to lay these open in many Treatises and Disputes before they should proceed to make alterations that so all People might be before-hand satisfied with what should be done So now they framed a Body of Articles which contained the Doctrine of the Church of England they were cast into forty two Articles and afterwards some few alterations being made in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign they were reduced to XXXIX which being in all Peoples hands need not be much inlarged on In the Ancient Church there was at first a great simplicity in their Creeds but afterwards upon the breaking out of Heresies concerning the Person of Christ equivocal senses being put on the terms formerly used new ones that could not be so easily eluded were invented A humour of explaining Mysteries by similies and niceties and of passing Anathema's on all that did not receive these did much over-run the Church and though the Council of Ephesus decreed that no new additions should be made to the Creed yet that did not restrain those who loved to make all their own conceits be received as parts of the Faith The Fathers were carried too far with this curiosity but the Schoolmen went farther and spun the Thread much finer they condemned every thing that differed from their Notions as Heretical Many of the Lutherans had retained much of that peremptoriness and were not easie to those who differed from them In England great care was taken to frame these Articles in the most comprehensive words and the greatest simplicity possible Changes made in the Common-prayer-book When this was setled they went about the review of the Common-prayer-Book In the daily service they added the Confession and Absolution that so the worship of God might begin with a grave and humble Confession conceived in general words but to which every one ought to joyn a secret confession of his particular sins after which a solemn declaration of the mercy of God according to the terms of the Gospel was to be pronounced by the Priest This was thought much better than the giving Absolution in such formal words as I absolve thee which begat in the undiscerning Vulgar an Opinion that the Priest had authority to pardon sin and that made them think of nothing so much as how to purchase it at his hands and it proved as it was managed the greatest Engine that ever was for overthrowing the power of Religion In the Communion-Service they ordered a recital of the Commandments with a short devotion between every one of them judging that till Church-Discipline were restored nothing could more effectually awaken such as came to receive it to a due seriousness in it than the hearing the Law of God thus pronounced with those stops in it to make the People reflect on their offences against it The Chrism the use of the Cross in consecrating the Eucharist Prayers for the Dead and some expressions that favoured Transubstantiation were laid aside and the Book was put in the same Order and Method in which it continues to this day excepting only some inconsiderable variations that have been made since A Rubrick was added to the Office of the Communion explaining the reason of kneeling in it that it was only as an expression of due reverence and gratitude upon the receiving so particular a mark of the favour of God but that no adoration was intended by it and that they did not think Christ was corporally present in it In Queen Elizabeth's time this was left out that such as conformed in other things but still retained the belief of the Corporal Presence might not be offended at such a Declaration It was again put in the Book upon his present Majesties Restoration for removing the Scruples of those who excepted to that posture Christ did at first institute this Sacrament in the ordinary Table-gesture Moses appointed the Paschal Lamb to be eaten by the People standing with staves in their hands they being then to begin their march yet that was afterwards changed by the Jews who did eat it in the posture common at Meals which our Saviour's practice justifies so though Christ in his state of Humiliation did Institute this Ordinance in so familiar a posture yet it was thought more becoming the reverence due to him in his Exaltation to celebrate it with greater expressions of humility and devotion The Ancient Christians received it standing and bowing their Body downward Kneeling was afterwards used as a higher expression of devout worship but great difference is to be made between the adoration practised in the Church of Rome in which upon lifting up the Host all fall down
presently left the Army and took Post with one of his Secretaries and a small Retinue after a Days riding he complained of a pain in his side so that he could not go on but sent his Secretary with his excuses This appearance of confidence made the Emperour lay down all his jealousies of him He had also sent his Ambassadours to Trent and had ordered Melancthon and some Divines to follow them slowly and as soon as a safe conduct was obtained to go to Trent The Emperour's Agents had a hard task between the Legats and the Lutherans they dealt with the Legates to hear the other but they answered that it was against the rules of the Church to treat with professed Hereticks The Lutherans on the other hand made such high demands that they had as much to do to moderate them they prest them not to ask too much at once and promised that if they would proceed prudently the Emperour would concur with them to pull down the Popes power and to reform abuses A Safe-Conduct was demanded such as had been granted by the Council of Basil that their Divines might have a decisive voice and the free exercise of their Religion and that all things might be examined according to the Scriptures But the Legates abhorred the name of that Council that had acted so much against the Papal authority and had granted such a Conduct that so they might unite Germany and engage the Empire to joyn with them against the Pope The Ambassadours from the Lutherans were heard in a General Congregation where they gave the Council a very cold Complement and desired a Safe-Conduct The Pope understood that the Emperor was resolved to set on the Spanish Bishops to bear down the power of the Court of Rome therefore he united himself to France and resolved to break the Council on the first occasion upon which he ordered the Legates to proceed to settle the doctrine hoping the Protestants would upon that despair of favour and go away But while these things were in agitation the War of Germany broke out and the Legates suspended the Council for two Years After this An Account of the Council of Trent I shall have no occasion to speak more of this Council so I shall offer this remark here that this Council had been much desired both by Princes and Bishops in hopes that differences of Religion would have been composed in it and that the Corruptions of the Court of Rome would have been reformed by it and that had made the Popes very apprehensive of it but such was the cunning of the Legates the number of Italian Bishops and the dissensions of the Princes of Europe that it had effects quite contrary to what all sides expected The breach in Religion was put past reconciling by the positive decisions they made the abuses of the Court of Rome were confirmed by the Proviso's made in favours of the Priviledges of the Apostolick See and the World was so cured of their longings for a General Council that none has been desired since that time The History of that Council was writ with great exactness and Judgment by Father Paul of Venice while the thing was yet fresh in all Mens memories and though it discovered the whole secret of transactions there yet none set himself to write against it for Forty Years after of late then Pallavicini undertook it and upon the credit of many Memorials he in many things contradicts Father Paul but as many of these are likely enough to be forged so in the main of the History they both agree so far that it is manifest things were not fairly carried and that all matters were managed by Intreagues and secret practices in which it will be very hard to discern such a particular conduct of the Holy Ghost as should induce the World to submit to their authority and indeed Pallavicini was aware of this and therefore he lays down this for a foundation That there must be a Principality in the Church supported by great Wealth and Dignity and many practices are now necessary that are contrary to what were in the Primitive time which was the Infancy of the Church and ought not to be a rule to it now when it is grown up to its full state Maurice declared for the liberty of Germany and took Ausburg The Emperour's designs are blasted and several other Towns The King of France fell also in upon the Empire with a great Force and by surprise made himself Master of Metz Toul and Verdun and thought to have got Strasburg Maurice sent his demands to the Emperour for the Landgrave's liberty and for restoring the freedom of the Empire and the Emperour being slow in making answer he marched on to Inspruck where he surprised a Post and was within two Miles of him before he was aware of it so that the Emperor was forced to fly away by Torch-light and from thence went to Italy Thus that very Army and Prince that had been chiefly Instrumental in the ruine of the Empire did now again assert its freedom and all the Emperor 's great design on Germany was now so blasted that he could never after this put any life in it he was forced to discharge his Prisoners and to call in the Proscriptions and after some Treaty at last the Edict of Passaw was made by which the free exercise of the Protestant Religion was granted to the Princes and Towns and so did that storm which had almost overwhelmed the Princes of that Perswasion end without any other considerable effect besides the Translation of the Electoral dignity from John to Maurice The Emperour's misfortunes encreased on him for against all reason he besieged Metz in December but after he had ruined his Army in it he was forced to raise the Siege Upon that he retired into Flanders in such discontent that for some time he would admit none to come to him Here it was believed he first formed that design which some years after he put in execution of forsaking the World and exchanging the Pomp of a Court with the retirement of a Monastery This strange and unlookt for turn in his affairs gave a great demonstration of an over-ruling Providence that governs all humane affairs and of that particular care that God had of the Reformation in recovering it when it seemed to be gone without all hope in Germany In the beginning of this Year there was a regulation made of the Privy Council Several Committees had proper work assigned them and directions given them for their conduct of which there is an account extant corrected with King Edward's hand A new Parliament was called and sat down the first of March a motion was made for a Subsidy of two tenths and two fifteenths to be paid in two years at the passing of the Bill there was a great debate about it in the House of Commons which seems to have been concerning the Preamble for it contained a high accusation of the
Norfolk those who had purchased some parts of his Estate from the Crown opposed it much in the House of Commons but the Duke came down to the House and desired them earnestly to pass it and assured them that he would refer all differences between him and the Patentees either to Arbiters or to the Queen and so it was agreed to It set forth the pretences that were made use of to Attaint him as that he used Coats of Arms which he and his Ancestors had lawfully used There was a Commission given to some to declare the Royal assent to it but that was not signed but only stamped by the King's mark and that not at the upper end as was usual but beneath nor did it appear that the Royal Assent was ever given to it and they declared that in all time coming the Royal assent should be given either by the King in Person or by a Commission under the Great Seal signed by the King's hand and publickly declared to both Houses Cranmer Guilford Dudley and his Wife the Lady Jane and two of his Brothers were tryed for Treason they all confessed their Indictments only Cranmer appealed to the Judges who knew how unwillingly he had consented to the Exclusion of the Queen and that he did it not till they whose profession it was to know the Law had signed it They were all Attainted of Treason for levying War against the Queen and their Attainders were confirmed in Parliament so was Cranmer legally divested of his Archbishoprick but since he was put in it by the Pope's authority it was resolved to degrade him by the forms of the Canon-Law and the Queen was willing to pardon his Treason that it might appear she did not act upon revenge but Zeal she was often prevailed with to pardon Injuries against her self but was always inexorable in matters of Religion But now her Treaty with the Pope began to take vent which put the Parliament in some disorder When she came first to the Crown A Treaty for reconciling England to the Pope the Popes Legate at Brussels sent over Commendone to see if he could speak with her and to perswade her to reconcile her Kingdom to the Apostolick See The management of the matter was left to his discretion for the Legate would not trust this secret to Gardiner nor any of the other Bishops Commendone came over in the disguise of a Merchant and by accident met with one of the Queens Servants who had lived some years beyond Sea and was known to him and by his means he procured access to the Queen She assured him of her firm resolution to return to the obedience of that See but charged him to manage the matter with great prudence for if it were too early discovered it might disturb her affairs and obstruct the design By him she wrote both to the Pope and to Cardinal Pool and instructed Commendone in order to the sending over Pool with a Legatine power She also asked him whether the Pope might not dispence with Pool to marry since he was only in Deacons Orders This was a welcome Message to the Court of Rome and proved the foundation of Commendone's advancement There was a publick rejoicing for three days and the Pope said Mass himself upon it and gave a largess of Indulgences in which he might be the more liberal because they were like to come into credit again and to go off at the old rates Yet all that Commendone said in the Consistory was That he understood from good hands that the Queen was well disposed to a re-union Some of the stiffer Cardinals thought it was below the Popes dignity to send a Legate till an Embassie should come first from the Queen desiring it Yet the secret was so whispered among them that it was generally known It was said they ought to imitate the Shepherd in the Parable who went to seek the stray Sheep And therefore Pool was appointed to go Legate with ample powers Gardiner was in fear of him and so advised the Emperour to stop him in his journey and to touch the Emperour in a tender part it is said that he let him know that the Queen had some Inclinations for the Cardinal And for a Match with the Prince of Spain The Emperour had now proposed a Match with her for his Son though he was nine years younger than she was yet she being but thirty seven there was reason enough to hope for Children and the uniting England to the Spanish Monarchy seem'd to be all that was wanting to strengthen it on all hands so as to ruine the French Kingdom The Queen saw reasons enough to determine her to entertain it She found it would be hard to bring the Nation about in matters of Religion without the assistance of a soreign power Yet it is more reasonable to think that Gardiner who was always governed by his Interests would have rather promoted the match with Pool for then he had been Infallibly made Arch-bishop of Canterbury and had got Pool's Hat and the Government would have been much easier if the Queen had married a Subject than it could be under a Stranger especially one whose greatness made all people very apprehensive of him The restoring the Papal power Pool's advices to the Queen and the Match with the Prince of Spain were things of such uneasie digestion that it was not fit to adventure on both at once therefore the Emperour prest the Queen to begin with her Marriage and by that she would be powerfully assisted to carry on her other designs and at last the Queen her self was perswaded to send to Pool to advise him to stop his Journey for some time She sent over the Acts of this Parliament to let him see what progress she was making and to assure him she would make all convenient haste in the Re-union But the Parliament had expressed so great an aversion to the restoring the Popes power and were so apprehensive of losing the Abbey-Lands that it would prejudice her affairs much if he should come over before the peoples minds were better prepared She also desired him to send her a List of those that were fit to be made Bishops in the room of those that were turned out To this he writ a long and tedious answer he rejoiced at the Acts that were passed but observed great defects in them In that concerning her Mothers Marriage there was no mention made of the Popes Bull of Dispensation by which only it could be a lawful Marriage The other for setting up the Worship as it was in the end of her Fathers reign he censured more for they were then in a state of Schism and so this established Schism by a Law And he said that while the Interdict lay on the Nation it was a sin to perform Divine Offices He had been very frankly dispatched by the Pope and the Consistory with many favourable Instructions but if these were so despised and he still
any that could might seize on their Dominions The Bishops had also this to say for their Severities that by the Oath which they took at their Consecrations they were bound to persecute Hereticks with all their might so that the Principles of that Religion working on sowre and revengeful tempers it was no wonder that Cruel Councils were more acceptable than moderate ones BOOK IV. Book IV 1558. OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE REFORMATION In the beginning of Qu. ELIZABETH's Reign THE Morning after Queen Mary died Qu. Elizabeth Proclaimed the Lord Chancellor went to the House of Lords and communicated to them the News of Her death and then sent for the Commons and declared it to them and added that the Crown was now devolved on their present Queen Elizabeth whose Title they were resolved to proclaim This was Echoed with repeated Acclamations which were so full of Joy that it appeared how weary the Nation was of the Cruel and weak administration of affairs under the former Reign and that they hoped for better times under the next And indeed the Proclaiming the new Queen both at Westminster and in the City of London was received with such unusual transports of Joy as gave the Melancholy Priests just cause to fear a new Revolution in matters of Religion and though the Queen's Death affected them with a very sensible sorrow yet the Joy in this change was so great and so Universal that a sad look was thought Criminal and the Priests were glad to vent their griefs at their forsaken Altars which were now like to be converted again to Communion Tables The Queen came from Hatfield The Queen came to London where she had lived private to London The Bishops met Her at Highgate she received them all kindly only she lookt on Bonner as defiled with so much blood that it seemed indecent to treat him with the sweetness that always attends the beginnings of Reigns for common Civility to a Person so polluted might seem some countenance to his Crimes She past through London in the midst of all the Joys that People delivered from the Terror of Fires and Slavery could express She quickly shewed that she was resolved to retain no Impressions of the hardships she had met with in her Sister's time and treated those that had used her worst with great gentleness Bennefield himself not excepted only with a sharpness of raillery she used to call him her Jaylor She gave notice of her coming to the Crown to all foreign Princes and writ particular acknowledgments to King Philip for the good offices he had done her Among the rest she writ to Sir Edward Karn that was her Sisters Ambassadour at Rome But the Pope in his usual stile told him that England was a Fee of the Papacy and that it was a high Presumption in her to take the Crown without his consent especially she being illegitimate but he said if she would renounce her Pretensions and refer her self wholly to him she might expect from him all the favour that could consist with the dignity of the Apostolick See The Queen hearing this recalled Karn's power but he being a zealous Papist continued still at Rome Philip proposed Marriage to the Queen Philip proposes marriage to the Queen but in vain and undertook to procure a Dispensation for it from Rome But the Queen as she continued all her life averse to that state of life so she knew how unacceptable a stranger and particularly a Spaniard would be to her People She did not much value the Pope's Dispensation and if two Sisters might marry the same Person then two Brothers might likewise marry the same Woman which would have overthrown all the Arguments for her Father's Divorce with Queen Catherine upon which the Validity of her Mothers Marriage and her legitimation did depend Yet though she firmly resolved not to marry King Philip she thought that during the Treaty at Cambray it was not fit to put him quite out of hopes so he sent to Rome for a Dispensation but the French sent to oppose it and set up a Pretension for the young Queen of Scotland as the righteous Heir to the Crown of England The Queen continued to imploy most of her Sisters Privy-Councellours The Counsels about changing Religion and they had turned so often before in matters of Religion that it was not likely they would be Intractable in that point but to these she added divers others the most Eminent of whom were Sir Will. Cecyl and Sir Nicolas Bacon She ordered all that were Imprisoned on the account of Religion to be set at liberty upon which one that used to talk pleasantly told her the four Evangelists continued still Prisoners and that the People longed much to see them at liberty She answered she would talk with themselves and know their own mind Some proposed the annulling all Queen Mary's Parliaments because force was used in the first and the Writs for another were not lawful since the Title of Supream Head was left out in the Summons before it was taken away by Law but it was thought a Precedent of dangerous Consequence to annul Parliaments upon Errors in Writs or particular disorders The Queen desired that all the changes that should be made might be so managed as to breed as little division among her People as was possible She did not like the Title of Supream Head as importing too great an Authority She loved Magnificence in Religion as she affected it in all other things this made her incline to keep Images still in Churches and that the Popish party might be offended as little as was possible she intended to have the manner of Christ's Presence in the Sacrament defined in general terms that might comprehend all sides A Scheme was formed of the Method in which it was most advisable for the Queen to proceed and put in Cecyl's hands It was thought necessary to do nothing till a Parliament were called A Scheme proposed The Queen had reason to look for all the mischief that the Pope could do her who would set on the French and by their means the Scots and perhaps the Irish against her The Clergy and those that were imployed in Queen Mary's time would oppose it and do what they could to inflame the Nation and the greater part of the People loved the Pomp of the old Ceremonies It was therefore proposed that the Queen should on any terms make Peace with France and encourage the Party in Scotland that desired a Reformation The Clergy were generally hated for their Cruelty and it would be easie to bring them within the Statute of Praemunire Care was also to be taken to expose the former Councellours for the ill conduct of affairs in Qu. Mary's time and so to lessen their credit It was also proposed to look well to the Commissions both for the Peace and the Militia and to the Universities Some Learned Men were to be ordered to consider what alterations
boasted of their Numbers and strength and in some Places brake out into Tumults then it appeared that it was Faction and not Zeal that animated them Upon that the Queen found it necessary to restrain them more than she had done formerly yet she did it with all the Moderation that could consist with the Peace of the Church and State And thus from this Letter an Idea of this whole Reign may be justly formed The Conclusion Thus have I prosecuted what I at first undertook the Progress of the Reformation from its first and small beginnings in England till it came to a compleat settlement in the time of this Queen Of whose Reign if I have adventured to give an Account it was not intended so much for a full Character of Her and her Councils as to set out the great and visible Blessings of God that attended on her the many Preservations she had and that by such signal Discoveries as both sav'd her Life and secured her Government and the unusual happiness of her whole Reign which raised Her to the Esteem and envy of that Age and the wonder of all Posterity It was wonderful indeed that a Virgin Queen could rule such a Kingdom for above 44 Years with such constant succefs in so great Tranquillity at home with a vast increase of Wealth and with such Glory abroad All which may justly be esteemed to have been the Rewards of Heaven crowning that Reign with so much Honour and Triumph that was begun with the Reformation of Religion FINIS A Catalogue of Books sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange THe Works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel Citizen and Secretary of Florence containing his History of Florence Art of War discourses on Titus Livius c. Written originally in Italian and thence newly and faithfully Translated into English Folio Gells Remains being sundry Pious and Learned Notes and Observations on the New Testament opening and explaining it wherein Jesus Christ as yesterday to day and the same for ever is illustrated by that Learned and Judicious man D. R. Gell late Rector of Saint Mary Aldermary London Folio Price 1 l. 10 s. Christian Religions Appeal from the groundless prejudice of the Scepticks to the Bar of Common Reason wherein is proved 1. That the Apostles did not delude the World 2. Nor were themselves deluded 3. Scripture matters of Faith have the best evidence 4. The Divinity of the Scriptures is as demonstrable as the Being of the Deity by John Smith Rector of St. Maries in Colchester Folio 12 s. The Admired Piece of Physiognomy and Chyromancy Metoposcopy the symetrical Proportion and signal moles of the Body fully explained with their Natural predictive significations being delightful and profitable with the subject of Dreams made plain whereunto is added the Art of Memory by Rich. Saunders Illustrated with Cuts and Figures Folio 12 s. The Jesuits Catechism according to St. Ignatius Loyola Quarto 1 s. The Priviledges and Practises of Parliaments in England Collected out of the Common Laws of the Land Commended to the High Court of Parliament Quarto 6. d. A Collection of Letters for the Improvement of Husbandry and Trade Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 and intended to be still continued by John Houghton Fellow of the Royal Society Quarto The Merchant Royal a Sermon preached before the King at the Nuptials of an Honourable Lord and his Lady Quarto 6 d. The Admired Satyr against Hypocrites Quarto 6. d. The Ruine of Papacy or a clear display of Simony of the Romish Clergy with a circulatory Letter to the Fathers of those Virgins that desert their Families to turn Nuns by the Learned pen of that famous Divine Peter du Moulin Octavo Indiculus Vniversalis or the Universe in Epitome wherein almost all the Works of Nature of all arts and sciences with their most necessary terms are in English Latine and French Methodically and distinctly digested and composed at first in French and Latin for the use of the Dauphin of France by the Learned T. Pomey and now made English by A. Lovel M. A. Oct. De suico Pancreatico or a Physical and Anatomical Treatise of the Nature and Office of the Pancreatick Juice shewing it Generation in the Body what Diseases arise by its Visitation from whence in particular by plain and familiar Examples is accurately demonstrated the cause andcures of Agues or intermitting Feavers hitherto so difficult and uncertain with sundry other things worthy of Note written by that Famous Physitian D. Reg. de Graaf of Delph and Translated by C. Pack Med. Lond. Illustrated with divers Copper Plates Octavo 2 s. 6. d. Praxis Catholica or the Country-mans Universal Remedy wherein is plainly and briefly laid down the Nature Matter Manner Place and cure of most diseases incident to the Body of Man not hitherto discovered by Chr. Pack Operator in Chymistry Octavo 1 s. 6 d. English Military Discipline or the way of Exercising Horse and Foot according to the practise of this present time with a Treatise of all sorts of Armes and Engines of War of fire works Ensigns and other Military Instruments both Antient and Modern Octavo 3. s. The Military Duties of the Officers of Cavalry containing the way of Exercising the Horse according to the practise of this present time the Motions of Horse the Functions of the several Officers from the Cheif Captain to the Brigadeer Written originally in French by the Sieur de la Fontain Ingineer in Ordinary to the most Christian King and transcribed for the use of those who are desirous to be informed of the Art of War as it is practised in France by A. L. Octavo 2 s. The Life and Actions of the late renouned Prelate and Soldier Christopher Bernard van Gale Bishop of Munster Prince of the holy Empire Administrator of Corvay Maquess of Stremberg c. In which is an account of the most considerable Actions of Europe in his time Octavo 1 s. 6. d. Clavis Grammatica or the ready way to the Latin tongue containing most plain demonstrations for the regular translating of English into Latin fitted to help such as begin to attain the Latin tongue by F. B. Schoolmaster in London Octavo 1 s. The Abridgment of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England by Gilbert Burnet D. D. with several Copper Plates Octavo A Mathematical Compendium or useful Practises in Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy Navigation Embatelling and Quartering of Armies Fortification and Gunnery c. by Sir Jonas Moor late Surveyor of his Majesties Ordinance the second Edition with many large Additions Twelves 3. s. Humane Prudence or the Art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to Grandeur by A.B. The second Edition with the Addition of a Table Twelves 1 s.