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
condemn the Clergy Those in the City charge the Country and the Country complains of the City every one finds out somewhat wherein he thinks he is least concerned and is willing to fix on that all the Indignation of Heaven which God knows we our selves have kindled against our selves It cannot be denied since it is so visible that universally the whole Nation is corrupted and that the Gospel has not had those effects among us which might have been expected after so long and so free a course as it has had in this Island Our wise and worthy Progenitors reformed our Doctrine and Worship but we have not reformed our Lives and Manners what will it avail us to understand the right Methods of worshiping God if we are without true Devotion and coldly perform publick Offices without sense and affection which is as bad as a Bead-roll of Prayers in what ever Language they be pronounced What signifies our having the Sacraments purely administred among us if we either contemptuously neglect them or irreverently handle them more perhaps in compliance with Law than out of a sense of the Holy Duties incumbent on us for what end are the Scriptures put in our hands if we do not read them with great attention and order our lives according to them and what does all preaching signifie if Men go to Church meerly for Form and hear Sermons only as set Discourses which they will censure or commend as they think they see cause but are resolved never to be the better for them If to all these sad Considerations we add the gross sensuality and impurity that is so avowedly practised that it is become a fashion so far it is from being a reproach the oppression injustice intemperance and many other immoralities among us what can be expected but that these abominations receiving the highest aggravation they are capable of from the clear light of the Gospel which we have so long enjoyed the just Judgments of Heaven should fall on us so signally as to make us a reproach to all our Neighbours But as if all this were not enough to fill up the measure of our iniquities many have arriv'd at a new pitch of Impiety by defying Heaven it self with their avowed Blasphemies and Atheism and if they are driven out of their Atheistical Tenets which are indeed the most ridiculous of any in the World they set up their rest on some general Notions of Morality and Natural Religion and do boldly reject all that is revealed and where they dare vent it alas where dare they not do it they reject Christianity and the Scriptures with open and impudent scorn and are absolutely insensible of any obligation of Conscience in any thing whatsoever and even in that Morality which they for decencies sake magnifie so much none are more bare-facedly and grosly faulty This is a direct attempt against God himself and can we think that he will not visit for such things nor be avenged on such a Nation And yet the hypocrisie of those who disguise their flagitious Lives with a Mask of Religion is perhaps a degree above all though not so scandalous till the Mask falls off and that they appear to be what they truly are When we are all so guilty and when we are so allarumed by the black Clouds that threaten such terrible and lasting Storms what may be expected but that we should be generally struck with a deep sense of our crying sins and turn to God with our whole Souls But if after all the loud awakenings from Heaven we will not hearken to that Voice but will still go on in our sins we may justly look for unheard-of Calamities and such miseries as shall be proportioned to our offences and then we are sure they will be great and wonderful Yet if on the other hand there were a general turning to God or at least if so many were rightly sensible of this as according to the proportion that the Mercies of God allow did some way ballance the wickedness of the rest and if these were as zealous in the true methods of imploring Gods favour as others are in procuring his displeasure and were not only mourning for their own sins but for the sins of others the Prayers and Sighs of many such might dissipate that dismal Cloud which our sins have gathered and we might yet hope to see the Gospel take root among us since that God who is the Author of it is merciful and full of compassion and ready to forgive and this holy Religion which by his Grace is planted among us is still so dear to him that if we by our own unworthiness do not render our selves incapable of so great a Blessing we may reasonably hope that he will continue that which at first was by so many happy concurring Providences brought in and was by a continued Series of the same indulgent care advanc'd by degrees and at last raised to that pitch of perfection which few things attain in this World But this will best appear in the ensuing History from which I fear I may have too long detained the Reader 10. September 1680. THE CONTENTS OF THIS VOLUME BOOK I. OF the Life and Reign of King Edward the Sixth Pag. 1. BOOK II. Of the Life and Reign of Queen Mary Page 233. BOOK III. Of the Settlement of the Reformation in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign Page 373. COLLECTION OF RECORDS King Edwards Journal and Remains Page 1. Ad Librum Primum Page 89. Ad Librum Secundum Page 239. Ad Librum Tertium Page 327. An APPENDIX concerning the Errors and Falshoods in Sanders's Book of the English Schism Page 383. ERRATA PAge 10. Line 22. usual r. unusual p. 20. l. 15. levy Taxes hand r. heavy Taxes laid p. 36. l. 47. after it r. did p. 31. l. 31. dele of p. 40. Marg. l. 7. after In r. Cor. p. 82. l. 43. dele the Marginal Note Ibid. l. ult run used to r. used to run p. 94. l. 38. for in r. the. p. 136. l. 20. for when r. where l. 41. ad Marg. r. Collection Numb 42. so the Numbers 42 43 44 45. are for Numb 43 44 45 46. p. 155. Alesse r. Alesse p. 166. l. 20. Pactors r. Pastors p. 205. Marg. 23. r. 3. p. 219. l. 44. for John r. Richard p. 220. l. 7. the same error p. 237. l. 42. Suffolk r. Sussex p. 249. l. 21 Ring r. King p. 252. l. 1. Sanders r. Sandy p. 253. l. penult no r. on p. 283 284 285 286. r. 267 268 269 270. p. 273. Marg. deserve r. severe p. 274. Marg. dele two p. 275. l. ult Wales r. Wells p. 277. l. 28. racked r. raked p. 304. Marg. considered r. censured p. 305. l. ult dele be p. 307. l. 44. before where r. Fathers house l. 49. dele Fathers house p. 319. Marg. Numb 24. r. 23. the error in the Number continues to the end of the Book p. 320 l. 16. before that r. few l.
Judges on the 7th it was read again and joyned to the other Bill about the Sacrament And on the 10th the whole Bill was agreed to by all the Peers except the Bishops of London Hereford Norwich Worcester and Chichester and sent down to the Commons On the 17th a Proviso was sent after it but was rejected by the Commons since the Lords had not agreed to it On the 20th it was sent up agreed to and had afterwards the Royal Assent By it first the value of the Holy Sacrament commonly called the Sacrament of the Altar and in the Scripture the Supper and Table of the Lord was set forth together with its first Institution but it having been of late marvellously abused some had been thereby brought to a contempt of it which they had expressed in Sermons Discourses and Songs in words not fit to be repeated therefore whosoever should so offend after the first of May next was to suffer Fine and Imprisonment at the Kings Pleasure and the Justices of the Peace were to take Information and make Presentments of Persons so offending within three Months after the offences so committed allowing them Witnesses for their own purgation And it being more agreeable to Christs first Institution And the practice of the Church for 500 years after Christ that the Sacrament should be given in both the kinds of Bread and Wine rather than in one kind only Therefore it was Enacted That it should be commonly given in both kinds except necessity did otherwise require it And it being also more agreeable to the first Institution and the primitive Practice that the People should receive with the Priest than that the Priest should receive it alone therefore the day before every Sacrament an Exhortation was to be made to the People to prepare themselves for it in which the benefits and danger of worthy and unworthy receiving were to be expressed and the Priests were not without a lawful cause to deny it to any who humbly askt it This was an Act of great consequence Communion appointed in both kinds since it reformed two abuses that had crept into the Church The one was the denying the Cup to the Laity the other was the Priests communicating alone In the first Institution it is plain that as Christ bad all drink of the Cup and his Disciples all drank of it so St. Paul directed every one to examine himself that he might eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. From thence the Church for many Ages continued this practice and the Superstition of some who received only in one kind was severely censured and such were appointed either to receive the whole Sacrament or to abstain wholly It continued thus till the belief of the Corporal Presence of Christ was set up and then the keeping and carrying about the Cup in Processions not being so easily done some began to lay it aside For a great while the Bread was given dipt in the Cup to represent a bleeding Christ as it is in the Greek Church to this day In other Places the Laity had the Cup given them but they were to suck it through Pipes that nothing of it should fall to the ground But since they believed that Christ was in every crumb of Bread it was thought needless to give the Sacrament in both kinds So in the Council of Constance the Cup was ordered to be denied the Laity though they acknowledged it to have been instituted and practised otherwise To this the Bohemians would never submit though to compel them to it much Blood was shed in this Quarrel And now in the Reformation this was every where one of the first things with which the People were possessed the opposition of the Roman Church herein to the Institution of Christ being so manifest And all private Masses put down At first this Sacrament was also understood to be a Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ of which many were to be partakers while the fervor of devotion lasted it was thought a scandalous and censurable thing if any had come unto the Christian Assemblies and had not stayed to receive these Holy Mysteries and the denying to give any one the Sacrament was accounted a very great punishment So sensible were the Christians of their ill condition when they were hindred to participate of it But afterwards the former Devotion slackening the good Bishops in the 4th and 5th Centuries complained oft of it that so few came to Receive yet the Custom being to make Oblations before the Sacrament out of which the Clergy had been maintained during the poverty of the Church the Priests had a great mind to keep up the constant use of these Oblations and so perswaded the Laity to continue them and to come to the Sacrament though they did not receive it and in process of time they were made to believe that the Priest received in behalf of the whole People And whereas this Sacrament was the Commemoration of Christs Sacrifice on the Cross and so by a Phrase of Speech was called a Sacrifice they came afterwards to fancy that the Priests consecrating and consuming the Sacrament was an Action of it self expiatory and that both for the Dead and the Living And there rose an infinite number of several sorts of Masses some were for commemorating the Saints and those were called the Masses of such Saints others for a particular Blessing for Rain Health c. and indeed for all the accidents of Humane Life where the addition or variation of a Collect made the difference So that all that Trade of Massing was now removed An Intimation was also made of Exhortations to be read in it which they intended next to set about These abuses in the Mass gave great advantages to those who intended to change it into a Communion But many in stead of managing them prudently made unseemly Jests about them and were carried by a lightness of temper to make Songs and Plays of the Mass for now the Press went quick and many Books were printed this year about matters of Religion the greatest number of them being concerning the Mass which were not written in so decent and grave a style as the matter required Against this Act only five Bishops protested Many of that Order were absent from the Parliament so the opposition made to it was not considerable The next Bill brought into the House of Lords An Act about the Admission of Bishops was concerning the admission of Bishops to their Sees by the Kings Letters Patents Which being read was committed to the Arch-bishop of Canterburies care on the fifth of November and was read the second time on the 10th and committed to some of the Judges and was read the third time on the 28th of November and sent down to the Commons on the 5th of December There was also another Bill brought in concerning the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Bishops Courts on the 17th of November and pass'd and sent
of Marriage But all separation from Bed and Board except during a Trial was to be taken away The 11th was about Admission to Ecclesiastical Benefices Patrons were to consider the choice of the Person was trusted to them but was not to be abused to any sacrilegious or base ends if they did otherwise they were to lose their right for that time Benefices were not to be given or promised before they were void nor let lie destitute above six Months otherwise they were to devolve to the Bishop Clergy-men before their Ordination were to be examined by the Arch-deacons with such other Triers as the Bishop should appoint to be assistant to them and the Bishop himself was to try them since this was one of the chief things upon which the happiness of the Church depended The Candidate was to give an Oath to answer sincerely upon which he was to be examined about his Doctrine chiefly of the whole Points of the Catechisme if he understood them aright and what knowledge he had of the Scriptures they were to search him well whether he held Heretical Opinions None was to be admitted to more Cures than one and all Priviledges for Pluralities were for ever to cease nor was any to be absent from his Cure except for a time and a just cause of which he was to satisfie his Ordinary The Bishops were to take great care to allow no absence longer than was necessary every one was to enter upon his Cure within two Months after he was Instituted by the Bishop Prebendaries who had no particular Cure were to preach in the Churches adjacent to them Bastards might not be admitted to Orders unless they had eminent Qualities But the Bastards of Patrons were upon no account to be received if presented by them Other bodily defects unless such as did much disable them or made them very contemptible were not to be a barr to any Beside the Sponsions in the Office of Ordination they were to swear that they had made no agreement to obtain the Benefice to which they were presented and that if they come to know of any made by others on their account they should signifie it to the Bishop and that they should not do any thing to the prejudice of their Church The 12th and 13th were about the renouncing or changing of Benefices The 14th was about purgation upon common fame or when one was accused for any crime which was proved incompleatly and only by presumptions The Ecclesiastical Courts might not re-examine any thing that was proved in any Civil Court but upon a high scandal a Bishop might require a Man to purge himself otherwise to separate him from Holy things The Form of a Purgation was to swear himself innocent and he was also to have four Compurgators of his own Rank who were to swear that they believed he swore true upon which the Judge was to restore him to his Fame Any that were under suspicion of a Crime might by the Judge be required to avoid all the occasions from which the suspition had risen But all superstitious Purgations were to be rejected The 15th 16th 17th and 18th were about Dilapidations the Letting of the Goods of the Church the confirming the former Rules of Election in Cathedrals or Colledges and the Collation of Benefices And there was to be a Purgation of Simony as there should be occasion for it The 19th was about Divine Offices In the Mornings on Holy-days the Common-Prayer was to be used with the Communion-Service joyned to it In Cathedrals there was to be Communion every Sunday and Holy-day where the Bishop the Dean and the Prebendaries and all maintained by that Church were to be present There was no Sermon to be in Cathedrals in the Morning lest that might draw any from the Parish Churches but only in the Afternoons In the Anthems all Figured Musick by which the Hearers could not understand what they sung was to be taken away In Parish Churches there were only to be Sermons in the Morning but none in the Afternoon except in great Parishes All who were to receive the Sacrament were to come the day before and inform the Minister of it who was to examine their Consciences and their Belief On Holy-days in the Afternoon the Catechism was to be explained for an hour After the Evening-Prayers the Poor were to be looked to and such as had given open scandal were to be examined and publick Penitence was to be enjoyned them and the Minister with some of the Ancients of the Parish were to commune together about the state of the People in it that if any carried themselves indecently they might be first charitably admonished and if that did not prevail subjected to severer Censures but none were to be excommunicated without the Bishop were first informed and had consented to it Divine Offices were not to be performed in Chappels or private Houses lest the Churches should under that pretence be neglected and Errors more easily disseminated excepting only the Houses of Peers and Persons of great Quality who had numerous Families but in these all things were to be done according to the Book of Common-Prayer The 20th was about those that bore Office in the Church Sextons Church-wardens Deacons Priests and Rural Deans This last was to be a Yearly Office he that was named to it by the Bishop being to watch over the manners of the Clergy and People in his Precinct was to signifie the Bishops pleasure to them and to give the Bishop an account of his Precinct every sixth Month. The Arch-deacons were to be general Visitors over the Rural Deans In every Cathedral one of the Prebendaries or one procured by them was thrice a week to expound some part of the Scriptures The Bishops were to be over all and to remember that their Authority was given to them for that end that many might be brought to Christ and that such as had gone astray might be restored by Repentance To the Bishop all were to give obedience according to the Word of God The Bishop was to preach often in his Church was to Ordain none for Rewards or rashly was to provide good Pastors and to deprive bad ones he was to visit his Diocess every third year or oftener as he saw cause but then he was to do it at his own charge he was to have yearly Synods and to confirm such as were well instructed His Family was to consist of Clergy-men whom he should bring up to the Service of the Church so was St. Austins and other Ancient Bishops Families constituted This being a great means to supply the great want of good and faithful Ministers Their Wives and Children were also to avoid all levity or vain dressing They were never to be absent from their Diocesses but upon a publick and urgent cause and when then grew sick or infirm they were to have Coadjutors If they became scandalous or heretical they were to be deprived by the Kings Authority The Arch-bishops
the Ashes were the Body of Christ or what it was that was burnt To all this Harpsfield made a long Answer concerning Gods Omnipotence and the weakness of mens understandings that could not comprehend Divine Mysteries But Cheyney still asked what it was that was burnt Harpsfield replied it was either the Substance of Bread or the Body of Christ and afterwards said it was a Miracle At that Cheyney smiled and said then he could say no more Weston asked whether there was not enough said in answer to these mens Objections Many of the Clergy cried out Yes Yes But the multitude with repeated cries said No No Weston said he spake to those of the House and not to the rude Multitude Then he asked those Divines whether they would now for three days answer the Arguments that should be put to them Haddon Cheyney and Ailmer said they would not But Philpot offered to do it Woston said he was a mad man and fitter to be sent to Bedlam Philpot said he that had carried himself with so much Passion and so little Indifferency deserved a Room there much better Weston neglecting him turned to the Assembly and said they might see what sort of men these were whom they had now answered three days but tho they had promised it and the Order of Disputation did require it that they should answer in their turn three days they now declined it Upon that Ailmer stood up and answered that they had made no such Promise nor undertaken any such Disputation but being required to give their Reasons why they would not subscribe with the rest they had done it but had received no Answer to them and therefore would enter into no further Disputation before such Judges who had already determined and subscribed those Questions So the House was adjourned to the 30th and then Philpot appeared to answer but desired first leave to prosecute his former Argument and urged that since Christ as man is like us in all things without sin therefore as we are restrained to one place at a time so is Christ but in one place and that is Heaven for St. Peter says the Heavens must contain him till the Restitution of all things To this it was answered that Christ being God his Omnipotence was above our understanding and that to shut him in one place was to put him in Prison Philpot said he was not speaking of his Divine Nature but that as he was man he was like us And for their saying that Christ was not to be imprisoned in Heaven he left to all men to judge whether that was a good answer or not Much discourse following upon this the Prolocutor commanded him to come no more into the House He answered he thought himself happy to be out of their Company Others suggesting to the Prolocutor that it would be said the meetting was not free if men were put out of the House for speaking their minds He said to him he might come so he were decently Habited and did not speak but when he commanded him To this he answered that he had rather be absent altogether Weston concluded all by saying you have the Word but we have the Sword Truly pointing out wherein the strength of both Causes lay This was the Issue of that Disputation which was soon after Printed in English and in Latin by Volerandus Polanus Censures past upon it and is inserted at large in Fox's Acts and Monuments What account the other side gave of it I do not find But upon all such occasions the prevailing party vvhen the inequality vvas so disproportioned used to carry things vvith so much noise and disorder that it vvas no vvonder the Reformers had no mind to engage in this Dispute And those vvho reflected on the vvay of proceeding in King Edwards time could not but confess things had been managed vvith much more Candor and Equality For in this very Point there had been as vvas formerly shewn Disputes for a Year together before there vvas any Determination made so that all men vvere free at that time to deliver their Opinions vvithout any fear and then the Disputes vvere in the Universities vvhere as there vvere a great Silence and Collection of Books so the Auditors vvere more capable of being instructed by them But here the Point was first determined and then disputed And this vvas in the midst of the disorder of the Town vvhere the Privy Council gave all possible encouragement to the prevailing Party The last thing I find done this year was the restoring Veisey to be Bishop of Exeter which vvas done on the 28th of December In his Warrant for it under the great Seal it is said that he for some just troubles both in Body and Mind had resign'd his Bishoprick to King Edward to which the Queen now restored him And thus ended this year Forreign Affairs did not so much concern Religion as they had done in the former Reign vvhich as it made me give some account of them then so it causes me now not to prosecute them so fully In the beginning of the next year 1554. Ambassadors sent from the Emperour for the marriage the Emperour sent over the Count of Egmont and some other Ambassadours to make the Proposition and Treaty of Marriage betwixt his Son and the Queen In the managing of this Treaty Gardiner had the chief hand for he was now the Oracle at the Council-board He had thirty years Experience in Affairs a great Knowledge of the Courts of Christendome and of the State of England and had great Sagacity vvith a marvelous Cunning vvhich vvas not always regulated by the Rules of Candor and Honesty He in drawing the Articles of the Marriage had a double design the one vvas to have them so framed that they might easily pass in Parliament And the other was to exclude the Spaniards from having any share in the Government of England vvhich he intended to hold in his own hands The Articles agreed So the Terms on which it was agreed vvere these The Queen should have the vvhole Government of England vvith the giving of Offices and Benefices in her own hands so that tho Philip was to be called King and his Name was to be on the Coin and the Seals and in Writts yet her hand vvas to give force to every thing vvithout his Spaniards should not be admitted into the Government nor to any Offices at Court 1553. The Laws should not be altered nor the Pleadings put into any other Tongue The Queen should not be made to go out of England but upon her own desire The Children born in the Marriage should not go out of England but by the consent of the Nobility If the Queen out-lived the Prince She should have 60000 l. a year out of his Estate 40000 out of Spain and 20000 of it out of the Netherlands If the Queen had Sons by him they should succeed both to her own Crowns and the Netherlands and Burgundy
David that we may shew forth Gods Praises which cannot be done if it is in a strange Tongue Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God which we cannot do if we understand not the Language they are in Baptisme and the Lords Supper are to contain Declarations of the Death and Resurrection of Christ which must be understood otherwise why are they made The use of Speech is to make known what one brings forth to another The most Barbarous Nations perform their Worship in a known Tongue which shews it to be a Law of Nature It is plain from Justin Martyrs Apology that the Worship was then in a known Tongue which appears also from all the Ancient Liturgies and a long Citation was brought out of St. Basil for the singing of Psalms duly weighing the Words with much attention and devotion which he says was practised in all Nations They concluded wondering how such an abuse could at first creep in and be still so stifly maintained and whâ—â—â—hose who would be thought the Guides and Pastors of the Church were so unwilling to return to the Rule of St. Paul and the Practise of the Primitive Times There was a great shout of Applause when they had done They gave their Paper signed with all their Hands to the Lord Keeper to be delivered to the other side as he should think fit But he kept it till the other side should bring him theirs The Papists upon this said they had more to add on that Head which was thought disingenuous by those that had heard them profess they had nothing to add to what Cole had said Thus the Meeting broke up for that day being Saturday and they were ordered to go forward on Munday and to prepare what they were to deliver on the other two Heads The Papists though they could complain of nothing that was done except the applause given to the Paper of the Reformers yet they saw by that how much more acceptable the other Doctrine was to the People and therefore resolved to go no further in that matter At the next meeting they desired that their Answer to the Paper read by the Reformed might be first heard To this the Lord Keeper said That they had delivered their mind the former day and so were not to be heard till they had gone through the other Points and then they were to return on both sides to the answering of Papers They said that what Cole had delivered the former day was Ex tempore and of himself but it had not been agreed on by them This appeared to all the Assembly to be very foul dealing so they were required to go on to the second Point Then they pressed that the other side might begin with their Paper and they would follow for they saw what an advantage the others had the former day by being heard last The Lord Keeper said the Order was that they should be heard first as being Bishops now in Office But both Winchester and Lincoln refused to go any further if the other side did not begin Upon which there followed a long debate Lincoln saying that the first Order which was that all should be in Latin was changed and that they had prepared a Writing in Latin But in this not only the Counsellors among whom sate the Arch-bishop of York but the rest of his own Party contradicted him In conclusion all except Fecknam refused to read any more Papers he said he was willing to have done it but he could not undertake such a thing alone and so the Meeting broke up But the Bishops of Winchester and of Lincoln said The Conference between the Papists and Protestants breaks up the Doctrine of the Catholick Church was already established and ought not to be disputed except it were in a Synod of Divines that it was too great an encouragement to Hereticks to hear them thus discourse against the Faith before the unlearned Multitude and that the Queen by so doing had incurred the Sentence of Excommunication and they talked of excommunicating her and her Council Upon this they were both sent to the Tower The Reformed took great advantage from the Issue of this Debate to say their Adversaries knew that upon a fair hearing the Truth was so manifestly on their side that they durst not put it to such hazard The whole World saw that this Disputation was managed with great Impartiality and without noise or disorder far different from what had been in Queen Maries time so they were generally much confirmed in their former belief by the Papists flying the Field They on the other hand said they saw the rude Multitude were now carried with a Fury against them the Lord Keeper was their professed Enemy the Laity would take on them to judge after they had heard them and they perceived they were already determined in their minds and that this Dispute was only to set off the changes that were to be made with the Pomp of a Victory and they blamed the Bishops for undertaking it at first but excused them for breaking it off in time And the Truth is the strength of their Cause in most Points of Controversie resting on the Authority of the Church of Rome that was now a thing of so odious a sound that all Arguments brought from thence were not like to have any great effect Upon this whole matter there was an Act of State made and Signed by many Privy Counsellors giving an account of all the steps that were made in it which will be found in the Collection Collection Number 5. This being over the Parliament was now in a better disposition to pass the Bill for the Uniformity of the Service of the Church Some of the Reformed Divines were appointed to review King Edwards Liturgie and to see if in any Particular it was fit to change it The only considerable Variation was made about the Lords Supper of which somewhat will appear from the Letter of Sandys to Parker It was proposed to have the Communion Book so contrived that it might not exclude the belief of the Corporal Presence for the chief design of the Queens Council was to unite the Nation in one Faith and the greatest part of the Nation continued to believe such a Presence Therefore it was recommended to the Divines to see that there should be no express definition made against it that so it might lie as a Speculative Opinion not determined in which every Man was left to the Freedom of his own Mind Hereupon the Rubrick that explained the reason for kneeling at the Sacrament That thereby no Adoration is intended to any Corporal Presence of Christs natural Flesh and Blood because that is only in Heaven which had been in King Edwards Liturgy was now left out And whereas at the delivery of the Elements in King Edwards first Liturgy there was to be said The Body or Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Preserve thy Body and Soul to Everlasting Life which words
Soveraign Lord King Edward the 6th by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the Supream Head And have likewise for more ample testimony of this our Opinion of and upon the Premisses put and subscribed our Names to this present Duplicate of the same here asserted in this present Act of this 6th day of the month of March accordingly Number 6. The Duke of Somerset's Commission to be Protector Ex Libro Concilii Fol. 62. EDward the 6th by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth the Supream Head Whereas our Council and divers of the Nobles and Prelats of this our Realm of England considering Our young and tender Age have thought meet and expedient as well for Our Education and bringing up in Knowledg Learning and Exercises of Good and Godly Manners Vertues and Qualities meet and necessary for a Prince of Our Estate and whereby We should and may at Our full Age be the more able to minister and execute the Charge of our Kingly Estate and Office committed unto Us by the Goodness of Almighty God and left and come unto Us by right Inheritance after and by the decease of Our late Soveraign Lord and Father of most famous Memory King Henry the 8th whose Soul God pardon As also to the intent that during the time of our Minority the great and weighty Causes of our Realms and Dominions may be set forth conducted passed applied and ordered in such sort as shall be most to the Glory of God our Surety and Honour and for the Weal Benefit and Commodity of Us Our said Realms and Dominions and of all Our loving Subjects of the same have advised Us to nominate appoint and authorize some one meet and trusty Personage above all others to take the special Care and Charge of the same for Us and in our Name and Behalf without the which the things before remembred could not nor can be done so well as appertaineth We therefore using their Advices and Counsels in this behalf did heretofore assign and appoint our dear and well-beloved Uncle Edward now Duke of Somerset Governour of our Person and Protector of Our said Realms and Dominions and of our Subjects and People of the same Which thing albeit We have already declared heretofore and our Pleasure therein published by Word of our Mouth in the presence of Our said Council Nobles and Prelats of Our said Realm of England and not by any Writing set forth under Our Seal for that only purpose Yet for a more perfect and manifest knowledg and further corroboration and understanding of Our determination in that behalf and considering that no manner of Person is so meet to have and occupy the said Charge and Administration and to do Us service in the same as is Our said Uncle Edward Duke of Somerset eldest Brother to our Natural most gracious late Mother Queen Jane as well for the proximity of Blood whereby he is the more stirred to have special eye and regard to our Surety and good Education in this Our said Minority as also for the long and great experience which Our said Uncle hath had in the Life-time of Our said dear Father in the Affairs of our said Realm and Dominions both in time of Peace and War whereby he is more able to Order and Rule Our said Realms Dominions and Subjects of the same and for the special confidence and trust that We have in Our said Uncle as well with the Advice and Consent of our Council and other our Nobles and Prelats as also of divers discreet and sage Men that served Our said late Father in his Council and weighty Affairs We therefore by these Presents do not only ratify approve confirm and allow all and every thing and things whatsoever devised or set forth committed or done by Our said Uncle as Governor of our Person and Protector of our said Realms and Dominions and of the Subjects of the same sith the time he was by Us named appointed and ordained by Word Governor of our Person and Protector of Our said Realms and Dominions and of the Subjects of the same as is aforesaid or otherwise any time before sithence the death of Our said late Father But also by these Presents We for a full and perfect Declaration of the Authority of Our said Uncle given and appointed as aforesaid do nominate appoint and ordain Our said Uncle Governor of Our said Person and Protector of Our said Realms and Dominions and of the Subjects of the same until such time as We shall have by the sufferance of God accomplished the Age of eighteen Years And We also do grant to Our said Uncle by these Presents full Power and Authority from time to time until such time as We shall have accomplished the said Age of eighteen Years to do procure and execute and cause to be done procured and executed all and every such Thing and Things Act and Acts which a Governor of the King's Person of this Realm during his Minority and a Protector of his Realms Dominions and Subjects ought to do procure and execute or cause to be done procured and executed and also all and every other thing and things which to the Office of a Governor of a King of the Realm during his Minority and of a Protector of his Realms Dominions and Subjects in any wise appertaineth or belongeth Willing Authorising and Commanding Our said Uncle by these Presents to take upon him the Name Title and Authority of Governor of our Person and Protector of our Realms Dominions and Subjects and to do procure and execute and cause to be done procured and executed from time to time until We shall have accomplished the said Age of eighteen Years all and every Thing and Things Act and Acts of what Nature Quality or Effect soever they be or shall be concerning our Affairs Doings and Proceedings both Private and Publick as well in Outward and Forreign Causes and Matters as also concerning our Affairs Doings and Proceedings within Our said Realms and Dominions or in any of them or concerning any Manner Causes or Matters of any of our Subjects of the same in such like manner and form as shall be thought by his Wisdom and Discretion to be for the Honour Surety Prosperity good Order Wealth or Commodity of Us or of any of Our said Realms and Dominions or of the Subjects of any of the same And to the intent Our said Uncle should be furnished with Men qualified in Wit Knowledg and Experience for his Aid and Assistance in the managing and accomplishment of Our said Affairs We have by the Advice and Consent of Our said Uncle and others the Nobles Prelats and wise Men of Our said Realm of England chosen taken and accepted and by these Presents do chuse take accept
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
And lest in giving just offence to the little Ones in setting a Trap of Errors for the Ignorant and digging a Pit for the Blind to fall into we should not only be guilty of the Blood of our Brethren and deserve the wrathful Vae and Vengeance of God but also procure to our reclaiming Consciences the biting Worm that never dieth for our endless confusion For in what thing soever we may serve your Excellent Majesty not offending the Divine Majesty of God we shall with all humble Obedience be most ready thereunto if it be even to the loss of our Life for so God commandeth of us Duty requireth of us and we with all conformity have put in proof And as God through your gracious Government hath delivered unto us innumerable Benefits which we most humbly acknowledg and with due Reverence daily give him Thanks So we do not doubt but that of his Mercy He will happily finish in your Majesty that good Work which of His free Favour He hath most graciously begun that following the Examples of the Godly Princes which have gone before you may clearly purge the polluted Church and remove all occasions of Evil. And for so much as we have heretofore at sundry times made Petition to your Majesty concerning the Matter of Images but at no time exhibited any Reasons for the removing of the same Now lest we should seem to say much and prove little to alleage Consciences without the Warrant of God and unreasonably require that for the which we can give no Reason we have at this time put in writing and do most humbly exhibit to your gracious Consideration those Authorities of the Scriptures Reasons and pithy Persuasions which as they have moved all such our Brethren as now bear the Office of Bishops to think and affirm Images not expedient for the Church of Christ so will they not suffer us without the great offending of God and grievous wounding of our own Consciences which God deliver us from to consent to the erecting or retaining of the same in the place of Worshipping and we trust and most earnestly ask it of God that they may also persuade your Majesty by your Regal Authority and in the Zeal of God utterly to remove this Offensive Evil out of the Church of England to God's great Glory and our great Comfort Here follow the Reasons against them of which I have given a full Abstract in the History and therefore do not set them down here for they are very large The Address concludes in these words Having thus declared unto your Highness a few Causes of many which do move our Consciences in this Matter we beseech your Highness most humbly not to strain us any further but to consider that God's Word doth threaten a terrible Judgment unto us if we being Pastors and Ministers in His Church should assent unto the thing which in our Learning and Conscience we are persuaded doth tend to the confirmation of Error Superstition and Idolatry and finally Heb. 13. 1 Pet. 5. to the ruins of the Souls committed to our Charge for the which we must give an account to the Prince of Pastors at the last Day We pray your Majesty also not to be offended with this our Plainness and Liberty which all good and Christian Princes have ever taken in good part at the hands of Godly Bishops St. Ambrose writing to Theodosius the Emperor uses these words Sed neque Imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare Epist lib. 5. Epist 29. neque Sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere And again In causa vero Dei quem audies si Sacerdotem non audies Ibidem cujus Majore peccatur periculo Quis tibi verum audebit dicere si Sacerdos non audeat These and such-like Speeches of St. Ambrose Theodosius and Valentinianus the Emperors did take in good part and we doubt not but your Grace will do the like of whose not only Clemency but also Beneficence we have largely tasted We beseech your Majesty also in these and such-like Controversies of Religion to refer the discusement and deciding of them to a Synod of the Bishops and other Godly Learned Men according to the Example of Constantinus Magnus and other Christian Emperors that the Reasons of both Parties being examined by them the Judgment may be given uprightly in all doubtful Matters And to return to this present Matter We most humbly beseech your Majesty to consider That besides weighty Causes in Policy which we leave to the Wisdom of the Honourable Counsellors the establishing of Images by your Authority shall not only utterly discredit our Ministries as builders of the thing which we have destroyed but also blemish the Fame of your most Godly Brother and such notable Fathers as have given their Lives for the Testimony of God's Truth who by publick Law removed all Images The Almighty and Everliving God plentifully endue your Majesty with His Spirit and Heavenly Wisdom and long preserve your most gracious Reign and prosperous Government over us to the advancement of his Glory to the overthrow of Superstition and to the Benefit and Comfort of all your Hignesses loving Subjects Amen Number 7. The Queen's Commissions to the Visitors that were sent to the Northern Parts ELizabetha Dei Gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina Fidei Defensor c. Charissimis Consanguineis Consiliariis nostris Francisco Comiti Salop. Domino Praesidenti Consilii nostri in partibus Borealibus Edwardo Comiti de Darbia ac charissimo consanguineo nostro Thomae Comiti Northumb. Domino Guardiano sive custodi Marchiarum nostrarum de Le East March midle March versus Scotiam ac perdilecto fideli nostro Willielmo Domino Evers ac etiam dilectis fidelibus nostris Henrico Piercy Thomae Gargrave Jacobo Crofts Henrico Gates Militibus necnon dilectis nobis Edwino Sandys Sacrae Theologiae Professori Henrico Harvy Legum Doctori Richardo Bowes Georgio Brown Chistophero Estcot Richardo Kingsmell Armigeris Salutem Quoniam Deus Populum suum Anglicanum imperio nostro subjecit cujus regalis suscepti muneris rationem perfecte reddere non possumus nisi veram religionem sincerum numinis divini cultum in omnibus Regni nostri partibus propagaverimus Nos igitur regalis absolutae potestatis nostrae nobis in hoc Regno nostro commissae respectu quoniam utrumque Regni nostri statum tam Ecclesiasticum quam Laicum visitare certas pietatis ac virtutis regulas illis praescribere constituimus praefatum Franciscum Comitem Salop. Edwardum Comitem de Darbia Thomam Comitem Northumb Willielmum Dominum Evers Henricum Piercy Thomam Gargrave Jacobum Crofts Henricum Gates Milites Edwinum Sandys Henricum Harvy Georgium Brown Christophorum Estcot Richardum Bowes Richardum Kingsmell Armigeros ad infrascriptum vice nomine Authoritate nostris exequendum vos quatuor tres aut duo vestrum ad minimum deputavimus substituimus ad