temper was found it was placed as a Distinct Commandment but not at full length the words For I the Lord thy God c. being left out and only those that go before being set down In the Explanation of this Commandment Images were said to be profitable for putting us in mind of the great blessings we have received by our Saviour and of the vertues and holiness of the Saints by which we were to be stirred up to imitate them So that they were not to be despised though we be forbidden to do any godly honour to them And therefore the Superstition of preferring one Image to another as if they had any special vertue in them or the adorning them richly and making Vowes and Pilgrimages to them is condemned yet the Censing of Images and Kneeling before them are not condmned but the people must be taught that these things were not to be done to the Image it self but to God and his honour To the third Commandment they reduced the Invocation of Gods name for his Gifts And they condemned the Invocation of Saints when such things were prayed for from them which were only given by God This was the giving his Glory to Creatures yet to pray to Saints as Intercessors is declared lawful and according to the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Upon the 4th Commandement a Reâ—t from labour every 7th day is said to be Ceremonial and such as only obliged Iews but the Spiritual signification of Rest among Christians was to abstain from Sin and other Carnal pleasures But besides that we were also bound by this Precept sometimes to cease from labour that we may serve and worship God both in publick and private And that on the dayes appointed for this purpose people ought to examine their lives the past week and set to amendment and give themselves to prayer reading and meditation Yet in cases of necessity such as saving their Corn or Cattel men ought not superstitiously to think that it is a Sin to work on that day but to do their work without scruple Then follow very profitable Expositions of the other Commandments with many grave and weighty admonitions concerning the duties by them enjoyned and against those sins which are too Common in all Ages After that an Explanation of the Lords Prayer was added In the preface to which it is said that it is meet and requisite that the unlearned people should make their Prayers in their Mother-Tongue whereby they may be the more stirred to Devotion and to mind the things they prayed for Then followed an Exposition of the Angels Salutation of the Blessed Virgin In which the whole History of the Incarnation of Christ was opened and the Ave Maria explained which Hymne was chiefly to be used in Commemoration of Christs Incarnation and likewise to set forth the praises of the Blessed Virgin The next article is about Free-will which they say must be in man otherwise all Precepts and Exhortations are to no purpose They defined it a power of the will joyned with Reason whereby a reasonable creature without constraint in things of reason discerneth and willeth good and evil but chooseth good by the assistance of Gods grace and evil of it self This was perfect in the State of Innocency but is much impaired by Adams Fall and now by an especial grace offered to all men but enjoyed only by those who by their free-will do accept the same it was restored that with great watchfulness we may serve God acceptably And as many places of Scripture shew That free-will is still in man so there be many others which shew that the grace of God is necessary that doth both prevent us and assist us both to begin and perform every good work Therefore all men ought most gratefully to receive and follow the motions of the Holy Ghost and to beg Gods grace with earnest devotion and a stedfast Faith which he will grant to all that so ask it both because he is naturally good and he has promised to grant our desires For he is not the author of Sin nor the Cause of mans Damnation but this men draw on themselves who by vice have corrupted these Natures which God made good Therefore all Preachers were warned so to moderate themselves in this high point that they neither should so preach the Grace of God as to take away Free-will nor so extol Free-will as injury might be done to the Grace of God After this they handled Justification Having stated the miseries of man by nature and the guilt of Sin with the unspeakable goodness of God in sending Christ to redeem us by his death who was the Mediator between God and man They next shew how men are made partakers of the blessings which he hath procured Justification is the making of us righteous before God whereby we are reconciled to him and made heirs of Eternal life that by his Grace we may walk in his ways and be reputed just and righteous in the day of Judgment and so attain Everlasting Happiness God is the chief cause of our Justification yet man prevented by Grace is by his free-consent and obedience a worker toward the attaining his own Justification For though it is only procur'd through the merits of Christs death yet every one must do many things to attain a right and claim to that which though it was offered to all yet was applied but to a few We must have a stedfast Faith true Repentance real purposes of amendment committing Sin no more but serving God all our lives which if we fall from we must recover it by Penance Fasting Almes Prayer with other good works and a firm Faith going forward in mortification and obedience to the Laws of God It being certain that men might fall away from their Justification All curious reasonings about Predestination were to be set apart there being no certainty to he had of our Election but by feeling the motions of Gods Spirit in us by a good and virtuous life and persevering in it to the end Therefore it was to be taught that as on the one hand we are justified freely by the free Grace of God so on the other hand when it is said We are justified by Faith it must be understood of such a Faith in which the fear of God Repentance Hope and Charity be included all which must be joyned together in our Justification and though these be imperfect yet God accepteth of them freely thorough Christ. Next good works were explained which were said to be absolutely necessary to Salvation But these were not only outward corporal works but inward Spiritual works as the Love and Fear of God Patience Humility and the like Nor were they Superstitions and mens Inventions such as those in which Monks and Friers exercised themselves nor only moral works done by the power of Natural reason but the works of Charity flowing from a pure heart a good Conscience and Faith
unfeigned which were meritorious towards the attaining of Everlasting life Other works were of an Inferior sort such as Fasting Almsdeeds and other fruits of Penance And the merit of good works is reconciled with the freedom of Gods mercies to us since all our works are done by his Grace so that we have no cause of boasting but must ascribe all to the Grace and goodness of God The last Chapter is about Prayers for Souls departed which is the same that was formerly set out in the Articles three years before All this was finished and set forth this year with a Preface written by those of the Clergy who had been imployed in it declaring with what care they had examined the Scriptures and the ancient Doctors out of whom they had faithfully gathered this Exposition of the Christian Faith To this the King added another Preface some years after declaring that although he had cast out the darkness by setting forth the Scriptures to his people which had produced very good effects yet as hypocrisie and superstition were purged away so a Spirit of presumption dissension and carnal liberty was breaking in For repressing which he had by the advice of his Clergy set forth a Declaration of the true knowledg of God for directing all mens belief and practice which both Houses of Parliament had seen and liked very well So that he verily trusted it contained a true and sufficient Doctrine for the attaining everlasting life Therefore he required all his people to read and print in their hearts the Doctrine of this Book He also willed them to remember that as there were some Teachers whose Office it was to instruct the people so the rest ought to be taught and to those it was not necessary to read the Scriptures and that therefore he had restrained it from a great many esteeming it sufficient for such to hear the Doctrine of the Scriptures taught by their Preachers which they should lay up in their hearts and practise in their lives Lastly he desired all his Subjects to pray to God to grant them the Spirit of Humility that they might read and carry in their hearts the Doctrine set forth in this Book But though I have joyned the account of this Preface to the Extract here made of the Bishops Book yet it was not prefixed to it till above two years after the other was set out When this was published both parties found cause in it both to be glad and sorrowful The Reformers rejoyced to see the Doctrine of the Gospel thus opened more and more for they concluded that Ignorance and prejudices being the chief supports of the Errours they complained of the instructing people in Divine Matters even though some particulars displeased them yet would awaken and work upon an inquisitive humour that was then a-stirring and they did not doubt but their Doctrines were so clear that Inquiries into Religion would do their business They were also glad to see the Morals of Christianity so well cleared which they hoped would dispose people to a better taste of Divine matters since they had observed that purity of Soul does mightily prepare people for sound opinions Most of the Superstitious conceits and practices which had for some ages embased the Christian Faith were now removed and the great fundamental of Christianity the Covenant between God and man in Christ with the conditions of it was plainly and sincerely declared There was also another principle laid down that was big with a further Reformation for every National Church was declared a compleat Body within it self with power to reform heresies correct abuses and do every thing else that was necessary for keeping it self pure or governing its members By which there was a fair way opened for a full discussion of things afterwards when a fitter opportunity should be offered But on the other hand the Popish party thought they had gained much The seven Sacraments were again asserted so that here much ground was recovered and they hoped more would follow There were many things laid down to which they knew the Reformers would never consent So that they who were resolved to comply with every thing that the King had a mind to were pretty safe But the others who followed their perswasions and consciences were brought into many snares and the Popish party was confident that their absolute compliance which was joyned with all possible submission and flattery would gain the King at length and the stiffness of others who would not give that deference to the Kings judgment and pleasure would so alienate him from them that he would in the end abandon them for with the Kings years his uneasiness and peevishness grew mightily on him The dissolution of the Kings Marriage with Anne of Cleves had so offended the Princes of Germany that though upon the Ladies account they made no publick noise of it yet there was little more intercourse between the King and them especially Cromwel falling that had alwayes carried on the correspondence with them And as this intercourse went off so a secret Treaty was set on foot between the King and the Emperor yet it came not to a Conclusion till two years after The other Bishops that were appointed to examine the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church drew up a Rubrick and Rationale of them which I do not find was printed but a very Authentical M S. of a great part of it was is extant The alterations they made were inconsiderable and so slight that there was no need of reprinting either the Missals Breviaries or other Offices for a few rasures of these Collects in which the Pope was prayed for of Thomas Beckets Office and the Offices of other Saints whose days were by the Kings Injunctions no more to be observed with some other Deletions made that the old Books did still serve For whether it was that the Change of the Mass-Books and other publick Offices would have been too great a Charge to the Nation or whether they thought it would have possessed the people with an opinion that the Religion was altered since the Books of the ancient worship were changed which remaining the same they might be the more easily perswaded that the Religion was still the same there was no new impression of the Breviaries Missals and other Rituals during this Kings Reign Yet in Queen Maries time they took care that Posterity should not know how much was dashed out or changed For as all Parishes were required to furnish themselves with new compleat Books of the Offices so the dashed Books were every-where brought in and destroyed But it is likely that most of those Scandalous Hymnes and Prayers which are addressed to Saints in the same style in which good Christians worship God were all struck out because they were now condemned as appears from the Extract of the other Book set out by the Bishops But as they went on in these things the Popish party whose Counsels were
same directed with the Pope's Pollicitation mentioned in the same and semblablie I have received your Conjunct and several Letters of the date of the 18 and 29 days of March the 8 19 20 and 22 of April to me directed wherein ye at right good length have made mention of such Discourses Conferences Audiences and Communications as ye have had concerning your Charge since the time of your former Advertisements made in that behalf with all such Answers and Replications as have been made unto you by the Pope's Holiness and other on his behalf concerning the same In the Circumstances whereof ye have so diligently discreetly and substantially acquitted your selves as not only your firm and fervent desire to do unto the King's Highness special and singular service in this his great and weighty Cause but also your Wisdom Learning and perfect dexterities heretofore well known hath every one for his part thereby been largely of new shewed comprobate and declared to the King 's good contentment my rejoice and gladness and to your great laud and praise For the which his Grace giveth unto you right hearty thanks and I also for my part do the semblable assuring you in few words though the time and state of things hath not suffered that your desires might at this time be brought unto effect yet the King's Grace well knoweth perceiveth and taketh that more could not have been done excogitated or devised than ye have largely endeavoured your self unto for conducing the King's purpose which his Grace accepteth as touching your merits and acquittal in no less good and thankful part than if ye finding the disposition of things in more direct state had consecute all your pursuits and desires Nor ye shall doubt or think that either the King's Highness or I have conceived or thought any manner negligence in you for such things as were mentioned in the last Letters sent unto you by Alexander Messenger but that albeit his Highness had cause as the same wrote to marvel of your long demor and lack of expedition of one or other of the things committed to your charge yet did his Highness right well persuade unto himself the default not to be in you but in some other cause whereof his Grace not knowing the same might justly and meritoriously be brought unto admiration and marvel And therefore be ye all of good comfort and think your perfect endeavours used and services done to be employed there as it can right well in every part regarded and considered In effect coming to the Specialities of the things now to be answered The King's Highness having groundly noted and considered the whole continue and circumstances of all your said Letters and Advertisements findeth and perceiveth evidently that whatsoever Pursuits and Instances and Requests have been or shall be for this present time made there by you on his Grace's behalf to the Pope's Holiness for the furtherance of the said great and weighty Cause and how much soever the necessity of Christendom for the good of Peace the importance of the Matter the justness of the thing it self reason duty respect to good Merits detecting of Falsities used evident Arguments and Presumptions to the same or other thing whatsoever it be making for the King's purpose do weigh the Times be now such as all that shall be done in any of the Premisses there is apparent by such privy Intelligence and promise as is between the Pope and the Emperor to hang and depend upon the Emperor's Will Pleasure and Arbitre as whom the Pope's Holiness neither dare nor will in any part displease offend or miscontent nor do by himself any thing notable therein which he shall think or suppose to be of moment the said Emperor first inconsulted or not consenting thereunto And for that cause since the Emperor not only is the Adversary of Universal Peace Letter and Impeacher thereof but also as hath appeared by sundry Letters heretofore and now of new sent out of Spain doth shew himself adverse and enterponing himself as a Party against the King 's said great Matter It were in manner all one to prosecute the same at the Emperor's hands as at the Popes which so totally dependeth upon the Emperor and as much Fruit might be hoped of the one as of the other so as far discrepant it were from any wisdom in a thing so necessary and which as ye know must needs be brought unto an end without any further delay to consume and spend the time where such express contrariety and in manner dispair appeareth to do good therein and where should be none other but continual craft colour abuses refuses and delays but rather to proceed unto the same in place and after such form as may be a appearance of some good and brief effect to ensue Wherefore to shew you in Counsel and to be reserved unto your selves The King's Highness finding this ingratitude in the Pope's Holiness is minded for the time to dissemble the Matter and taking as much as may be had and attained there to the benefit of his Cause to proceed in the Decision of the same here by virtue of the Commission already granted unto me and my Lord Legate Campegius And for because that ye Mr. Stevins be largely ripened and acquainted in this Matter and that both the King's Highness and I have right large experience of your entire zeal and mind to the studying and setting forth of such things concerning the Law as may be to the furtherance hereof considering also that for any great thing like to be done there herein such Personages as be of good Authority Wisdom and Experience tho they be not learned in the Law may with such Counsel as ye have retained there right well serve to the accomplishment of such other things as shall occur or be committed unto them on the King's behalf tho so many Ambassadors do not there remain and continue His Grace therefore willing and minding to revoke you all by little and little except you Sir Gregory being his Ambassadour there continually residing willeth That after such things perfected and done as hereafter shall be mentioned ye Mr. Stevins and you Sir Francis Brian shall take you leave of the Pope's Holiness and with diligence return home For if ne had been the absence of you Mr. Stevins seeing that there is small appearance of any Fruit to be obtained there the King's Highness would have entred into Process here before this Whitsuntide But because his Grace would have you here present as well for the forming of the said Process and for such things as be trusted that ye shall obtain and bring with you as also for the better knowledge to be had in sundry Matters wherein you may be the better ripened and informed by means of your being in that Court And otherwise his Highness will somewhat the longer defer the commencement of the said Process and respite the same only for your coming which his Grace therefore desireth
this shall be only to signifie unto you how his Highness will that ye now forbear any further pursuit either for Commission Pollicitation or Rescript to be sent to the Emperor for exhibition of the Brief either here or at Rome but that following in every part the tenor of the said Instructions ye Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis Brian use all the diligence possible in your Voyage homeward and the residue of you to intend to such things as be mentioned in the said Instructions ascertaining you that whereas ye were in doubt what is meant by the Protestation spoken of in my former Letters and your Instructions it was none other thing than in the same Instructions was plainly specified and declared That is to say Failing of all your Requests and Pursuits touching the King 's great Matter to have shewed unto his Holiness the danger that might ensue by losing the entire favour of this Prince by mean of his so strange and unkind dealing with his Grace howbeit considering in what state the things now be and how much the Pope's Holiness seemeth to be inclined to the Emperors part And yet as appeareth both by your Letters and by such other knowledg as the King hath his Holiness would gladly conserve the King's Love and Favour and is loth to do any thing to the prejudice of his Cause It is no time to come to any rigorous or extream words with his Holiness but in gentle and modest manner to shew himself in such words as be mentioned in my said last Letters sent by Thadeus and so without irritation of him but with conservation of his favour to entertain his Holiness in the best manner that may be without medling in any other Protestation but only to look what may be done touching such Protestations apart as is mentioned in the said Instructions given to Mr. Benet which with these Letters shall be a sufficient information of you all what to do in the Causes to you committed not doubting but in all other particular suits of Bulls and other things committed unto you ye Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis Brian have or will do your best to bring the same with you the expedition whereof if they be not sped already the King's Highness committeth to the Wisdoms of such of you as shall fortune to be in the Court of Rome at the receipt hereof wherein and in all other things his Highness trusteth and I do the semblable that ye will order your selves with all effectual diligence as the special confidence that is put in you doth appertain And forasmuch as the greatest thing that is to be looked unto is the importune Suit of the Caesareans not only to stop any further things to be granted to the King's Highness but also to revoke the Commission given to the Lord Legate Campegius and to me which should be a clear disappointment and frustration of the King's Cause ye shall therefore look substantially by all politick means to withstand that no such thing be granted assuring the Pope and all the Cardinals and such other as have respect to the well of the See Apostolick that if he should do such an high injury to the King and his Realm and an Act so contumelious to us his Legates and so contrarious to his Faith and Promise he should thereby not fail so highly to irritate the King and all the Nobles of this Realm that undoubtedly they should decline from the obedience of the See Apostolick and consequently all other Realms should do the semblable forasmuch as they should find in the Head of the same neither justness uprightness nor truth and this shall be necessary as the case shall require well to be inculked and put in his head to the intent his Holiness by the same may be preserved from granting passing or condescending to any such thing After these Letters perfected hither and read unto the King's Highness albeit that mention is made in sundry places heretofore that 〈◊〉 well ye Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis Brian if ye be not returned fro◠the Court of Rome as also the rest of the King's Ambassadors which a◠the arrival of Mr. Doctor Bennet shall fortune to be there shall forbea◠to make any further means or pursuit for the New Commission and Pollicitation but clearly to use silence therein yet nevertheless regarding and more profoundly considering the effect of your Letters last sent i◠doth plainly appear that tho after the overture made to the Pope's Holiness of the said New Commission the Business chanced to be made by the Emperor's Ambassador upon preferring a Supplication for advocation of the Cause which thing by your writing Mr. Stevins to Capisuke was well avoided yet was there none express refusal made by the Pope's Holiness to condescend unto the said New Commission but order given that you should consult and confer with the Cardinal Anconitane and Symonette upon the same which Conference by mean of the said Business was deferred and disappointed without any final conclusion or resolution taken thereupon Wherefore inasmuch as yet there appeareth none utter despair of obtaining the said New Commission and Pollicitation with some more fat pregnant and effectual Clauses than the other hath The King's pleasure is That notwithstanding any words before mentioned both ye the said Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis Brian if ye be not departed from the Court of Rome do for the time of your demur there which the King's pleasure is shall not be long but only for taking of your leave and also the rest of the King 's said Orators after your departure shall as ye shall see the case require endeavour your selves as much as may be to obtain the said New Commission and Pollicitation foreseeing always that you handle the matter after such manner as thereby the Pope be not the rather induced to hearken and incline to any persuites of the Imperials for advocation of the Cause which were a total frustration of all the King's intent but so to use your selves as ye shall see to be to the benefit and not to the hindrance thereof Which done the King's Grace doth refer the good handling of this thing to your wisdoms and discretions neither to leave the persuit for the said Commission and Pollicitation if it may without dammage be followed nor to follow it if thereby you shall see apparent danger of any such Advocation or advantage to ensue to the purpose of the Imperialists like as his Highness doubteth not knowing now the King's mind and pleasure you will with wisdom and dexterity order your selves herein accordingly And furthermore you shall in any wise dissuade the Pope for sending either by his Nuntio to be sent unto Spain or otherwise for the Original Brief And if the Nuntio be already passed having charge to speak for sending the same to the Court of Rome then to find the means that a Commandment be by the Pope's Holiness sent after him not to make any mention thereof Which done
signified unto you as by inferring the high and extream dishonour and intolerable prejudice that the Pope's Holiness thereof should do to his said Legates and also the contrariety both of his Bull and Commission and also of his Promise and Pollicitation passed upon the same beside the notable and excellent displeasure thereby to be done by his Holiness to us and our Realm clear contrary to our merits and deserts extending also the other dangers mentioned in the said former Writings apparent to ensue thereby to his Holiness and the See Apostolick with the manifold and in manner inâ—inite inconveniences like to follow of the same to all Christendom and all other such reasons introductions and perswasions ye can make and devise for that purpose putting him also in remembrance of the great Commodity coming unto his Holiness herein by reason that this Cause being here decided the Pope not only is delivered from the pains that he should in this time of Disease and Sickness to the extream peril of his Life sustain with the same seeing that it is of such moment and importance as suffereth no tract or delay but also his Holiness shall by such decision here eschew and avoid all displeasure that he should not fail to have if it were or should be passed elsewhere which matter is no little wisdom well to foresee and consider and not only to forbear to do or pass any thing derogatory or prejudicial to his said Commission but also by all means possible to corroborate and fortify the same and all such Acts judicial as shall pass by his said Legates by virtue thereof Like-as we doubt not but that the Pope's Holiness of his Uprightness Vertue and perfect Wisdom will do and rather like a most loving Father and Friend tender and favour our good just and reasonable Causes and Desires putting thereunto all the furtherance he may do than to do or consent to be done any thing hurtful prejudicial dammageable or displeasant unto us or this our said Cause And finally If need shall be we will ye also infer as the case shall require how inconvenient it were this our Matter should be decided in the Court of Rome which now dependeth totally in the Emperor's Arbitre having such puissance near thereunto that as hath been written by the Pope's own Letters their State and Life there is all in the Emperor's hands whose Armies may famish or relieve them at their pleasure And semblably ye shall not forget the prerogative of our Crown and Jurisdiction Royal by the ancient Laws of our Realm which admitteth nothing to be done by the Pope to the prejudice thereof and also what danger they should incur that would presume to bring or present any such thing unto the same as in our last Letters sent by Alexander was touched at good length Wherein since ye be already so well and amply instructed knowing also how much the Matter imports and toucheth us and what profit and agreeable service ye may do unto us herein with the high thanks that ye may deserve for the same We shall not be more prolix but refer the substantial perfect and assured handling hereof to your circumspections fidelities and diligences not doubting but that ye will now above all other things look vigilantly hereunto and so acquit your selves in the same as it may well appear that your Acts shall be correspondent to our firm trust and expectation and no less tender this thing than ye know it to be imprinted in the bottom of our Heart nor then as ye know both the importance and high moment and also the very necessity of the Matter doth require In which doing beside the laud and praise that ye shall consecute thereby of all good Men we shall so have your acquittals in our remembrance as ye shall have cause to think your travels pains and studies herein in the best wise collocate and emploied Given under our Signet at our Palace of Bridewel the 23 d day of Iune Rome 9 Iuly 1529. XXIX Doctor Bennet's Letter to the Cardinal shewing how little they might expect from the Pope An Original PLease it your Grace to understand that the 6 th day of this month the Pope's Holiness send for us Albeit we had made great sute for audience before to his Holiness soon after that we had understanding that his Holiness was recovered of this his last Sickness into the which he fell the second day after I had my first audience of his Holiness which was the 21 day of the last month And after our long communication and reasoning in the King's Highness Cause which at length we have written to your Grace in our common Letter for a confirmation of many inconveniences and dangers which we perswaded to his Holiness to follow both to himself and to the See Apostolick in case his Holiness should avoke the cause I thought much convenient at that same time to deliver the King 's familiar and likewise your Grace's Letter and so to shew your Grace's Credence to his Holiness After the foresaid Letters delivered and by his Holiness read his Holiness shewed me that he perceived by your Grace's Letters that I had certain Credence to shew unto him of great moment and importance concerning him and the See Apostolick I shewed to his Holiness your Grace's Faith and observance his Holiness doth best know most humbly besought his Holiness to believe these undoubtedly to follow That if his Holiness should at the labours of the Caesareans avoke the Cause he should not alonely offend the King's Highness which hitherto hath been a stay a help and a defence of the See Apostolick but also by reason of this injury without remedy shall alienate his Majesty and Realms with others from the devotion and obedience of the See Apostolick This I shewed his Holiness that your Grace doth evidently perceive to follow in case his Holiness should incline to the Caesareans desire on this behalf Yea further I said that your Grace most clearly perceiveth also by that Act the Church of England utterly to be destroyed and likewise your Person and that these your Grace with weeping tears most lamentably committed unto me to shew to his Holiness Furthermore I shewed to his Holiness that your Grace howsoever you should proceed in this Cause did intend to proceed so sincerely indifferently and justly that you would rather suffer to be jointed Joint by Joint than either for affection or fear do any act either against your Conscience or Justice Furthermore I said that seeing his Holiness may be so well assured that your Grace will do nothing but according to Justice in this Cause he may the more boldly deny Avocations to the Caesareans seeing that the Queen and the Emperor can desire but Justice which they may have at your Grace's hand and my Lord Campegius as well there as here and by this means his Holiness should deliver himself from great pains and unquietness of mind which he should sustain
Dearth and Famine by mean thereof in the said outward Regions insuing and gentily over all was depopulation destruction and confusion the King 's said Subjects in all this time were by the high providence and politick means of his Grace nevertheless preserved defended and maintained from all these inconveniences and dangers and such provisions taken by one way or other so as reasonable commodity was always given unto them to exercise their Traffiques of Merchandise and other their Crafts Mysteries and Occupations for their living which could not possibly have been brought about unless then the King's Highness with continual studies travels and pains and with his infinite Charges and Expences had converted the peril and danger of the Enterprises and Exploits set forth for the reduction of the Enemies unto Peace from his own Subjects unto Strangers Whereof finally such Fruit and Effect is ensued as by the King's policy puissance and means general and universal Peace is established amongst all Christian Princes and this Realm now thanked be God constitute in free better and more assured and profitable Amity with all outward Parties than hath been at any time whereof is memory or remembrance Considering furthermore That his Highness in and about the Premisses hath been fain to employ not only such sums of Mony as hath risen and grown by any manner of contribution made unto his Grace by his said loving Subjects but also over and above the same sundry other notable and excellent Sums of his own Treasure and yearly Revenues which else his Grace might have kept and reserved to his own use amongst which manifold great Sums so employed his Highness also as is notoriously known and as doth evidently appear by the accompts of the same hath to that use and none other converted all such Mony as by any his Subjects and People Spiritual and Temporal hath been advanced unto his Grace by way of Prest and Loan either particularly or by any Taxation made of the same being a thing so well collocate and bestowed seeing the said high and great Fruits and Effects thereof ensued to the honour surety well perfect commodity and perpetual tranquillity of this said Realm as nothing could better nor more to the comfort of his said Subjects be desired studied or imagined Of one mind consent and assent and by Authority of this present Parliament do for themselves and all the whole Body of the Realm whom they do represent freely liberally and absolutely give and grant unto the King's Highness by Authority of this present Parliament all and every Sum and Sums of Mony which to them and every of them is ought or might be due by reason of any Mony or any other thing to his Grace at any time heretofore advanced or payed by way of Prest or Loan either upon any Letter or Letters under the King 's Privy Seal general or particular Letter Missive Promise Bond or Obligation of payment or by any Taxation or other Assessing by virtue of any Commission or Commissions or by any other mean or means whatsoever it be heretofore passed for that purpose and utterly frankly liberally and most willingly and benevolently for them their Heirs Executors and Successors do remit release and quit claim unto his Highness his Heirs and Successors for ever all and every the same Sums of Mony and every parcel thereof and all and singular Suits Petitions and Demands which they or any of them their Heirs Successors or Executors or the Heirs Executors or Successors of any of them have had or may have for the same or any parcel thereof most humbly and lovingly beseeching his Highness for the more clear discharge for the same that it may be ordained and enacted by the King our said Sovereign Lord the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same that all Promises Bonds Writings Obligatory Letters under the King 's Privy Seal Signet Sign Manual or Great Seal passed and other Bonds or Promises whatsoever they be had or made to any Person or Persons Spiritual or Temporal Shire City Burrough Waxentale Tranship Hamlet Village Monastry Church Cathedral or Collegiat or to any Guild Fraternity or Body Corporate Fellowship or Company or other whatsoever having capacity to take any Bond especially and generally jointly or severally touching or concerning the same Prest or Loan or every of them or the repaiment of any Sum or Sums of Mony for the same be from henceforth void and of none effect Cui quidem billae probe ad plenum intellectae per dictum Dominum Regem ex assensu Authoritate Parliamenti praedicti taliter est responsum Le Roy remercie Les Seigneurs ses communes de leur bonne cueurs en faifant cest graunt icelle se Majeste accepte tout le contenu cest escriture a graunt aprove avecques tous les articles en ceste escripture specifies XXXII A Letter from Gardiner and Fox about their Proceedings at Cambridg An Original Feb. 1530. from Cambridg by Stephen Gardiner To the King's Highness PLeaseth it your Highness to be advertised That arriving here at Cambridg upon Saturday last past at noon that same night and Sunday in the Morning we devised with the Vice-chancellour and such other as favoureth your Grace's Cause how and in what sort to compass and attain your Grace's Purpose and Intent wherein we assure your Grace we found much towardness good will and diligence in the Vice-Chancellour and Dr. Edmunds being as studious to serve your Grace as we could wish or desire Nevertheless there was not so much care labour study and diligence employed on our Party by them our self and other for attaining your Grace's Purpose but there was as much done by others for the lett and empeachment of the same and as we assembled they assembled as we made Friends they made Friends to lett that nothing should pass as in the Universities Name wherein the first day they were Superiors for they had put in the ears of them by whose Voices such things do pass multas fabulas too tedious to write unto your Grace Upon Sunday at afternoon were assembled after the manner of the University all the Doctors Batchellors of Divinity and Masters of Art being in number almost two hundred In that Congregation we delivered your Grace's Letters which were read openly by the Vice-Chancellor And for answer to be made unto them first the Vice-Chancellor calling apart the Doctors asked their Advice and Opinion whereunto they answered severally as their Affections led them res erat in multa confusione Tandem they were content Answer should be made to the Questions by indifferent Men But then they came to Exceptions against the Abbot of St. Benets who seemed to come for that purpose and likewise against Dr. Reppes and Dr. Crome and also generally against all such as had allowed Dr. Cranmer's Book inasmuch as they had already declared their Opinion We said
works of the same we shall not only obtain everlasting life but also we shall deserve remission or mitigation of these present pains and afflictions in this World according to the saying of St. Paul Si nos ipsi judicaremus non judicaremur a Domino Zacharias Convertimini ad me ego convertar ad vos Esajas â—8 frange esurienti panem tuum c. tunc eris velut hortus irriguus Haec sunt inculcanda ecclesiis ut exercitentur ad bene operandum in his ipsis operibus exerceant confirment fidem petentes expectantes a Deo mitigationem praesentium calamitatum The Sacrament of the Altar FOurthly as touching the Sacrament of the Altar We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that they ought and must constantly believe that under the form and figure of bread and wine which we there presently do see and perceive by our outward senses is verily substantially and really contained and comprehended the very selfe-same body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered upon the cross for our Redemption and that under the same form and figure of bread and wine the very selfe-same body and blood of Christ is corporally really and in the very substance exhibited distributed and received of all them which receive the said Sacrament and that therefore the said Sacrament is to be used with all due reverence and honour and that every man ought first to prove and examine himself and religiously to try and search his own Conscience before he shall receive the same according to the saying of St. Paul Quisquis ederit panem hunc aut biberit de poculo domini indigne reus erit corporis sanguinis domini probet autem seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat de poculo illo bibat nam qui edit aut bibit indâ—gne judicium sibiipsi manducat bâ—bit non dijudicans corpus domini Iustification FIfthly As touching the order and cause of our Justification we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that this word Justification signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God that is to say our perfect renovation in Christ. Item That sinners attain this Justification by Contrition and Faith joyned with Charity after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared not as though our Contrition or Faith or any works proceeding thereof can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said Justification for the only mercy and grace of the Father promised freely unto us for his Sons sake Jesus Christ and the merits of his blood and his passion be the only sufficient and worthy causes thereof and yet that notwithstanding to the attaining of the said Justification God requireth to be in us not only inward Contrition perfect Faith and Charity certain hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and motions which as we said before must necessarily concur in remission of our sins that is to say our Justification but also he requireth and commandeth us that after we be justified we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his Laws and Commandments for although acceptation to everlasting life be conjoyned with Justification yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting Life and we being justified be necessarily bound and it is our necessary duty to do good works according to the saying of St. Paul debitores sumus non carni ut secundum carnem vivamus nam si secundum carnem vixerimus moriemur sin autem spiritu facta corporis mortificaverimus vivemus etenim quicunque spiritu dei ducuntur hi sunt filii dei and Christ saith si vis ad vitam ingredi serva mandata and St. Paul saith de malis operibus qui talia agunt Regnum dei non possidebunt Wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge and God necessarily requireth of us to do good works commanded by him and that not only outward and civil works but also the inward spiritual motions and graces of the Holy Ghost that is to say to dread and fear God to love God to have firm confidence and trust in God to invocate and call upon God to have patience in all adversities to hate sin and to have certain purpose and will not to sin again and such other like motions and vertues for Christ saith Nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plusquam scribarum Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum caelorum that is to say we must not only do outward civil good works but also we must have these foresaid inward spiritual motions consenting and agreeable to the Law of God Of Images AS touching Images truth it is that the same have been used in the old Testament and also for the greater abuses of them sometime destroyed and put down and in the new Testament they have been also allowed as good Authors do declare wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge how they ought and may use them And First that this may be attributed unto them that they be representers of vertue and good example and that they also be by occasion the kindlers and firers of mens minds and make men often remember and lament their sins and offences especially the Images of Christ and our Lady and that therefore it is meet that they should stand in the Churches and none otherwise to be esteemed And to the intent the rude people should not from henceforth take such superstition as in time past it is thought that the same hath used to do we will that our Bishops and Preachers diligently shall teach them and according to this Doctrine reform their abuses for else there might fortune Idolatry to ensue which God forbid And as for Censing of them and kneeling and offering unto them with other like worshippings although the same hath entred by devotion and fallen to custome yet the people ought to be diligently taught that they in no ways do it nor think it meet to be done to the same Images but only to be done to God and in his honour although it be done before the Images whether it be of Christ of the Cross or of our Lady or of any other Saint besides Of Honouring of Saints AS touching the honouring of Saints we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that Saints now being with Christ in Heaven be to be honoured of Christian people in Earth but not with that confidence and honour which
of whom some perhaps were damn'd Souls and others were never in being These arts being detected and withal their great Viciousness in some places and in all their great abuse of the Christian Religion made it seem unfit they should be continued But it was their dependence on the See of Rome which as the state of things then was made it necessary that they should be supprest New Foundations might have done well and the scantness of those considering the number and wealth of those which were suppressed is one of the great blemishes of that Reign But it was in vain to endeavour to amend the old ones Their numbers were so great their Riches and Interests in the Nation so considerable that a Prince of Ordinary mettal would not have attempted such a design much less have compleated it in Five years time With these fell the Superstition of Images Reliques and the Redemption of Souls out of Purgatory And those Extravagant Addresses to Saints that are in the Roman Offices were thrown out only an Ora pro nobis was kept up and even that was left to the liberty of Priests to leave it out of the Litanies as they saw cause These were great preparations for a Reformation But it went further and two things were done upon which a greater Change was reasonably to be expected The Scriptures were Translated into the English tongue and set up in all Churches and every one was admitted to read them and they alone were declared the Rule of Faith This could not but open the eyes of the Nation who finding a profound silence in these writings about many things and a direct opposition to other things that were still retained must needs conclude even without deep Speculations or nice Disputing that many things that were still in the Church had no ground in Scripture and some of the rest were directly contrary to it This Cranmer knew well would have such an operation and therefore made it his chief business to set it forward which in Conclusion he happily effected Another thing was also established which opened the way to all that followed That every National Church was a Compleat Body within it self so that the Church of England with the Authority and Concurrence of their Head and King might examine and Reform all Errors and Corruptions whether in Doctrine or Worship All the Provincial Councils in the ancient Church were so many Precedents for this who condemned Heresies and Reformed abuses as the occasion required And yet these being all but parts of one Empire there was less reason for their doing it without staying for a General Council which depended upon the pleasure of one man the Roman Emperor than could be pretended when Europe was divided into so many Kingdoms By which a common Concurrence of all these Churches was a thing scarce to be expected and therefore this Church must be in a very ill Condition if there could be no endeavours for a Reformation till all the rest were brought together The Grounds of the new-Covenant between God and man in Christ were also truly stated and the terms on which Salvation was to be hoped for were faithfully opened according to the New-Testament And this being in the strict notion of the word the Gospel and the glad tidings preached through our Blessed Lord and Saviour it must be confessed that there was a great Progress made when the Nation was well instructed about it though there was still an alloy of other Corruptions embasing the Purity of the Faith And indeed in the whole progress of these changes the Kings design seemed to have been to terrifie the Court of Rome and cudgel the Pope into a Compliance with what he desired for in his heart he continued addicted to some of the most extravagant Opinions of that Church such as Transubstantiation and the other Corruptions in the Mass so that he was to his lives end more Papist than Protestant There are two Prejudices which men have generally drunk in against that time The one is from the Kings great Enormities both in his personal Deportment and Government which make many think no good could be done by so ill a man and so cruel a Prince I am not to defend him nor to lessen his faults The vastness and irregularity of his Expence procured many heavy Exactions and twice extorted a publick Discharge of his debts embased the Coin with other Irregularities His proud and impatient Spirit occasioned many cruel proceedings The taking so many lives only for denying his Supremacy particularly Fisher's and More 's the one being extreme old and the other one of the Glories of his Nation for Probity and Learning The taking advantage from some Eruptions in the North to break the Indempnity he had before proclaimed to those in the Rebellion even though they could not be proved Guilty of those second disorders His extreme Severity to all Cardinal Pool's Family his cruel using first Cromwel and afterwards the Duke of Norfolk and his Son besides his un-exampled Proceedings against some of his Wives and that which was worst of all The laying a Precedent for the subversion of Iustice and oppressing the clearest Innocence by attaining men without hearing them These are such remarkable blemishes that as no man of ingenuity can go about the whitening them so the poor Reformers drunk so deep of that bitter cup that it very ill becomes any of their followers to endeavour to give fair Colours to those red and bloody Characters with which so much of his Reign is stained Yet after all this sad enumeration it was no new nor unusual thing in the methods of Gods Providence to employ Princes who had great mixtures of very gross faults to do signal things for his Service Not to mention David and Solomon whose sins were expiated with a severe Repentance it was the bloody Cyrus that sent back the Iews to their Land and gave them leave to re-build their Temple Constantine the Great is by some of his Enemies charged with many blemishes both in his Life and Government Clovis of France under whom that Nation received the Christian Faith was a monster of Cruelty and Perfidiousness as even Gregory of Tours represents him who lived near his time and nevertheless makes a Saint of him Charles the Great whom some also make a Saint both put away his wife for a very slight cause and is said to have lived in most unnatural lusts with his own Daughter Irene whom the Church of Rome magnifies as the Restorer of their Religion in the East did both contrary to the Impressions of Nature and of her Sex put out her own Sons eyes of which he died soon after with many other execrable things And whatever Reproaches those of the Church of Rome cast on the Reformation upon the account of this Kings faults may be easily turned back on their Popes who have never failed to court and extol Princes that served their ends how gross and scandalous soever their
things in which if these excuses do not wholly clear them yet they very much lessen their Guilt And after all this it must be Confessed they were men and had mixtures of fear and human infirmities with their other excellent Qualities And indeed Cranmer was in all other points so extraordinary a person that it was perhaps fit there should be some ingredients in his Temper to lessen the Veneration which his great worth might have raised too high if it had not been for these feeblenesses which upon some occasions appeared in him But if we examine the failings of some of the greatest of the Primitive Fathers as Athanasius Cyril and others who were the most zealous asserters of the Faith we must conclude them to have been nothing inferiour to any that can be charged on Cranmer whom if we consider narrowly we shall find as eminent vertues and as few faults in him as in any Prelate that has been in the Christian Church for many Ages And if he was prevailed on to deny his Master through fear he did wash off that stain by a sincere Repentance and a patient Martyrdome in which he expressed an eminent resentment of his former frailty with a pitch of Constancy of mind above the rate of modern Examples But their vertues as well as their faults are set before us for our instruction and how frail soever the vessels were they have conveyed to us a treasure of great value The pure Gospel of our Lord and Saviour which if we follow and govern our lives and hearts by it we may hope in easier and plainer paths to attain that Blessedness which they could not reach but through scorching flames and if we do not improve the Advantages which this light affords we may either look for some of those trials which were sent for the exercise of their Faith and Patience and perhaps for the punishment of their former Compliance or if we escape these we have cause to fear worse in the Conclusion EFFIGIES HENRICI VIII D. G ANGLIAE GALL. ET HIB REGIS DEFENSORIS FIDEI HHolbein pinxit Natus 1491 Iun 28. Patri Successit in Regno 1509 Apr. 22. Obijt 1547 8 Ian 28. Anno Aetat 57. pag. 1. Printed for Ricâ— Chiswell at the Rose and Crowne in St. Pauls Church yard THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE Church of England BOOK I. A Summary View of King Henry the Eighth's Reign till the Process of his Divorce was begun in which the State of England chiefly as it related to Religion is opened ENGLAND had for a whole Age felt the Miseries of a long and cruel War between the Two Houses of York and Lancaster during which time as the Crown had lost great Dominions beyond Sea so the Nation was much impoverished many Noble Families extinguisht much Blood shed great Animosities every-where raised with all the other Miseries of a lasting Civil War But they now saw all these happily composed when the Two Families did unite in King Henry the Eighth In his Fathers Reign they were rather cemented and joyned than united whose great Partiality to the House of Lancaster from which he was Descended and Severity to the Branches of the House of York in which even his own Queen had a large share together with the Impostors that were set up to disturb his Reign kept these heats alive which were now all buried in his grave and this made the Succession of his Son so universally acceptable to the whole Nation who now hoped to revive their former pretensions in France and to have again a large share in all the Affairs of Europe from which their Domestick Broils had so long excluded them There was another thing which made his first coming to the Crown no less acceptable which was that the same day that his Father died he ordered Dudley and Empson to be committed to the Tower His Father whether out of Policy or Inclination or both was all his life much set on the gathering of Treasure so that those Ministers were most acceptable who could fill his Coffers best and though this occasioned some Tumults and disposed the People to all those Commotions which fell out in his Reign yet he being successful in them all continued in his course of heaping up Money Towards the end of his Life he found out those Two Instruments who out-did all that went before them and what by vexatious Suits upon Penal but obsolete Laws what by unjust Imprisonments and other violent and illegal proceedings raised a general odium upon the Government and this grew upon him with his years and was come to so great a height towards the end of his Life that he died in good time for his own quiet For as he used all possible endeavours to get Money so what he got he as carefully kept and distributed very little of it among those about him so that he had many Enemies and but few Friends This being well considered by his Son he began his Government with the disgrace of those Two Ministers against whom he proceeded according to Law all the other inferiour Officers whom they had made use of were also Imprisoned When they had thus fallen many and great Complaints came in from all parts against them they also apprehending the danger they were like to be in upon their Masters Death had been practising with their Partners to gather about them all the Power they could bring together whether to secure themselves from popular Rage or to make themselves seem considerable or formidable to the new King This and other Crimes being brought in against them they were found guilty of Treason in a legal Trial. But the King judged this was neither a sufficient Reparation to his Oppressed People nor Satisfaction to Justice Therefore he went further and both ordered Restitution to be made by his Fathers Executors of great Sums of Money which had been unjustly extorted from his Subjects and in his first Parliament which he Summoned to the Twenty first of Ianuary following he not only delivered up Empson and Dudley with their Complices to the Justice of the Two Houses who attainted them by Act of Parliament and a little after gave order for their Execution but did also give his Royal assent to those other Laws by which the Subject was secured from the like Oppressions for the future and that he might not at all be suspected of any such Inclinations as his Father had to amass Treasure he was the most magnificent in his Expence of any Prince in Christendom and very bountiful to all about him and as one extreme commonly produces another so his Fathers Covetousness led him to be Prodigal and the vast Wealth which was left him being reckoned no less then 1800000 l. was in Three years dissipated as if the Son in his expence had vied Industry with his Father in all his Thrift Thomas Earl of Surrey afterwards Duke of Norfolk to shew how compliant he
at Rome to see it fall on him So in Easter-week he was ordered to go North though he had a great mind to have stayed at Richmond which the King had given him in Exchange for Hampton-Court that he had also built But that was too near the Court and his enemies had a mind to send him further from it Accordingly he went to Cawood in York-shire in which journey it appears that the ruins of his state were considerable for he travelled thither with an 160 horse in his train and 72 Carts following him with his houshold stuff To Conclude his story all at once he was in November the next year seized on by the Earl of Northumberland who attached him for high Treason and committed him to the keeping of the Lieutenant of the Tower who was ordered to bring him up to London And even â—hen he had gracious messages from the King but these did not work much on him for whether it was that he knew himself guilty of some secret Practises with the Pope or with the Emperor which yet he denyed to the last or whether he could no longer stand under the Kings displeasure and that change of condition he was so cast down that on his way to London he sickened at Sheffield Park in the Earl of Shrewsburies house from whence by slow journeys he went as far as Leicester where after some days languishing he dyed and at the last made great Protestations of his having served the King faithfully and that he had little regarded the service of God to do him pleasure but if he had served God as he had done him he would not have given him over so as he did in his gray hairs And he desired the King to reflect on all his past services and in particular in his weighty matter for by that phrase they usually spoke of the Kings Divorce and then he would find in his Conscience whether he had offended him or not He dyed the 28 of November 1530. and was the greatest Instance that several Ages had shown of the Variety and Inconstancy of Humane things both in his rise and fall and by his temper in both it appears he was unworthy of his greatness and deserved what he suffered But to conclude all that is to be said of him I shall add what the writer of his life ends it with Here is the end and fall of Pride and Arrogance for I assure you in his time he was the haughtiest man in all his proceedings alive having more respect to the honour of his Person than he had to his Spiritual Profession wherein should be shewed all meekness and charity But now with the change of this great Minister there followed a change of Counsels and therefore the King resolved to hold a Parliament that he might meet his people and establish such a good understanding between himself and them that he might have all secured at home and then he resolved to proceed more confidently abroad There had been no Parliament for seven years but the blame of that and of every other miscarriage falling naturally on the disgraced Minister he did not doubt that he should be able to give his people full satisfaction in that and in every thing else So a Parliament was summoned to meet the 3d of November And there among several other Laws that were made for the publick good of the Kingdom there were Bills sent up by the House of Commons against some of the most exorbitant abuses of the Clergy one was against the Exactions for the Probates of Wills another was for the Regulating of Mortuaries a third was about the Plurality of Benefices and non-residence and Churchmens being Farmers of Lands In the passing of these Bills there were severe reflections made on the vices and corruptions of the Clergy of that time which were believed to flow from men that favoured Luthers Doctrine in their hearts When these Bills were brought up to the House of Lords the Bishop of Rochester speaking to them did reflect on the House of Commons saying that they were resolved to bring down the Church and he desired they would consider the miserable state of the Kingdom of Bohemia to which it was reduced by Heresie and ended that all this was for lack of Faith But this being afterwards known to the House of Commons they sent their speaker Sr. Thomas Audley with 30 of their members to complain to the King of the Bishop of Rochester for saying that their Acts flowed from the want of Faith which was an high Imputation on the whole Nation when the Representative of the Commons was so charged as if they had been Infidels and Heathens This was set on by the Court to mortifie that Bishop who was unacceptable to them for his adhering so firmly to the Queens cause The King sent for the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and six other Bishops and before them told the complaint of the Commons But the Bishop of Rochester excused himself and said he only meant of the Kingdom of Bohemia when he said all flowed from the want of Faith and did not at all intend the House of Commons This Explanation the King sent by the Treasurer of his houshold Sr. Will. Fitz-Williams But though the matter was passed over yet they were not at all satisfied with it so that they went on laying open the abuses of the Clergy In the House of Peers great opposition was made to the Bills and the Clergy both within and without doors did defame them and said these were the ordinary beginnings of Heresie to complain of Abuses and pretend Reformation on purpose to disgrace the Clergy from which Heresie took it's chief strength And the Spiritual Lords did generally oppose them the Temporal Lords being no less earnest to have them passed The Cardinal was admitted to sit in the House where he showed himself as submissive in his fauning as he had formerly done in his scorn and contempt of all who durst oppose him But the King set the Bills forward and in the end they were agreed to by the Lords and had the Royal Assent The King intended by this to let the Pope see what he could do if he went on to offend him and how willingly his Parliament would concur with him if it went to extremities He did also endear himself much to the People by relieving them from the oppressions of the Clergy But the Clergy lost much by this means for these Acts did not only lessen their present profits but did open the way for other things that were more to their detriment afterward Their opposing of this and all other motions for Reformation did very much encrease the prejudices that were conceived against them whereas if such motions had either risen from themselves or had at least been cherished by them their Adversaries had not perhaps been so favourably heard so fatally did they mistake their true Interest when they thought they were concerned
when that fit was over she desired to have the Sacrament still by her that she might cry for Mercy And she said to the Lieutenant of the Tower she was as clear of the company of all men as to sin as she was clear from him and that she was the Kings true wedded Wife And she cryed out O Norris hast thou accused me thou art in the Tower with me and thou and I shall dye together and Mark so shall thou too She apprehended they were to put her in a Dungeon and sadly bemoaned her own and her Mothers misery and asked them whether she must dye without Justice But they told her the poorest Subjects had Justice much more would she have it The same Letter sayes that Norris had not accused her and that he said to her Almoner that he could swear for her she was a good Woman But she being made believe that he had accused her and not being then so free in her thoughts as to consider that ordinary Artifice for drawing out Confessions told all she knew both of him and Mark. Which though it was not enough to destroy her yet certainly wrought much on the jealous and alienated King She told them that she once asked Norris why he did not go on with his Marriage who answered her that he would yet tarry some time To which she replyed you look for dead mens shoes for if ought come to the King but good you would look to have me He answered if he had any such thought he would his head were cut off Upon which she said she could undoe him if she pleased and thereupon she fell out with him As for Mark who was then laid in Irons she said he was never in her Chamber but when the King was last at Winchester and then he came in to play on the Virginals she said that she never spoke to him after that but on Saturday before May day when she saw him standing in the Window and then she asked him why he was so sad he said it was no matter she answered you may not look to have me speak to you as if you were a Nobleman since you are an inferior person No no Madam said he a Look sufficeth me She seemed more apprehensive of Weston than of any body For on Whitsun-Munday last he said to her that Norris came more to her Chamber upon her account than for any body else that was there She had observed that he loved a Kinswoman of hers and challenged him for it and for not loving his Wife But he answered her that there were Women in the House whom he loved better than them both she asked who is that your self said he upon which she said she defied him This Misery of the Queens drew after it the common effects that follow persons under such a disgrace for now all the Court was against her and every one was courting the rising Queen But Cranmer had not learned these Arts and had a better Soul in him than to be capable of such baseness and ingratitude He had been much obliged by her and had conceived an high opinion of her and so could not easily receive ill impressions of her yet he knew the Kings temper and that a down-right Justification of her would provoke him therefore he wrote the following Letter on the 3d of May with all the softness that so tender a point required in which he justified her as far as was consistent with Prudence and Charity The Letter showes of what a Constitution he was that wrote it and contains so many things that tend highly to her honour that I shall insert it here as I copied it from the Original Pleaseth it your most Noble Grace to be advertised that at your Graces Commandment by Mr. Secretary his Letters written in your Graces name I came to Lambeth yesterday and do there remain to know your Graces further pleasure And forsomuch as without your Graces Commandment I dare not contrary to the Contents of the said Letters presume to come unto your Graces Presence nevertheless of my most bounden duty I can do no less than most humbly to desire your Grace by your great Wisdom and by the Assistance of Gods help somewhat to suppress the deep sorrows of your Graces heart and to take all Adversities of Gods hands both patiently and thankfully I cannot deny but your Grace hath great causes many ways of lamentable heaviness and also that in the wrongful estimation of the World your Graces honour of every part is so highly touched whether the things that commonly be spoken of be true or not that I remember not that ever Almighty God sent unto your Grace any like occasion to try your Graces constancy throughout whether your Highness can be content to take off Gods hand as well things displeasant as pleasant And if he find in your most Noble heart such an Obedience unto his Will that your Grace without murmuration and overmuch heaviness do accept all adversities not less thanking him than when all things succeed after your Graces Will and Pleasure nor less procuring his Glory and Honour then I suppose your Grace did never thing more acceptable unto him since your first Governance of this your Realm And moreover your Grace shall give unto him occasion to multiply and encrease his Graces and benefits unto your Highness as he did unto his most faithful Servant Iob unto whom after his great Calamities and heaviness for his obedient heart and willing acceptation of Gods scourge and rod Addidit ei Dominus cuncta duplicia And if it be true that is openly reported of the Queens Grace if men had a right estimation of things they should not esteem any part of your Graces Honour to be touched thereby but her Honour only to be clearly disparaged And I am in such a perplexity that my mind is clean amazed For I never had better opinion in Woman than I had in her which maketh me to think that she should not be culpable And again I think your Highness would not have gon so far except she had surely been culpable Now I think that your Grace best knoweth that next unto your Grace I was most bound unto her of all creatures living Wherefore I most humbly beseech your Grace to suffer me in that which both Gods Law Nature and also her kindness bindeth me unto that is that I may with your Graces favour wish and pray for her that she may declare her self inculpable and innocent And if she be found culpable considering your Graces goodness towards her and from what condition your Grace of your only meer goodness took her and set the Crown upon her head I repute him not your Graces faithful Servant and Subject nor true unto the Realm that would not desire the offence without mercy to be punished to the example of all other And as I loved her not a little for the Love which I judged her to bear towards God
He declared that he died in the Catholick Faith not doubting of any Article of Faith or of any Sacrament of the Church and denied that he had been a Supporter of those who believed ill opinions He confessed he had been seduced but now died in the Catholick Faith and desired them to pray for the King and for the Prince and for himself and then prayed very fervently for the remission of his past sins and admittance into Eternal Glory and having given the Sign the Executioner cut off his Head very barbarously Thus fell that great Minister that was raised meerly upon the strength of his natural parts For as his Extraction was mean so his Education was low All the learning he had was that he had got the new-Testament in Latine by heart His great wisdom and dexterity in business raised him up through several steps till he was become as great as a Subject could be He carryed his greatness with wonderful temper and moderation and fell under the weight of popular Odium rather than Guilt The disorders in the Suppression of Abbeys were generally charged on him Yet when he fell no Bribery nor cheating of the King could be fastned on him though such things came out in swarms on a disgraced Favourite when there is any ground for them By what he spoke at his death he left it much doubted of what Religion he dyed But it is certain he was a Lutheran The term Catholick-Faith used by him in his last speech seemed to make it doubtful but that was then used in England in its true sense in Opposition to the Novelties of the See of Rome as will afterwards appear on another occasion So that his Profession of the Catholich-Faith was strangely perverted when some from thence Concluded that he dyed in the Communion of the Church of Rome But his praying in English and that only to God through Christ without any of these tricks that were used when those of that Church died shewed he was none of theirs With him the Office of the Kings Vice-gerent in Ecclesiastical affairs died as it rose first in his person and as all the Clergy opposed the seting up a new Officer whose Interest should oblige him to oppose a Reconciliation with Rome so it seems none were fond to succeed in an Office that proved so fatal to him that had first carryed it The King was said to have lamented his death after it was too late but the fall of the new Queen that followed not long after and the miseries which fell also on the Duke of Norfolk and his Family some years after were looked on as the Scourges of Heaven for their cruel prosecution of this unfortunate Minister With his fall the progress of the Reformation which had been by his endeavours so far advanced was quite stopt For all that Cranmer could do after this was to keep the ground they had gained But he could never advance much further And indeed every one expected to see him go next For as one Gostwick Knight for Bedfordshire had named him in the House of Commons as the Supporter and Promoter of all the Heresie that was in England so the Popish party reckoned they had but half done their work by destroying Cromwel and that it was not finished till Cranmer followed him Therefore all possible endeavors were used to make discoveries of the Encouragement which as was believed he gave to the Preachers of the condemned Doctrines And it is very probable that had not the Incontinence of Katherine Howard whom the King declared Queen on the 8th of August broken out not long after he had been Sacrificed the next Session of Parliament But now I return to my proper business to give an account of Church-matters for this year with which these great Changes in Court had so great a Relation that the Reader will excuse the digression about them Upon Cromwels fall Gardiner and those that followed him made no doubt but they should quickly recover what they had lost of late years So their greatest attempt was upon the Translation of the Scriptures The Convocation Books as I have been forced often to lament are lost so that here I cannot stir but as Fuller leads me who assures the World that he Copied out of the Records with his own Pen what he published And yet I doubt he has mistaken himself in the year and that which he calls the Convocation of this year was the Convocation of the year 1542. For he tells us that their 7th Session was the 10th of March. Now in this year the Convocation did not sit down till the 13th of April but that year it sate all March So likewise he tells us of the Bishops of Westminster Glocester and Peterborough bearing a share in this Convocation whereas these were not Consecrated before Winter and could not sit as Bishops in this Synod And besides Thirleby sate at this time in the lower House as was formerly shewn in the Process about Anne of Cleves Marriage So that their attempt against the new Testament belongs to the year 1542. But they were now much better employed though not in the way of Convocation For a select number of them sate by vertue of a Commission from the King confirmed in Parliament Their first work was to draw up a Declaration of the Christian Doctrine for the necessary erudition of a Christian man They thought that to speak of Faith in general ought naturally to go before an Exposition of the Christian Belief and therefore with that they began The Church of Rome that designed to keep her Children in ignorance had made no great account of Faith which they generally taught consisted chiefly in an Implicite Believing whatever the Church proposed without any explicite knowledg of particulars So that a Christian Faith as they had explained it was a Submission to the Church The Reformers finding that this was the Spring of all their other errors and that which gave them colour and Authority did on the other hand set up the strength of their whole Cause on an Explicite believing the truth of the Scriptures because of the Authority of God who had revealed them And said that as the great Subject of the Apostles Preaching was Faith so that which they every-where taught was to read and believe the Scriptures Upon which followed nice Disputing what was that saving Faith by which the Scriptures say we are Iustified They could not say it was barely crediting the Divine Revelation since in that sense the Devils believed Therefore they generally placed it at first in their being assured that they should be saved by Christs dying for them In which their design was to make Holiness and all other Graces necessary requisites in the Composition of Faith though they would not make them formally parts of it For since Christs death has its full vertue and effect upon none but those who are regenerate and live according to his Gospel none
without any hope of reconciliation Notwithstanding he was content rather to put himself in evident ruine and utter undoing then the King or your Grace should suspect any point of ingratitude in him heartily desiring cum suspiriis lachrimis that the King and your Grace which have always been fast and good unto him will not now suddenly precipitate him for ever which should be done if immediately upon delivering of the Commission your Grace should begin Process He intendeth to save all upright thus If Monsieur de Lautrech would set forwards which he saith daily that he will do but yet he doth not at his coming the Pope's Holiness may have good colour to say He was required by the Ambassadour of England of a like Commission And denying the same because of his promise unto the General he was eft-soons by Monsieur de Lautrech to grant the said Commission inasmuch as it was but a Letter of Justice And by this colour he would cover the Matter so that it might appear unto the Emperor That the Pope did it not as he that would gladly do displeasure unto the Emperor but as an indifferent Prince that could not nor might deny Justice specially being required by such Personages and immediately he would dispatch a Commission bearing date after the time that Monsieur Lautrech had been with him or nigh unto him The Pope most instantly beseecheth your Grace to be a mean that the King's Highness may accept this in a good part and that he will take patience for this little time which as it is supposed will be but short and in omnem eventum I do bring a Commission with me and a Dispensation which I trust the King and your Grace will like well We have given unto my Lord Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor 4000 Crowns and unto the Secretary 30 Crowns With this Your Grace shall receive a Letter from the Pope's Holiness Item a Counsel of Oldrand that giveth light unto the King's Cause I shall make the most diligence homeward that I can Our Lord Jesus preserve Your Grace At Orvieto this first day of Ianuary Your most humble Servant and Chaplain W. Knight Rome Ian. 1. 1528. To the KING PLease it your Highness to understand That as soon as the Pope was at liberty and came unto Orvieto I resorted unto his Holiness with all diligence and at my coming unto him did make congratulation on your Highness behalf forasmuch as he was restored unto his Liberty which he accepted very joyfully and thankfully giving unto your Highness manifold and high thanks for your great goodness as well proved in his adversity as when he was in his most felicity After this he rehearsed my being at Rome how dangerous it was inasmuch as when my being there was detect espial was made and I was not passed out of Rome by the space of two hours or two hundred Spaniards invaded and searched the House He shewed also that he had received all such Letters as I at my being in Rome did send unto his Holiness whereby he did perceive the Effect of your Highness desire concerning your Dispensation And albeit he did send me word that I should depart and his Holiness would send unto me the said Dispensation fully speed Nevertheless he trusted that your Highness would be content to tarry for a time for the General of the Observants in Spain being lately in Rome had required him according unto his Instructions that he should suffer nothing to pass that might be prejudicial or against the Queen directly or indirectly but that the Pope should first advertise thereof certain of the Caesarians here And forasmuch as this Dispensation might encourage your Grace to cause my Lord Legate Auctoritate Legationis to hear and decern in the Cause that your Highness intendeth and his Holiness standeth as yet in manner in captivity and perplexity His Holiness therefore besought your Grace to have patience for a time and it should not be long e're your Highness should have not only that Dispensation but any thing else that may lie in his power I replied unto this That his Holiness had once granted it and that I had dispatched a Post and made relation thereof by my Writings unto your Highness so that I could not imagine by what reason I might perswade unto you that he would perform the promise that he had once broken In conclusion He was content that your Highness should have it but he would have it delivered with this condition That the Prothonotary and Gambora and I should beseech your Highness not to attempt any thing in your Cause against the Queen till such time as the Pope were frankly at his Liberty which could not be as long as the Almaynes and Spaniards did thus reign in Italy and promise made we should deliver the Dispensation and in my poor judgment it was best always to be in possession of this Dispensation After this he shewed the Minute unto the Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor willing him to reform it according to the stile of this Court which done he shewed it unto me and after said That he thought good I should depart because I rode but competent Journies and the Prothonotary Gambora should follow by Post and bring the Bull with him which is of the same form and substance that your Highness's Minute is of And if there be any thing omitted or to be added his Holiness is always content to reform it and to put it under the same date that the same Dispensation now beareth the Copy whereof I do send unto your Highness with this the Commission General and Protestation being void because they were conceived durante captivitate only And here on my behalf none other thing being to be done I took my leave of the Pope and departed At my coming unto Scarperii near unto Bonony I did meet with Thadeus this Courier which brought certain Expeditions Triplicat the one unto the Prothonotar Gambora the other unto Gregory de Cassali and the third unto me among which was a general Commission Triplicat the one to be committed to my Lord Legate and if that could not be obtained because my Lord Legate might be thought partial then the same to be committed unto Staphileius Item There was a Copy of a Dispensation where I perceived by your Grace's Letter that your pleasure was to have your Dispensation in form after the minute that Barlow brought which was then sped and already passed so remained nothing to be sped but the Commission your Highness pleases This knowing I caused my Servants to continue their Journey and with one Servant and this Courier I returned unto Orvieto with Post-Horses where Mr. Gregory and I with much Business have obtained a Commission directed unto my Lord Legate not in the form that was conceived in England but after such manner as is sufficient for the Cause and as I trust shall content your Highness wherein the Lord Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor hath taken great pains
to pen as well your Dispensation as the Commission for which and that hereafter he may do unto your Highness the better service Mr. Gregory and I have rewarded him with 4000 Crowns of such Mony as your Highness hath caused to be made unto Venice for the furtherance of your Causes But albeit that every thing is passed according to your Highness pleasure I cannot see but in case the same be put in execution at this time the Pope is utterly undone and so he saith himself The Imperialists do daily spoil Castles and Towns about Rome Monsieur de Lautrek is yet at Bonony and small hope is of any great Act that he intends The Caesarians have taken within these three days two Castles lying within six miles of this and the Pope being in this perplexity not assured of any one Friend but of your Highness that lieth too far off if he do at this time any displeasure unto the Emperor he thinketh he is undone for ever wherefore he puts his Honour and Health wholly into your Highness Power and Disposition This morning I return homewards and Gregory de Cassali goeth in my Company as far as unto Florence and from thence he goeth unto Monsieur de Lautrek to sollicit him forwards if it may be The Holy Ghost send your Highness a prosperous New Year and many At Orvieto the first day of Ianuary Your most humble Subject Servant and Chaplain W. Knight Rome 10. Ian. 1528. V. A part of an Original Letter from the same Person to Cardinal Wolsey by which it appears that the Dispensation was then granted and sent over YOur Grace commandeth That I should send the Commission and Dispensation with diligence in case they were sped before the receit of your Graces Letters sent at this time Wherefore the Prothonotar Gambora and I being commanded sub poena Excommunicationis to deliver the same with a certain Request to be made to the King's Highness and his Grace at the time of delivery I send the same at this time unto Gambora requiring him in any wise to make diligence towards the King's Highness and not to abide my coming the Request and Cause thereof your Grace shall perceive by mine other Letters adjoined herewith And supposing that when your Grace hath seen my Letters and the Dispensations and considered this time well it may chance that the King and your Grace will be rather well content with that that is passed without suing for any other thing that could not be obtained without long tract and peradventure not so Your Grace hath committed as much unto Gregory de Cassali at this time as unto me which being near unto the Pope will without fail do his best diligence And if it shall be thought good unto the King's Highness and your Grace that I do return unto Orvâ—eto I shall do as much as my poor Carcase may endure and thereby at Turine I shall abide the knowledg of your Grace's pleasure The Datary hath clean forsaken the Court and will serve no longer but only God and his Cure The Cardinal Campegius continueth in Rome sore vexed with the Gout The Cardinals Pisane Triâ—â—lâ—is Vrsine Gadis and Cesis remaineth for Hostages The Cardinals Monte Sanctorum Quatuor Ridulph Ravenna and Perusino be with the Pope the rest abides absent Our Lord Jesus preserve your Grace At Aste the 10 th day of Ianuary Your most humble Beadsman and Servant W. Knight Orvieto the 13th of Cassali's Letter about the Method in which the Pope desired the Divorce should be managed Taken from a Copy written by Cardinal Wolsey's Secretary HEri hodie ad multam diem sum alloquutus SanctuÌ„ DominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ de mittendo legato insequens ordinem a Reverendissimo Domino Eboracen suis literis 27 Decemb. mihi praescriptum Pontifex ostendit se cupidissimum satisfaciendi Regiae Excellentiae cui omnia se debere fatetur nunc habuit mecum longum de hac re colloquium ut inveniatur modus omnia bene firme secure faciendi quo facto tueri possit ideoque consulere voluit judicium Cardinalis Sanctorum Quatuor Symonettae qui excellentior Doctior Auditor Rotae est cum quibus sub sigillo Confessionis egit ut ex eorum consilio inveniatur modus ad moram tollendam causam secure peragendam Atque ita Pontifex cum illis in hoc quod sequitur se revolvit videturque optimus verus securus modus me rogavit ut nullo pacto dicam hoc obtinuisse ab ejus Sanctitate sicuti revera obtinui nam Caesariani eum statum pro suspecto allegarent sed quod dicam me habuisse a Cardinali Sanctorum Quatuor a dicto Auditore Dicunt quod Rex deberet committere istic causam Cardinali ratione Commissionis quam attulit Secretarius vel propria Authoritate Legationis quod facere potest ubi causa fuerit commissa si Rex conscientiam suam persentiat coram Deo exoneratam quod recte possit facere quod quaerit quia nullus Doctor in mundo est qui de hac re melius decernere possit quam ipse Rex itaque si in hoc se resolverit ut Pontifex credit statim causam committat aliam Uxorem ducat litem sequatur mittatur publice pro Legato qui Consistorialiter mittetur ita enim maxime expediret nam Cardinalis Sanctorum Quatuor Symonetta dicunt hoc certum esse quod si Regina citetur illa nihil volet respondere nisi quod protestabitur locum judices suspectos esse Caesariani petent a Pontifice per viam Signaturae justitiae Inhibitionem qua Rex aliam nullam possit Uxorem capere si capiat proles non sit legitima donec causa non definiatur petent Commissionem qua Causa audiatur in Curia de Inhibitione vero Pontifex non potest negare neque Commissionem nisi injustitia mera vis inferatur adversus quam omnis mundus exclamaret Quod si Rex aliam Uxorem ceperit hoc non possunt petere si petant negabit Pontifex quod jure possit nec aliud dicere poterunt vel allegare nisi quod Cardinalis Eboracen Cardinalis mittendus locus sit suspectus petere quod Causa videatur hic in quo si deducatur statim feretur sententia quam Pontifex maturabit non servatis terminis propter momentum negotii alias rationes quas sciet Pontifex adducere ita hic obtinebuntur sententiae quae per totum Orbem approbabuntur quibus nullus Hispanus aut Germanus poterit contradicere mittentur in Angliam declarandae per Cardinales prout Rex voluerit hoc etiam non obstante Pontifex mittet Cardinalem Tandem hic est modus rebus omnibus secure medendi ad quem sequendum vos Pontifex hortatur rogat ut nihil dicatur quod ab eo procedat Iste modus non
Bullam fatis concessit re integra causa si quae fuit cessavit Sed producitur aliud Breve tenoris tam efficacis ut istas Objectiones non admittat Sed manet nihilominus eorum sententia qui Pontificem non posse dispensare affirmant secundum quos nec Breve nec Bulla consistit deinde Breve falsum esse pro falso judicari deberi multis rationibus convincitur denique falsum cum sit tamen prioris Bullae errores corrigat illam opinionem merito confirmet ne prior Dispensatio efficax videatur vel eorum judicio qui hoc Matrimonium defendere studuerunt viz. qui veris allegationibus diffisi ad falsas confictas Dispensationes vitia objecta removentes confugere coacti sunt Ista si singula minus sufficiant saltem collata obtineant persuadeant licere Illa vero opinio multis persuasa Pontificem viz. non potuisse dispensare ut sola infirmet Dispensationem non petitur sed habet nihilominus aliquid considerationis quanquam enim refellatur a quibusdam reprobetur manet tamen scripta atque adeo testimonio ipsius Pontificis comprobata Perpendatur deinde causa suggestionis veritas si mendacium intervenisse apparet quod est notorium illam Dispensationem adversariorum factis in novi Brevis fabricatione tacite reprobari quis non videt ex his causis licere ut sententia Divortii proferatur Postremo expedit ut id pronuntietur quod in omnium sententias consentiat Reprobatio autem Dispensationis cum omnibus convenit opinionibus sive quia Authoritas abfuit sive quia non recte interposita dicatur Approbatio vero cum istis dissentit omnibus Expedit ut firma sit inconcussa Regni Successio quae contra has opiniones confirmari non potest Expedit ut conscientia Serenissimi Regis his scrupulis impedita turbata expedita tranquilla reddatur Breviter expedit votis Serenissimi Regis satisfieri qui pro genuinis innatis suis virtutibus non nisi optima cupit modo etiam optimo votorum suorum compotem effici laborat si non virtutem spectaret caetera nihil haberent difficultatis sed omnium virtutum cogitationem quandam esse animadvertens suum justitiae decorum quod temperantia est quaerit ut justum justo modo obtineat assequatur Itaque expedit ne auxilium denegetur vel differatur ei qui id juste implorat To my loving Friends Master Stephen Gardiner Doctor of both Laws Sir Francis Brian and Sir Gregory Cassalis Knights and Mr. Peter Vannes Secretary to the King's Highness for the Latin Tongue His Graces Orators Residents in the Court of Rome XXII The second part of a long Dispatch of the Cardinals concerning the Divorce An Original AN other part of your Charge consisteth in expedition of the King 's great and weighty Cause of Matrimony whereupon depend so many high Consequences as for no earthly Cause to suffer or tolerate tract or delay in what case soever the Pope's Holiness be of amendment or danger of life nor as is aforesaid oweth to be by his Holiness preteromitted whether the same be in the state of Recovery or in any doubt or despair thereof for one assured and principal fundamental and ground is to be regarded whereupon the King's Highness doth plant and build his Acts and Cogitations in this behalf which is from the reasonable favour and justice being the things from the which the Pope's Holiness in prosperis nec adversis may lawfully and honestly digress and when the plainness of his Cause is well considered with the manifest Presumptions Arguments and Suspitions both of the insufficiency of the Bull and falsity of the Brief such as may lead any Man of reason or intendment well to perceive and know that no sufficiency or assured truth can be therein How may the Pope's Holiness ex aequo justo refuse or deny to any Christian Man much less to a Prince of so high merits and in a Cause whereupon depend so many consequences to his Holiness well known for a vain respect of any Person or by excuse of any Sickness justifie colour or defend any manner refusal tract or delay used in declaration of the truth in so great a Matter which neither for the infinite conveniences that thereby might ensue admitteth or suffereth to be delaied nor by other than himself his Act or Authority may lawfully be declared And well may his Holiness know That to none it appertaineth more to look unto the justness of the King's desire in this behalf than to his Highness his self whose Interest whose Cause with the same of his Realm and Succession resteth herein for if his Grace were minded or would intend to do a thing inique or injust there were no need to recurr unto the Pope's Holiness for doing thereof But because his Highness and his Council who best know the whole of this Matter and to whose part it belongeth most profoundly to weigh and ponder every thing concerning the same be well assured of the truth of the Matter needing none other thing but for observance of his Duty towards God and his Church to have the same Truth also approbate and declared by him to whom the doing thereof appertaineth his Grace therefore seeing an untruth alleadged and that so craftily as by undue and perverse ways the same without good reason adhibited may for a season bring things into confusion doth communicate unto the Pope's Holiness presumptions and evidences enough and sufficient to inform the Conscience of his Holiness of the very truth which then if his Holiness will not see but either for affection fear or other private cause will hearken to every dilatory and vain allegation of such as led upon undue grounds would colour the Truth What doth his Holiness less therein than under a right vain colour expresly deny and refuse the said Justice which to be done either in health or sickness in a matter of so great moment is in no wise tolerable But for the same reasons that be before mentioned is the thing whether the Pope's Holiness be in hope or despair of life without further tract to be absolved and determined for if Almighty God grant his Holiness life this Act is and always shall be able to bear it self and is meet to be an Example a President and a Law in all like Cases emerging the Circumstances and Specialities of the same in every part concurring as they do in this nor can the Emperor make exceptions at the same when he best knowing percase the untruth shall see the grounds and occasions that of necessity and meer Justice have enforced and constrained the Pope's Holiness thereunto which he could not refuse to do unless he would openly and manifestly commit express injury and notorious injustice For be it that the Pope's Holiness hearkning to the said frivolous and vain Allegations would refuse to declare the Law
herein to the King's purpose then must his Holiness either standing in doubt leave and suffer the Cause to remain in suspence to the extream danger of the King's Realm and Succession for ever or else declare the Bull or Breve or both to be good which I suppose neither his Holiness nor any true Christian Man can do standing the manifest occasions presumptions and apparent evidences to the contrary Then if the matter be not to be left in suspence no judgment can be truly given to the approbation of the Bull or Breve how can the Pope's Holiness of Conscience Honour or Vertue living or dying thus procrastinate or put over the immediate finishing thereof according to the King's desire or how may his Holiness find his Conscience towards God exonerate if either living he should be the cause of so many evils as hereof may arise or dying wilfully leave this so great a Matter by his own default in this confusion incertainty and perplexity It is not to be supposed that ever Prince most devout to the See Apostolick could so long tolerate so high an Injury as being so merited towards the said See is both unacquitted for his kindness with any special Grace and also denied upon his petition of that which is evident to be plain Justice This thing is otherwise to be looked upon than for the Pope's Sickness where most need were to put an end unto it to be delaied seeing that living and amending it is of it self expedient and justifiable and dying it shall be an act both necessary meritorious and honourable For this cause ye now knowing the King's mind in this behalf shall if ye have not already before this time spoken with the Pope's Holiness at length in these Matters as the King's Grace trusteth ye have done sollicite as well by the means of Messiere Iacobo Salviati as by the Bishop of Verone and otherwise as ye can think best to have such commodious access unto his Holiness as ye may declare the Premises unto him which by your wisdoms in as effectual and vive manner as ye can open it unto his Holiness It is undoubtedly to be thought the same shall rather be to his comfort and encrease of Health than to any his trouble or unquietness and that his Holiness hearing these Reasons not evitable will whether he be in way and hope of amendment or otherwise both proceed to the said indication and also to the Declaration of the Law and passing of a sufficient and ample Decretal as hath been devised in the King 's said Cause with other such things as by former Letters and Instructions by the Decrees mentioned in the same that failing have been committed unto you to be solicited and procured there in the labouring whereof albeit since your departures from hence the things have by reasons of the Pope's sore sickness otherwise chanced than was here supposed by means whereof ye not instructed what to do in any such case were peradventure not over-hasty or importune to labour these Matters till the Pope's Holiness might be better amended nor could percase find the means to have convenient access unto his presence for the same ye must nevertheless adhibit such diligence as howsoever the sickness of his Holiness shall cease amend or continue these things be not for the same or any other cause tracted or left in longer suspense but finding possible means to come unto the Pope's presence to declare all such things unto the same mentioned both in the former Letters and Instructions given unto you and also in these presents as may make to the purpose and failing of often access in your own Persons to his Holiness ye cause the Bishop of Verone and other such assured Friends as ye can attain being about him at such times as they may have with his Holiness to inculcate unto him the said Points and Considerations and all other that ye can excogitate and devise to the furtherance and advancement of these Matters not forbearing or sparing also if ye shall see difficulty at the Pope's hand or in audience to be given to you or your Friends there being about his Person to break and open after a good fashion and manner the same unto such of the Cardinals as ye may perceive assuredly and constantly to favour the King's Highness and the French King in Election of a future Pope in case as God forbid the Pope's Holiness should decease and to shew unto the same Cardinals all such things as you shall think meet both for their more ample instructions in the truth and specialities of the Matters as well concerning the Indication of Truce as the King 's said Cause and the presumptuous Reasons and plainer Evidences leading to the insufficiency of the Bull and apparent falsity of the said Breve to the intent that as many of the said Cardinals as ye can win made sure in those Matters they may both in time of sickness and also of amendment move and induce the Pope's Holiness thereunto laying before him as well the Merits and Honour that may ensue by the perfection of the Premises as the danger imminent by the contrary and semblably it shall be expedient that ye win and make sure to the same purpose as many of the Officers of the Rota and other as ye can who as ye write be not accustomed nor will give counsel to any Person but the Pope's Holiness for albeit ye cannot have them to be of the King's Council yet nevertheless they may do as much good or more in training and counselling the Pope's Holiness upon the great Reasons that you can shew unto them to hearken unto your Overtures in this behalf To which purpose you shall adjure make and win as many Friends of the Cardinals of them and other as ye possibly may as for the thing which the King's Highness and I more esteem than twenty Papalities and amongst other ye shall insist by all means and good persuasions ye can for the continuance there of the said Bishop of Verone so as he may countervail the Arch-Bishop of Capuan who as it seemeth is continually about the Pope's Person and were necessary to be met with in the labours and persuasions which by likelihood he maketh to the hindrance of the King's Purpose For the better continuing of the which Bishop of Verone not only the King's Highness and I write unto him at this time as by the Copy of the same several Letters being herewith ye shall perceive but also the French King will do the semblable And furthermore to the intent that the Pope's Holiness may well perceive that not only the said French King mindeth the King 's said Cause and taketh it to heart as much as it were his own and will effectually join and concur with the King's Highness therein but that also he is and will be conformable to the said Indication He will send thither with all speed the Bishop of Bayon to further sollicite and set forth the
same who before his departure from hence which was a good season passed was and is sufficiently and amply instructed in all things requisite to this purpose and not only in these Matters but also in such other as were written unto you by Vincent de Cassalis and Hercules upon advertisement given hither that the Pope's Holiness was deceased so as ye may be sure to have of him effectual concurrence and advice in the furtherance and sollicitation of your Charges whether the Pope's Holiness amend remain long sick or as God forbid should fortune to die trusting that being so well furnished by all ways that can be devised ye will not fail to use such diligence as may be to the consecuting and attaining of the King's Purpose wherein tho ye be so amply and largely instructed that more cannot be yet nevertheless having lately received from the Bishop of Worcester a Memorial of divers great things to be well noted and considered for trial of the falsity of the said Brieve I send you herewith a Copy of the same Memorial to the intent ye substantially visiting and perusing the same may follow and put in execution such part thereof for better trial of the falsity as is to be done there like as the rest meet to be done here shall not fail to be executed with diligence accordingly Thus be ye with these and other former Writings sufficiently instructed what is to be done by you there whether the Pope's Holiness continue long in his sickness or whether the same fortune to decease or soon God willing to amend There resteth no more but that ye always take for a perfect ground That tho to every new chance not before known sufficient Provision and Instruction could not be given to you at your departure ye always note remember and regard That this the King's Cause admitteth nor suffereth any manner negative tract or delay wherefore knowing that so well as ye do and also how much the Indiction of the Truce shall be commodious and necessary both to the King's Highness in particular and to all Christendom in general by means whereof his Grace shall avoid Contribution and other Charges of the War ye must now if ever you will have thanks laud or praise for your Service employ your selves opportune importune to put an end to the Points to the King's satisfaction and desire and in every difficulty to study by your Wisdoms the best and next Remedy and not always to tract your doings till upon your Advertisement hither ye shall have new knowledg from hence For thereby the matter it self and also your demur there be of over-long a continuance and infinite inconveniences by the same may ensue I therefore require you according to the special trust and confidence that the King's Highness and I have in you now for ever to acquit your selves herein with all effect possible accordingly so as the King's Highness be not longer kept in this perplexity and suspence to his Graces intolerable inquietness and the great heaviness of all those that observe and love the same Furthermore tho it so be that the King's Trust and also mine is Ye will by your Wisdom find such good means and ways as ye shall not fail God willing to open and declare unto the Pope's Holiness the whole of the King's Mind and all and singular the Premisses with the residue above-mentioned in your former Instructions and Letters sent unto you Yet nevertheless considering what ye wrote of the doubt of continuance of the Pope's sickness and to make sure for all Events and Chances in case his Holiness as God forbid should long remain in such state as he might either take upon him the naming of the Peace journying and repairing to the sacre Diet nor also hear the whole of the things by you to be opened and propounded touching the King 's said Cause It hath been thought to the King's Highness convenient rather than these great and weighty Matters should hang in longer suspense to excogitate some other good means and way how these Matters so necessary may by some ways be conduced and brought to an end And it is this That the Pope's Holiness not being able to travel to the place devised where the Princes may be near him for Treaty and managing of the Peace he do depute me and my Lord Cardinal Campegius conjunctim divisim as his Legats for that purpose to do and execute all such things in his Holiness's Name as the same should do in that behalf if he were there present whereunto for the well of Christendom we shall be contented to condescend So always that as hath been written heretofore unto you before I pass or set forth to any Convention or Place to the intent before specified the Kings Highness be fully satisfied and pleased in his said matter of Matrimony without which neither with nor without the Pope's presence I will ever begin or take that Voyage for performance whereof this Article following is of new devised to be by you propounded unto his Holiness if the Decretals cannot be obtained or some other thing that ye shall well know and perceive by advice of expert Counsel there to be better to the Kings purpose than this thing now devised and that may without tract be passed or granted that is to say That his Holiness do enlarge extend and amplify his Commission given to me and my Lord Legate Campegius whereby we jointly and severally may be sufficiently furnished and authorized to do as much in this cause of Matrimony with all the emergents and dependencies upon the same as his Holiness may do of his ordinary and absolute Power with sufficient and ample Clauses ad Decernend Interpretand jura leges Rescripta quaeâ—unque hoc Matrimonium concernentia una cum omnibus singulis dubiis in eadem causa emergentibus And further to make out Compulsories to any Princes or Persons of what preheminence dignity state or condition soever they be Etiam si in Imperiali Regali vel alia quacunque dignitate perfulgeant sub quibuscunque poenis and in what Countries and places soever they be to exhibit and produce any manner Witness Records Originals Rescripts or other thing in what place or time we or the one of us shall require them or any of them in this behalf with all and singular the Circumstances requisite and necessary to such a Commission after such ample and assured manner as the same once had we shall not need for any Objections doubt or other thing that might infringe or lack to send of new to the Pope's Holiness for other provision whereby the King 's said Cause might hang in any longer tract or delay In which case of coming to this Commission ye Mr. Stevins must have special regard to see the same sufficiently and substantially penned by advice of the most expert Men that ye can find to that purpose For the better doing whereof I send unto you herewith a Copy
of the said Commission to me and my Lord Campegius with certain Additions thereunto noted in the Margin such as have been here devised and also a Copy of certain Clauses in a Bull to the intent ye may see how amply the same be couched to avoid appellations and other delays in Causes of far less moment and importance than the King 's is Nevertheless ye must if it shall come to the obtaining of this new Commission see to the penning and more fully perfecting thereof so as the same may be in due perfection without needing to send eftsoons for remedying of any thing therein as is aforesaid looking also substantially whether the Chirograph of Policitation being already in your hands be so couched as the Date and every thing considered it may sufficiently oblige and astringe the Popes Holiness to confirm all that we or one of us shall do by virtue of this New or the Old Commission And if it be not of such efficacy so to do then must ye in this case see that either by sufficient and ample words to be put in this new Commission if it may be so had or by a new Chirograph the Pope's Holiness may be so astringed which Chirograph with the Commissions before specified if ye obtain the same the King's pleasure is That ye Sir Francis Brian shall bring hither in all possible diligence after the having and obtaining thereof solliciting nevertheless whether the Pope be to be facilly spoken with or not the immediate Indication of the Truce as is aforesaid without which in vain it were for me either with or without the Pope to travel for labouring and conducing of the Peace And so by this way should the Pope's Holiness with his merit and sufficient justification proceed for the Truce as a fundament of Universal Peace satisfy the King's desires and avoid any doubt of the Emperor forasmuch as his Holiness might alledg That being so extreamly sick that he was not able to know of the Cause himself he could no less do of justice than to commit it unto other seeing that the same is of such importance as suffereth no tract or delay And finally the King's Highness God willing by this means should have an end of this Matter One thing ye shall well note which is this Albeit this new Device was now for doubt of the Pope's long continuance in sickness first excogitate yet is it not meant nor ye be limited to this Device in case ye can obtain any other nor ye be also commanded to prefer this before all the other Devices but now that ye shall see and understand what this Device is and knowing what thing is like or possible to be obtained there without long putting over of your pursuits expend consider and regard well with your self what thing of this or any other that may best serve to the brief and good expedition of the King's Cause So always that it be a thing sure sufficient and available to his Grace's Purpose that may without any further tract be there had and then by your Wisdom taking unto you the best Learned Counsel that ye can have there leave you to the expedition of that which so may be most meet as the times require and suffer to the brief furnishing of the King 's said Cause to this purpose without tract or delay and that ye may see is the thing which as the matter stands can speedily be obtained and sped as is aforesaid For whether the Decretal be better than this or this better than that or which soever be best far it shall be from Wisdom to stick and still to rest upon a thing that cannot be obtained but since ye know the King's meaning which is to have a way sufficient and good for the speedy finishing of this Cause to his Grace's purpose note ye now and consider with your self by advice of Learned Counsel as is aforesaid how ye may bring that to pass and shall ye deserve as high thanks as can be possible So always that it be so well provided and looked upon that in it be no such limitations or defaults as shall compel us any more to write or send for reformation thereof And coming to this Commission tho percase ye can by no means or sticking have it in every point as the Copy which I send you with the Annotations do purport yet shall ye not therefore refuse it but take it or any other thing as can be had after such form as may substantially serve and as ye can by your wisdom and good sollicitations obtain for the speedy finishing of the King's Cause to his purpose as is aforesaid which is the scope whereunto we must tend at this time and therefore ye be not limited or coacted within any such bounds as ye should thereby be compelled or driven for lack of obtaining any thing or point mentioned in these or other your Instructions or former Writings to send hither again for further knowledg of the King's pleasure but ye be put at liberty so to qualify so to add detray immix change chuse or mend as ye shall think good so always that ye take the thing that best can be had being such as may as effectually as ye can bring about serve to the King's purpose and to put indelayed end to it according to his Grace's desire without further tract or sending thither which is as much as here can be said or devised And therefore at the reverence of Almighty God bring us out of this perplexity that this Vertuous Prince may have this thing sped to the purpose desired which shall be the most joyous thing that this day in Earth may chance and succeed to my heart and therefore I eftsoons beseech you to regard it accordingly Howbeit if the Pope's Holiness refusing all your desires shall make difficulty and delay therein it is an evident sign and token that his Holiness is neither favourable to the King 's reasonable Petitions nor indifferent but should thereby show himself both partial and expresly averse unto his Grace wherefore in that case finding in his Holiness such unreasonableness as it can in no wise be thought ye shall do The King's pleasure is that ye proceed to the Protestations mentioned in the first Instructions given to you Mr. Stevins for you and the residue of your Collegues and that ye not only be plain and round with the Pope's Holiness therein if ye come to his speech but also ye show and extend unto the Cardinals and other that be your Friends which may do any good with him the great peril and danger imminent unto the Church and See Apostolick thereby exhorting them That they like vertuous Fathers have regard thereunto and not to suffer the Pope's Holiness if he would thus wilfully without reason or discretion to precipitate himself and the said See which by this refusal is like to suffer ten times more detriment than it could do for any miscontentment that the Emperor could
take with the contrary for ye shall say sure they may be and so I for my discharge declare both to the Pope's Holiness and to them If this Noble and Vertuous Prince in this so great and so reasonable a Cause be thus extreamly denied of the grace and lawful favour of the Church the Pope's Holiness shall not fail for the same to lose Him and his Realm the French King and his Realm with many other their Confederates besides those that having particular Quarrels to the Pope and so aforesaid will not fail with diverse other as they daily seek occasions and provoke the King's Highness thereunto which will do the semblable being a thing of another sort to be regarded than the respect to the Emperor for two Cities which nevertheless shall be had well enough and the Emperor neither so evil contented nor so much to be doubted herein as is there supposed This with other words mentioned in your Instructions concerning like matter ye shall declare unto his Holiness and to the said Cardinals and other being your Friends if it come to that point whereby it is not to be doubted but they perceiving the dangers aforesaid shall be glad to exhort and induce his Holiness for the well of himself and the Church to condescend to the King's desire which is as much as can be here thought or devised to be by you done in all Events and Chances And therefore I pray you eft-soons and most instantly require you as afore to handle this Matter with all effect possible Coming to this new Commission when you shall have once attained such thing as shall be sufficient for the King's purpose as is aforesaid and that ye have it in your hands and custody and not afore lest thereby ye might hinder the expedition thereof ye shall by all ways and means possible labour and insist That the King's Highness as need shall be may use and enjoy the benefit of the Decretal being already in my Lord Cardinal Campegius's hands whereunto his Highness and I desire you to put all your effectual labour for the attaining of the Pope's consent thereunto accordingly Ye shall furthermore understand That it is thought here in case as God forbid the Pope should die before ye should have impetrate any thing that may serve to the absolution of the King's Matter That the Colledg of Cardinals have Authority Power and Jurisdiction sede vacante to inhibit avoke ex consequenti to pass and decide the King's Matter seeing that the same is of so high moment and importance concerning the surety of a Prince and his Realm as more amply ye shall perceive in the Chapters ubi Periculum de Electione ne Romani de Iurejurando capite primo de Scismaticis Wherefore the King's pleasure is That ye Mr. Stevins shall diligently weigh and ponder the effect of the said Chapters not only with your self but also with such the King 's Learned Counsel as ye and your Collegues have conducted there and what Jurisdiction sede vacante the Colledg of Cardinals have either by the Common Law usage or prescription which may far better be known there than here And if ye find that the Cardinals have in this the King's Cause and such other like Authority and Jurisdictions to inhibite avoke and decern then in casu mortis Pontificis quod Deus avertat ye shall specially foresee and regard that for none Intercession or pursute made by the Emperor and his Adherents they shall either inhibit or avoke And also if before such Death ye shall not have obtained such thing to the Kings desire and purpose as these present Letters before do purport his Grace's pleasure is That ye shall pursue the effectual expedition of the same at the hands of the said Colledg Sede vacante ne res quae nullam dilationem exposcit tantopere usque ad Electionem novi Pontificis quoquam modo differatur using for this purpose all such Reasons Allegations and Persuasions mentioned in those Letters and your former Instructions as ye shall see and perceive to serve to that effect and so to endeavour and acquit your self that such things may be attained there as may absolve this the King's Matter without any further tract or delay whereby ye shall as afore highly deserve the King's and my special thanks which shall be so acquitted as ye shall have cause to think your pains and diligences therein in the best wise imployed trusting in God that howsoever the World shall come ye shall by one means or other bring the King's Matter which so highly toucheth his Honour and quiet of Mind unto the desired end and perfection Finally Ye shall understand that the French King among other things doth commit at this time to the Bishop of Bayon and Mr. Iohn Ioachim to treat and conclude the Confederation heretofore spoken of between his Holiness and the King's Highness the French King the Venetians and other Potentates of Italy for a continual Army to be entertained to invade Spain in case it stand by the Emperor that the Peace shall not take effect Wherefore the King's pleasure is That ye having conference with them at good length in that Matter do also for your parts sollicite procure and set forth the same entring also on the King's behalf unto the Treaty and conclusion thereof after such manner as your former Instructions and Writings do purport So as like as the French King is determined that his Agents shall join and concur with you in the King's Pursuits and Causes So ye must also concur with them in advancement of their Affairs the successes whereof and of all other your doings there it shall be expedient ye more often notify hitherto than ye do for many times in one whole month no knowledg is had from you which is not meet in those so weighty Matters specially considering that sometime by such as pass to Lyons ye might find the means to send your Letters which should be greatly to the King 's and my consolation in hearing thereby from time to time how the things succeed there I pray you therefore to use more diligence therein as the Kings and my special trust is in you And heartily fare you well From my Palace besides Westminster the sixth day of April The French King hath sent hither an Ambassiate Monsieur de Langes Brother to the said Bishop of Bayon with certain clauses in his Instructions concerning the said Treaty of Confederation the Copy whereof ye shall receive herewith for your better carrying on that Matter Praying God to speed you well and to give you grace to make a good and short end in your Matters And eft-soons fare ye well Your Loving Friend T. Cardin. Eborac XXIII Another Dispatch to the Ambassadours to the same purpose A Duplicate RIght well beloved Friends I commend me unto you in my hearty manner letting you wit that by the hands of Thadeus bearer hereof the King's Highness hath received your several Letters to the
you so much the more to accelerate as ye know how necessary it is that all diligence and expedition be used in that Matter And so ye all to handle and endeavour your selves there for the time of your demor as ye may do the most benefit and advantage that may be to the speedy furtherance of the said Cause And forasmuch as at the dispatch of your said last Letters ye had not opened unto the Pope's Holiness the last and uttermost Device here conceived and to you written in my Letters sent by the said Alexander but that ye intended as soon as ye might have time and access to set forth the same wherein it is to be trusted since that thing could by no colour or respect to the Emperor be reasonably denied ye have before this time done some good and brought unto perfection I therefore remitting you to such Instructions as ye received at that time advertise you that the King's mind and pleasure is ye do your best to attain the Ampliation of the said Commission after such form as is to you in the said last Letters and Instructions prescribed which if ye cannot in every thing bring to pass at the least to obtain as much to the King's purpose and the benefit of the Cause as ye can wherein all good policy and dexterity is to be used and the Pope's Holiness by all perswasions to be induced thereunto shewing unto the same how ye have received Letters from the King's Highness and me responsives to such as ye wrote of the Dates before rehearsed whereby ye be advertised that the King's Highness perceiving the Pope's strange demeanour in this his great and weighty Cause with the little respect that his Holiness hath either to the importance thereof or to do unto his Holiness at this his great necessity gratuity and pleasure not only cannot be a little sorry and heavy to see himself frustrate of the future hope and expectation that his Grace had to have found the Pope's Holiness a most loving fast near and kind Father and assured Friend ready and glad to have done for his Grace that which of his Power Ordinary or Absolute he might have done in this thing which so near toucheth the King's Conscience Health Succession Realm and Subjects But also marvelleth highly That his Holiness both in Matters of Peace Truce in this the King's Cause and in all other hath more respect to please and content him of whom he hath received most displeasures and who studieth nothing more than the detriment of the See than his Holiness hath either to do that which a good common Father for the well of the Church Himself and all Christendom is bounden and oweth to do or also that which every thing well pondered it were both of Congruence Right Truth Equity Wisdom and conveniency for to do Thinking verily that his Highness deserved to be far otherwise entreated and that not at his most need in things nearest touching his Grace and where the same had his chief and principal confidence thus to have his just and reasonable Petitions rejected and totally to be converted to the arbitre of his Enemy which is not the way to win acquire and conserve Friends to the Pope's Holiness and See Apostolick nor that which a good and indifferent Vicar of Jesus Christ and common Father unto all Princes oweth and is bound to observe Nevertheless ye shall say the King's Highness who always hath shewed and largely comprobate himself a most devout Son unto the See Apostolick must and will take patience and shall pray to God to put in the Pope's mind a more direct and vertuous intent so to proceed in his acts and doing as he may be found a very Father upright indifferent loving and kind and not thus for partial respect fear or other inordinate Affection or cause to degenerate from his best Children showing himself unto them as a Step-Father nor the King's Highness ye shall say can persuade unto himself that the Pope's Holiness is of that nature and disposition that he will so totally fail his Grace in this Matter of so high importance but that by one good mean or other his Holiness will perfectly comprobate the intire love that always the same hath shewed to bear towards his Highness wherein ye shall desire him now to declare by his Acts the uttermost of his intent and disposition so as ye Mr. Stevins and Mr. Brian who be revoked home do not return with void hands or bring with you things of such meagerness or little substance as shall be to no purpose And thus by these or like words seconding to the same effect which as the time shall require and as he shall have cause ye by your Wisdoms can qualifie and devise It is not to be doubted but that the Pope's Holiness perceiving how the Kings Highness taketh this Matter and that two of you shall now return will in expedition of the said Ampliation of the Commission and other things requisite strain himself to do unto the King's Highness as much gratuity and pleasure as may be for the better attaining whereof ye shall also shew how heavy and sorry I with my Lord Legate Campegius be to see this manner of proceeding and the large promises which he and I so often have made unto the King's Highness of the Pope's fast and assured mind to do all that his Holiness etiam ex plenitudine potestatis might do thus to be disappointed most humbly beseeching his Holiness on my behalf by his high Wisdom to consider what a Prince this is the infinite and excellent gratitudes which the same hath exhibited to the Pope's Person in particular and to the See Apostolick in the general the magnitude and importance of this Cause with the Consequences that may follow by the good or ill entreating of the King's Highness in the same wherein ye shall say I have so largely written so plainly for my discharge declared the truth unto his Holiness and so humbly reverently and devoutly made intercession that more can I not add or accumulate thereunto but only pray unto God that the same may be perceived understood and taken as the exigence of the Case and the merits of this Noble Prince doth require trusting always and with fervent desire from day to day abiding to hear from his said Holiness some such thing as I shall now be able constantly to justifie and defend the great things which I and my said Lord Legate have said and attested on his Holiness behalf This with all other such matter as may serve to the purpose ye shall extend as well as ye can and by that means get and attain as much to your purpose for the corroboration and surety of all things to be done here as is possible leaving to speak any more or also to take or admit any rescripts for exhibition of the Brief advocation of the Cause or other of the former degrees seeing that all which shall or can be
in case the Cause should be known here where he should have the King's Highness on one part and the Emperor on the other side daily calling upon his Holiness To this his Holiness most heavily and with tears answered and said That now he saw the destruction of Christendom and lamented that his fortune was such to live to this day and not to be able to remedy it saying these words For God is my Judg I would do as gladly for the King as I would for my self and to that I knowledg my self most bounden but in this case I cannot satisfy his desire but that I should do manifestly against Justice to the charge of my Conscience to my rebuke and to the dishonour of the See Apostolick affirming that his Counsel shews him that seeing the Caesareans have a Mandate or Proxie of the Queen to ask the Avocations in her Name he cannot of Justice deny it and the whole Signature be in that same opinion so that though he would most gladly do that thing that might be to the King's pleasure yet he cannot do it seeing that Signature would be against him whensoever the Supplication should be up there And so being late we took our leave of his Holiness and departed seeing that we could obtain nothing of the Pope for stopping the Avocation we consulted and devised for the deferring of it till such time as your Grace might make an end in the Cause there And so concluded upon a new Device which at length we have written in our common Letter wherein I promise your Grace Mr. Gregory has used great diligence and taken great labours at this time we can do no more for our lives And if your Grace saw the importune labour of the Ambassadors of the Emperor's and Ferdinandoes you would marvel I promise your Grace they never cease wherefore in staying hitherto as we have done it is marvel as God knoweth whom I pray to preserve your Grace in health and prosperity ad multos annos I beseech your Grace most humbly to commend me to the King's Highness and likewise I beseech your Grace to pardon my ill writing At Rome the 9 th day of Iuly Your daily Beadman and Servant W. Benet XXX A Letter of the Pope's to the Cardinal concerning the Avocation An Original 19 Iulii 1529. DIlecte Fili noster salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem Difficile est nobis explicare literis qua nostra molestia seu potius dolore fuerimus coacti ad Avocationem Causae istic commissae concedendam nam etsi res ita fuit justa ut tanto tempore differri non debuerit tamen nos qui isti Serenissimo Regi pro ejus singularibus erga nos Apostolicam sedem meritis placere in omnibus cupimus sicut consuevimus aegre nunc adducti sumus ut quamquam justitia cogente quicquid contra ejus voluntatem concederemus Nec vero minus Fili doluimus tua causa cui rem hanc tantae curae esse perspeximus quantum tua erga dictum Regem fides amor postulat sed tamen quod datur justitiae minus esse molestum debet cum praesertim id fuerit tam dilatum a nobis omniaque antea pertentata ne ad hoc descenderemus Itaque optamus in hoc adhiberi a te illam tuam singularem prudentiam aequitatem persuadereque te tibi id quod est nos qui semper vobis placere quantum nobis licuit studuimus id quod vestro maximo merito fecimus semper facturi sumus nunc non nisi invitos justitia coactos quod fecimus fecisse Teque omni studio amore hortamur ut dictum regem in solita erga nos benevolentia retinere velis eique persuadere nihil ex hoc apud nos de benevolentia erga se veteri imminutum unquam fore quod recipiemus a Circumspectione tua longe gratissimum Quemadmodum plenius dilectus Filius noster Cardinalis Campegius haec circumspectioni tuae explicabit Dat. Romae apud Sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris die 19 Julii 1529. Pont. nostri anno sexto Blosius Act 26. Anno Regni 21. Henr. 8. XXXI An Act for the releasing unto the King his Highness of suck Sums of Mony as was to be required of him by any his Subjects for any Manner of Loan by his Letters Missives or other ways or manner whatsoever ITem quaedam alia billa formam cujusdam actus in se continens exhibita est praefato Domino Regi in Parliamento praedicto cujus quidem billae tenor sequiturin haec verba The King 's humble faithful and loving Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled considering and calling to their remembrances the inestimable Costs Charges and Expences which the King's Highness necessarily hath been compelled to support and sustain since his assumption to his Crown Estate and Dignity Royal as well first for the extinction of a right dangerous and damnable Schism sprung and risen in the Church which by the providence of the Almighty God and the high prudence and provision and assistance of the King's Highness was to the great honour laud and glory of his Majesty repressed the Enemies then being of the Church reformed returned and restored to the unity of the same and peace over all componed and concluded as also for the modifying of the insatiable and inordinate ambition of those which do aspire unto the Monarchy of Christendom did put universal trouble divisions in the same intending if they might not only to have subdued this Realm but also all the rest unto their Power and Subjection For the resistance whereof the King's Highness was compelled after the Universal Peace by the great study labour and travel of his Grace conduced and the same by some of the Contrahents newly violate and infringed in shewing the form of the Treaties thereupon made again and take Armour And over and besides the notable and excessive treasure and substance which his Highness in his first Wars had emploied for the defence of the Church the Faith Catholick and this his Realm and of the People and Subjects of the same was eft-soons brought of necessity to new excellent and marvellous Charges both for the supportation of sundry Armies by Sea and by Land and also for divers and manifold Contributions outward to serve keep and contain his own Subjects at home in rest and repose which hath been so politickly handled and conduced that when the most part of all religious Christians have been infested with cruel Wars Discords Divisions and Dissensions the great Heads and Princes of the World brought unto Captivity Cities Towns and Places by force and sedition taken spoiled burnt and sacked Men Women and Children found in the same slain and destroyed Virgins Wives Widows and Religious Women ravished and defloured Holy Churches and Temples polluted and turned unto prophane use the Reliques of the Holy Saints irreverently treated Hunger
but it cannot be hid which is so manifest and tho we could say nothing the thing it self speaketh But as to that that is affirmed in your Letters both of God's Law and Man's otherwise than is necessary and truth let that be ascribed to the temerity and ignorance of your Counsellors and your Holiness to be without all default save only for that ye do not admit more discreet and learned Men to be your Counsellors and stop the mouths of them which liberally would speak the Truth This truly is your default and verily a great fault worthy to be alienate and abhorred of Christ's Vicar in that ye have dealt so variably yea rather so inconstantly and deceivably Be ye not angry with my words and let it be lawful for me to speak the Truth without displeasure if your Holiness shall be displeased with that we do rehearse impute no default in us but in your own Deeds which Deeds have so molested and troubled us wrongfully that we speak now unwillingly and as enforced thereunto Never was there any Prince so handled by a Pope as your Holiness hath intreated us First When our Cause was proponed to your Holiness when it was explicated and declared afore the same when certain Doubts in it were resolved by your Counsellors and all things discussed it was required that answer might be made thereunto by the order of the Law There was offered a Commission with a promise also that the same Commission should not be revoked and whatsoever Sentence should be given should streight without delay be confirmed The Judges were sent unto us the Promise was delivered to us subscribed with your Holiness's hand which avouched to confirm the Sentence and not to revoke the Commission nor to grant any thing else that might lett the same and finally to bring us in a greater hope a certain Commission Decretal defining the Cause was delivered to the Judges hands If your Holiness did grant us all these things justly ye did injustly revoke them and if by good and truth the same was granted they were not made frustrate nor annihilate without fraud so as if there were no deceit nor fraud in the Revocation then how wrongfully and subtilly have been done those things that have been done Whether will your Holiness say That ye might do those things that ye have done or that ye might not do them If ye will say that ye might do them where then is the Faith which becometh a Friend yea and much more a Pope to have those things not being performed which lawfully were promised And if ye will say that ye might not do them have we not then very just cause to mistrust those Medicines and Remedies with which in your Letters ye go about to heal our Conscience especially in that we may perceive and see those Remedies to be prepared for us not to relieve the Sickness and Disease of our Mind but for other means pleasures and worldly respects And as it should seem profitable that we should ever continue in hope or despair so always the Remedy is attempted so that we being always a-healing and never healed should be sick still And this truly was the chief cause why we did consult and take the advice of every Learned Man being free without all affection that the Truth which now with our labour and study we seem partly to have attained by their judgments more manifestly divulged we might more at large perceive whose Judgments and Opinions it is easy to see how much they differ from that that those few Men of yours do shew unto you and by those your Letters is signified Those few Men of yours do affirm the prohibition of our Marriage to be inducted only by the Law positive as your Holiness hath also written in your Letters but all others say the prohibition to be inducted both by the Law of God and Nature Those Men of yours do suggest that it may be dispensed for avoiding of slanders The others utterly do contend that by no means it is lawful to dispence with that that God and Nature hath forbidden We do separate from our Cause the Authority of the See Apostolick which we do perceive to be destitute of that Learning whereby it should be directed and because your Holiness doth ever profess your ignorance and is wont to speak of other Mens mouths we do confer the sayings of those with the sayings of them that be of the contrary Opinion for to confer the Reasons it were too long But now the Universities of Cambridg Oxford in our Realms Paris Orleance Biturisen Andegavon in France and Bonony in Italy by one consent and also divers other of the most famous and Learned Men being freed from all affection and only moved in respect of verity partly in Italy and partly in France do affirm the Marriage of the Brother with the Brother's Wife to be contrary both to the Law of God and Nature and also do pronounce that no Dispensation can be lawful or available to any Christian Man in that behalf But others think the contrary by whose Counsels your Holiness hath done that that sithence ye have confessed ye could not do in promising to us as we have above rehearsed and giving that Commission to the Cardinal Campege to be shewed unto us and after if it so should seem profitable to burn it as afterwards it was done indeed as we have perceived Furthermore those which so do moderate the Power of your Holiness that they do affirm That the same cannot take away the Appellation which is used by Man's Law and yet is available to Divine Matters every-where without distinction No Princes heretofore have more highly esteemed nor honoured the See Apostolick than we have wherefore we be the more sorry to be provoked to this contention which to our usage and nature is most alienate and abhorred Those things so cruel we write very heavily and more glad would have been to have been silent if we might and would have left your Authority untouched with a good will and constrained to seek the verity we fell against our Will into this contention but the sincerity of the Truth prohibited us to keep silence and what should we do in so great and many perplexities For truly if we should obey the Letters of your Holiness in that they do affirm that we know to be otherwise we should offend God and our Conscience and we should be a great slander to them that do the contrary which be a great number as we have before rehearsed Also if we should dissent from those things which your Holiness doth pronounce we would account it not lawful if there were not a Cause to defend the Fact as we now do being compelled by necessity lest we should seem to contemn the Authority of the See Apostolick Therefore your Holiness ought to take it in good part tho we do somewhat at large and more liberally speak in this Cause which doth so oppress us
communications with her or of as many sendings of your Chaplains unto her As for the late Lord of Canterbury's saying unto you That she had many great Visions it ought to move you never a deal to give credence unto her or her Revelations for the said Lord knew no more certainty of her or of her Revelations than he did by her own report And as touching the saying of Amos the Prophet I think verily the same moved you but a little to hearken unto her for sithence the Consummation and the end of the Old Testament and sithen the Passion of Christ God hath done many great and notable things in the World whereof he shewed nothing to his Prophets that hath come to the knowledg of Men. My Lord all these things moved you not to give credence unto her but only the very matter whereupon she made her false Prophesies to which matter ye were so affected as ye be noted to be in all matters which ye enter once into that nothing could come amiss that made for that purpose And here I appeal your Conscience and instantly desire you to answer Whether if she had shewed you as many Revelations for the confirmation of the King's Graces Marriage which he now enjoyeth as she did to the contrary ye would have given as much credence to her as the same done and would have let the trial of her and her Revelations to overpass those many years where ye dwelt not from her but twenty miles in the same Shire where her Traunces and Diffigurings and Prophesies in her Traunces were surmised and reported And if percase ye will say as it not unlike but ye will say minded as ye were wont to be that the matter be not like for the Law of God in your opinion standeth with the one and not with the other Surely my Lord I suppose there had been no great cause more to trust the one more than the other for ye know by Scriptures of the Bible that God may by his Revelation dispense with his own Law as with the Israelites spoiling the Egyptians and with Iacob to have four Wives and such other Think you my Lord that any indifferent Man considering the quality of the Matter and your Affections and also the negligent passing over of such lawful Trials as ye might have had of the said Maiden and her Revelations is so dull that cannot perceive and discern that your communing and often sending to the said Maid was rather to hear and bruit many of her Revelations than to try out the truth or falshood of the same And in this Business I suppose it will be hard for you to purge your self before God or the World but that ye have been in great default in hearing believing and concealing such things as tended to the destruction of the Prince and that her Revelations were bent and purposed to that end it hath been duly proved afore as great Assembly and Council of the Lords of this Realm as hath been seen many years meet out of a Parliament And what the said Lords deemed them worthy to suffer which said heard believed and concealed those false Revelations be more terrible than any threats spoken by me to your Brother And where ye go about to defend that ye be not to be blamed for concealing the Revelations concerning the King's Grace because ye thought it not necessary to rehearse them to his Highness for six Causes following in your Letters afore I shew you my mind concerning these Causes I suppose that albeit you percase thought it not necessary to be shewed to the Prince by you yet that your thinking shall not be your Trial but the Law must define whether ye oughted to utter it or not And as to the first of the said seven Causes Albeit she told you that she had shewed her Revelations concerning the King's Grace to the King her self yet her saying or others discharged not you but that ye were bound by your fidelity to shew to the King's Grace that thing which seemed to concern his Grace and his Reign so nighly for how knew you that she shewed these Revelations to the King's Grace but by her own saying to which ye should have given no such credence as to forbear the utterance of so great Matters concerning a King's Weal And why should you so sinisterly judg the Prince that if ye had shewed the same unto him he would have thought that ye had brought that tale unto him more for the strengthening and confirmation of your Opinion than for any other thing else Verily my Lord whatsoever your Judgment be I see daily such benignity and excellent humanity in his Grace that I doubt not but his Highness would have accepted it in good part if ye had shewed the same Revelations unto him as ye were bounden by your fidelity To the second Cause Albeit she shewed you not that any Prince or other Temporal Lord should put the King's Grace in danger of his Crown yet there were ways enough by which her said Revelations might have put the King's Grace in danger as the foresaid Council of Lords have substantially and duly considered And therefore albeit she shewed you not the means whereby the danger should ensue to the King yet ye were nevertheless bounden to shew him of the danger To the third Think you my Lord that if any Person would come unto you and shew you that the King's destruction were conspired against a certain time and would fully shew you that he were sent from his Master to shew the same to the King and will say further unto that he would go streight to the King were it not yet your duty to certify the King's Grace of this Revelation and also to enquire whether the said Person had done his foresaid Message or no Yes verily and so were ye bound tho the Maiden shewed you it was her Message from God to be declared by her to the King's Grace To the fourth Here ye translate the temporal Duty that ye owe to your Prince to the spiritual Duty of such as be bound to declare the Word of God to the People and to shew unto them the ill and punishment of it in another World the concealment whereof pertaineth to the Judgment of God but the concealment of this Matter pertaineth to other Judges of this Realm To the fifth There could no blame be imputed to you if ye had shewed the Maidens Revelation to the King's Grace albeit they were afterward found false for no Man ought to be blamed doing his Duty And if a Man would shew you secretly that there were a great Mischief intended against the Prince were ye to be blamed if ye shewed him of it albeit it was a feigned talk and the said mischief were never imagined To the sixth Concerning an Imagination of Mr. Pary it was known that he was beside himself and therefore they were not blamed that made no report thereof but it was not like in this case
for ye took not this Maiden for a mad Woman for if ye had ye would not have given unto her so great credence as ye did To the final and seventh Cause Where ye lay unto the charge of our Sovereign that so hath unkindly entreated you with grievous Words and terrible Letters for shewing his Grace truth in his great Matter whereby ye were discomforted to shew unto him the Maidens Revelations I believe that I know the King's Goodness and natural Gentleness so well that his Grace would not so unkindly handled you as your unkindly writings him unless ye gave him other Causes than be expressed in your Letters And whatsoever the King's Grace hath said or written unto you heretofore yet notwithstanding ye were nevertheless bounden to utter to him those pernicious Revelations Finally Where ye desire for the Passion of Christ that ye be no more twitched in this matter for if ye be put to that strait ye will not lose your Soul but ye will speak as your Conscience bindeth you with many more words of great courage My Lord if ye had taken my counsel sent unto you by your Brother and followed the same submitting your self by your Letters at the King's Grace for your offences in this behalf I would have trusted that ye should never be quykkrand in this matter more But now where ye take upon you to defend the whole Matter as ye were in no default I cannot so far promise you And surely my Lord if the Matter come to trial your own confession in this Letter besides the Witness which be against you will be sufficient to condemn you Wherefore my Lord I will eft-soons advise you That laying apart all such excuses as ye have alledged in your Letters which in my opinion be of small effect as I have declared ye beseech the King's Grace by your Letters to be your Gracious Lord and to remit unto you your negligence over-sight and offence committed against his Highness in this behalf and I dare undertake that his Highness shall benignly accept you into his gracious favour all matters of displeasure past afore this time forgotten and forgiven As touching the speaking of your Conscience It is thought that ye have written and have spoken as much as ye can and many things as some right probably believes against your own Conscience and many report that at the last Convocation ye spake many things which ye could not well defend and therefore it is not greatly feared what ye can say or write in that Matter howsoever ye be qukkrane and startled And if ye had taken c. L. Pope's Supremacy signed by the Heads of six Religious Houses QUum ea sit non solum Christianae Religionis pietatis ratio sed nostrae etiam obedientiae regula ut Domino nostro Henrico ejus nominis pro Dominio Regio Octavo cui uni soli post Christum Iesum Salvatorem nostrum debentur omnia non modo omnimodam in Christo eandem sinceram perpetuamque animi devotionem fidem observantiam honorem cultum reverentiam praestemus sed etiam de eadem fide observantia nostra rationem quotiescunque postulabitur reddamus palam omnibus si res poscat libentissime testemur Norint universi ad quos praesens scriptum pervenit quod nos Priores Conventus fratrum viz. praedicatoris Langley Regis ordinis Sancti Dominici Minorum de Ailsbury Ordinis Sancti Francisci praedicatorum Dunstopliae Ordinis antedicti Minorum de Bedford Ordinis Sancti Francisci Fratrum Carmelitarum de Hechyng Ordinis Beatae Mariae Minorum de Morea Ordinis Sancti Francisci uno ore voce atque unanimi omnium singulorum consensu assensu hoc scripto nostro sub sigillis nostris communibus in domibus nostris capitularibus dato pro nobis successoribus nostris omnibus singulis in perpetuum profitemur testamur fideliter promittimus spondemus nos dictos Priores Conventus Successores nostros omnes singulos integram inviolatam sinceram perpetuamque fidem observantiam obedientiam semper praestituros erga Dominum Regem nostrum Henricum Octavum erga Serenissimam Reginam Annam Uxorem ejusdem erga castum Sanctumque Matrimonium nuper non solum inter eosdem juste legitime contractum ratum consummatum sed etiam tam in duabus Convocationibus Cleri quam in Parliamento Dominorum Spiritualium Temporalium atque Communium in eodem Parliamento Congregatorum praesentum determinatum per Thomam Cantuarien Episcopum solenniter confirmatum erga quamcunque aliam ejusdem Henrici Regis nostri Uxorem post mortem praedictae Annae nunc Uxoris suae legitimae ducendam erga sobolem dicti Domini Regis Henrici ex praedicta Anna legitime tam progenitam quam progignendam erga sobolem dicti Domini Regis ex alia quacunque legitima Uxore post mortem ejusdem Annae legitime progignendam quod eadem populo notificabimus praedicabimus suadebimus ubicunque dabitur locus occasio Item quod confirmatum ratumque habemus semperque perpetuo habituri sumus quod praedictus Rex noster Henricus est Caput Ecclesiae Anglicanae Item quod Episcopus Romanus qui in suis Bullis Papae nomen usurpat summi Pontificis Principatum sibi arrogat nihilo majoris neque Auctoritatis aut jurisdictionis habendus sit quam caeteri quivis Episcopi in Anglia alibi in sua cujusque Diocese Item quod soli dicto Domino Regi Successoribus suis adhaerebimus atque ejus Proclamationes insuper omnes Angliae leges atque etiam Statuta omnia in Parliamento per Parliamentum decreta confirmata stabilita ratificata perpetuo manutenebimus Episcopi Romani legibus decretis Canonibus si qui contra legem Divinam Sacram Scripturam esse invenientur in perpetuum renunciantes Item quod nullus nostrum omnium in ulla vel privata vel publica concione quicquam ex Sacris Scripturis desumptum ad alienum sensum detorquere praesumet sed quisquis Christum ejusque vera praedicabit Catholice Orthodoxe Item quod unusquisque in suis orationibus comprecationibus de more faciendis primum omnium Regem tanquam Supremum Caput Ecclesiae Anglicanae Deo populi precibus commendabit deinde Reginam cum sua sobole tum demum Archiepiscopum Cantuarien cum caeteris Cleri Ordinibus prout videbitur Item quod omnes singuli praedicti Priores Conventus Successores nostri Conscientiae Jurisjurandi Sacro firmiter obligamur quod omnia singula praedicta sideliter in perpetuum observabimus In cujus rei testimonium huic Instrumento vel scripto nostro communia sigilla nostra appendimus nostra nomina propria quisque manu subscripsimus Sacris in Domibus nostris Capitularibus die quinto Mensis Maii Anno Christi millesimo quingentesimo
likewise and also there insert every Person 's Name that shall be so wedded christened and buried and for the safe keeping of the same Book the Parish shall be bound to provide of their common charges one sure Coffer with two Locks and Keys whereof the one to remain with you and the other with the Wardens of every such Parish wherein the said Book shall be laid up which Book ye shall every Sunday take forth and in the presence of the said Wardens or one of them write and record in the same all the Weddings Christenings and Buryings made the whole week afore and that done to lay up the Book in the said Coffer as afore And for every time that the same shall be omitted the Party that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfeit to the said Church 3 s. 4 d. to be employed on the reparation of the said Church Item That ye shall every quarter of a year read these and the other former Injunctions given unto you by the Authority of the King's Highness openly and deliberately before all your Parishioners to the intent that both you may be the better admonished of your duty and your said Parishioners the more incited to ensue the same for their part Item Forasmuch as by a Law established every Man is bound to pay the Tithes no Man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curats detain their Tithes and so redouble one wrong with another or be his own Judg but shall truly pay the same as hath been accustomed to their Parsons and Curats without any restraint or diminution and such lack or default as they can justly find in their Parsons and Curats to call for reformation thereof at their Ordinaries and other Superiors hands who upon complaint and due proof thereof shall reform the same accordingly Item That no Person shall from henceforth alter or change the order and manner of any Fasting-day that is commanded and indicted by the Church nor of any Prayer or of Divine Service otherwise than is specified in the said Injunctions until such time as the same shall be so ordered and transported by the Kings Highness's Authority The Eves of such Saints whose Holy-days be abrogâ—ted be only excepted which shall be declared henceforth to be no Fasting-days excepted also the commemoration of Thomas Becket some-time Arch-Bishop of Canterbury which shall be clean omitted and in the stead thereof the Ferial Service used Item That the knolling of the Avies after Service and certain other times which hath been brought in and begun by the pretence of the Bishop of Rome's pardon henceforth be left and omitted lest the People do hereafter trust to have pardon for the saying of their Avies between the said knolling as they have done in times past Item Where in times past Men have used in divers places in their Processions to sing Ora pro nobis to so many Saints that they had no time to sing the good Suffrages following as Parce nobis Domine and Libera nos Domine it must be taught and preached that better it were to omit Ora pro nobis and to sing the other Suffrages All which and singular Injunctions I minister unto you and your Successors by the King's Highness Authority to me committed in this part which I charge and command you by the same Authority to observe and keep upon pain of Deprivation Sequestration of your Fruits or such other coercion as to the King's Highness or his Vice-gerent for the time being shall seem convenient These are also in the Bp. of London's Register Fol. 29 30. with Bonner's Mandate to his Arch-Deacons for observing them 30 Sept. 1541. Anno Regn. 32. XII Injunctions given by Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the Parsons Vicars and other Curats in his Visitation kept sede vacante within the Diocess of Hereford Anno Domini 1538. I. FIrst That ye and every one of you shall with all your diligence and faithful obedience observe and cause to be observed all and singular the King's Highness Injunctions by his Graces Commissaries given in such places as they in times past have visited II. Item That ye and every one of you shall have by the first day of August next coming as well a whole Bible in Latin and English or at the least a New Testament of both the same Language as the Copies of the King's Highness Injunctions III. Item That ye shall every day study one Chapter of the said Bible or New Testament conferring the Latin and English together and to begin at the first part of the Book and so to continue until the end of the same IV. Item That ye or none of you shall discourage any Lay-Man from the reading of the Bible in English or Latin but encourage them to that admonishing them that they so read it for reformation of their own Life and knowledg of their Duty and that they be not bold or presumptuous in judging of Matters afore they have perfect knowledg V. Item That ye both in your Preaching and secret Confession and all other works and doings shall excite and move your Parishioners unto such Works as are commanded expresly of God for the which God shall demand of them a strict reckoning and all other Works which Men do of their own Will or Devotion to teach your Parishioners that they are not to be so highly esteemed as the other and that for the not doing of them God will not ask any accompt VI. Item That ye nor none of you suffer no Friar or Religious Man to have any Cure or Service within your Churches or Cures except they be lawfully dispensed withal or licensed by the Ordinary VII Item That ye and every one of you do not admit any young Man or Woman to receive the Sacrament of the Altar which never received it before until that he or she openly in the Church after Mass or evening Song upon the Holy-day do recite in the vulgar Tongue the Pater Noster the Creed and the Ten Commandments VIII Item That ye and every one of you shall two times in a quarter declare to your Parishioners the Band of Matrimony and what great danger it is to all Men that useth their Bodies but with such Persons as they lawfully may by the Law of God And to exhort in the said Times your Parishioners that they make no privy Contracts as they will avoid the extream pain of the Laws used within the King's Realm by his Graces Authority XIII A Letter of Cromwell's to the Bishop of Landaff directing him how to proceed in the Reformation An Original AFter my right hearty Commendations to your Lordship ye shall herewith receive the King's Highness Letters addressed unto you to put you in remembrance of his Highness travels and your duty touching order to be taken for Preaching to the intent the People may be taught the Truth and yet not charged at the beginning with over-many Novelties the publication whereof unless the same be tempered and
in him did not only erect and advance the same Thomas unto the State of an Earl and enriched him with many-fold Gifts as well of Goods as of Lands and Offices but also him the said Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex did erect and make one of your most trusty Counsellors as well concerning your Grace's Supream Jurisdictions Ecclesiastical as your most high secret Affairs Temporal Nevertheless your Majesty now of late hath found and tried by a large number of Witnesses being your faithful Subjects and Personages of great Honour Worship and Discretion the said Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex contrary to the singular trust and confidence which your Majesty had in him to be the most false and corrupt Traitor Deceiver and Circumventor against your most Royal Person and the Imperial Crown of this your Realm that hath been known seen or heard of in all the time of your most noble Reign Insomuch that it is manifestly proved and declared by the Depositions of the Witnesses aforesaid That the same Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex usurping upon your Kingly Estate Power Authority and Office without your Grace's Commandment or Assent hath taken upon him to set at liberty divers Persons being convicted and attainted of Misprision of High Treason and divers other being apprehended and in Prison for Suspection of High Treason and over that divers and many times at sundry places in this your Realm for manifold Sums of Mony to him given most traiterously hath taken upon him by several Writings to give and grant as well unto Aliens as to your Subjects a great number of Licenses for conveighing and carrying of Mony Corn Grain Beans Beer Leather Tallow Bells Mettals Horses and other Commodities of this your Realm contrary to your Highness's most Godly and Gracious Proclamations made for the Common-Wealth of your People of this your Realm in that behalf and in derogation of your Crown and Dignity And the same Thomas Cromwell elated and full of pride contrary to his most bounden Duty of his own Authority and Power not regarding your Majesty Royal And further taking upon him your Power Sovereign Lord in that behalf divers and many times most traiterously hath constituted deputed and assigned many singular Persons of your Subjects to be Commissioners in many your great urgent and weighty Causes and Affairs executed and done in this your Realm without the assent knowledg or consent of your Highness And further also being a Person of as poor and low degree as few be within this your Realm pretending to have so great a stroak about you our and his natural Sovereign Liege Lord that he letted not to say publickly and declare That he was sure of you which is detestable and to be abhorred amongst all good Subjects in any Christian Realm that any Subject should enterprize or take upon him so to speak of his Sovereign Liege Lord and King And also of his own Authority and Power without your Highness's consent hath made and granted as well to Strangers as to your own Subjects divers and many Pass-ports to pass over the Seas with Horses and great Sums of Mony without any search And over that most Gracious Soveraign Lord amongst divers other his Treasons Deceits and Falshoods the said Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex being a detestable Heretick and being in himself utterly disposed to sett and sow common Sedition and Variance among your true and loving Subjects hath secretly set forth and dispersed into all Shires and other Territories of this your Realm and other your Dominions great numbers of false Erroneous Books whereof many were printed and made beyond the Seas and divers other within this Realm comprising and declaring amongst many other Evils and Errors manifest Matters to induce and lead your Subjects to diffidence and refusal of the true and sincere Faith and Belief which Christian Religion bindeth all Christian People to have in the most Holy and Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and other Articles of Christian Religion most graciously declared by your Majesty by Authority of Parliament And certain Matters comprised in some of the said Books hath caused to be translated into our maternal and English Tongue And upon report made unto him by the Translator thereof that the Matter so translated hath expresly been against the said most Blessed and Holy Sacrament Yet the same Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex after he had read the same Translation most heretically hath affirmed the same material Heresie so translated to be good and further hath said that he found no fault therein and over that hath openly and obstinately holden Opinion and said That it was as lawful for every Christian Man to be a Minister of the said Sacrament as well as a Priest And where also your most Royal Majesty being a Prince of Vertue Learning and Justice of singular Confidence and Trust did constitute and make the same Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex your Highness's Vicegerent within this your Realm of England and by the same gave unto him Authority and Power not only to redress and reform all and all manner of Errors and Erroneous Opinions insurging and growing among your loving and obedient Subjects of this your Realm and of the Dominions of the same but also to order and direct all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Causes within your said Realm and Dominions the said Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex not regarding his Duty to Almighty God and to your Highness under the Seal of your Vicegerent hath without your Grace's assent or knowledg licensed and authorized divers Persons detected and suspected of Heresies openly to teach and preach amongst your most loving and obedient Subjects within this your Realm of England And under the pretence and colour of the said great Authorities and Cures which your Majesty hath committed unto him in the Premisses hath not only of his corrupt and damnable Will and Mind actually at some time by his own Deed and Commandment and at many other times by his Letters expresly written to divers worshipful Persons being Sheriffs in sundry Shires of this your Realm falsly suggesting thereby your Grace's Pleasure so to have been caused to be set at large many false Hereticks some being there indicted and some other being thereof apprehended and in ward and commonly upon complaints made by credible Persons unto the said Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex of great and most detestable Heresies committed and sprung in many places of this your Realm with declaration of the Specialities of the same Heresies and the Names of the Offenders therein the same Thomas Cromwel Earl of Essex by his crafty and subtil means and inventions hath not only defended the same Hereticks from Punishment and Reformation but being a fautor maintainer and supporter of Hereticks divers times hath terribly rebuked divers of the said credible Persons being their Accusers and some others of them hath persecuted and vexed by Imprisonment and otherwise So that thereby many of your Grace's true and loving Subjects have been in much
given to me of God and by our said Soveraign Lord the King's Majesty I exhort require and also command all and singular Parsons Vicars Curats and Chantry Priests with other of the Clergy whatsoever they be of my Diocess and Jurisdiction of London to observe keep and perform accordingly as it concerneth every of them in vertue of their Obedience and also upon pains expressed in all such Laws Statutes and Ordinances of this Realm as they may incur and be objected against them now or at any time hereafter for breaking and violating of the same or any of them First That you and every of you shall with all diligence and faithful obedience observe and keep and cause to be observed and kept to the outermost of your Powers all and singular the Contents of the King's Highness most gracious and godly Ordinances and Injunctions given and set forth by his Graces Authority and that ye and every of you for the better performance thereof shall provide to have a Copy of the same in writing or imprinted and so to declare them accordingly Item That every Parson Vicar and Curat shall read over and diligently study every day one Chapter of the Bible and that with the gloss ordinary or some other Doctor or Expositor approved and allowed in this Church of England proceeding from Chapter to Chapter from the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew to the end of the New Testament and the same so diligently studied to keep still and retain in memory and to come to the rehearsal and reâ—ital thereof at all such time and times as they or any of them shall be commanded thereunto by me or any of my Officers or Deputies Item That every of you do procure and provide of your own a Book called The Institution of a Christian Man otherwise called the Bishops Book and that ye and every of you do exercise your selves in the same according to such Precepts as hath been given heretofore or hereafteâ— to be given Item That ye being absent from your Benefices in cases lawfully permitted by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm do suffer no Priest to keep your Cure unless he being first by you presented and by me or my Officers thereunto abled and admitted And for the more and better assurance and performance thereof to be had by these presents I warn and monish peremptorily all and singular Beneficed Parsons having Benefices with Cure within my Diocess and Jurisdiction that they and every of them shall either be personally resident upon their Benefices and Cures before the Feast of St. Michael the Arch-Angel now next ensuing or else present before the said Feast to me the said Bishop my Vicar-General or other my Officers deputed in that behalf such Curats as upon examination made by me or my said Officers may be found able and sufficient to serve and discharge their Cures in their absence and also at the said Feast or before shall bring in and exhibite before my said Officers their sufficient Dispensations authorized by the King's Majesty as well for non-residence as for keeping of more Benefices with Cure than one Item That every Parson Vicar and other Curats once in every quarter shall openly in the Pulpit exhort and charge his Parishioners that they in no wise do make any privy or secret contract of Matrimony between themselves but that they utterly defer it until such time as they may conveniently have the Father and Mother or some other Kinsfolks or Friends of the Person that shall make such Contract of Matrimony or else two or three honest Persons to be present and to hear and record the words and manner of their Contract as they will avoid the extream pains of the Law provided in that behalf if they presumptuously do or attempt the contrary Item That in the avoiding of divers and grievous Offences and Enormities and specially the most detestable sin of Adultery which oft-times hath hapned by the negligence of Curats in marrying Persons together which had been married before and making no due proof of the death of their other Husbands and Wives at the time of such Marriages I require and command you and monish peremptorily by these presents all manner of Parsons Vicars and Curats with other Priests being of my Diocess and Jurisdiction that they nor any of them from henceforth do presume to solemnizate Matrimony in their Churches Chappels or elsewhere between any Persons that have been married before unless the said Parson Vicar Curat or Priest be first plainly fully and sufficiently informed and certified of the Decease of the Wife or Husband of him or her or of both that he shall marry and that in writing under the Ordinaries Seal of the Diocess or place where he or she inhabited or dwelt before under pain of Excommunication and otherwise to be punished for doing the contrary according to the Laws provided and made in that behalf Item That ye and every of you that be Parsons Vicars Curats and also Chauntry-Priests and Stipendiaries do instruct teach and bring up in Learning the best ye can all such Children of your Parishioners as shall come to you for the same or at the least to teach them to read English taking moderately therefore of their Friends that be able to pay so that they may thereby the better learn and know how to Believe how to Pray how to live to God's pleasure Item That every Curat do at all times his best diligence to stir move and reduce such as be at discord to Peace Concord Love Charity and one to remit and forgive one another as often and howsoever they shall be grieved or offended And that the Curat shew and give example thereof when and as often as any variance or discord shall happen to be between him and any of his Cure Item Where some froward Persons partly for malice hatred displeasure and disdain neglect contemn and despise their Curats and such as have the Cure and Charge of their Souls and partly to hide and cloak their leud and naughty living as they have used all the Year before use at length to be confessed of other Priests which have not the Cure of their Souls Wherefore I will and require you to declare and show to your Parishioners That no Testimonials brought from any of them shall stand in any effect nor that any such Persons shall be admitted to God's Board or receive their Communion until they have submitted themselves to be confessed of their own Curats Strangers only except or else upon arduous and urgent Causes and Considerations they be otherwise dispensed with in that behalf either by me or by my Officers aforesaid Item That whereupon a detestable and abominable practice universally reigning in your Parishes the young People and other ill-disposed Persons doth use upon the Sundays and Holy-days in time of Divine Service and preaching the Word of God to resort unto Ale-houses and there exerciseth unlawful Games with great Swearing Blasphemy Drunkenness and
try the outmost severity that the Law allowed and would not offer them such a favour again Yet all this did not prevail for the Act was rejected and their complaint against the Clergy was also laid aside and the Parliament was Prorogued till April next In this Parliament the Foundation of the Breach that afterwards followed with Rome was laid by an Act for restraining the payment of Annates to that Court which since it is not Printed with the other Statutes shall be found in the end of this Volume The substance of it is as follows That great Sums of Money had been conveyed out of the Kingdom under the Title of Annates or first Fruits to the Court of Rome which they extorted by restraint of Bulls and other writs that it happened often by the frequent deaths of Arch-Bishops and Bishops to turn to the utter undoing of their Friends who had advanced those Sums for them These Annates were founded on no Law for they had no other way of obliging the Incumbents of Sees to pay them but by restraining their Bulls The Parliament therefore considering that these were first begun to be payed to defend Christendome against Infidels but were now turned to a duty claimed by that Court against all Right and Conscience and that vast Sums were carryed away upon that account which from the Second year of King Henry the 7th to that present time amounted to 800000 Ducats besides many other heavy Exactions of that Court did declare that the King was bound by his Duty to Almighty God as a good Christian Prince to hinder these oppressions And that the rather because many of the Prelates were then very Aged and like to die in a short time whereby vast Sums of Money should be carryed out of England to the great Impoverishing of the Kingdom And therefore all payments of first Fruits to the Court of Rome were put down and for ever restrained under the pains of the forfeiture of the Lands Goods and Chattels of him that should pay them any more together with the Profits of his See during the time that he was vested with it And in case Bulls were restrained in the Court of Rome any person presented to a Bishoprick should be notwithstanding Consecrated by the Arch-Bishop of the Province or if he were presented to an Arch-Bishoprick by any two Bishops in the Kingdom whom the King should appoint for that end and that being so Consecrated they should be Invested and enjoy all the Rights of their Sees in full and ample manner yet that the Pope and Court of Rome might have no just cause of Complaint the persons presented to Bishopricks are allowed to pay them 5 lib. for the Hundred of the clear Profits and Revenues of their several Sees But the Parliament not willing to go to extremities Remitted the final ordering of that Act to the King that if the Pope would either charitably and reasonably put down the payment of Annates or so moderate them that they might be a tolerable burden the King might at any time before Easter 1533. or before the next Session of Parliament declare by his Letters Patents whether the premises or any part of them should be observed or not which should give them the full force and Authority of a Law And that if upon this Act the Pope should vex the King or any of his Subjects by E xommunications or other Censures these notwithstanding the King should cause the Sacraments and other Rites of the Church to be administred and that none of these Censures might be published or Executed This Bill began in the House of Lords from them it was sent to the Commons and being agreed to by them received the Royal Assent but had not that final Confirmation mentioned in the Act before the 9th of Iuly 1533. and then by Letters Patents in which the Act is at length recited it was confirmed But now I come to open the final Conclusion of the Kings Suit at Rome On the 25th of Ianuary the Pope wrote to the King that he heard reports which he very unwillingly believed that he had put away his Queen and kept one Anne about him as his Wife which as it gave much Scandal so it was an high Contempt of the Apostolick See to do such a thing while his Suit was still depending notwithstanding a Prohibition to the contrary Therefore the Pope remembring his former merits which were now like to be clouded with his present Carriage did exhort him to take home his Queen and to put Anne away and not to continue to provoke the Emperor and his Brother by so high an Indignity nor to break the General peace of Christendome which was its only security against the Power of the Turk What answer the King made to this I do not find but instead of that I shall set down the Substance of a Dispatch which the King sent to Rome about this time drawn from a Copy of it to which the date is not added But it being an answer to a Letter he received from the Pope the 7th of October it seems to have been written about this time and it concluding with a Credence to an Ambassador I judge it was sent by Doctor Bennet who was dispatched to Rome in Ianuary 1532. to shew the Pope the Opinions of Learned men and of the Universities with their Reasons The Letter will be found in the end of this Volume the Contents of it are to this purpose The Pope had writ to the King in order to the clearing all his scruples and to give him quiet in his Conscience of which the King takes notice and is sorry that both the Pope and himself were so deceived in that matter the Pope by trusting to the judgments of others and writing whatever they suggested and the King by depending so much on the Pope and in vain expecting remedy from him so long He imputes the mistakes that were in the Popes Letters which he says had things in them contrary both to Gods Law and Mans Law to the Ignorance and rashness of his Councellors for which himself was much to be blamed since he rested on their advice and that he had not carryed himself as became Christs Vicar but had dealt both unconstantly and deceitfully for when the Kings cause was first opened to him and all things that Related to it were explained he had Granted a Commission with a promise not to recall it but to confirm the Sentence which the Legates should give and a Decretal was sent over defining the cause If these were justly granted it was unjustice to revoke them but if they were justly revoked it was unjust to grant them So he presses the Pope that either he could grant these things or he could not If he could do it where was the Faith which became a Friend much more a Pope since he had broke these promises But if he said he could not do them had he
not then just cause to distrust all that came from him when at one time he condemned what he had allowed at another So that the King saw clearly he did not Consider the ease of his Conscience but other worldly respects that had put him on Consulting so many Learned men whose judgments differed much from those few that were about the Pope who thought the Prohibition of such Marriages was onely positive and might be dispensed with by the Pope whereas all other Learned men thought the Law was Moral and indispensable He perceived the Apostolick See was destitute of that Learning by which it should be directed and the Pope had oft professed his own Ignorance and that he spake by other mens mouths but many Universities in England France and Italy had declared the Marriage unlawful and the Dispensation null None honoured the Apostolick See more than he had done and therefore he was sorry to write such things if he could have been silent If he should obey the Popes Letters he would offend God and his own Conscience and give scandal to those who condemned his Marriage he did not willingly dissent from him without a very urgent cause that he might not seem to despise the Apostolick See therefore he desired the Pope would forgive the freedom that he used since it was the Truth that drew it from him And he added that he intended not to Impugn the Popes Authority further except he compelled him and what he did was only to bring it within its first and Ancient Limits to which it was better to reduce it than to let it always run on headlong and do amiss therefore he desired the Pope would Conform himself to the opinions of so many Learned men and do his Duty and Office The Letter ends with a Credence to the Ambassador The Pope seeing his Authority was declining in England resolved now to do all he could to recover it either by force or Treaty and so ordered a Citation to be made of the King to appear in Person or by Proxie at Rome to answer to the Queens appeal upon which Sir Edward Karne was sent to Rome with a new Character of Excusatour His Instructions were to take the best Counsel for pleading an Excuse of the Kings appearance at Rome First upon the grounds that might be found in the Canon Law and these not being sufficient he was to Insist on the Prerogatives of the Crown of England Doctor Bonner went with him who had expressed much zeal in the Kings cause though his great zeal was for Preferment which by the most servile ways he always Courted He was a forward bold man and since there were many Threatnings to be used to the Pope and Cardinals he was thought fittest for the employment but was neither Learned nor discreet They came to Rome in March where they found great heats in the Consistory about the Kings business The Imperialists pressed the Pope to proceed but all the wise and indifferent Cardinals were of another mind And when they understood what an Act was passed about Annates they saw clearly that the Parliament was resolved to adhere to the King in every thing he intended to do against their Interests The Pope expostulated with the Ambassadors about it but they told him the Act was still in the Kings Power and except he provoked him he did not intend to put it in execution The Ambassadors finding the Cardinal of Ravenna of so great reputation both for Learning and Vertue that in all matters of that kind his opinion was heard as an Oracle and gave Law to the whole Consistory they resolved to gain him by all means possible And Doctor Bennet made a secret address to him and offered him what Bishoprick either in France or England he would desire if he would bring the Kings matter to a good issue He was at first very shie at length he said he had been oft deceived by many Princes who had made him great Promises but when their business was ended never thought of performing them therefore he would be sure and so drave a Bargain and got under Doctor Bennets hand a promise of which a Copy being sent to the King written by Bennet himself will be found at the end of this Volume Bearing that he having Powers from the King for that effect dated the 29th of December last did promise the Cardinal for his help in the Kings affair Monasteries or other Benefices in France to the value of 6000 Ducates a year and the first Bishoprick that fell vacant in England and if it were not Ely that when ever that See was vacant upon his resigning the other he should be provided with the Bishoprick of Ely dated at Rome the 7th of February 1532. This I set down as one of the most Considerable Arguments that could be used to satisfie the Cardinals Conscience about the justice of the Kings cause This Cardinal was the fittest to work secretly for the King for he had appeared visible against him I find also by other Letters that both the Cardinals of Anâ—ona and Monte afterwards Pope Iulius the 3d were prevailed with by arguments of the same nature though I cannot find cut what the Bargains were Providellus that was accounted the greatest Canonist in Italy was brought from Bononia and entertained by the Ambassadors to give Counsel in the Kings cause and to plead his Excuse from appearing at Rome The plea was summed up in 28 Articles which were offered to the Pope and he admitted them to be examined in the Consistory appointing three of them to be opened at a Session But the Imperialists opposed that and after fifteen of them had been heard procured a new order that they should be heard in a Congregation of Cardinals before the Pope pretending that a Consistory sitting but once a week and having a great deal of other Business it would be long before the matter could be brought to any issue So Karne was served with a new order to appear in the Congregation the 3d. of April with this Certification That if he appeared not they would proceed Upon which he protested that he would adhere to the former Order yet being warned the second time he went first and protested against it which he got entered in the Datary This being considered in the Congregation they renewed the Order ofhearing it in the Consistory on the 10th of April and then Providellus opened three Conclusions Two of them related to Karne's Powers the third was concerning the Safety of the place to both parties But the Imperialists and the Queens Council being dissatisfied with this Order would not appear Upon which Karne complained of their Contumacy and said By that it was visible they were distrustful of their Cause On the 14th of April a new intimation was made to Karne to appear on the 17th with his Advocates to open all the rest of the Conclusions but he according to the first Order would onely plead