had yet received of him only 300000 Crowns but he had good security for the rest and the Merchants were bound to pay him 100000 lib. Sterling and therefore he demanded a little more time of them All this was printed soon after at Strasburgh by the English there in a Book which they sent over to England in which both the Address made by the Commons in Parliament and this Answer of the Emperour 's to the Towns is mentioned And that whole Discourse which is in the form of an Address to the Queen the Nobility and the Commons is written with such gravity and simplicity of Stile that as it is by much the best I have seen of this time so in these publick Transactions there is no reason to think it untrue For the things which it relates are credible of themselves and though the sum there mentioned was very great yet he that considers that England was to be bought with it will not think it an extraordinary price In that Discourse it is further said that as Gardiner corrupted many by Bribes so in the Court of Chancery Common Justice was denied to all but those who came into these Designs Having thus given an account of what was done in the Parliament I shall next shew how the Convocation proceeded The Proceedings of the Convocation Bonner being to preside in it as being the first Bishop of the Province of Canterbury appointed John Harpsfield his Chaplain to preach who took his Text out of the twentieth of the Acts verse 20 Feed the Flock He run out in his bidding Prayers most profusely on the Queens Praises comparing her to Deborah and Esther with all the servilest flatteries he could invent next he bid them pray for the Lady Elizabeth but when he came to mention the Clergy he enlarged in the praises of Bonner Gardiner Tonstal Heath and Day so grosly that it seems the strains of flattering Church-men at that time were very course and he run out so copiously in them as if he had been to deliver a Panegyrick and not to bid the Beads In his Sermon he inveighed against the late Preachers for not observing Fasts nor keeping Lent and for their Marriages which he severely condemned Weston Dean of Westminster was presented Prolocutor by the lower House Disputes concerning the Sacrament and approved of by Bonner Whether any of the Bishops that had been made in King Edwards time sat among them I do not know But in the lower House there was great opposition made There had been care taken that there should be none returned to the Convocation but such as would comply in all points But yet there came six Non-compliers who being Deans or Arch-Deacons had a right to sit in the Convocation These were Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester Philips Dean of Rochester Haddon Dean of Exeter Cheyney Arch-deacon of Hereford Ailmer Arch-deacon of Stow and Young Chanter of St. Davids Weston the Prolocuter proposed to them on the 18th of October that there had been a Catechism printed in the last year of King Edwards Reign in the name of that Synod and as he understood it was done without their consents which was a pestiferous Book and full of Heresies There was likewise a very abominable Book of Common Prayer set out it was therefore the Queens pleasure that they should prepare such Laws about Religion as she would ratifie with her Parliament So he proposed that they should begin with condemning those Books particularly the Articles in them contrary to the Sacrament of the Altar and he gave out two questions about it Whether in the Sacrament upon the Sanctification of the Bread and Wine all their substance did not vanish being changed into the Body and Blood of Christ and Whether the natural Body of Christ was not corporally present in the Eucharist either by the Transubstantiation of the Elements into his Body and Blood or by the Conjunction of Concomitance as some expressed it The House was adjourned till the 20th on which day every Man was appointed to give in his Answer to these Questions All answered and subscribed in the affirmative except the six before mentioned Philpot said whereas it was given out that the Catechism was was not approved by the Convocation though it was printed in their name it was a mistake for the Convocation had authorised a number of Persons to set forth Ecclesiastical Laws to whom they had committed their Synodal Authority So that they might well set out such Books in the name of the Convocation He also said that it was against all order to move Men to subscribe in such points before they were examined and since the number of these on the one side was so unequal to those on the other side he desired that Dr. Ridley Mr. Rogers and two or three more might be allowed to come to the Convocation This seemed very reasonable So the lower House proposed it to the Bishops They answered that these persons being Prisoners they could not bring them but they should move the Council about it A Message also was sent from some great Lords that they intended to hear the Disputation so the House adjourned till the 23d There was then a great appearance of Noblemen and others The Prolocutor began with a Protestation that by this Dispute they did not intend to call the Truth in doubt to which they had all subscribed but they did it only to satisfie the objections of those few who refused to concur wtih them But it was denied to let any Prisoners or others assist them for it was said that that being a Dispute among those of the Convocation none but Members were to be heard in it Haddon and Ailmer foreseeing they should be run down with clamour and noise refused to dispute Young went away Cheyney being next spoke to did propose his Objections that St. Paul calls the Sacrament Bread after the Consecration that Origen said it went into the Excrement and Theodoret said the Bread and Wine did not in the Sacrament depart from their former Substance Form and Shape Moreman was called on to answer him He said that St. Paul calling it Bread was to be understood thus the Sacrament or Form of Bread To Origens Authority he answered nothing but to Theodoret he said the word they render Substance stood in a more general signification and so might signifie accidental Substance Upon this Ailmer who had resolved not to Dispute could not contain himself but said the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be so understood for the following words of Form and Shape belonged to the Accidents but that only belonged to the Substance of the Elements Upon this there followed a Contest about the signification of that word Then Philpot struck in and said the occasion of Theodorets writing plainly shewed that was a vain Cavil for the Dispute was with the Eutychians whether the Body and humane Nature of Christ had yet an Existence distinct from the Divine
Ex Libro Concilii Fol. 247. THis day the 17th of March the Lord Chancellor and the rest of the King's Council meeting in his Highness Palace of Westminster heard the Report of the Bishop of Ely who by the said Lords and others of the Council was sent to instruct and comfort the Lord Admiral after the hearing whereof consulting and deliberating with themselves of the time most convenient for the execution of the said Lord Admiral now attainted and condemned by the Parliament They did condescend and agree that the said Lord Admiral should be executed the Wednesday next following betwixt the hours of nine and twelve in the forenoon the same day upon Tower-Hill His Body and Head to be buried within the Tower The King's Writ as in such Cases as heretofore hath been accustomed being first directed and sent forth for that purpose and effect Whereupon calling to the Council-Chamber the Bishop of Ely they willed him to declare this their Determination to the said Lord Admiral and to instruct and teach him the best he could to the quiet and patient suffering of Justice and to prepare himself to Almighty God E. Somerset T. Cantuarien R. Rich Cancel W. St. John J. Russel J. Warwick F. Shrewsbury Thomas Southampton William Paget Anthony Wingfield William Petre. A. Denny Edward North. R. Sadler Number 33. Articles to be followed and observed according to the King's Majesty's Injunctions and Proceedings 1. THat all Parsons Vicars and Curats Ex MS. Dr. Johnson omit in the reading of the Injunctions all such as make mention of the Popish Mass of Chantries of Candles upon the Altar or any other such-like thing 2. Item For an Uniformity that no Minister do counterfeit the Popish Mass as to kiss the Lord's Table washing his Fingers at every time in the Communion blessing his Eyes with the Paten or Sudary or crossing his Head with the Paten shifting of the Book from one place to another laying down and licking the Chalice of the Communion holding up his Fingers Hands or Thumbs joined towards his Temples breathing upon the Bread or Chalice shewing the Sacrament openly before the distribution of the Communion ringing or sacrying Bells or setting any Light upon the Lord's Board at any time And finally to use no other Ceremonies than are appointed in the King's Book of Common Prayers or kneeling otherwise than is in the said Book 3. Item That none buy or sell the Holy Communion as in Trentals and such other 4. Item That none be suffered to pray upon Beads and so the People to be diligently admonished and such as will not be admonished to put from the Holy Communion 5. Item That after the Homily every Sunday the Minister exhort the People especially the Communicants to remember the poor Mens Box with their Charity 6. Item To receive no Corpse but at the Church-yard without Bell or Cross 7. Item That the Common-Prayer upon Wednesdays and Fridays be diligently kept according to the King's Ordinances exhorting such as may conveniently come to be there 8. Item That the Curats every sixth Week at the least teach and declare diligently the Catechism according to the Book of the same 9. Item That no Man maintain Purgatory Invocation of Saints the six Articles Bedrolls Images Reliques Lights Holy Bells Holy Beads Holy Water Palms Ashes Candles Sepulchres Paschal creeping to the Cross hallowing of the Font of the Popish manner Oil Chresme Altars Beads or any other such Abuses and Superstitions contrary to the King's Majesty's Proceedings 10. Item That within any Church or Chappel be not used any more than one Communion upon any day except Christmass-day and Easter-day 11. Item That none keep the Abrogate Holy-days other than those that have their proper and peculiar Service 12. Item That the Church-wardens suffer no buying nor selling gaming or unfitting Demeanour in Church or Church-yards especially during the Common-Prayer the Sermon and reading of the Homily 13. Item That going to the Sick with the Sacrament the Minister have not with him either Light or Bells Number 34. A Paper written by Luther to Bucer concerning a Reconciliation with the Zuinglians An Original Ex M S. Col. C. Ch. Cant. PRimo Ut nullo modo concedamus de nobis dici quod neutri neutros ante Intellexerunt Nam isto Pharmaco non medebimur tanto vulneri cum nec ipsi credamus utrimque hoc verum esse alii putabunt a nobis hoc fingi ut ita magis suspectam reddemus causam vel potius per totum dubiam faciemus cum sit communis omnium ut in tantis animorum turbis scrupulis non expedit hoc nomine addere offendiculum Secundo Cum hactenus dissenserimus quod illi signum nos Corpus Christi asseruerimus plane contrarii Nihilominus mihi videtur utile ut mediam ut novam statuamus sententiam qua illi concedant Christum adesse vere nos concedamus panem solum manducari Considerandum certe est quantam hic fenestram aperiemus in re omnibus communi cogitandi Orientium hinc fontes questionum opinionum * Here a word is wanting it is like it should be Occludendi _____ Ut tutius multo sit illos simpliciter manere in suo signo cum nec ipsi suam nec nos nostram partem multo minus utrique totum orbem pertrahemus in eam sententiam Sed potius irritabimus ad varias Cogitationes ideo vellem potius ut sopitum maneret dissidium in duabus istis sententiis quam ut occasio daretur infinitis questionibus ad Epicurismum profuturis Istis salvis nihil est quod a me peti possit nam ut ego hoc dissidium vellem testis est mihi Christus meus redemptum Corpore Sanguine meo Sed quid faciam Ipsi forte Conscientia bona sunt in altera sententia Feramus igitur eos si sinceri sunt liberabit eos Christus Dominus Ego contra captus sum bona mea Conscientia nisi ipsi mihi sum ignotus in meam sententiam ferant me si non possunt mihi accedere Number 35. The Sentence against Joan of Kent with the Certificate made upon it IN Dei Nomine Amen Nos Thomas Regist Cran. Fol. 175. permissione divina Cantuarien Archiepiscopus totius Angliae primas Metrapolitanus Thomas Smith Miles Willielmus Cooke Decanus de Arcubus Hugo Latimer Sacrae Theologiae Professor Richardus Lyell Legum Doctor illustrissimi invictissimi in Christo Principis Domini nostri Domini Edwardi sexti Dei Gratia Angliae c. per Literas suas Regias Patentes dat duodecimo die mensis Aprilis Anno Regni sui tertio contra te Joannam Bocher alias nuncupatam Joannam de Kente coram nobis super haeretica pravitate juxta secundum Commissionem dicti Domini nostri Regis detectam declaratam ac in ea parte apud bonos graves Notorie Publice
That against Law he held a Court of Request in his House and did enforce divers to answer there for their Freehold and Goods and did determine of the same 8. That being no Officer without the advice of the Council or most part of them he did dispose Offices of the King's Gift for Mony grant Leases and Wards and Presentations of Benefices pertaining to the King gave Bishopricks and made sales of the King's Lands 9. That he commanded Alchimie and Multiplication to be practised thereby to abase the King's Coin 10. That divers times he openly said That the Nobility and Gentry were the only cause of Dearth whereupon the People rose to reform Matters of themselves 11. That against the mind of the whole Council he caused Proclamation to be made concernig Inclosures whereupon the People made divers Insurrections and destroyed many of the King's Subjects 12. That he sent forth a Commission with Articles annexed concerning Inclosures Commons High-ways Cottages and such-like Matters giving the Commissioners authority to hear and determine those causes whereby the Laws and Statutes of the Realm were subverted and much Rebellion raised 13. That he suffered Rebels to assemble and lie armed in Camp against the Nobility and Gentry of the Realm without speedy repressing of them 14. That he did comfort and encourage divers Rebels by giving them Mony and by promising them Fees Rewards and Services 15. That he caused a Proclamation to be made against Law and in favour of the Rebels that none of them should be vexed or sued by any for their Offences in their Rebellion 16. That in time of Rebellion he said That he liked well the Actions of the Rebels and that the Avarice of Gentlemen gave occasion for the People to rise and that it was better for them to die than to perish for want 17. That he said The Lords of the Parliament were loath to reform Inclosures and other things therefore the People had a good cause to reform them themselves 18. That after declaration of the Defaults of Bulloign and the Pieces there by such as did survey them he would never amend the same 19. That he would not suffer the King's Pieces of Newhaven and Blackness to be furnished with Men and Provision albeit he was advertised of the Defaults and advised thereto by the King's Council whereby the French King was emboldned to attempt upon them 20. That he would neither give Authority nor suffer Noblemen and Gentlemen to suppress Rebels in time convenient but wrote to them to speak the Rebels fair and use them gently 21. That upon the 5th of October the present Year at Hampton-Court for defence of his own private Causes he procured seditious Bills to be written in counterfeit Hands and secretly to be dispersed into divers parts of the Realm beginning thus Good People intending thereby to raise the King's Subjects to Rebellion and open War 22. That the King's Privy-Council did consult at London to come to him and move him to reform his Government but he hearing of their Assembly declared by his Letters in divers places that they were high Traitors to the King 23. That he declared untruly as well to the King as to other young Lords attending his Person That the Lords at London intended to destroy the King and desired the King never to forget but to revenge it and desired the young Lords to put the King in remembrance thereof with intent to make Sedition and Discord between the King and his Nobles 24. That at divers times and places he said The Lords of the Council at London intended to kill me but if I die the King shall die and if they famish me they shall famish him 25. That of his own head he removed the King so suddenly from Hampton-Court to Windsor without any provision there made that he was thereby not only in great fear but cast thereby into a dangerous Disease 26. That by his Letters he caused the King's People to assemble in great numbers in Armour after the manner of War to his Aid and Defence 27. That he caused his Servants and Friends at Hampton-Court and Windsor to be apparelled in the King's Armour when the King's Servants and Guards went unarmed 28. That he intended to fly to Gernsey or Wales and laid Post-horses and Men and a Boat to that purpose Number 47. A Letter written by the Council to the Bishops to assure them That the King intended to go forward in the Reformation By the KING RIght Reverend Father in God Right trusty and well-beloved Regist Cran. Fol. 56. we greet you well Whereas the Book entituled the Book of Common Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church after the use of the Church of England was agreed upon and set forth by Act of Parliament and by the same Act commanded to be used of all Persons within this our Realm Yet nevertheless we are informed that divers unquiet and evil-disposed Persons sithence the apprehension of the Duke of Somerset have noised and bruited abroad That they should have again their old Latin Service their Conjured Bread and Water with such-like vain and superfluous Ceremonies as though the setting forth of the said Book had been the only Act of the said Duke We therefore by the advice of the Body and State of our Privy-Council not only considering the said Book to be our Act and the Act of the whole State of our Realm assembled together in Parliament but also the same to be grounded upon the Holy Scripture agreeable to the Order of the Primitive Church and much to the re-edifying of our Subjects to put away all such vain expectation of having the Publick Service the Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies again in the Latin Tongue which were but a preferment of Ignorance to Knowledg and Darkness to Light and a preparation to bring in Papistry and Superstition again have thought good by the advice aforesaid to require and nevertheless straitly do command and charge you That immediately upon the receipt hereof you do command the Dean and Prebendaries of your Cathedral Church the Parsons Vicar or Curat and Church-wardens of every Parish within your Diocess to bring and deliver unto you or your Deputy any of them for their Church or Parish at such convenient place as you shall appoint all Antiphonals Missals Graylles Processionals Manuels Legends Pies Portasies Journals and Ordinals after the use of Sarum Lincoln York or any other private use And all other Books of Service the keeping whereof should be a lett to the using of the said Book of Common Prayers and that you take the same Books into your hands or into the hands of your Deputy and them so to deface and abolish that they never after may serve either to any such use as they were provided for or be at any time a lett to that godly and uniform Order which by a common Consent is now set forth And if
plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a â—acrament and hath given occasion to many Superâ—â—itions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an Heavenly and Spiritual Manner And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture and hath given occasion to many Superstitions Since the very Being of humane Nature doth require that the Body of one and the same Man cannot be at one and the same time in many places but of necessity must be in some certain and determinate place therefore the Body of Christ cannot be present in many different places at the same time And since as the Holy Scriptures testify Christ hath been taken up into Heaven and there is to abide till the end of the World it becometh not any of the Faithful to believe or profess that there is a Real or Corporeal presence as they phrase it of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's Ordinance reserved carried about lifted up or worshipped XXIX Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the Lord's Supper The wicked and such as be void of a lively Faith altho they do carnally and visibly press with their Teeth as St. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the Sign or Sacrament of so great a thing XXX Of both Kinds The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lord's Sacrament by Christ's Ordinance and Commandment ought not to be ministred to all Christian People alike XXX Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross The Offering of Christ once made is a perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World both Original and Actual and there is none other Satisfaction for Sin but that alone Wherefore the Sacrifices of Masses in which it was commonly said That the Priests did offer Christ for the Quick and the Dead to have remission of Pain or Guilt were * blasphemous Fables and dangerous Deceits XXXI A single Life is imposed on none by the Word of God Bishops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by God's Law either to vow the estate of a single Life or to abstain from Marriage Therefore it is lawful for them as for all other Christian Men to Marry at their own discretion as they shall judg thâ— same to serve better to Godliness XXXII Excommunicated Persons are to be avoided That Person which by open Denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the Unity of the Church and Excommunicated ought to be taken of the whole Multitude of the Faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Judg that hath Authority thereunto XXXIII Of the Tradition of the Church It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one and utterly alike for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversities of Countries Times and Mens Manners so that nothing be ordained against God's Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and reproved by common Authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may fear to do the like as he that offendeth against the common Order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the Consciences of the weak Brethren Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to ordain change or abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained onely by Man's Authority so that all things be done to edifying XXXIV Of the Homilies The second Book of Homilies the several Titles whereof we have joined under this Article doth contain a godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for the Times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and therefore we judg them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People The Names of the Homilies Of the Right Use of the Church Of Repairing Churches Against the Peril of Idolatry Of Good Works c. The Homilies lately delivered and commended to the Church of England by the King's Injunctions do contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and fit to be embraced by all Men and for that cause they are diligently plainly and distinctly to be read to the People XXXV Of the Book of Common Prayer and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England The Book lately delivered to the Church of England by the Authority of the King and Parliament containing the manner and form of publick Prayer and the Ministration of the Sacraments The Book of Consecration of Arch-Bishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering Neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are Consecrated and Ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the second Year of the afore-named King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered in the said Church of England as also the Book published by the same Authority for ordering Ministers in the Church are both of them very pious as to truth of Doctrine in nothing contrary but agreeable to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel which they do very much promote and illustrate And for that cause they are by all faithful Members of the Church of England but chiefly of the Ministers of the Word with all thankfulness and readiness of mind to be received approved and commended to the People of God XXXVI Of the Civil Magistrates The King of England is after Christ The Queens Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Cases doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Forreign Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous Folks to be offended We give not to our Princess the Ministry either of God's Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only Prerogative which we see to
two several times that is to say the Sundays next following Easterday and St. Michael the Arch-Angel or on some other Sunday within one month after those Feasts immediately after the Gospel FOrasmuch as it appertaineth to all Christian Men but especially to the Ministers and the Pastors of the Church being Teachers and Instructers of others to be ready to give a Reason of their Faith when they shall be thereunto required I for my part now appointed your Parson Vicar or Curat having before my Eyes the Fear of God and the Testimony of my Conscience do acknowledg for my self and require you to assent to the same I. First That there is but one living and true God of infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness the maker and preserver of all Things And that in Unity of this God-head there be three Persons of one Substance of equal Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost II. I believe also whatsoever is contained in the Holy Canonical Scriptures In the which Scriptures are contained all things necessary to Salvation by the which also all Errors and Heresies may sufficiently be reproved and convicted and all Doctrine and Articles necessary to Salvation established I do also most firmly believe and confess all the Articles contained in the Three Creeds The Nicene Creed Athanasius Creed and our Common Creed called the Apostles Creed for these do briefly contain the principal Articles of our Faith which are at large set forth in the Holy Scriptures III. I do acknowledg also that Church to be the Spouse of Christ wherein the Word of God is truly taught the Sacraments orderly ministred according to Christ's Institution and the Authority of the Keys duly used And that every such particular Church hath authority to institute to change clean to put away Ceremonies and other Ecclesiastical Rites as they be superfluous or be abused and to constitute other making more to Seemliness to Order or Edification IV. Moreover I confess That it is not lawful for any Man to take upon him any Office or Ministry either Ecclesiastical or Secular but such only as are lawfully thereunto called by their High Authorities according to the Ordinances of this Realm V. Furthermore I do acknowledg the Queen's Majesty's Prerogative and Superiority of Government of all Estates and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal within this Realm and other her Dominions and Countries to be agreable to God's Word and of right to appertain to her Highness in such sort as is in the late Act of Parliament expressed and sithence by her Majesty's Injunctions declared and expounded VI. Moreover touching the Bishop of Rome I do acknowledg and confess that by the Scriptures and Word of God he hath no more Authority than other Bishops have in their Provinces and Diocesses And therefore the Power which he now challengeth that is to be the Supream Head of the Universal Church of Christ and so to be above all Emperors Kings and Princes is an usurped Power contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God and contrary to the Example of the Primitive Church and therefore is for most just Causes taken away and abolished in this Realm VII Furthermore I do grant and confess That the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Holy Sacraments set sorth by the Authority of Parliament is agreeable to the Scriptures and that it is Catholick Apostolick and most for the advancing of God's Glory and the edifying of God's People both for that it is in a Tongue that may be understanded of the People and also for the Doctrine and Form of ministration contained in the same VIII And although in the Administration of Baptism there is neither Exorcism Oil Salt Spittle or hallowing of the Water now used and for that they were of late Years abused and esteemed necessary Where they pertain not to the substance and necessity of the Sacrament they be reasonably abolished and yet the Sacrament full and perfectly ministred to all intents and purposes agreeable to the Institution of our Saviour Christ IX Moreover I do not only acknowledg that Privat Masses were never used amongst the Fathers of the Primitive Church I mean publick Ministration and receiving of the Sacrament by the Priest alone without a just number of Communicants according to Christ's saying Take ye and eat ye c. But also that the Doctrine that maintaineth the Mass to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Quick and the Dead and a mean to deliver Souls out of Purgatory is neither agreeable to Christ's Ordinance nor grounded upon Doctrine Apostolick But contrary-wise most ungodly and most injurious to the precious Redemption of our Saviour Christ and his only-sufficient Sacrifice offered once for ever upon the Altar of the Cross X. I am of that mind also That the Holy Communion or Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ for the due obedience to Christ's Institution and to express the vertue of the same ought to be ministred unto the People under both kinds And that it is avouched by certain Fathers of the Church to be a plain Sacrilege to rob them of the Mystical Cup for whom Christ hath shed his most precious Blood seeing he himself hath said Drink ye all of this Considering also That in the time of the Ancient Doctors of the Church as Cyprian Hierom Augustine Gelasius and others six hundred Years after Christ and more both the Parts of the Sacrament were ministred to the People Last of all As I do utterly disallow the extolling of Images Reliques and feigned Miracles and also all kind of expressing God Invisible in the form of an Old Man or the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove and all other vain worshipping of God devised by Man's fantasy besides or contrary to the Scriptures As wandering on Pilgrimages setting up of Candles praying upon Beads and such-like Superstition which kind of Works have no promise of Reward in Scripture but contrary-wise Threatnings and Maledictions So I do exhort all Men to the Obedience of God's Law and to the Works of Faith as Charity Mercy Pity Alms devout and fervent Prayer with the affection of the Heart and not with the Mouth only Godly Abstinence and Fasting Chastity Obedience to the Rulers and Superior Powers with such-like Works and godliness of Life commanded by God in his Word which as St. Paul saith hath Promises both of this Life and of the Life to come and are Works only acceptable in God's sight These things above-rehearsed though they be appointed by common Order yet do I without all compulsion with freedom of Mind and Conscience from the bottom of my Heart and upon most sure persuasion acknowledg to be true and agreeable to God's Word And therefore I exhort you all of whom I have Cure heartily and obediently to embrace and receive the same That we all joining together in unity of Spirit Faith and Charity may also at length be joined together in the Kingdom of God and that
and is now put into the Volumes of the Councils The Heads of Pools Reformation The first Decree is that there should be constantly a remembrance of the Reconciliation now made with Rome in every Mass besides a Procession with other Solemnities on the Anniversary of it He also confirmed the Constitutions of Otho and Otho bonus forbidding the reading of all Heretical Books and set forth the Catholick Faith in the words of that Exposition of it which P. Eugenius sent from the Council of Florence to those of Armenia The 2d was for the careful administring and preserving of the Sacraments and for the puting away of all Feasting in the Festivities of the Dedications of Churches The 3d exhorts the Bishops to lay aside all secular Cares and give themselves wholly to the Pastoral Office and to reside in their Diocess under the highest pains Their Chanons are also required to reside and also other Clergy Men. All Pluralities of Benefices with Cure are simply condemned and those who had more Benefices with cure were required within two months to resign all but one otherwise it was to be declared that they had forfeited them all The 4th is that whereas the residence of Bishops could not be of great use unless they became truly Pastors to their Flock which was chiefly done by their preaching the Word of God that had been contrary to the Apostles Practice much neglected by many therefore he requires them to preach every Sunday or Holy day or if they were disabled to find other fit Persons to do it And they were also in private to instruct and exhort their People and all the other inferior Clergy and to endeavour to perswade them to the Catholick Faith or if need were to use threatnings And because of the great want of good Preachers the Cardinal declared he would take care there should be Homilies set out for the instruction of the Nation In the mean while every Bishop was to be sending such as were more eminent in preaching over their Diocess thereby to supply the defects of the rest The 5th is about the lives of the Bishops that they should be most strict and exemplary that they should lay aside all Pride and Pomp should not be clothed in Silk nor have rich Furniture and have frugal Tables not above three or four dishes of Meat and even so many he rather allows considering the present time than approves that at their Table the Scriptures or other good Books should be read mixed with pious discourses that they should not have too great numbers of Servants or Horses but that this Parsimony might appear not to flow from Avarice they were to lay out the rest of their Revenues on the Poor and for breeding young Scholars and other works of Piety All the same Rules he sets to the inferior Clergy with a due proportion to their Stations and Profits The 6th is about giving Orders They were not to be rashly given but upon a strict previous Examen Every one that was to be Ordained was to give in his Name a long time before that there might be time to inquire carefully about him The Bishops were charged not to turn over the Examination upon others and think their work was only to lay on their hands but were to examine diligently themselves and not superficially And to call to â—heir assistance such as they knew to be pious and learned and in whom they might confide The 7th was about conferring Benefices which in some sort came also within that charge Lay hands suddenly on no Man They were to lay aside all partialty in their choice and seek out the most deserving and to make such as they put in Benefices bind themselves by Oath to reside The 8th was against giving the Advousons of Benefices before they were vacant The 9th was about Simony The 10th against the Alienations of any of the Goods of the Church The 11th was that in every Cathedral there should be a Seminary for supplying the Diocess of whom two Ranks were to be made the one of those who learned Grammar the other of those who were grown up and were to be ordained Acholyths and these were to be trained up in Study and Vertue till they were fit to serve in the Church And a Tax of the fourth peny was laid on the Clergy for their maintenance The 12th was about Visitations These were all finished agreed to and published by him in February next Year In these Decrees mention is made of Homilies which were intended to be published Ex Manuscr Col. C.C. Cant. and among Arch-Bishop Parker's Papers I find the Scheme he had of them was thus laid He designed four Books of Homilies The first of the controverted points for preserving the People from Error The 2d for the Exposition of the Creed and ten Commandments the Lords Prayer the Salutation of the Virgin and the Sacraments The 3d. was to be for the Saints dayes and the Sundays and Holy days of the year for explaining the Epistles and Gospels and the fourth was concerning Vertues and Vices and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church By all these it may appear how well tempered this Cardinal was He never set on the Clergy to Persecute Hereticks Pool's Designs for Reforming the Church but to reform themselves as well knowing that a strict exemplary Clergy can soon overcome all Opposition whatsoever and bear down even truth it self For the common People are generally either so ignorant or so distracted with other affairs that they seldom enter into any exact discussion of speculative points that are disputed among Divines but take up things upon general notions and prejudices and none have more influence on them than the scandals or strict lives of Church-men So that Pool intending to correct all those laid down good Rules to amend their lives to throw out those crying scandals of Pluralities and Non-residence to oblige Bishops to be exact in their Examinations before Orders and in conferring Benefices on the most deserving and not to be biassed by partial affections In this last thing himself was a great Example For tho he had an only Brother so I find him called in one of the Cardinals Commissions to him with some others tho I believe he was a Bastard Brother David that had continued all King Henry's time in his Arch-Deaconry of Darby he either to punish him for his former compliance or to shew he had no mind to raise his kindred did not advance him till after he had been two years in England and then he gave him only the Bishoprick of Peterborough one of the poorest of the Bishopricks which considering his nâ—arness to the Crown and high Birth was a very small preferment But above all that Design of his to have Seminaries in every Cathedral for the planting of the Diocess shews what a wise prospect he had of the right methods of recovering a Church which was over-run as he judged with Heresie It
the future it was ordered That no Priest or Deacon should marry without allowance from the Bishop of the Diocess and two Justices of the Peace and the Consent of the Womans Parents or Friends All the Clergy were to use Habits according to their Degrees in the Universities the Queen declaring that this was not done for any Holiness in them but for Order and Decency No Man might use any Charm or consult with such as did All were to resort to their own Parish Churches except for an extraordinary Occasion Inn-Keepers were to sell nothing in the Times of Divine Service None were to keep Images or other Monuments of Superstition in their Houses None might Preach but such as were licensed by their Ordinary In all Places they were to examine the Causes why any had been in the late Reign Imprisoned Famished or put to Death upon the pretence of Religion and all Registers were to be searched for it In every Parish the Ordinary was to name three or four discreet Men who were to see that all the Parishioners did duly resort on Sundays and Holy-days to Church and those who did it not and upon admonition did not amend were to be denounced to the Ordinary On Wednesdays and Fridays the Common Prayer and Litany was to be used in all Churches All slanderous words as Papist Heretick Schismatick or Sacramentary were to be forborn under severe pains No Books might be printed without a License from the Queen the Arch-Bishop the Bishop of London the Chancellor of the Universities or the Bishop or Arch-Deacon of the Place where it was printed All were to kneel at the Prayers and to shew a Reverence when the Name of Jesus was pronounced Then followed an Explanation of the Oath of Supremacy in which the Queen declared that she did not pretend to any Authority for the ministring of Divine Service in the Church and that all that she challenged was that which had at all times belonged to the Imperial Crown of England that she had the Soveraignty and Rule over all manner of Persons under God so that no Forreign Power had any Rule over them and if those who had formerly appeared to have Scruples about it took it in that sence she was well-pleased to accept of it and did acquit them of all Penalties in the Act. The next was about Altars and Communion-Tables she ordered that for preventing of Riots no Altar should be taken down but by the consent of the Curat and Church-Wardens that a Communion-Table should be made for every Church and that on Sacrament days it should be set in some convenient Place in the Chancel and at other Times should be placed where the Altar had stood The Sacramental Bread was ordered to be round and plain without any Figure on it but somewhat broader and thicker than the Cakes formerly prepared for the Mass Then the form of bidding Prayer was prescribed with some variation from that in King Edward's Time for whereas to the Thanksgiving for God's Blessings to the Church in the Saints departed this Life a Prayer was added That they with us and we with them may have a glorious Resurrection now those words they with us as seeming to import a Prayer for the Dead were left out For the Rule about Church-men Marrying Reflections made on the Injunctions those who reflected on it said They complained not of the Law but as St. Jerom did in the making a Law in his Time they complained of those that had given occasion for it Ministers wearing such Apparel as might distinguish them from the Laity was certainly a means to keep them under great restraint upon every indecency in their Behaviour laying them open to the Censures of the People which could not be if they were habited so as that they could not be distinguished from other Men and humane nature being considered it seems to be a kind of Temptation to many when they do but think their Disorders will pass unobserved Bowing at the Name of Jesus was thought a fit expression of their grateful acknowledging of our Saviour and an owning of his Divinity And as standing up at the Creed or at the Gloria Patri were solemn expressions of the Faith of Christians So since Jesus is the Name by which Christ is expressed to be our Saviour it seemed a decent piece of acknowledging our Faith in him to shew a Reverence when that was pronounced not as if there were a peculiar sanctity or vertue in it but because it was his proper Name Christ being but an Appellation added to it By the Queen's care to take away all words of Reproach and to explain the Oath of Supremacy not only clearing any ambiguity that might be in the words but allowing Men leave to declare in what sense they swore it the moderation of her Government did much appear in which instead of inventing new Traps to catch the Weak which had been practised in other Reigns all possible care was taken to explain things so that they might be as comprehensive to all Interests as was possible They reckoned if that Age could have been on any terms separated from the Papacy though with allowance for many other superstitious Conceits it would once unite them all and in the next Age they would be so educated that none of those should any more remain And indeed this Moderation had all the effect that was designed by it for many Years in which the Papists came to Church and to the Sacraments But afterwards it being proposed to the King of Spain then ready to engage in a War with the Queen upon the account of her supporting of the Vnited Provinces that he must first divide England at home and procure from the Pope a Sentence against the Queen and a condemnation of such Papists as went to the English Service and that for the maintaining and educating of such Priests as should be his Tools to distract the Kingdom he was to found Seminaries at Doway Lovain and St. Omers from whence they might come over hither and disorder the Affairs of England The prosecution of those Counsels rais'd the Popish Party among us which has ever since distracted this Nation and has oftner than once put it into most threatning convulsive Motions such as we feel at this day The first high Commission After the Injunctions were thus prepared the Queen gave out Commissions for those who should visit all the Churches of England in which they lost no time for the New Book of Service was by Law to take place on St. John Baptist's day and these Commissions were signed that same day Coll. Num. 7. One of those Commissions which was for the Arch-Bishoprick and Province of York is put into the Collection It was granted to the Earls of Shrewsbury and Derby and some others among whom Dr. Sands is one The Preamble sets forth That God having set the Queen over the Nation she could not render an account of that Trust without
for it but the Author's word and Poets must make Circumstances as well as more signal Contrivances to set off their Fables But there was no occasion for Bucer's saying this since he never declared against the Corporal Presence but was for taking up that Controversy in some general Expressions So it was not suitable to his Opinion in that Matter for him to talk so loosely of the Scriptures And is it credible that a Story of this nature should not have been published in Queen Mary's Time and been made use of when he was condemned for an Heretick and his Body raised and burnt But our Author perhaps did not think of that 15. He says Pag. 191. Peter Martyr was a while in suspence concerning the Eucharist and stayed till he should see what the Parliament should appoint in that Matter P. Martyr argued and read in the Chair against the Corporal Presence four Years before the Parliament medled with it For the second Common-Prayer Book which contained the first publick Declaration that the Parliament made in this Matter was enacted in the fifth Year of King Edward and Peter Martyr from his first coming to England had appeared against it 16. He said The first Parliament under King Edward Pag. 193. appointed a new Form to be used in ordaining Priests and Bishops who till that time had been Ordained according to the Old Rites save only that they did not swear Obedience to the Pope This is a further Evidence of our Author's care in searching the printed Statutes since what was done in the Fifth Year of this Reign he represents as done in the First His Design in this was clear he had a mind to possess all his own Party with an Opinion that the Orders given in this Church were of no force and therefore he thought it a decent piece of his Poem to set down this Change as done so early since if he had mentioned it in its proper place he knew not how to deny the validity of the Orders that were given the first four Years of this Reign which continued to be conferred according to the old Forms 17. He says The Parliament did also at the same time Ibid. confirm a new Book of common-Common-Prayer and of the Administration of the Sacraments This is of a piece with the former for the Act confirming the common-Common-Prayer Book which is also among the Printed Statutes passed not in this Session of Parliament but in a second Session a Year after this These are Indications sufficient to shew what an Historian Sanders was that did not so much as read the Publick Acts of the Time concerning which he writ 18. He says They ordered all Images to be removed Ibid. and sent some lewd Men over England for that effect who either brake or burnt the Images of our Saviour the Blessed Virgin and the Saints therein declaring against whom they made War and they ordered the King's Arms three Leopards and three Lillies with the Supporters a Dog and a Serpent to be set in the place where the Cross of Christ stood thereby owning that they were no longer to worship Jesus Christ whose Images they broke but the King whose Arms they set up in the room of those Images In this Period there is an equal mixture of Falshood and Malice 1. The Parliament did not order the removal of Images It was done by the King's Visitors before the Parliament sat 2. The total removal of Images was not done the first Year only those Images that were abused to Superstition were taken down and a Year after the total removal followed 3. They took care that this should be done regularly not by the Visitors who only carried the King's Injunctions about it but by the Curats themselves 4. They did not order the King's Arms to be put in the place where the Cross had stood It grew indeed to be a custom to set them up in all Churches thereby expressing that they acknowledged the King's Authority reached even to their Churches but there was no Order made about it 5. I leave him to the Correction of the Heraulds for saying the King's Arms are Three Leopards when every Body knows they are three Lions and a Lion not a Dog is one Supporter and the other is a Dragon not a Serpent 6. By their setting up the King's Arms and not his Picture it is plain they had no thought of worshipping their King but did only acknowledg his Authority 7. It was no less clear that they had no design against the Worship due to Jesus Christ nor that inferiour respect due to the Blessed Virgin and Saints but intended only to wean the People from that which at best was but Pageantry but as it was practised was manifest Idolatry And the painting on the Walls of the Churches the Ten Commandments the Creed the Lord's Prayer with many other passages of Scripture that were of most general use shewed they intended only to cleanse their Churches from those mixtures of Heathenism that had been brought into the Christian Religion Pag. 193. 19. He says They took away the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ that they might thereby give some colour to the converting of the Sacred Vessels to the King's use They took away no part of the Institution of Christ for they set it down in the Act past about it and recited all the words of the first Institution of the Sacrament they only condemned private Masses as contrary to Christ's Institution They did not convert the Holy Vessels to the King's use nor were they taken out of the Churches till five Years after this that the Necessities of the Government either real or pretended were alleged to excuse the taking away the superfluous Plate that was in Churches But this was not done by Act of Parliament but by Commissioners empowred by the King who were ordered to leave in every Church such Vessels as were necessary for the Administration of the Sacraments Ibid. 20. He says The Parliament ordered the Prayers to be in the Vulgar Tongue and upon that he infers that the Irish the Welsh and the Cornish-men were now in a much worse condition than before since they understood no English so that the Worship was to them in a Tongue more unknown than it had formerly been The Parliament made no such Order at this Time the Book of Common Prayer was set out first by the King's Authority and ratified by the subsequent Session of Parliament There was also a Design which though it was then accomplished yet it was done afterwards of translating the Liturgy into these Tongues but still the English was much more understood by all sorts of Men among them than the Latin had been 21. He says The Office of the Communion Pag. 194. appointed by this Parliament differed very little from the Mass save that it was in English The Error of the Parliaments appointing the new Offices runs through all he says on this
Melanchthon thought that the Ceremonies of Popery might be used since they were of their own nature indifferent Others as Amstorfius Illiricus with the greatest part of the Lutherans thought the receiving the Ceremonies would make way for all the errors of Popery and though they were of their own nature indifferent yet they ceased to be so when they were enjoyned as things necessary to Salvation But the Emperor going on resolutely many Divines were driven away some concealed themselves in Germany others fled into Switzerland and some came over into England When the news of the Changes that were made here in England were carried beyond Sea and after Peter Martyr's being with Cranmer were more copiously written by him to his friends Calvin and Mar. Bucer who began to think the Reformation almost opprest in Germany now turned their Eyes more upon England Calvin writ to the Protector Calvin writ to the Protector on the 29th of October encouraging him to go on notwithstanding the Wars as Hezekias had done in his Reformation He lamented the heats of some that professed the Gospel but complained that he heard there were few lively Sermons preached in England and that the Preachers recited their discourses coldly He much approves a set form of Prayers whereby the consent of all the Churches did more manifestly appear But he advises a more compleat Reformation he taxed the Prayers for the Dead the use of Chrisme and Extream Vnction since they were no where recommended in Scripture He had heard that the reason why they went no further was because the Times could not bear it but this was to do the Work of God by Political Maximes which though they ought to take place in other things yet should not be followed in Matters in which the Salvation of Souls was concerned But above all things he complained of the great impieties and vices that were so common in England as Swearing Drinking and Vncleanness and prayed him earnestly that these things might be looked after Bucer writ against Gardiner Martin Bucer writ also a Discourse congratulating the Changes then made in England which was translated into English by Sir Philip Hobbey's Brother In it he answered the Book that Gardiner had written against him which he had formerly delayed to do because King Henry had desired he would let it alone till the English and Germans had conferr'd about Religion That Book did chiefly relate to the Marriage of the Clergy Bucer shewed from many Fathers that they thought every Man had not the Gift of Chastity which Gardiner thought every one might have that pleased He taxed the open lewdness of the Romish Clergy who being much set against Marriage which was Gods Ordinance did gently pass over the impurities which the forbidding it had occasioned among themselves He particularly taxed Gardiner himself that he had his Rents payed him out of Stews He taxed him also for his state and pompous way of living and shewed how indecent it was for a Church-man to be sent in Ambassies and that St. Ambrose though sent to make Peace was ashamed of it and thought it unbecoming the Priesthood Both Fagius and he being forced to leave Germany upon the business of the Interim Cranmer invited them over to England and sent them to Cambridge as he had done Peter Martyr to Oxford But Fagius not agreeing with this Air died soon after a Man greatly learned in the Oriental Tongues and a good Expounder of the Scripture This being the state of Affairs both abroad and at home a Session of Parliament was held in England on the 24th of November Nov. 24. Parliament sits to which day it had been prorogued from the 15th of October by reason of the Plague then in London The first Bill that was finished was that about the Marriage of the Priests It was brought into the House of Commons the 3d of December read the second time on the 5th and the third time the 6th But this Bill being only that married Men might be made Priests a new Bill was framed that besides the former Provision Priests might marry This was read the first time the 7th the second time the 10th and was fully argued on the 11th and agreed on the 12th and sent up to the Lords on the 13th of December In that House it stuck as long as it had been soon dispatched by the Commons It lay on the Table till the 9th of February Then it was read the first time and the 11th the second time on the 16th it was committed to the Bishops of Ely and Westminster the Lord Chief-Justice and the Attorney-General and on the 19th of Feb. it was agreed to the Bishops of London Duresme Norwich Carlisle Hereford Worcester Bristol Chichester and Landaff and the Lords Morley Dacres Windsor and Wharton dissenting It had the Royal Assent and so became a Law The Preamble sets forth An Act about the Marriage of the Clergy That it were better for Priests and other Ministers of the Church to live chast and without Marriage whereby they might better attend to the Ministry of the Gospel and be less distracted with secular cares so that it were much to be wished that they would of themselves abstain But great filthiness of living with other inconveniencies had followed on the Laws that compelled Chastity and prohibited Marriage so that it was better they should be suffered to marry than be so restrained Therefore all Laws and Canons that had been made against it being only made by humane Authority are repealed So that all Spiritual Persons of what degree soever might lawfully marry providing they married according to the Order of the Church But a Proviso was added that because many Divorces of Priests had been made after the six Articles were enacted and that the Women might have thereupon married again all these Divorces with every thing that had followed on them should be confirmed There was no Law that passed in this Reign with more contradiction and censure than this and therefore the Reader may expect the larger account of this matter The unmarried state of the Clergy had so much to be said for it Which was much enquired into as being a course of life that was more disengaged from secular cares and pleasures that it was cast on the Reformers every where as a foul reproach that they could not restrain their appetites but engaged in a life that drew after it domestick cares with many other distractions This was an Objection so easie to be apprehended that the People had been more prejudiced against the Marriage of the Clergy if they had not felt greater inconveniencies by the debaucheries of Priests who being restrained from Marriage had defiled the Beds and deflow'red the Daughters of their Neighbours into whose Houses they had free and unsuspected access and whom under the Cloak of receiving Confessions they could more easily entice This made them that they were not so much wrought on by the noise of
lose their Degree in the Church This was soon received over all the Western Church and Arguments were found out afterwards by the Canonists to prove the necessity of continuing it from Davids not being suffered to build the Temple since he was a Man of Blood and from the qualification required by St. Paul in a Bishop That he should be no striker since he seemed to strike that did it either in Person or by one whom he deputed to do it But when afterwards Charles the Great and all the Christian Princes in the West gave their Bishops great Lands and Dominions they obliged them to be in all their Councils and to do them such Services as they required of them by vertue of their Tenures The Popes designing to set up a Spiritual Empire and to bring all Church-lands within it required the Bishops to separate themselves from a dependance on their Princes as much as it was possible And these Laws formerly made about Cases of Blood were judged a Colour good enough why they should not meddle in such Trials so they procured these Cases to be excepted But it seems Cranmer thought his Conscience was under no tie from those Canons and so judged it not contrary to his Function to Sign that Order The Parliament was on the 14th of March Prorogued to the 4th of Nov. the Clergy having granted the King a Subsidy of 6 s. in the Pound to be paid in three Years Subsidies granted by the Clergy and Laity In the Preamble of the Bill of Subsidy they acknowledged the great quietness they enjoyed under him having no Let nor Impediment in the Service of God But the Laity set out their Subsidy with a much fuller Preamble of the great happiness they had by the true Religion of Christ declaring that they were ready to forsake all things rather than Christ as also to assist the King in the Conquest of Scotland which they call a part of his Dominion therefore they give 12 d. in the Pound of all Mens Personal Estates to be paid in three Years But now to look into Matters of Religion there was A New Visitation immediately after the Act of Vniformity pass'd a new Visitation which it is probable went in the same Method that was observed in the former There were two things much complained of the one was that the Priests read the Prayers generally with the same tone of Voice that they had used formerly in the Latin Service so that it was said the People did not understand it much better than they had done the Latin formerly This I have seen represented in many Letters and it was very seriously laid before Cranmer by Martin Bucer The course taken in it was that in all Parish Churches the Service should be read in a plain audible Voice but that the former way should remain in Cathedrals where there were great Quires who were well acquainted with that Tone and where it agreed better with the Musick that was used in the Anthems Yet even there many thought it no proper way in the Letany where the greatest gravity was more agreeable to such humble Addresses than such a modulation of the Voice which to those unacquainted with it seemed light and for others that were more accustomed to it it seemed to be rather use that had reconciled them to it than the natural decency of the thing or any fitness in it to advance the devotion of their Prayers But this was a thing judged of less importance It was said that those who had been accustomed to read in that Voice could not easily alter it but as those dropt off and died others would be put in their places who would officiate in a plainer Voice Some of the old Abuses coninued in the new Service Other Abuses were more important Some used in the Communion-Service many of the old Rites such as kissing the Altar crossing themselves lifting the Book from one place to another breathing on the Bread shewing it openly before the distribution with some other of the old Ceremonies The People did also continue the use of their praying by Beads which was called an Innovation of Peter the Hermite in the 12th Century By it ten Aves went for one Pater Noster and the reciting these so oft in Latin had come to be almost all the devotion of the Vulgar and therefore the People were ordered to leave that unreasonable way of Praying it seeming a most unaccountable thing that the reciting the Angels Salutation to the Blessed Virgin should be such a high piece of Divine Worship And that this should be done ten times for one Prayer to God looked so like preferring the Creature to the Creator that it was not easie to defend it from an appearance of Idolatry The Briests were also ordered to exhort the People to give to the Poor The Curates were required to preach and declare the Catechism at least every sixth Week And some Priests continuing secretly the use of Soul Masses in which for avoiding the censure of the Law they had one to communicate with them but had many of these in one day It was ordered that there should be no selling of the Communion in Trentals and that there should be but one Communion in one Church except on Easter-day and Christmas in which the People coming to the Sacrament in greater numbers there should be one Sacrament in the Morning and another near Noon And there being great abuses in Churches and Church-yards in which in the times of Popery Markets had been held and Bargains made that was forbid chiefly in the time of Divine Service or Sermon Collection Number 33. These Instructions which the Reader will find in the Collection were given in charge to the Visitors Cranmer had also a Visitation about the same time in which the Articles he gave out are all drawn according to the Kings Injunctions By some Questions in them they seem to have been sent out before the Parliament because the Book of Service is not mentioned but the last Question save one being of such as contemned married Priests and refused to receive the Sacrament at their hands I conceive that these were compiled after the Act concerning their Marriage was past but before the Feast of Whit-Sunday following for till then the Common-Prayer-Book was not to be received There were also Orders sent by the Council to the Bishop of London to see that there should be no special Masses in St. Pauls Church which being the Mother-Church in the chief City of the Kingdom would be an example to all the rest and that therefore there should be only one Communion at the great Altar and that at the time when the high Mass was wont to be celebrated unless some desired a Sacrament in the Morning and then it was to be celebrated at the high Altar Bonner who resolved to comply in every thing sent the Councils Letter to the Dean and Residentiaries of St. Pauls to see it obeyed
two Positions Transubstantiation cannot be proved by the plain and manifest words of Scripture nor can it be necessarily collected from it nor yet confirmed by the consent of the Ancient Fathers In the Lords Supper there is none other Oblation and Sacrifice than of a Remembrance of Christs Death and of Thanksgiving Dr. Madew defended these and Glyn Langdale Sedgewick and Young disputed against them the first day and the second day Glyn defended the contrary Propositions and Peru Grindal Gest and Pilkington disputed against them On the third day the Dispute went on and was summed up in a learned Determination by Ridley against the Corporal Presence There had been also a long Disputation in the Parliament on the same Subject but of this we have nothing remaining but what King Edward writ in his Journal Ridley had by reading Bertrams Book of the Body and Blood of Christ been first set on to examine well the old Opinion concerning the Presence of Christs very Flesh and Blood in the Sacrament and wondering to find that in the 9th Century that Opinion was so much controverted and so learnedly writ against by one of the most esteemed Men of that Age began to conclude that it was none of the ancient Doctrines of the Church but lately brought in and not fully received till after Bertrams Age. He communicated the Matter with Cranmer and they set themselves to examine it with more than ordinary care Cranmer afterwards gathered all the Arguments about it into the Book which he writ on that Subject to which Gardiner set out an Answer under the disguised Name of Marcus Constantius and Cranmer replied to it I shall offer the Reader in short the Substance of what was in these Books and of the Arguments used in the Disputations and in many other Books which were at that time written on this Subject Christ in the Institution took Bread and gave it So that his words The manner of the Presence explained according to the Scripture This is my Body could only be meant of the Bread Now the Bread could not be his Body literally He himself also calls the Cup The Fruit of the Vine St. Paul calls it The Bread that we break and the Cup that we bless and speaking of it after it was blessed calls it That Bread and that Cup. For the Reason of that Expression This is my Body it was considered that the Disciples to whom Christ spoke thus were Jews and that they being accustomed to the Mosaical Rites must needs have understood his words in the same sense they did Moses's words concerning the Paschal Lamb which is called the Lords Passover It was not that literally for the Lords Passover was the Angels passing by the Israelites when he smote the first-born of the Egyptians so the Lamb was only the Lords Passover as it was the Memorial of it and thus Christ substituting the Eucharist to the Paschal Lamb used such an Expression calling it his Body in the same manner of speaking as the Lamb was called the Lords Passover This was plain enough for his Disciples could not well understand him in any other sense than that to which they had been formerly accustomed In the Scripture many such Figurative Expressions occurre frequently In Baptism the other Sacrament instituted by Christ he is said to Baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire and such as are Baptized are said to put on Christ which were Figurative Expressions As also in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the Cup is called the New Testament in Christs Blood which is an Expression full of Figure Farther it was observed that that Sacrament was Instituted for a Remembrance of Christ and of his death which implied that he was to be absent at the time when he was to be remembred Nor was it simply said that the Elements were his Body and Blood but that they were his Body broken and his Blood shed that is they were these as suffering on the Cross which as they could not be understood literally for Christ did Institute this Sacrament before he had suffered on the Cross so now Christ must be present in the Sacrament not as glorified in Heaven but as suffering on his Cross From those Places where it is said that Christ is in Heaven and that he is to continue there they argued that he was not to be any more upon Earth And those words in the 6th of St. John of eating Christs Flesh and drinking his Blood they said were to be understood not of the Sacrament since many receive the Sacrament unworthily and of them it cannot be said that they have Eternal Life in them but Christ there said of them that received him in the sense that was meant in that Chapter that all that did so eat his Flesh had Eternal Life in them therefore these words can only be understood Figuratively of receiving him by Faith as himself there explains it And so in the end of that Discourse finding some were startled at that way of expressing himself he gave a Key to the whole when he said his Words were Spirit and Life and that the Flesh profited nothing it was the Spirit that quickned It was ordinary for him to teach in Parables and the receiving of any Doctrine being oft expressed by the Prophets by the Figure of eating and drinking he upon the occasion of the Peoples coming to him after he had fed them with a few Loaves did discourse of their believing in these dark Expressions which did not seem to relate to the Sacrament since it was not then Instituted They also argued from Christs appealing to the Senses of his Hearers in his Miracles and especially in his discourses upon his Resurrection that the Testimony of Sense was to be received where the Object was duly applied and the Sense not vitiated They also alledged natural Reasons against a Bodies being in more places than one or being in a Place in the manner of a Spirit so that the Substance of a compleat Body could be in a crumb of Bread or drop of Wine and argued that since the Elements after Consecration would nourish might putrifie or could be poisoned these things clearly evinced That the Substance of Bread and Wine remained in the Sacrament And from the Fathers From this they went to examine the Ancient Fathers Some of them called it Bread and Wine others said it nourished the Body as Justin Martyr others that it was digested in the Stomach and went into the draught as Origen Some called it a Figure of Christs Body so Tertullian and St. Austin others called the Elements Types and Signs so almost all the Ancient Liturgies and the Greek Fathers generally In the Creeds of the Church it was professed that Christ still sate on the Right Hand of God the Fathers argued from thence that he was in Heaven and not on Earth And the Marcionites and other Hereticks denying that Christ had a true Body or did really suffer the Fathers
examine that matter They or any two of them had full power by this Commission to suspend imprison or deprive him as they should see cause They were to proceed in the Summary way called in their Courts De plano On the 10th of September Bonner was summoned to appear before them at Lambeth He is proceeded against As he came into the place where they sate he carried himself as if he had not seen them till one pulled him by the sleeve to put off his Cap to the Kings Commissioners upon which he protested he had not seen them which none of them could believe He spake slightingly to them of the whole matter and turned the discourse off to the Mass which he wished were had in more reverence When the Witnesses were brought against him Regist Bonner he jeered them very undecently and said the one talked like a Goose and the other like a Woodcock and denied all they said The Arch-bishop asked him whether he would refer the matter in proof to the People that heard him and so asked whether any there present had heard him speak of the Kings Authority when under Age His insolent behaviour Many answered No No. Bonner looked about and laughed saying Will you believe this fond People Some he called Dunces and others Fools and behaved himself more like a Mad-man than a Bishop The next day he was again brought before them Then the Commission was read The Arch-bishop opened the Matter and desired Bonner to answer for himself He read a Protestation which he had prepared setting forth that since he had not seen the Commission he reserved to himself power to except either to his Judges or to any other Branch of the Commission as he should afterwards see cause In this he called it a pretended Commission and them pretended Judges which was taxed as irreverent but he excused it alledging that these were terms of Law which he must use and so not be precluded from any Objections he might afterwards make use of The Bill of Complaint was next read and the two Informers appeared with their Witnesses to make it good But Bonner objected against them that they were notorious Hereticks and that the ill Will they bore him was because he had asserted the true Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar that Hooper in particular had in his Sermon that very day on which he had preached denied it and had refuted and mis-recited his Sayings like an Asse as he was an Asse indeed so ill did he govern his Tongue Upon this Cranmer asked him whether he thought Christ was in the Sacrament with Face Mouth Eyes Nose and the other Lineaments of his Body and there passed some words between them on that Head but Cranmer told him that was not a time and place to dispute they were come to execute the Kings Commission So Bonner desired to see both it and the denunciation which were given him and the Court adjourned till the 13th Secretary Smith sate with them at their next Meeting which he had not done the former day though his Name was in the Commission Upon this Bonner protested that according to the Canon Law none could act in a Commission but those who were present the first day in which it was read But to this it was alledged that the constant practice of the Kingdom had been to the contrary that all whose Names were in any Commission might sit and judge though they had not been present at the first opening of it This Protestation being rejected he read his Answer in writing to the Accusation He first objected to his Accusers His Defences that they were Hereticks in the matter of the Sacrament and so were according to the Laws of the Catholick Church under Excommunication and therefore ought not to be admitted into any Christian Company Then he denied that the Injunctions given to him had been signed either with the Kings Hand or Signet or by any of his Council But upon the whole matter he said he had in his Sermon condemned the late Rebellion in Cornwall Devon-shire and Norfolk and had set forth the Sin of Rebellion according to several Texts of Scripture He had also preached for obedience to the Kings Commands and that no Ceremonies that were contrary to them ought to be used in particular he had exhorted the People to come to Prayers and to the Communion as it was appointed by the King and wondered to see them so slack in coming to it which he believed flowed from a false opinion they had of it And therefore he taught according to that which he conceived to be the duty of a faithful Pastor the true Presence of Christs Body and Blood in the Sacrament which was the true Motive of his Accusers in their prosecuting him thus But though he had forgot to speak of the Kings Power under Age yet he had said that which necessarily inferred it for he had condemned the late Rebels for rising against their lawful King and had applied many Texts of Scripture to them which clearly implied that the Kings Power was then entire otherwise they could not be Rebels These are rejected But to all this it was answered That it was of no great consequence who were the Informers if the Witnesses were such that he could not except against them besides they were impow'red by their Commission to proceed ex Officio so that it was not necessary for them to have any to accuse He was told that the Injunctions were read to him in Council by one of the Secretaries and then were given to him by the Protector himself that afterwards they were called for and that Article concerning the Kings Power before he came to be of Age being added they were given him again by Secretary Smith and he promised to execute them He was also told that it was no just excuse for him to say he had forgot that about the Kings Power since it was the chief thing pretended by the late Rebels and was mainly intended by the Council in their Injunctions so that it was a poor shift for him to pretend he had forgot it or had spoken of it by a consequence The Court adjourned to the 16th day And then Latimer and Hooper offered to purge themselves of the Charge of Heresie since they had never spoken nor written of the Sacrament but according to the Scripture and whereas Bonner had charged them that on the first of September they had entred into consultation and confederacy against him they protested they had not seen each other that day nor been known to one another till some days after Bonner upon this read some Passages of the Sacrament out of a Book of Hoopers whom he called that Varlet But Cranmer cut off the discourse and said it was not their business to determine that Point and said to the People that the Bishop of London was not accused for any thing he had said about the Sacrament Then
to that See vacant as his Patent has it by the free resignation of William the former Bishop And the same day being the first of April Ridley was made Bishop of London and Westminster Both were according to the common Form to be Bishops durante vita naturali during Life Proceedings against Gardiner The See of Winchester had been two years as good as vacant by the long imprisonment of Gardiner who had been now above two years in the Tower When the Book of Common-Prayer was set out the Lord St. John and Secretary Petre were sent with it to him to know of him whether he would conform himself to it or not and they gave him great hopes that if he would submit the Protector would sue to the King for mercy to him He answered That he did not know himself guilty of any thing that needed mercy so he desired to be tried for what had been objected to him according to Law For the Book he did not think that while he was a Prisoner he was bound to give his Opinion about such things it might be thought he did it against his Conscience to obtain his liberty but if he were out of Prison he should either obey it or be liable to punishment according to Law Upon the Duke of Somersets Fall the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Warwick Sir William Herbert and Secretary Petre were sent to him Fox says this was on the 9th of July but there must be an error in that for Gardiner in his Answer says That upon the Duke of Somersets coming to the Tower he looked to have been let out within two days and had made his farewel Feast but when these were with him a Month or thereabout had passed so it must have been in November the former year They brought him a Paper to which they desired he would set his Hand It contained first a Preface which was an acknowledgment of former faults for which he had been justly punished There were also divers Articles contained in it Some Articles are sent to him which were touching the Kings Supremacy his Power of appointing or dispencing with Holy-days and Fasts that the Book of Common-Prayer set out by the King and Parliament was a most Christian and Godly Book to be allowed of by all Bishops and Pastors in England and that he should both in Sermons and Discourses commend it to be observed that the Kings Power was compleat now when under Age and that all owed Obedience to him now as much as if he were thirty or forty years old that the six Articles were justly abrogated and that the King had full Authority to correct and reform what was amiss in the Church both in England and Ireland He only excepted to the Preface and offered to Sign all the Articles but would have had the Preface left out They bid him rather write on the Margent his Exceptions to it so he writ that he could not with a good Conscience agree to the Preface and with that Exception he set his Hand to the whole Paper The Lords used him with great kindness Which he Signed with some Exceptions and gave him hope that his troubles should be quickly ended Herbert and Petre came to him some time after that but how soon is not so clear and pressed him to make the acknowledgment without exception he refused it and said he would never defame himself for when he had done it he was not sure but it might be made use of against him as a Confession Two or three days after that Ridley was sent to him together with the other two and they brought him new Articles In this Paper the acknowledgment was more general than in the former It was said here in the Preface that he had been suspected of not approving the Kings Proceedings and being appointed to preach had not done it as he ought to have done and so deserved the Kings displeasure for which he was sorry The Articles related to the Popes Supremacy New Articles sent to him the suppression of Abbies and Chantries Pilgrimages Masses Images the adoring the Sacrament the Communion in both kinds the abolishing the old Books and bringing in the new Book of Service and that for ordaining of Priests and Bishops the compleatness of the Scripture and the use of it in the Vulgar Tongue the lawfulness of Clergy-mens Marriage and to Erasmus's Paraphrase that it had been on good considerations ordered to be set up in Churches He read all these and said he desired first to be discharged of his imprisonment and then he would freely answer them all so as to stand by it and suffer if he did amiss but he would trouble himself with no more Articles while he remained in Prison since he desired not to be delivered out of his troubles in the way of Mercy but of Justice After that he was brought before the Council and the Lords told him they sate by a special Commission to judge him and so required him to subscribe the Articles that had been sent to him He prayed them earnestly to put him to a Trial for the grounds of his Imprisonment and when that was over he would clearly answer them in all other things but he did not think he could subscribe all the Articles after one sort some of them being about Laws already made which he could not qualifie others of them being matters of Learning in which he might use more freedom In conclusion he desired leave to take them with him and he would consider how to answer them But they required him to subscribe them all without any qualification But he refusing to Sign them which he refused to do Upon this the Fruits of his Bishoprick were sequestred and he was required to conform himself to their Orders within three Months upon pain of deprivation and the liberty he had of walking in some open Galleries Was hardly used when the Duke of Norfolk was not in them was taken from him and he was again shut up in his Chamber All this was much censured as being contrary to the liberties of English-men and the Forms of all legal Proceedings It was thought very hard to put a Man in Prison upon a complaint against him and without any further enquiry into it after two years durance to put Articles to him And they which spoke freely said it savoured too much of the Inquisition But the Canon Law not being rectified and the King being in the Popes room there were some things gathered from the Canon Law and the way of proceeding ex officio which rather excused than justified this hard measure he met with The sequel of this business shall be related in its proper place Latimers advice to the King concerning his Marriage This Lent old Latimer preached before the King The discourse of the Kings marrying a Daughter of France had alarum'd all the Reformers who rather enclined to a Daughter of Ferdinand King of the Romans To a
the Lords but laid aside at that time assurance being given that the Owners of those Lands should be fully secured The Reason of laying it aside was that since by Law the Bishop of Rome had no Authority at all in England it was needless to pass an Act against his Power in that particular for that seemed to assert his Power in other things and since they were resolved to reconcile the Nation to him it was said that it would be indecent to pass an Act that should call him only Bishop of Rome which was the Compellation given him during the Schism and it was preposterous to begin with a Limitation of his Power before they had acknowledged his Authority So this was laid aside and the Parliament ended on the 25th of May. But the Matters of the Convocation are next to be related Those of the Reformation complained every-where that the Disputes of the last Convocation had not been fairly carried that the most eminent Men of their Persuasion were detained in Prison and not admitted to it that only a few of them that had a right to be in the House were admitted to speak and that these were much interrupted So that it was now resolved to adjourn the Convocation for some time and to send the Prolocutor with some of their number to Oxford that the Disputations might be in the presence of that whole University And since Cranmer and Ridley were esteemed the most Learned Men of that Persuasion they were by a Warrant from the Queen removed from the Tower of London to the Prisons at Oxford And though Latimer was never accounted very Learned and was then about eighty Years of Age yet he having been a celebrated Preacher who had done the Reformation no less Service by his Labours in the Pulpit than others had done by their abler Pens he was also sent thither to bear his share in the Debates Some sent to Oxford to disput with Reformeed Bishops Those who were sent from the Convocation came to Oxford on the 13th of April being Friday They sent for those Bishops on Saturday and assigned them Monday Tuesday and Wednesday every one of them his day for the defending of their Doctrine but ordered them to be kept apart And that all Books and Notes should be taken from them Three Questions were to be disputed 1. Whether the natural Body of Christ was really in the Sacrament 2. Whether any other Substance did remain but the Body and Blood of Christ 3. Whetter in the Mass there was a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the Dead and Living When Cranmer was first brought before them the Prolocutor made an Exhortation to him to return to the Unity of the Church To which he answered with such gravity and modesty that many were observed to weep He said He was as much for Unity as any but it must be an Unity in Christ and according to the Truth The Articles being shewed him he asked Whether by the Body of Christ they meant an Organical Body They answering It was the Body that was born of the Virgin Then he said he would maintain the Negative of these Questions On the 16th when the Dispute with Cranmer Cranmer Disputes was to begin Weston that was Prolocutor made a stumble in the beginning of his Speech for he said Ye are this day assembled to confound the detestable Heresie of the Verity of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament This Mistake set the whole Assembly a laughing but he recovered himself and went on he said It was not lawful to call these things in doubt since Christ had so expresly affirmed them that to doubt of them vvas to deny the Truth and Power of God Then Chedsey urged Cranmer with the words This is my Body To vvhich he answered That the Sacrament vvas effectually Christ's Body as broken on the Cross that is His Passion effectually applyed For the explanation of this he offered a large Paper containing his Opinion of which I need say nothing since it is a short abstract of what he writ on that Head formerly and of that a full account was given in the former Book There followed a long Debate about these words Oglethorp Weston and others urged him much that Christ making his Testament must be supposed to speak Truth and plain Truth and they run out largely on that Cranmer answered That figurative Speeches are true and when the Figures are clearly understood they are then plain likewise Many of Chrysostom's high Expressions about the Sacrament were also cited vvhich Cranmer said vvere to be understood of the Spiritual Presence received by Faith Uponthis much time was spent the Prolocutor carrying himself very undecently towards him calling him an unlearned unskilful and impudent Man There were also many in the Assembly that often hissed him down so that he could not be heard at all which he seemed to take no notice of but went on as often as the noise ceased Then they cited Tertullian's words The Flesh is fed by the Body and Blood of Christ that so the Soul may be nourished by God But he turned this against them and said hereby it was plain the Body as well as the Soul received Food in the Sacrament therefore the Substance of Bread and Wine must remain since the Body could not be fed by that Spiritual Presence of the Body of Christ Tresham put this Argument to him Christ said as he lived by the Father so they that eat his Flesh should live by him but he is by his Substance united to his Father therefore Christians must be united to his Substance To this Cranmer answered That the Similitude did not import an equality but a likeness of some sort Christ is essentially united to his Father but Believers are united to him by Grace and that in Baptism as well as in the Eucharist Then they talked long of some words of Hilary's Ambrose's and Justin's Then they charged him as having mistranslated some of the Passages of the Fathers in his Book from which he vindicated himself saying that he had all his Life in all manner of things hated falshood After the Dispute had lasted from the Morning till two of the Clock it was broke up and there was no small Triumph as if Cranmer had been confounded in the Opinion of all the Hearers which they had expressed by their Laughter and Hissing There were Notaries that took every thing that was said from whose Books Fox did afterwards print the account of it that is in his great Volume The next day Ridley And Ridley was brought out and Smith who was spoke of in the former Book was now very zealous to redeem the prejudice which that compliance vvas like to be to him in his Preferment So he undertook to dispute this day Ridley began with a Protestation declaring That vvhereas he had been formerly of another mind from vvhat he vvas then to maintain he had changed upon no worldly consideration but
by them declared legitimate 3. ' That all Institutions into Benefices might be confirmed 4. ' That all Judicial Processes might be also confirmed A Proviso for Church-Lands And finally That all the Settlements of the Lands of any Bishopricks Monasteries or other Religious Houses might continue as they were without any trouble by the Ecclesiastical Censures or Laws And to make this pass the better a Petition was procured from the Convocation of Canterbury A Petition from the Convocation about it setting forth That whereas they being the Defenders and Guardians of the Church ought to endeavour with all their strength to recover those Goods to the Church which in the Time of the late Schism had been alienated yet having considered well of it they saw how difficult and indeed impossible that would prove and how much it would endanger the publick Peace of the Realm and the Unity of the Church therefore they preferring the publick Welfare and the Salvation of Souls to their own privat Interests did humbly pray the King and Queen to intercede with the Legat that according to the Powers given him by the Pope he would settle and confirm all that had been done in the alienation of the Church and Abbey Lands to which they for their Interests did consent and they added an humble Desire That those things which concerned the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Liberty might be re-establish'd that so they might be able to discharge the Pastoral Cure committed to them Upon this the Cardinal granted a full Confirmation of those things ending it with a heavy charge on those who had the Goods of the Church in their hands that they would consider the Judgments of God that fell on Belshazar for his prophane using the Holy Vessels though they had not been taken away by himself but by his Father And he most earnestly exhorted them that at least they would take care that out of the Tithes of Parsonages or Vicarages those who served the Cures might be sufficiently maintain'd and encouraged This was confirmed in Parliament where also it was declared That all Suits about these Lands were only to be in the Queen's Courts and not in the Ecclesiastical Courts and if any should upon the pretence of any Ecclesiastical Authority disturb the Subjects in their possession they were to fall into a Premunire It was also declared that the Title of Supream Head never of right belonged to the Crown yet all Writings wherein it was used were still to continue in force but that hereafter all Writings should be of force in which either since the Queen 's coming to the Crown or afterwards that Title should be or had been omitted It was also declared that Bulls from Rome might be executed that all Exemptions that had belonged to Religious Houses and had been continued by the Grants given of them were repealed and these Places were made subject to the Episcopal Jurisdiction excepting only the Privileges of the two Universities the Churches of Westminster and Windsor and the Tower of London But for encouraging any to bestow what they pleased on the Church the Statutes of Mortmain were repealed for twenty Years to come provided always that nothing in this Act should be contrary to any of the Rights of the Crown or the Ancient Laws of England but that all things should be brought to the State they were in at the 20th Year of her Father's Reign and to continue in that condition For understanding this Act more perfectly An Address made by â—he Inferior Clergy I shall next set down the Heads of the Address which the Lower House of Convocation made to the Upper for most of the Branches of this Act had their first rise from it I have put it in the Collection Coll. Numb 16. having found it among Arch-Bishop Parker's Papers In it they petitioned the Lords of the Upper House of Convocation to take care that by their consent to the settlement of the Church Lands nothing might be done in prejudice of any just Title they had in Law to them as also it being said in the Grant of Chantries to King Edward that Schools and Hospitals were to be erected in several parts of the Kingdom they desired that some regard might be had to that Likewise that the Statutes of Mortmain might be repealed and whereas Tithes had been at all times appointed for the Ecclesiastical Ministry therefore they prayed that all Impropriations might be dissolved and the Tithes be restored to the Church They also proposed 27 Articles of things meet to be considered for the Reformation of the Church Namely That all who had preached any Heretical Doctrine should be made openly to recant it that Cranmer's Book of the Sacrament the late Service Books with all Heretical Books should be burnt and all that had them should be required to bring them in otherwise they should be esteemed the favourers of Heresy That great care should be had of the Books that were either printed or sold That the Statutes made against Lollards might be revived and the Church restored to its former Jurisdiction That all Statutes for Pluralities and Non-residence might be repealed that so Beneficed Men might attend on their Cures That Simoniacal Pactions might be punished not only in the Clergy that made them but in the Patrons and in those that mediated in them that the Liberties of the Church might be restored according to the Magna Charta and the Clergy be delivered from the heavy Burdens of First-Fruits Tenths and Subsidies That there might be a clear explanation made of all the Articles of the Premunire and that none should be brought under it till there were first a Prohibition issued out by the Queen in that Particular and that disobedience to it should only bring them within that Guilt That all Exemptions should be taken away all Usury be forbid all Clergy Men obliged to go in their Habits The last was That all who had spoiled Churches without any Warrant might be obliged to make restitution The Laws against Hereticks revived The next Act that was brought in was for the reviving the Statutes made by Richard the Second Henry the Fourth and Henry the Fifth against Hereticks of which an account was given in the first Book of the former Part. The Act began in the House of Commons who as was observed in the former Parliament were much set on Severities It was brought in on the 12th of December and sent up to the Lords on the 15th who pasied it on the 18th of that month The Commons put in also another Bill for voiding all Leases made by married Priests It was much argued among them and the first Draught being rejected a new one was drawn and sent up to the Lords on the 19th of December but they finding it would shake a great part of the Rights of the Church Lands that were made by Married Priests or Bishops laid it aside Thus did the servile and corrupted House of Commons
Address is turned to the Nobility warning them of the Danger of not only losing their Abbey Lands but all their Liberties and being brought under a Spanish Yoke which had ruined many of the best Countries in the World They are told they must resolve to come under heavy Taxes and a general Excise such as was in the Netherlands and that all this would come justly on them who had joined â—n the Reformation for base ends to get the Church Lands and now thinking those were secured to them forsook it but for all these things they were to answer heartily to God From them it turns to the People and exhorts them to repent of their great sins which had brought such Judgments on them and in the end begs the Queen will at least be as favourable to her own People as she had been to the Strangers to whom she allowed a free passage to Forreign Parts This Discourse is writ in a strong and good Style much beyond the rate of the other Books of that time Upon this some were set on work to write in defence of such Proceedings so a Book was set out about it with divers Arguments of which the substance follows They said The Jews were commanded to put Blasphemers to death and those Hereticks were such Arguments for persecuting Hereticks for they blasphemed the Sacrament of the Altar which was the Body of Christ and called it a piece of Bread They noted also that the Heathens had persecuted Christians and if they had that Zeal for their false Religion it became Christians to be much more zealous for theirs they made use of that Expression in the Parable Compel them to enter in and of St. Paul's I would they were cut off that trouble you They alleadged that St. Peter had by a Divine Power struck Ananias and Saphira dead which seemed a good Warrant for the Magistrate to put such Persons to Death They said that the Hereticks themselves were for Burning when they had Power and that those that died then by their hands had expressed as much Courage in their Deaths and Innocence in their Lives as they had ever done they cited St. Austin who was for prosecuting the Donatists and though he had been once of anothet mind yet finding Severities had a good effect on them he changed and was for fining or banishing of them These were the Arguments for and against those Proceedings But leaving them to the Reader 's Judgment I proceed in the History I intend not to write a pompous Martyrology and therefore hereafter I shall only name the Persons that suffered with the Reasons for which they were condemned but except in a very few Instances I shall not enlarge on the manner of their Trial and Sufferings which being so copiously done by Fox there is nothing left for any that comes after him In some private Passages which were brought to him upon flying Reports he made a few Mistakes being too credulous but in the Account he gives from Records or Papers he is a most exact and faithful Writer so that I could never find him in any prevarication or so much as a designed concealment He tells the Good and the Bad the Weakness and Passion as well as the Constancy and Patience of those good Men who sealed their Faith with their Blood who were not all equal in Parts nor in Discretion but the weaker any of them were it argued the more cruelty in their Persecutors to proceed so severely against such inconsiderable Persons The first Intermission being over on the 16th of March They proceed to burn more Thomas Thompkins a Weaver in Shorditch was burnt in Smithfield only for denying the corporal Presence of Christ in the Sacrament Bonner kept him many months in his House hoping to have wrought on him by fair means but those having no effect one day he tore out a great deal of the Hair of his Beard but to conceal that made his Beard be clean shaved And another time he held his hand in the Flame of the Candle so long till the Sinews and Veins shrunk and burst and spurted in Harpsfield's Face that was standing by who interposing with Bonner got him to give over any further cruelty at that time The next that suffered was one William Hunter of Brentwood an Apprentice of nineteen Years old who had been drawn on in discourse by a Priest till he brought him to deny the Presence in the Sacrament and then was accused by him His own Father was made to search for him to bring him to Justice but he to save his Father from trouble rendred himself Bonner offered him 40 l. if he would change so mercenary a thing did he think Conscience to be But he answered if they would let him alone he would keep his Conscience to himself but he would not change so he was condemned and sent to be burnt near his vvhere he suffered on the 20th of March. On the same day Causton and Higbed two Gentlemen of good Estates and great Esteem were burnt near their own Houses in Essex On the 28th of March William Pigot was burnt at Braintree and Stephen Knight at Malden and on the 29th John Lawrence a Priest Fathers House was burnt at Colchester In all their Processes the Bishops brought no Witnesses against them but did only exhibit Articles to them according to the vvay of those Courts called Ex Officio and required them to make Answers and upon their Answers which were judged Heretical they condemned them so that all this vvas singly for their Consciences without the pretence of any other Matter Ferrar Bishop of St. Davids condemned and burnt Ferrar that had been Bishop of St. David's being dealt with by Gardiner to turn and refusing to do it was sent down to Carmart hen where his Successor Morgan sat upon him and gave him Articles about the Marriage of Priests the Mass and some other things To which his Answers being found Heretical he was condemned He put in an Appeal to Cardinal Pool but it was not received Yet it seems that delayed the Execution till they heard from him for though he was condemned on the 13th he vvas not burnt before the 30th of March. About that time was Rawlins White an honest poor Fisher-man burnt at Cardiff it vvas in March but the day is not mentioned He vvas very Ancient and vvas put in Prison only because he had put his Son to School that he might hear the Bible read by him After a Years Imprisonment the Bishop of Landaff condemned him upon Articles to which he answered as an Heretick On the 24th of April George March a Priest vvas burnt at Ghester being judged as the others had been only at his Death there was a new Invention of Cruelty a Firkin of Pitch was hung over his Head that the Fire melting it it might scald his Head as it dropt on it One wounds a Priest at the Altar and is burnt for Heresy himself condemning his
lived long mad he took a conceit that he would see an Obit made for himself and would have his own Funeral Rites performed to which he came himself with the rest of the Monks and prayed most devoutly for the Rest of his own Soul which set all the Company on weeping Two days after he sickned of a Feaver of which he died on the 21st of September 1558. A rare and great instance of a mind surfeited with the Pomps and Glories of the World seeking for that Quiet in retirement which he had long in vain searched after in Palaces and Camps And now I return to the Affairs of England The 21st of March was Cranmer Cranmer's Tryal brought to the end of all his Afflictions and received his Crown On the 12 of September the former year Brooks Bishop of Glocester came to Oxford as the Popes Subdelegate and Martin and Story Commissioners from the King and Queen sate with him in St. Maries to judge him When he appeared before them he payed a low reverence to them that sate in the King and Queen's Name but would give none to Brooks since he sate by an Authority from the Pope to which he would pay no respect Then Brooks made a long Speech to set forth his Apostacy and Heresy his Incontinence and finally his Treason and exhorted him to repent and insinuated to him great hopes of being restored to his See upon it After this Martin made a Speech of the difference between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority When they had done Cranmer first kneeled down said the Lord's Prayer next he repeated the Apostles Creed th◠〈◊〉 told them he would never acknowledge the Bishop of Room 's Authority he owned his Allegiance to the Crown according to the Oath he had often sworn and the submitting to the Pope was directly contrary to that he could not serve two Masters He said the Bishops of Rome not only set up Pretensions that were contrary to the Power of Princes but they had also made Laws contrary to those made by God instancing it in the Worship of an unknown Tongue the denying the Chalice to the People the pretending to dispose of Crowns and exalting themselves above every Creature which shewed them not to be the Vicars of Christ but to be Antichrists since all these things were manifestly contrary to the Doctrin of Christ that was delivered in the Gospel He remembred Brooks that he had sworn to the King's Supremacy Brooks said it was to K. Henry the 8th and that Cranmer had made him swear it To which Cranmer replied that he did him wrong in that for it was done in his Predecessor Warham's time who had asserted the King's Supremacy and it was also sent to be discussed in the Universities and they had set their Hands and Seals to it and that Brooks being then a Doctor had signed it with the rest so that all this being done before he came to be Arch-Bishop it ought not to be called his deed After this Story made another Speech of the Authority of the Church magnifying the See of Rome and enlarging on those Arguments commonly insisted on and desired Brooks would put Cranmer to make a plain Answer and cut off all Debates Then followed a long Discourse between Martin and Cranmer in which Martin objected that he had once sworn to the Pope when he was consecrated but that aspiring to be Archbishop he had changed his mind in compliance to King Henry That he had condemned Lambert of Heresy for denying the Presence of Christ in the Sacrament and afterwards turned to that himself To all this Cranmer answered pretending that never man came more unwillingly into a Bishoprick than he did to his That he was so far from having aspired to it that tho the King had sent one post to him to come over to be consecrated he being then in Germany yet he had delayed his Journey seven weeks hoping that in all that time the King might have forgot him That at his Consecration he publickly explained his meaning in what sense he swore to the Pope so that he did not act deceitfully in that particular And that when he condemned Lambert he did then believe the Corporal Presence which he continued to do till Dr. Ridley shewed him such Reasons and Authorities as perswaded him to change his Mind and then he was not ashamed to retract his former Opinion Then they objected his having been twice married his keeping his Wife secretly in King Henry's time and openly in King Edward's Reign his setting out Heretical Books and Articles and compelling others to subscribe them his forsaking the Catholick Church and denying Christ's Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar and disputing against it so publickly lately at Oxford He confessed his living in Marriage and that he thought it was lawful for all Men to marry and that it was certainly better to do so than to lie with other Mens Wives as many Priests did He confessed all the other Articles only he said he had never forâ—â—â—ny to subscribe After this TRâ— made a long Speech to him with many of the common Argumenâ—â— concerning the Pope's Power and the Presence in the Sacrament to which Cranmer made another large Answer Then many Witnesses were examined upon the Points they had heard Cranmer defend in the Schools and in conclusion they cited him to appear before the Pope within eighty days to answer for all those things which were now objected to him He said he would do it most willingly if the King and Queen would send him but he could not go if he were still detained a Prisoner After this he was sent back to Prison where he lay till the 14th of February this Year and then Bonner and Thirleby were sent down to degrade him Bonner desired this Imployment as a pleasant Revenge on Cranmer who had before deprived him but it was forced on the other who had lived in great friendship with Cranmer formerly and was a gentle and good natur'd Man but very inconstant and apt to change They had Cranmer brought before them and then they caused to read their Commission which declared him Contumax for not coming to Rome and required them to degrade him They clothed him in Pontifical Robes a Miter and the other Garments with a Crosier in his hand but the Robes were made of Canvass to make him shew more ridiculous in them Then Bonner made a Speech full of Jeers This is the Man that despised the Pope and is now judged by him This is the Man that pulled down Churches and is now judged in a Church This is the Man that contemned the Sacrament and is now condemned before it with other such Expressions at which Thirleby was much offended and pulled him oft by the Sleeve desiring him to make an end and challenged him afterwards that he had broke the Promise he had made to him before of treating him with respect And he was observed to weep much all the while
He protested to Cranmer that it was the most sorrowfull Action of his whole Life and acknowledged the great Love and Friendship that had been between them and that no Earthly Consideration but the Queen's Command could have induced him to come and do what they were then about He shed so many Tears that oft he stopt and could not go on in his discourse for the abundance of them But Cranmer said his Degradation was no trouble to him at all he reckoned himself as long ago cut off from all dependance and communion with the See Rome so their doing it now with so much Pageantry did not much affect him only he put in an Appeal from the Pope to the next free General Council he said he was cited to Rome but all the while kept a Prisoner so there was no reason to proceed against him in his absence since he was willing to have gone thither and defended his Doctrine he also denied any authority the Pope had over him He is degraded or in England and therefore appealed from his Sentence But notwithstanding that he was degraded and all that ludicrous Attire was taken piece after piece from him according to the Ceremonies of Degradation which are in use in the Church of Rome But there were new Engines contrived against him Many had been sent to confer with him both English and Spanish Divines to perswade him to recant he was put in hopes of Life and Preferment again and removed out of Prison to the Dean's Lodgings at Christ-Church where all the Arguments that could be invented were made use of to turn him from his former perswasion And in conclusion as St. Peter himself had with Curses denied his Saviour so he who had resisted now almost three years was at last overcome and human infirmity the fears of Death and the hopes that were given him prevailed with him to set his Hand to a Paper He recants renouncing all the Errors of Luther and Zwinglius acknowledging the Pope's Supremacy the seven Sacraments the Corporal Presence in the Eucharist Purgatory Prayer for departed Souls the Invocation of Saints to which was added his being sorry for his former Errors and concluded exhorting all that had been deceived by his Example or Doctrine to return to the unity of the Church and protesting that he had signed it willingly only for the discharge of his own Conscience Fox and other later Writers from him have said that one reason of this Compliance was that he might have time to finish his Answer to Gardiner's Book against that which he had written concerning the Sacrament and Fox has printed the Letter which he avouches to prove this by But the good Man it seems read the Letter very carelesly for Cranmer says no such thing in it but only that he had appealed to the next General Council to try if that could procure him a longer delay in which he might have time to finish his Book and between these two there is a great difference How long this was signed before his Execution I find it no where marked for there is no Date put to his Subscription Cranmer's Recantation was presently printed and occasioned almost equally great Insultings on the one hand and Dejection on the other But the Queen was not at all wrought on by it and was now forced to discover that her private Resentments governed her in this matter which before she had disowned She was resolved he should be made a Sacrifice for giving the Judgment of Divorce in her Mother's Marriage and tho hitherto she had pretended only Zeal for Religion yet now when that could be no more alleaged yet she persisted in her Resolution of having him burnt She said since he had bin the great Promoter of Heresy that had corrupted the whole Nation that must not serve his turn which would be sufficient in other cases It was good for his own Soul and might do good to others that he repented but yet she ordered the Sentence to be executed The Writ went out the 24th of February Coll. Num. 28. which will be found in the Collection Heath took care not only to enroll the Writ but the Warrant sent to him for issuing it which is not ordinary It 's like he did it to leave it on Record to Posterity that he did it not in course as he did other Writs but had a special Order from the Queen for it The long time that passed between the date of the Writ and the execution of it makes it probable that he made the formerly mentioned Recantation after the Writ was brought down and that the fears of Death then before his Eyes did so far work on him that he signed the Writing but when the second Order was sent down to execute the former he was dealt with to renew his Subscription and then to write the whole over again which he also did all this time being under some small hopes of Life but conceiving likewise some jealousies that they might burn him he writ secretly a Paper containing a sincere Confession of his Faith such as flowed from his Conscience and not from his weak fears and being brought out he carried that along with him He was carried to S. Maries and set on a place raised higher for him to be more conspicuously seen Cole Provost of Eaton preached he ran out in his Sermon on the Mercy and Justice of God which two Attributes do not oppose or justle out one another he applied this to Princes that were Gods on Earth who must be just as well as mercifull and therefore they had appointed Cranmer that day to suffer he said it was he that had dissolved the Marriage between the Queen's Father and Mother had driven out the Pope's Authority had been the fountain of all the Heresies in England and since the Bishop of Rochester and Sir Tho. More had suffered for the Church it was meet that others should suffer for Heresy and as the Duke of Northumberland had suffered in More 's room so there was no other Clergyman that was equal or fit to be ballanced with Fisher but he Then he turned to Cranmer and magnified his Conversion which he said was the immediate Hand of God that none of their Arguments had done it but the inward working of God's Spirit He gave him great hopes of Heaven and assured him there should be Dirges and Masses said for his Soul in all the Churches in Oxford All this while Cranmer expressed great inward confusion lifting up his Eyes often to Heaven and then letting them fall downward as one ashamed of himself and he often poured out floods of tears In the end when Cole bid him declare his Faith he first prayed with many moving expressions of deep remorse and inward horror Then he made his Exhortation to the People First Not to love or set their hearts on the things of the World to obey the King and Queen out of conscience to God to live in
mutual Love and to relieve the Poor according to their abundance Then he came to that on which he said all his past Life and that which was to come did hang being now to enter either into the joys of Heaven or the pains of Hell He repeated the Apostles Creed and declared his belief of the Scriptures and then he spake to that which he said troubled his Conscience more than any thing he had ever done in his whole Life which was the subscribing a Paper contrary to the Truth and against his Conscience out of the fear of Death and the love of Life and when he came to the Fire he was resolved that Hand that had signed it should burn first He rejected the Pope as Christ's enemy and Antichrist and said he had the same belief of the Sacrament which he had published in the Book he writ about it Upon this there was a wonderful Confusion in the Assembly Those who hoped to have gained a great Victory that day seeing it turning another way were in much disorder They called to him to dissemble no more He said he had ever loved Simplicity and before that time had never dissembled in his whole Life And going on in his discourse with abundance of tears they pulled him down and led him away to the Stake which was set in the same place where Ridley and Latimer were burnt All the way the Priests upbraided him for his changing but he was minding another thing When he came to the Stake he first prayed He suffers Myrtyrdome with great constancy of Mind and then undressed himself and being tied to it as the Fire was kindling he stretched forth his Right-Hand towards the Flame never moving it save that once he wiped his Face with it till it was burnt away which was consumed before the Fire reached his Body He expressed no disorder for the pain he was in sometimes saying that unworthy Hand and oft crying out Lord Jesus receive my Spirit He was soon after quite burnt But it was no small matter of Astonishment to find his Heart entire and not consumed among the Ashes which tho the Reformed would not carry so far as to make a Miracle of it and a clear proof that his Heart had continued true tho his Hand had erred yet they objected it to the Papists that it was certainly such a thing that if it had fallen out in any of their Church they had made it a Miracle Thus did Thomas Cranmer end his days in the sixty seventh year of his Age. He was a Man raised of God for great Services His Character and well fitted for them He was naturally of a milde and gentle temper not soon heated nor apt to give his Opinion rashly of things or persons and yet his Gentleness tho it oft exposed him to his Enemies who took advantages from it to use him ill knowing he would readily forgive them did not lead him into such a weakness of Spirit as to consent to every thing that was uppermost for as he stood firmly against the six Articles in K. Henry's time notwithstanding all his heat for them so he also opposed the Duke of Somerset in the matter of the sale and alienation of the Chantry Lands and the Duke of Northumberland during his whole Government and now resisted unto Blood so that his meekness was really a vertue in him and not a pusillanimity in his temper He was a Man of great Candor He never dissembled his Opinion nor disowned his Friend two rare qualities in that Age in which there was a continued course of dissimulation almost in the whole English Clergy and Nation they going backward and forward as the Court turned But this had got him that esteem with King Henry that it always preserv'd him in his days He knew what Complaints soever were brought against him he would freely tell him the truth so instead of asking it from other hands he began at himself He neither disowned his esteem of Queen Anne nor his friendship to Cromwel and the Duke of Somerset in their misfortunes but owned he had the same thoughts of them in their lowest Condition that he had in their greatest State He being thus prepared by a candid and good nature for the searches into Truth added to these a most wonderful diligence for he drew out of all the Authors that he read every thing that was remarkable digesting these Quotations into Common-places This begat in King Henry an admiration of him for he had often tried it to bid him bring the Opinions of the Fathers and Doctors upon several questions which he commonly did in two or three dayes time This flowed from the copiousness of his common place Books He had a good judgment but no great quickness of apprehension not closeness of Stile which was diffused and unconnected therefore when any thing was to be penned that required more Nerves he made use of Ridley He laid out all his Wealth on the poor and pious uses He had Hospitals and Surgeons in his House for the King's Seamen He gave Pensions to many of those that fled out of Germany into England and kept up that which is Hospitality indeed at his Table where great numbers of the honest and poor neighbours were always invited instead of the Luxury and Extravagance of great Entertainments which the vanity and excess of the Age we live in has honoured with the name of Hospitality to which too many are led by the Authority of Custom to comply too far He was so humble and affable that he carried himself in all conditions at the same rate His last Fall was the only blemish of his life but he expiated it with a sincere repentance and a patient Martyrdom He had been the chief advancer of the Reformation in his Life and God so ordered it that his death should bear a proportion to the former parts of his life which was no small Confirmation to all that received his Doctrine when they heard how constantly he had at last sealed it with his Blood And tho it is not to be fancied that King Henry was a Prophet yet he discovered such things in Cranmers temper as made him conclude he was to die a Martyr for his Religion and therefore he ordered him to change his Coat of Arms and to give Pelicans instead of Cranes which were formerly the Arms of his Family Intimating withal that as it is reported of the Pelican that she gives her Blood to feed her young ones so he was to give his Blood for the good of the Church That King's kindness to him subjected him too much to him for great Obligations do often prove the greatest snares to generous and noble minds And he was so much over-born by his respects to him and was so affected with King Henry's Death that he never after that shaved his Beard but let it grow to a great length which I the rather mention because the Pictures that were afterwards made for
Guise consented though all the rest about him disswaded him from such a dishonourable breach of Faith or medling more in the War of Italy which had been always fatal to their People The Colonesi had been furnished with assistance from Naples upon which the Pope had it proposed in the Consistory that the King of Spain by giving them assistance had lost his Territories and being then assured of assistance from France he began the War imprisoning the Cardinals and Prelates of the Spanish Faction and the Ambassadors of Spain and England pretending they kept correspondence with the Colonesi that were Traitors He also sent to raise some Regiments among the Gâ—isons But when they came some told him they were all Hereticks and it would be a reproach for him to use such Soldiers he understanding they were good Troops said He was confident God would convert them and that he look'd on them as Angels sent by God for the defence of his Person Upon this breaking out of the Popes the Duke of Alva that was then in Naples being himself much devoted to the Papacy did very unwillingly engage in the War He first used all ways to avoid it and made several Protestations of the Indignities that his Master had received and his unwillingness to enter into a War with him that should be the Common Father of Christendome But these being all to no purpose he fell into Campania and took all the Places in it which he declared he held for the next Pope he might also have taken Rome it self but the Reverence he had for the Papacy restrained him This being known in England was a great grief to the Queen and Cardinal who saw what advantages those of the Reformation would take from the Popes absolving Princes from the most Sacred Ties of Humane Societies since the breach of Faith and publick Treaties was a thing abhorred by the most depraved Nations and when he who pretended to be the Vicar of Christ who was the Prince of Peace was kindling a new Flame in Christendome these things were so scandalous that they knew they would much obstruct and disorder all their designs And indeed the Protestants every where were not wanting to improve this all they could It seemed a strange thing that in the same Year a great Conqueror that had spent his Life in Wars and Affairs should in the 56th Year of his Age retire to a Monastery and that a Bishop at eighty who had pretended to such abstraction from the World that he had formerly quitted a Bishoprick to retire into a Monastery should now raise such a War and set Europe again in a flame In the beginning of the next Year was the Visitation of the Universities 1557. The Visitation of the Universities To Cambridge Pool sent Scot Bishop of Chester his Italian Friend Ormaneto with Watson and Christopherson the two Elect Bishops of Lincoln and Chichester in the rooms of White removed to Winchester out of which Pool reserved a Pension of 1000 l. and of Day that was dead with some others When they came thither on the 11th of January they put the Churches of St. Maries and St. Michaels under an Interdict because the Bodies of Bucer and Fagius two Hereticks were laid in them The University Orator received them with a Speech that was divided between an Invective against the Hereticks and a Commendation of the Cardinal who was then their Chancellor They went through all the Colledges and gathered many Heretical Books together and observed the Order used in their Chappels When they came to Clare-Hall they found no Sacrament Ormaneto asked the Head Swinburn how that came he answered The Chappel was not yet Consecrated Then Ormaneto chid him more for officiating so long in it but trying him further he found he had many Benefices in his Hands for which he reproved him so severely that the poor Man was so confounded that he could answer nothing to the other Questions he put to him But Christopherson himself being Master of Trinity Colledge did not escape Ormaneto found he had mis-applied the Revenues of the House and had made a Lease of some of their Lands to his Brother-in-law below the value Ormaneto tore the Lease to pieces and chid him so sharply that he fearing it might stop his preferment fell sick upon it Then followed the Pageantry of burning the two Bodies of Bucer and Fagius They were cited to appear or if any would come in their Name they were required to defend them so after three Citations the dead Bodies not rising to speak for themselves and none coming to plead for them for fear of being sent after them the Visitors thought fit to proceed On the 26th of January the Bishop of Chester made a Speech shewing the earnestness of the University to have Justice done to which they the Commissioners though most unwilling were obliged to condescend therefore having examined many Witnesses of the Heresies that Bucer and Fagius had taught they judged them obstinate Hereticks and appointed their Bodies to be taken out of the Holy Ground and to be delivered to the Secular Power The Writ being brought from London on the 6th of February their Bodies were taken up and carried in Coffins and tied to Stakes with many of their Books and other Heretical Writings and all were burnt together Pern preached at it who as he was that Year Vice-Chancellor so he was in the same Office four years after this when by Queen Elizabeths Order publick Honours were done to the Memories of those two learned Men and Sermons and Speeches were made in their Praise but Pern had turned so oft and at every one was so zealous that such turnings came to be nicknamed from him On the Feast of Purification Watson preached at Cambridge where to extol the Rites and Processions of the Catholicks and their carrying Candles on that day he said Joseph and the Blessed Virgin had carried Wax Candles in Procession that day as the Church had still continued to do from their Example which was heard not without the laughter of many The Cardinal did also send Ormanet and Brooks Bishop of Glocester with some others to Visit the University of Oxford They went over all the Colledges as they had done at Cambridge and burnt all the English Bibles with such other Heretical Books as could be found Then they made a Process against the Body of Peter Martyrs Wife that lay buried in one of the Churches but she being a Forreigner that understood no English they could not find Witnesses that had heard her utter any Heretical Points so they gave advertisement of this to the Cardinal who thereupon writ back That since it was notoriously known that she had been a Nun and had married contrary to her Vow therefore her Body was to be taken up and buried in a Dunghill as a Person dying under Excommunication This was accordingly done But her Body was afterwards taken up again in Queen Elizabeths time and mixed with
St. Fridiswides Bones that she might run the same Fortune with her in all Times coming While these things were doing there was great Complaints made that the Inferior Magistrates grew every where slack in the searching after and presenting of Hereticks Great Endeavours used to set forward the Persecution most vigorously they could not find in the Counties a sufficient number of Justices of Peace that would carefully look after it and in Towns they were generally harboured Letters were written to some Towns as Coventry and Rye which are entred in the Council-Books recommending some to be chosen their Majors who were zealous Catholicks It is probable that the like Letters might have been written to other Towns for the Council-Books for this Reign are very imperfect and defective But all this did not advance their design The Queen understood that the Numbers of the Hereticks rather encreased than abated so new Councils were to be taken I find it said That some advised that Courts of Inquisition like those in Spain might be set up in England In Spain the Inquisitors who were then all Dominicans received private Informations and upon these laid hold on any that were delated or suspected of Heresie and kept them close in their Prisons till they formed their Processes and by all the ways of torture they could invent forced from them Confessions either against themselves or others whom they had a mind to draw within their Toils They had so unlimited a Jurisdiction that there was no Sanctuary that could secure any from their Warrants nor could Princes preserve or deliver Men out of their Hands nor were their Prisoners brought to any publick Trial but tried in secret one of the Advocates of the Court was for Forms sake assigned to plead for them but was always more careful to please the Court than to save his Client They proceeded against them both by Articles which they were to answer and upon Presumptions and it was a rare thing for any to escape out of their Hands unless they redeemed themselves either by great Presents or by the discovery of others These had been set up first in the County of Tholouse for the extirpation of the Albigenses and were afterwards brought into Spain upon Ferdinand of Arragons driving the Moors out of it that so none of those might any longer conceal themselves in that Kingdom who being a false and crafty sort of Men and certainly Enemies to the Government it seemed necessary to use more than ordinary severity to drive them out But now those Courts examined Men suspected of Heresie as well as of Mahometanisme and had indeed effectually preserved Spain from any change in Religion This made the present Pope earnest with all the Princes of Christendome to set up such Courts in their Dominions and Philip was so much of the same mind that he resolved to have them set up in Flanders which gave the first Rise to those Wars that followed afterwards there and ended in the loss of the seven Provinces In England they made now in February a good step towards it A Design to set up the Inquisition in England For a Commission was given to the Bishops of London and Ely the Lord North Secretary Bourne Sir John Mordant Sir Francis Englefield Sir Edward Walgrave Sir Nicholas Hare Sir Tho. Pope Sir Roger Cholmly Sir Richard Read Sir Tho. Stradling Sir Rowland Hall and Serjeant Rastall Cole Dean of Pauls William Roper Randulph Cholmley and William Cook Tho. Martin John Story and John Vaughan Doctors of the Law That since many false Rumors were published among the Subjects and many Heretical Opinions were also spread among them therefore they or any three of them were to enquire into those either by Presentments by Witnesses or any other politick way they could devise and to search after all Heresies the Bringers in the Sellers or Readers of all Heretical Books they were to examine and punish all misbehaviours or negligences in any Church or Chappel and to try all Priests that did not preach of the Sacrament of the Altar all Persons that did not hear Mass or come to their Parish-Church to Service that would not go in Processions or did not take Holy Bread or Holy Water and if they found any that did obstinately persist in such Heresies they were to put them into the Hands of their Ordinaries to be proceeded against according to the Laws giving them full Power to proceed as their Discretions and Consciences should direct them and to use all such means as they could invent for the searching of the Premisses empow'ring them also to call before them such Witnesses as they pleased and to force them to make Oath of such things as might discover what they sought after This Commission I have put in the Collection Collection Number 33. It will shew how high they intended to raise the Persecution when a Power of such a nature was put into the Hands of any three of a number so selected Besides this there were many subordinate Commissions issued out This Commission seems to have been granted the former Year and only renewed now for in the Rolls of that Year I have met with many of those subaltern Commissions relating to this as superior to them And on the eighth of March after this a Commission was given to the Arch-bishop of York the Bishop Suffragan of Hull and divers others to the same effect but with this limitation that if any thing appeared to them so intricate that they could not determine it they were to refer it to the Bishop of London and his Colleagues who had a larger Commission So now all was done that could be devised for extirpating of Heresie except Courts of Inquisition had been set up to which whether this was not a previous step to dispose the Nation to it the Reader may judge I shall next give an account of the Burnings this Year On the 15th of January six Men were burnt in one Fire at Canterbury and at the same time Proceedings against the Hereticks two were burnt at Wye and two at Ashford that were condemned with the other six Soon after the fore-mentioned Commission two and twenty were sent up from Colchester to London yet Bonner though seldom guilty of such gentleness was content to discharge them As they were led through London the People did openly shew their affection to them above a thousand following them Bonner upon this writ to the Cardinal that he found they were obstinate Hereticks yet since he had been offended with him for his former Proceedings he would do nothing till he knew his pleasure This Letter is to be found in Fox But the Cardinal stopt him and made some deal with the Prisoners to Sign a Paper of their professing that they believed that Christs Body and Blood was in the Sacrament without any further explanation and that they did submit to the Catholick Church of Christ and should be faithful Subjects to the King
had been left out in his second Liturgy as favouring the Corporal Presence too much and in stead of them these words were ordered to be used in the distribution of that Sacrament Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thy Heart by Faith with Thanksgiving and Drink this in remembrance that Christs Blood was shed for thee and be thankful They now joyned both these in one Some of the Collects were also a little altered and thus was the Book presented to the House But for the Book of Ordination it was not in express terms named in the Act which gave an occasion afterwards to question the lawfulness of the Ordinations made by that Book But by this Act the Book that was set out by King Edward and confirmed by Parliament in the fifth Year of his Reign was again authorized by Law and the Repeal of it in Queen Maries time was made void So the Book of Ordinations being in that Act added to the Book of Common-Prayer it was now legally in force again as was afterwards declared in Parliament upon a Question that was raised about it by Bonner The Bill that was put in on the 15th of February concerning the new Service being laid aside a new one was framed and sent up by the Commons on the 18th of April and debated in the House of Lords Debates about the Act of Ueiformity Heath made a long Speech against it rather Elegant than Learned He enlarged much on the several Changes which had been made in King Edward's time he said that both Cranmer and Ridley changed their Opinions in the matter of Christ's presence he called Ridley the most notably learned Man that was of that way These Changes he imputed to their departing from the Standard of the Catholick Church he complained much of the robbing of Churches the breaking of Images and the Stage-Plays made in mockery of the Catholick Religion Upon all these Reasons he was against the Bill The Bishop of Chester spake also to it He said the Bill was against both Faith and Charity that Points once defined were not to be brought again into question nor were Acts of Parliament Foundations for a Churches Belief he enlarged on the Antiquity of their Forms and said it was an insolent thing to pretend that our Fathers had lived in Ignorance The Prophets oftentimes directed the Israelites to ask of their Fathers Matters of Religion could not be understood by the Laity It was of great consequence to have their Faith well grounded Jeroboam made Israel to Sin when he set up a new way of Worship and not only the Orthodox but even the Arrian Emperours ordered that points of Faith should be examined in Councils Gallio by the light of Nature knew that a Civil Judge ought not to meddle with matters of Religion In the Service-Book that was then before them they had no Sacrifice for their Sins nor were they to adore Christ in the Host and for these reasons he could not agree to it but if any thought he spoke this because of his own concern or pittied him for what he might suffer by it he would say in the words of our Saviour Weep not for me Weep for your selves After him spake Fecknam Abbot of Westminster He proposed three Rules by which they should judge of Religion it 's Antiquity its constancy to it self the influence it had on the Civil Government he said the old Religion began in the time of King Lucius according to Gildas the Book now proposed was not used before the two last years of King Edward the one was always the same the other was changed every second year as appeared in the point of the Presence of Christ in the Sacrament there had been great Order and Obedience in Queen Maries Reign but now every where great Insolences were committed by the People with some very indecent Prophanations of the most holy things he recommended to them in St. Austines words the adhering to the Catholick Church the very name Catholick which Hereticks had not the confidence to assume shewed their Authority The Consent of the whole Church in all Ages with the perpetual Succession of Pastors in St. Peter's Chair ought to weigh more with them than a few new Preachers who had distracted both Germany and England of late Thus I have given the substance of their Speeches being all that I have seen of that side I have seen none at all on the other side tho it is not probable but some were made in defence of the Service as well as these were against it But upon this Occasion I shall set down the substance of the second Paper which the Reformed Divines had prepared on the second point for the Conference about the Authority of every particular Church to change or take away Ceremonies I do not put it in the Collection because I have not that which the Papists prepared in Opposition to it But the heads of this Paper were as followeth Arguments for the Changes made in the Service It is clear by the Epistles which St. Paul writ to the Corinthians and other Churches that every Church has Power in it self to order the Forms of their Worship and the administration of the Sacraments among them so as might best tend to Order Edification and Peace The like Power had also the seven Angels of the Churches to whom St. John writ And for the first three Ages there was no General Meeting of the Church in Synods but in those times the neighbouring Pastors and Bishops by mutual advice rather than Authority ordered their affairs and when Heresies sprung up they condemned them without staying for a General Determination of the whole Church There were also great differences among them in their Customs as about observing Lent and Easter Ceremonies grew too soon to a great number When Errors or Abuses appeared private Bishops reformed their own Diocesses So those who came in the room of Arrian Bishops even when that Heresie was spread over all the East and the See of Rome it self was defiled with it yet reformed their own Churches Ambrose finding the custom of Feasting in Churches on the Anniversaries of the Martyrs gave occasion to great Scandals took it away Even in Queen Maries time many of the old Superstitions of Pilgrimages and Reliques which had been abolish'd in King Henry's time were not then taken up again from which they argued that if some things might be altered why not more So that if there was good reason to make any Changes it could not be doubted but that as Hezekiah and Josiah had made by their own power so the Queen might make Reformations which were not so much the setting up of new things as the restoring of the state of Religion to what it was anciently which had been brought in by consent of Parliament and Convocation in King Edward's time The Rules they offer'd in this Paper about Ceremonies were that
negotia res Ecclesiasticas pro Patriae ritu more intelligenter obire tractare possint idcirco de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris necnon de avisamento Concilii nostri volumus concedimus ordinamus quod de caetero sit erit unum templum sive sacra aedes in Civitate nostra Londinensi quod vel quae vocabitur templum Domini Jesu ubi Congregatio conventus Germanorum aliorum peregrinorum fieri celebrari possit ea intentione proposito ut a Ministris Ecclesiae Germanorum aliorumque peregrinorum Sacrosancti Evangelii incorrupta interpretatio Sacramentorum juxta Verbum Dei Apostolicam observationem administratio fiat Ac Templum illud sive Sacram aedem illam de uno Superintendente quatuor verbi ministris erigimus creamus ordinamus fundamus per praesentes Et quod idem Superintendens ministri in re nomine sint erunt unum Corpus corporatum politicum de se per nomen Superintendentis Ministrorum Ecclesiae Germanorum aliorum peregrinorum ex fundatione Regis Edwardi Sexti in Civitate Londinensi per praesentes incorporamus ac corpus corporatum politicum per idem nomen realiter ad plenum creamus erigimus ordinamus facimus constituimus per praesentes quod successionem habeant Et ulterius de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris necnon de avisamento Concilii nostri dedimus concessimus ac per praesentes damus concedimus praefato Superintendenti Ministris Ecclesiae Germanorum aliorum peregrinorum in Civitate Londinensi totum illud templum sive Ecclesiam nuperfratrum Augustinensium in Civitate nostra Londinensi ac totam terram fundum solum Ecclesiae praedictae exceptis toto choro dictae Ecclesiae terris fundo solo ejusdem habendum gaudendum dictum Templum sive Ecclesiam ac caetera praemissa exceptis praeexceptis praefatis Superintendenti Ministris Successoribus suis tenendum de nobis haeredibus successoribus nostris in puram liberam elyemosinam Damus ulterius de avisamento praedicto ac ex certa scientia mero motu nostris praedictis per praesentes concedimus praefatis Superintendenti Ministris successoribus suis plenam facultatem potestatem autoritatem ampliandi majorem faciendi numerum ministrorum nominandi appunctuandi de tempore in tempus tales hujusmodi subministros ad serviendum in Templo praedicto quales praefatis Superintendenti Ministris necessarium visum fuerit Et quidem haec omnia juxta beneplacitum regium Volumus praeterea quod Joannes a Lasco natione Polonus homo propter integritatem innocentiam vitae ac morum singularem eruditionem valde caelebris sit primus modernus Superintendens dictae Ecclesiae quod Gualterus Deloenus Martinus Flandrus Franciscus Riverius Richardus Gallus sint quatuor primi moderni Ministri Damus praeterea concedimus praefatis Superintendenti Ministris successoribus suis facultatem autoritatem licentiam post mortem vel vacationem alicujus Ministri praedictorum de tempore in tempus eligendi nominandi surrogandi alium personam habilem idoneam in locum suum ita tamen quod persona sic nominatus electus praesentetur sistatur coram nobis haeredibus vel successoribus nostris per nos haeredes vel successores nostros instituatur in Ministerium praedictum Damus etiam concedimus praefatis Superintendenti Ministris successoribus suis facultatem autoritatem licentiam post mortem seu vacationem Superintendentis de tempore in tempus eligendi nominandi surrogandi alium personam doctam gravem in locum suum ita tamen quod persona sic nominatus electus praesentetur sistatur coram nobis haeredibus vel successoribus nostris per nos haeredes vel successores nostros instituatur in officium Superintendentis praedictum Mandamus firmiter injungendum praecipimus tam Majori Vicecomitibus Aldermanis Civitatis nostrae Londinensis successoribus suis cum omnibus aliis Archiepiscopis Episcopis Justiciariis Officiariis Ministris nostris quibuscunque quod permittant praefatis Superintendenti Ministris sua suos libere quiete frui gaudere uti exercere ritus ceremonias suas proprias disciplinam Ecclesiasticam propriam peculiarem non obstante quod non conveniant cum ritibus caeremoniis in Regno nostro usitatis absque impetitione perturbatione aut inquietatione eorum vel eorum alicujus aliquo statuto actu proclamatione injunctione restrictione seu usu in contrarium inde antehac habitis factis editis seu promulgatis in contrarium non obstantibus Eo quod expressa mentio de vero valore annuo aut de certitudine praemissorum sive eorum alicujus aut de aliis donis sive concessionibus per nos praefatis Superintendenti Ministris successoribus suis ante haec tempora factis in praesentibus minime facta existit aut aliquo statuto actu ordinatione provisione sive restrictione inde in contrarium factis editis ordinatis seu provisis aut aliqua alia re causa vel materia quacunque in aliquo non obstante In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes Teste Meipso apud Leighes vicessimo quarto die Julii Anno Regni nostri quarto per Breve de privato Sigillo de datis praedicta Autoritate Parliamenti R. Southwell Vn Harrys Number 52. Injunctions given in the Visitation of the Reverend Father in God Nicholas Bishop of London for an Uniformity in his Diocess of London in the 4th Year of our Soveraign Lord King Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God King of England c. London Anno Dom. 1550. FIrst Reg. Ridley Fol. 305. That there be no reading of such Injunctions as extolleth and setteth forth the Popish Mass Candles Images Chauntries neither that there be used any Superaltaries or Trentals of Communions Item That no Minister do counterfeit the Popish Mass in kissing the Lord's Board washing his Hands or Fingers after the Gospel or the receipt of the Holy Communion shifting the Book from one place to another laying down and licking the Chalice after the Communion blessing his Eyes with the Sudarie thereof or Patten or crossing his Head with the same holding his Fore-fingers and Thumbs joined together toward the Temples of his Head after the receiving of the Sacrament breathing on the Bread or Chalice saying the Agnus before the Communion shewing the Sacrament openly before the distribution or making any elevation thereof ringing of the Sacrying Bell or setting any Light upon the Lord's Board And finally That the Minister in the time of the Holy Communion do use only the Ceremonies and
in the possession of the Temporality that it may please your good Lordships by your discreet Wisdoms to foresee and provide that by this our Grant nothing pass which may be prejudicial or hurtful to any Bishop or other Ecclesiastical Person or their Successors for or concerning any Action Right Title or Interest which by the Laws of this Realm are already grown or may hereafter grow or rise to them or any of them and their Successors for any Lands Tenements Pensions Portions Tithes Rents Reversions Service or other Hereditaments which sometime appertained to the said Bishops or other Ecclesiastical Persons in the Right of their Churches or otherwise but that the same Right Title and Interest be safe and reserved to them and every of them and their Successors according to the said Laws And further whereas in the Statute passed in the first Year of Edward the Sixth for the suppressing of all Colleges c. Proviso was made by the said Statute in respect of the same Surrender that Schools and Hospitals should have been erected and founded in divers parts of this Realm for the good education of Youth in Vertue and Learning and the better sustentation of the Poor and that other Works beneficial for the Common-Weal should have been executed which hitherto be not performed according to the meaning of the said Statute it may please your good Lordships to move the King 's and the Queen 's most Royal Majesty and the Lord Cardinal to have some special consideration for the due performance of the Premises and that as well the same may the rather come to pass as the Church of England which heretofore hath been hononourably endowed with Lands and Possessions may have some recovery of so notable Damages and Losses which she hath sustained It may please their Highness with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same to repeal make frustrate and void the Statute of Mortmayn made in the seventh Year of Edward the First otherwise intituled de Religiosis and the Statute concerning the same made the 15th Year of King Richard the Second And all and every other Statute and Statutes at any time heretofore made concerning the same And forasmuch as Tythes and Oblations have been at all times assigned and appointed for the sustentation of Ecclesiastical Ministers and in consideration of the same their Ministry and Office which as yet cannot be executed by any Lay Person so it is not meet that any of them should perceive possess or enjoy the same That all Impropriations now being in the hands of any Lay Person or Persons and Impropriations made to any secular use other than for the maintenance of Ecclesiastical Ministers Universities and Schools may be by like Authority of Parliament dissolved and the Churches reduced to such State as they were in before the same Impropriations were made And in this behalf we shall most humbly pray your good Lordships to have in special Consideration how lately the Lands and Possessions of Prebends in certain Cathedral Churches within this Realm have been taken away from the same Prebends to the use of certain private Persons and in the lieu thereof Benefices of notable value impropriated to the Cathedral Churches in which the said Prebends were founded to the no little decay of the said Cathedral Churches and Benefices and the Hospitality kept in the same Farther Right Reverend Fathers we perceiving the godly forwardness in your good Lordships in the restitution of this noble Church of England to the pristine State and Unity of Christ's Church which now of late Years have been grievously infected with Heresies perverse and schismatical Doctrine sown abroad in this Realm by evil Preachers to the great loss and danger of many Souls accounting our selves to be called hither by your Lordships out of all parts of the Province of Canterbury to treat with your Lordships concerning as well the same as of other things touching the State and Quietness of the same Church in Doctrine and in Manners have for the furtherance of your godly doing therein devised these Articles following to be further considered and enlarged as to your Lordships Wisdoms shall be thought expedient Wherein as you do earnestly think many things meet and necessary to be reform'd so we doubt not but your Lordships having respect to God's Glory and the good Reformation of things amiss will no less travel to bring the same to pass And we for our part shall be at all times ready to do every thing as by your Lordships Wisdoms shall be thought expedient 1. We design to be resolved Whether that all such as have preach'd in any part within this Realm or other the King and Queen's Dominions any Heretical Erroneous or Seditious Doctrine shall be called before the Ordinaries of such Places where they now dwell or be Benefic'd and upon examination to be driven to recant openly such their Doctrine in all Places where they have preach d the same And otherwise Whether any Order shall be made and Process to be made herein against them according to the Canons and Constitutions of the Church in such Case used 2. That the pestilent Book of Thomas Cranmer late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury made against the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and the Schismatical Book called The Communion Book and the Book of Ordering of Ecclesiastical Ministers all suspect Translations of the Old and New Testament the Authors whereof are recited in a Statute made the Year of King Henry the Eighth and all other Books as well in Latin as in English concerning any Heretical Erroneous or Slanderous Doctrine may be destroyed and burnt throughout this Realm And that publick Commandment be given in all Places to every Man having any such Books to bring in the same to the Ordinary by a certain day or otherwise to be taken and reputed as a favourer of such Doctrine And that it may be lawful to every Bishop and other Ordinary to make enquiry and due search from time to time for the said Books and to take them from the Owners and Possessors of them for the purpose abovesaid 3. And for the better repress of all such pestilent Books That Order may be taken with all speed that no such Books may be printed uttered or sold within this Realm or brought from beyond the Seas or other parts into the same upon grievous pains to all such as shall presume to attempt the contrary 4. And that the Bishops and other Ordinaries may with better speed root up all such pernicious Doctrine and the Authors thereof We desire that the Statutes made Anno quinto of Richard the Second Anno secundo of Henry the Fourth and Anno secundo of Henry the Fifth against Hereticks Lollards and false Preachers may be by your Industrious Suit reviv'd and put in force as shall be thought convenient And generally that all Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Ordinaries may be restored to their Pristine
you shall find any Person stubborn or disobedient in not bringing in the said Books according to the tenour of these our Letters that then ye commit the said Person to Ward unto such time as you have certified us of his misbehaviour And we will and command you that you also search or cause search to be made from time to time whether any Book be withdrawn or hid contrary to the tenour of these our Letters and the same Book to receive into your Hands and to use all in these our Letters we have appointed And further whereas it is come unto our knowledg that divers froward and obstinate Persons do refuse to pay towards the finding of Bread and Wine for the Holy Communion according to the Order prescribed in the said Book by reason whereof the Holy Communion is many times omitted upon the Sunday These are to will and command you to convent such obstinate Persons before you and then to admonish and command to keep the Order prescribed in the said Book and if any shall refuse so to do to punish them by Suspension Excommunication or other Censures of the Church Fail you not thus to do as you will avoid our Displeasure Westminst Decemb. 25. Regni tertio Thom. Cantuarien Rich. Chanc. Will. St. John J. Russel H. Dorset W. Northampton Number 48. Cardinal Woolsey's Letters to Rome for procuring the Popedom to himself upon Pope Adrian's death Ex MS. Col. Cor. C. Cant. MY Lord of Bath Mr. Secretary and Mr. Hannibal I commend me unto you in my right hearty manner letting you wit That by Letters lately sent unto me from you my Lord of Bath and Mr. Hannibal dated at Rome the 14th day of September Which Letters I incontinently shewed unto the King's Grace his Highness And I have been advertised to our great discomfort That the said 14th day it pleased Almighty God to call the Pope's Holiness unto his Infinite Mercy whose Soul Jesu pardon News certainly unto the King's Grace and to me right heavy and for the universal weal or quiet of Christendom whereunto his Holiness like a devout and virtuous Father of Holy Church was very studious much displeasant and contrarious Nevertheless conforming our selves to the Pleasure of Almighty God to whose Calling we all must be obedient the Mind and Intention of the King's Highness and of me both is to put some helps and furtherances as much as conveniently may be that such a Successor unto him may now by the Holy College of Cardinals be named and elected as may with God's Grace perform atchieve and fulfil the good and vertuous Purposes and Intents concerning the Pacification of Christendom whereunto our said late Holy Father as much as the brevity of the time did suffer was as it should seem minded and inclined which thing how necessary it is to the state of Christs Religion now daily more and more declining it is facil and easie to be consider'd and surely amongst other Christian Princes there is none which as ye heretofore have perfectly understood that to this purpose more dedicated themselves to give Furtherance Advice and Counsel than the Emperor and the King's Grace who as well before the time of the last Vacation as sithence by Mouth and by Letters with Report of Ambassadors and otherwise had many sundry Conferences Communications and Devices in that behalf In which it hath pleased them far above my merits or deserts of their goodness to think judg and esteem me to be meet and able for to aspire unto that Dignity persuading exhorting and desiring me that whensoever opportunity should be given I should hearken to their Advice Counsel and Opinion in that behalf and offering unto me to interpone their Authorities Helps and Furtherances therein to the uttermost In comprobation whereof albeit the Emperor now being far distant from these Parts could not nor might in so brief time give unto the King's Grace new or fresh confirmation of his Purpose Desire and Intent herein Yet nevertheless my Lady Margaret knowing the inclination of his mind in this same hath by a long discourse made unto me semblable Exhortation offering as well on the Emperor's behalf as on her own that as much shall by them be done to the furtherance thereof as may be possible Besides this both by your Letters and also by particular most loving Letters of the Cardinal 's de Medicis Sanctorum Quatuor Campegius with credence show'd unto me on their behalf by their Folks here resident I perceive their good and fast minds which they and divers other their Friends owe unto me in that matter And finally the King's Highness doth not cease by all the gracious and comfortable means possible to insist that I for manifold notable urgent and great respects in any wise shall consent that his Grace and the Emperor do set forth the thing with their best manner The Circumstances of whose most entire and most firm mind thereunto with their bounteous godly and beneficial Offers for the Weal of Christendom which his Grace maketh to me herein is too long to rehearse For which Causes albeit I know my self far unmeet and unable to so high a Dignity minding rather to live and die with his Grace in this his Realm doing Honour Service Good or Pleasure to the same than now mine old days approaching to enter into new things yet nevertheless for the great zeal and perfect mind which I have to the exaltation of the Christian Faith the honour weal and surety of the King's Grace and the Emperor and to do my Duty both to Almighty God and to the World I referring every thing to God's disposition and pleasure shall not pretermit to declare unto you such things as the King's Highness hath specially willed me to signify unto you on his Grace's behalf who most effectually willeth and desireth you to set forth the same omitting nothing that may be to the furtherance thereof as his special trust is in you First Ye shall understand that the mind and entire desire of his Highness above all earthly things is That I should attain to the said Dignity having his perfect and firm hope that of the same shall ensue and that in brief time a general and universal Repose Tranquillity and Quietness in Christendom and as great Renown Honour Profit and Reputation to this Realm as ever was besides the singular comfort and rejoice that the King's Grace with all his Friends and Subjects should take thereof who might be well assured thereby to compone and order their great Causes and Affairs to their high Benefit Commodity and most Advantage For this and other great and urgent Causes the Pleasure of his Highness is That like-as ye my Lord of Bath and Mr. Hannibal have right prudently and discreetly begun so ye all or as many of you as be present in the Court of Rome and continue your Practices Overtures Motions and Labours to bring and conduce this the King 's inward Desire to perfect end