appear there before the Arch-bishop Where Iohn Whitwel the Arch-bishop's Almoner and Thomas Langley both Priests and his Grace's Chaplains exhibited a Schedule of divers Heresies and damned Opinions against the said Assheton Which are recited in the Abjuration which he made The Tenor whereof is as followeth In the Name of God Amen Before you most Learned Father in God Thomas Arch-bishop Primate and Metropolitan of all England Commissary of our most dread Soveraign Lord and excellent Prince Edward VI by the Grace of God c. I Iohn Assheton Priest of my pure Heart Free-will voluntary and sincere Knowledg confess and openly recognize that in Times past I thought believed said heard and affirmed these Errors Heresies and damnable Opinions following that is to say 1. That the Trinity of Persons was established by the Confession of Athanasius declared by a Psalm Quicunque vult c. And that the Holy Ghost is not God but only a certain Power of the Father 2. That Iesus Christ that was conceived of the Virgin Mary was a holy Prophet and especially beloved of God the Father but that he was not the true and living God Forasmuch as he was seen and lived hungred and thirsted 3. That this only is the Fruit of Iesus Christ's Passion that whereas we were strangers from God and had no knowledg of his Testament it pleased God by Christ to bring us to the acknowledging of his holy Power by the Testament Wherefore I the said Iohn Assheton detesting and abhorring all and every my said Errors Heresies and damned Opinions willingly and with all my Power affecting hereafter firmly to believe in the true and perfect Faith of Christ and his Holy Church purposing to follow the true and sincere Doctrine of holy Church with a pure and free Heart voluntarily mind will and intend utterly to forsake relinquish renounce and despise the said detestable Errors Heresies and abominable Opinions Granting and confessing now 1. That the blessed Trinity consisteth in Three distinct Persons and one Godhead as God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost coequal in Power and Might 2. That Jesus Christ is both God and Man after his holy Nature eternally begotten of his Father of his own Substance and in his Humanity was conceived by the Holy Ghost incarnate and for our Redemption being very God became Man 3. That by the Death of Iesus Christ we be not only made Partakers of the Testament and so disposed to the Knowledg of his godly Will and Power but also that we have full Redemption and Remission of our Sins in his Blood Then he subscribed his Hand to this Confession before the Arch-bishop exhibiting it for his Act and lifting up his Hand beseeched his Grace to deal mercifully and graciously with him and touching the Gospel gave his Faith that he would faithfully and humbly obey the Commands of the Holy Mother-Church and whatsoever Penance the said most Reverend Father should lay upon him To these erroneous Doctrines we must add others that now also spread themselves As that Christ took not Flesh of the Virgin That the Baptism of Infants was not profitable Of which Error one Michael Thombe of London Butcher recanted the Year following viz. 1549 May 11. having been then convented before the Arch-bishop at Lambeth I Michael Thombe of London Bocher of my pure Heart and free Will voluntarily and sincerely acknowledg and confess and openly recognize that in times past I thought believed said heard and affirmed these Errors and Heresies and damnable Opinions following that is to say That Christ took no Flesh of our Lady and that the Baptism of Infants is not profitable because it goeth before Faith Wherefore I the said Michael Thombe detesting and abhorring all and every such my said Errors Heresies and damned Opinions and with all my Power affecting hereafter firmly to believe in the true and perfect Faith of Christ and of the Holy Church purposing to follow the true and sincere Doctrine of Holy Church with a pure and free Heart voluntarily mind will and intend utterly to forsake relinquish renounce and despise the said detestable Errors Heresies and damnable Opinions granting and confessing now That Christ took Flesh of the Virgin Mary and that the Baptism of Infants is profitable and necessary And by this Submission and Penance doing Thombe escaped But another of the same Opinion more obstinate came to a sadder End and was Burnt namely Ioan Bocher or Ioan of Kent Her Opinion is in the Instrument drawn up against her in the ABp's Register Which ran thus That you believe that the Word was made Flesh in the Virgin 's Belly but that Christ took Flesh of the Virgin you believe not because the Flesh of the Virgin being the outward Man was sinfully gotten and born in Sin But the Word by the Consent of the inward Man of the Virgin was made Flesh. This she stood perversely in So the Arch-bishop himself excommunicated her judicially the Sentence being read by him April 1549 in S. Mary's Chappel within the Cathedral Church of Pauls Sir Thomas Smith William Cook Dean of the Arches Hugh Latimer Richard Lyell LL. D. the King's Commissioners assisting She was committed afterwards to the Secular Arm and certified so to be by an Instrument made by the Commissioners to the King After she was condemned she was a Sevennight in the Lord Chancellor Rich his House and every day the Arch-bishop and Bishop Ridley came and reasoned with her that if possible they might save her from the Fire But nothing would do I will here produce Latimer's Censure of her who well knew her Case being one of the Commissioners that sat upon her She would say saith he in his Sermon on S. Iohn Evangelist's Day That our Saviour was not very Man nor had received Flesh of his Mother Mary And yet she could shew no reason why she should believe so Her Opinion was this The Son of God said she penetrated through her as through a Glass taking no Substance of her This foolish Woman denied the common Creed Natus ex Maria Virgine and said that our Saviour had a fantastical Body A Dutch Man an Arian named George van Paris denying Christ to be true God came to a like End with Ioan namely that of burning to Death being condemned for Heresy that was in the Year 1551. But tho I make some Anticipation in my History yet I do it that I may lay these Heresies here together that started up or rather shewed themselves more visibly in this Reign CHAP. IX The Arch-bishop Visits THE Arch-bishop in this Year held a Visitation in divers Places throughout his Diocess Wherein enquiry was to be made concerning the Behaviour both of the Priests and the People in eighty six Articles Whereby may be seen the Arch-bishop's conscientious Care and Solicitude for the abrogating of Superstition and the promoting of true Religion That he might reduce the Clergy to Learning
peccati Et Lex iram operatur And maketh us sorry and repentant that ever we should come into the displeasure of God and the captivity of the Devil The gracious and benign promises of God by the mediation of Christ showeth us and that to our great relief and comfort whensoever we be repentant and return fully to God in our hearts that we have forgiveness of our sins be reconciled to God and be accepted and reputed just and righteous in his sight only by his grace and mercy which he doth grant and give unto us for his dearly beloved Sons sake Jesus Christ who payd a sufficient ransome for our sins whose bloud doth wash away the same whose bitter and grievous passion is the only pacifying oblation that putteth away from us the wrath of God his Father Whose sanctified body offered on the Cross is the only Sacrifice of sweet and pleasant Savour as S. Paul saith that is to say of such sweetnes and pleasantnes to the Father that for the same he accepteth and reputeth of like sweetnes al them that the same offering doth serve for These benefits of God with innumerable others whosoever extendeth and wel pondereth in his heart and therby conceiveth a firm trust and feeling of Gods mercy wherof springeth in his heart a warm love fervent heat of zeal towards God It is not possible but that he shal fal to work and be ready to the performance of al such works as he knoweth to be acceptable unto God And these works only which follow Justification do please God forasmuch as they procede from a heart endued with pure faith and love to God But the works which we do before our Justification be not allowed and accepted before God although they appear never so great and glorious in the sight of men For after our Justification only begin we to work as the law of God requireth then we shal do al good works willingly although not so exactly as the Law requireth by means of the infirmity of the flesh nevertheles by the merits and benefits of Christ we being sorry that we cannot do al things no more exquisitely and duely al our Works shal be accepted and taken of God as most exquisite pure and perfect Now they that think they may come to Justification by performance of the Law by their own deeds and merits or by any other means than is above rehearsed they go from Christ they renounce his grace Evacuati estis a Christo saith S. Paul Gal. 5. Quicunque in lege justificamini a gratia excidistis They be not partakers of his justice that he hath procured or the merciful benefits that be given by him For S. Paul saith a general rule for al them that will seek such by-paths to obtain Justification Those saith he that wil not knowledg the justice or righteousnes which cometh by God but go about to avaunce their own righteousnes shal never come to that righteousnes which we have by God which is the righteousnes of Christ. By whom only al the Saints in Heaven and al others that have been saved have been reputed righteous and justified So that to Christ our only Savior and Redeemer of whose Righteousnes both their and our Justification doth depend is to be transcribed al the glory therof III. FORGIVENES of Injuries THese two may stand both wel together that we as private persons may forgive al such as have trespassed against us with al our heart and yet that the public ministers of God may se a redres of the same trespasses that we have forgiven For my forgivenes concerns only mine own person but I cannot forgive the punishment and correction that by Gods ordinance is to be ministred by the superior power For in so much as the same trespas which I do forgive may be the maintenance of vice not only of the offendor but also of others taking evil example therby it lyes not in me to forgive the same For so should I enterprize in the office of another which by the ordinance of God be deputed to the same Yea and that such justice may be ministred to the abolishment of vice and sin I may yea and rather as the cause shal require I am bound to make relation to the superior powers of the enormities and trespasses done to me and others and being sorry that I should have cause so to do seek the reformation of such evil doers not as desirous of vengeance but of the amendment of their Lives And yet I may not the more cruelly persecute the matter because the offence is peradventure done towards me but I am to handle it as if it were done to any other only for the use of the extirpation of sin the maintenance of justice and quietnes Which may right wel stand with the ferventnes of charity as the Scripture testifieth Non oderis fratrem tuum in corde tuo sed publicè argue eum ne habeas super illo peccatum Levit 19. So that this may stand with charity and also the forgiveness that Christ requireth of every one of us And yet in this doing I must forgive him with al my heart as much as lyes in mee I must be sorry that sin should have so much rule in him I must pray to God to give him repentance for his misdeeds I must desire God that for Christs sake he wil not impute the sin unto him being truly repentant and so to strengthen him in grace that he fal not again so dangerously I think I were no true christen man if I should not thus do And what other thing is this than as much as lyeth in me with al my heart to remit the trespas But I may by the Lawes require al that is due unto me by right And as for the punishment and correction it is not in my power to enterprize therin but that only belongeth to the superior powers to whom if the grievousnes of the cause shal require by the Commandment which willeth us to take away the evil from among us we ought to shew the offences and complain therof For he would not that we should take away the evil but after a just and lawful means which is only by the ordinance of God to shew the same to the Superior Powers that they may take an order in it according to Gods judgment and justice NUM XXXII Other Discourses of Archbishop Cranmer I. De Consolatione Christianorum contra metum mortis Ex Doctoribus Ecclesiasticis IF death of the body were to be feared then theym which have power to kil the body should we fear lest they do their exercise over us as they may at their pleasure But our Saviour forbids us to fear them because when they have killed the body then they can do no more to us Wherfore it is plain that our Savior would not that we should fear death To dy saith S. Iohn Chrysostom is to put off our old garments and death is a pilgrimage of the
spirit from the body He means for a time And a sleep somewhat longer than the old custome The fear of it saith he is nothing else than the fear of Buggs and a childish fear of that thing that cannot harm thee Remember holy S. Ambrose's saying which S. Augustin lying on his death bed ever had in his mouth I do not fear to dy for we have a good and merciful Lord and Master Lactantius the great learned man confirms the saying of Cicero to be true which said that no man can be right wise which feareth death pain banishment or poverty and that he is the honest and vertuous man which not regardeth what he suffers but how wel he doth suffer Sedulius one of disciples defineth death to be the gate by the which lyeth the strait way unto reign and kingdom Basilius who as in name so both in vertue and learning was great thus he exhorteth us O! man saith he shrink not to withstand your Adversaries to suffer labors abhor not death for it destroyes not nor makes not an end of you but it is the beginning and occasion of life Nor death is the destruction of al things but a departing and a translation unto honors And S. Hierom the strong and stout champion of Almighty God saith declaring this saying of holy Iob the day of death is better than the day of birth that is saith he because other either that by death it is declared what we are or else because our Birth doth bind our liberty of the soul with the body and death do loose it The holy Martyr Cyprian saith he ought to fear death that would not nor hath no lust to go to Christ and that he hath no wil to God the which believeth not that by death he shal begin to reign with Christ as it is written The right wise man liveth by faith Wherfore saith he do not ask that the Kingdom of God may come if this earthly bondage do delight us c. With a great deal more al upon allegations II. An Exhortation to take sicknes wel and adversity patiently drawn out of Cyprian THis misliketh some men that disease of sicknes cometh to the Christen no less then to the Heathen As who should say that therfore the Christian believeth because he should be quiet from danger of Adversity and might have the fruition of this world at his own pleasure and not because that after he hath suffered adversity here he shal be reserved for the joy to come c. III. An Exhortation to take the pain of sicknes patiently Translated out of S. Augustin Lib. 1. De Visitatione Infirmorum THou wilt say I love God God grant saith S. Augustin that it be so indeed as thou promisest in words The proof and trial of the love of God is the fulfilling of his Commandments the fulfilling of his works willingly to love that God loveth with a fervent desire to embrace that the which God worketh Then if thou lovest God thou lovest that that God doth and if thou love that that God doth then thou lovest Gods disciplin When thou art chastened thou lovest Gods rod. Thou art pained with the cough the lungs faileth thee thy stomack abhorres his meat thou pinest away with a Consumption thou tastest not thy drink thou art vexed within thy body thou art grieved with many sundry and divers kinds of diseases But al these if thou have an eye to perceive if thou reckon God al these I say are the gifts of God Son cast not away the discipline of the Father There is no child which the Father doth not correct c. NUM XXXIII Interrogatories for Dr. London WHether he commanded Serles upon Palm-Sunday Even to write such Articles or Sermons as had been preached in Kent by those of the New learning Which Serles would have to be done by the Countenance of Cranmer Whether Serles brought the Articles upon Palm-Sunday Whether he required Serles to go with him to the Councel to present the said Articles or else to subscribe them with his hand And Serles refused so to do because they were not proved by Witnesses but only by hear-say Whether he threatned Serles because he would not set to his hand notwithstanding that Serles knew them not but by hear-say How Dr. London did find out Serles and how long he had enquired for him before he could find him Whether in the presence of Serles Dr. London did pen the Articles anew otherwise then they were presented Whether Serles said then to Dr. Willoughby whom Dr. London had persuaded to go with him to the Councel Beware what you do for you shall never be able to prove of this sort that Dr. London doth now pen them Whether beside the Book subscribed by divers Prebendaries and others of Cant. Dr. London made another great book of many more articles Where that book is and of whom he had his Instructions What matters he knew against the ABp of Cant. or others in Kent before Palm-Sunday last past when he had Articles of Serles And of whom he had such knowledg before the said day Dr. Willoughbies Confession and Submission as to his medling in the ABp of Canterburies busines under his own hand HE declared that he first met Serles at Dr. Londons house at London on Palm-Sunday coming to London to speak with the Chamberlain of London And then they opened the busines first to him That he was not able to say any thing against any one person mentioned in these Articles more then by hear-say That he and Gardiner had been gathering of matter a quarter of a year before That he knew nothing that they minded any thing towards his Grace til he saw it in writing By whom and whose devise God the Devil and they know he knew nothing for his part And that it was the most deceitful and disobedient country in the world As concerning their preferment of their Articles at the Sessions he knew nothing of that neither Nor was in Kent at that time nor knew of no Sessions as God should be his help Nor that he spake with any Justices of Peace in this matter or that he was privy that any of them did That he told Mr. Moyle and Mr. Thwaite two eminent Justices what Mr. London said to him that the Justices al would be shent because they suffered such preachings and contentions without doing any thing therin That he only consented to bear the name of putting up of these matters that is of preferring the Articles to the Sessions He acknowledged that he said he heard that it was in the Country in many places lying upon himself like a fool and yet that he never came before the Councel nor never minded But to avoyd the suspition he made much babling bringing himself into much slander And for this doing he submitted himself to God and my Lords Grace That by his Father a sort of oath he had no dealing with Pettit nor any other Lawyer or
themselves a decent Cope as every Suffragan of the Church of Canterbury according as his Profession was ought to give to the same Church by Right and ancient Custom and the Rights Liberties Privileges and other Customs of the said Church always and in all things being safe The renewing of this their old pretended Privilege look'd like some check to the Arch-bishop and as though they required of him a sort of dependence on them now more than before and it shewed some secret Ill-will towards him which brake out more openly not long after as we shall shew in the Process of our Story In the Register is also recorded Boner's Oath of Fidelity to the King against the Bishop of Rome Which I will add here that Men may see with what little Affection to the Pope this Man was let into the Bishoprick which he afterwards made so much use of for him and his Usurpations though thereby he stands upon Record for ever for Perjury But the Oath was this Ye shall never consent nor agree that the Bishop of Rome shall practise exercise or have any manner of Authority Jurisdiction or Power within this Realm or any other the King's Dominions but that ye shall resist the same at all times to the uttermost of your Power And that from henceforth ye shall accept repute and take the King's Majesty to be the only Supream Head in Earth of the Church of England c. So help you God and all Saints and the Holy Evangelists Signed thus ✚ In fidem praemissorum Ego Edm. Boner Elect. Confirmat Londoniens huic praesenti chart a subscripsi By the Arch-bishop's Letters bearing date May 20. he made Robert Harvey B. LL. his Commissary in Calais and in all the other Neighbouring Places in France being his Diocess A Man surely wherein the good Arch-bishop was mistaken or else he would never have ventured to set such a Substitute of such bigotted cruel Principles in that place This Harvey condemned a poor labouring Man of Calais who said he would never believe that any Priest could make the Lord's Body at his pleasure Whereupon he was accused before the Commissary who roundly condemned him to be burnt inveighing against him and saying He was an Heretick and should die a vile Death The poor Man said He should die a viler shortly And so it came to pass for half a Year after he was hang'd drawn and quartered for Treason He seemed to have succeded in the room of a Man of better Principles called Sir Iohn Butler Who was deprived of his Commissariship by some Bishops Commissioners from the King for the examining several Persons suspect of Religion in Calais The Council there had about the Year 1539 complained of him as a maintainer of Damplip a learned and pious Preacher there So he was sent for into England and charged to favour Damplip because he preached so long there and was not restrained nor punish'd by him He answered warily and prudently that the Lord Lisle Lord Deputy and his Council entertained and friendly used him and countenanced him by hearing him preach so that he could not do otherwise than he did After long attendance upon the King's Commissioners he was discharged and returned home but discharged also of his Commissary's place too And having been an Officer of the Arch-bishop's I will add a word or two more concerning him About the Year 1536 he was apprehended in Calais and bound by Sureties not to pass the Gates of that Town upon the Accusation of two Souldiers that he should have said in contempt of the Corporal Presence That if the Sacrament of the Altar be Flesh Blood and Bone then there is good Aqua vitae at John Spicer's Where probably was very bad This Butler and one Smith were soon after brought by Pursevants into England and there brought before the Privy-Council in the Star-Chamber for Sedition and Heresy which were Charges ordinarily laid against the Professors of the Gospel in those Times and thence sent to the Fleet and brought soon after to Bath-place there sitting Clark Bishop of Bath Sampson Bishop of Chichester and Reps Bishop of Norwich the King's Commissioners And no wonder he met with these Troubles For he had raised up the hatred of the Friars of Calais against him by being a Discoverer and Destroyer of one of their gross Religious Cheats There had been great talk of a Miracle in S. Nicolas Church for the conviction of Men that the Wafer after Consecration was indeed turned into the Body Flesh and Bones of Christ. For in a Tomb in that Church representing the Sepulchre there were lying upon a Marble Stone three Hosts sprinkled with Blood and a Bone representing some Miracle This Miracle was in writing with a Pope's Bull of Pardon annexed to those I suppose that should visit that Church There was also a Picture of the Resurrection bearing some relation to this Miracle This Picture and Story Damplip freely spake against in one of his Sermons saying that it was but an Illusion of the French before Calais was English Upon this Sermon the King also having ordered the taking away all superstitious Shrines there came a Commission to the Lord Deputy of Calais to this Sir Iohn Butler the Arch-bishop's Commissary and one or two more that they should search whether this were true and if they found it not so that immediately the Shrine should be plucked down and so it was For breaking up a Stone in the corner of the Tomb instead of the three Hosts the Blood and the Bone they found souldered in the Cross of Marble lying under the Sepulchre three plain white Counters which they had painted like unto Hosts and a Bone that is in the tip of a Sheep's Tail This Damplip shewed the next Day being Sunday unto the People and after that they were sent to the King by the Lord Deputy But this so angred the Friars and their Creatures that it cost Damplip his Life and Commissary Butler much trouble and the loss of his Office After Harvey Hugh Glazier B. D. and Canon of Christ's-Church Canterbury succeeded in the Office of Commissary to the Arch-bishop fo◠Calais He was once a Friar but afterwards favoured the Reformation He was put up to preach at Paul's Cross the first Lent after King Edward came to the Crown and then asserted the observation of Lent to be but of human Institution This Year the Cathedral Church of Canterbury was altered from Monks to Secular Men of the Clergy viz. Prebendaries or Canons Petticanons Choristers and Scholars At this Erection were present Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop the Lord Rich Chancellor of the Court of the Augmentation of the Revenues of the Crown Sir Christopher Hales Knight the King's Attorney Sir Anthony Sentleger Knight with divers other Commissioners And nominating and electing such convenient and fit Persons as should serve for the Furniture of the said Cathedral Church according to the
Heaven and many more with him saying thus Multa corpora ascenderunt cum Christo ut perhiberent testimonium In Ashford he preached that Prayer was not acceptable with God but in the Church only and no where else alledging this Text Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur Then and there he said also You Fellows of the new Trick that go up and down with your Testaments in your Hands I pray you what Profit take you by them this last Passage relating to the Testament was interlined by Cranmer himself As Adam was expulsed out of Paradise for meddling with a Tree of Knowledg even so be we for meddling with the Scripture of Christ. He said There were some that said that part of the Ave Maria was made to a Strumpet That Christ in the Gospel confounded Mary Magdalene with two Parables likening her to an Alestake and to a poor Woman whom an Emperor had married and in his presence did lie with a leprous Lazar-man Anno 1542 Preaching in Kennyngton-Church on Good-friday he said That as a Man was creeping to the Cross upon a Good-friday the Image loosed it self off the Cross and met the Man before he came to the Cross and kiss'd him At the Funeral of Mr. Boys he preached That by the receiving of the Sacraments and Penance all a Man 's deadly Sins were forgiven clearly but the venial Sins remained and for them they that died should be punished except they were relieved by Masses and Dirges after their Death This that follows is Cranmâ—r's hand He preacheth no Sermon but one part of it is an Invective against the other Preachers of Christ's Church Shether preached at Sandwich in the Year 1542 That Baptism taketh away but only Original Sin At another time there That every Man since the Passion of Christ hath us much Liberty and Free-will as ever Adam had in Paradise before his Fall That the new Preachers with the liberty of the Gospel have caused our Livings to be worse than the Turks That Zacharias and Elizabeth his Wife kept all the Commandments of God and that it was a light thing for every Man to keep them if he would That Christ and Baptism did nothing else but wash away Original Sin and that if any Man after Baptism did fall he must purchase Remission of his Sins by Penance as Mary Magdalene did That a certain King was sick of a Leprosy and had a Vision to go to Iordan to be washed and should be whole And as he was in his good Intent going hâ— thought that he had as good and sweet Water in his own Country as that was and so returned back and washed himself therein but nothing at all he thereby mended And then he went to Iordan and so was made whole He compared Man's Conscience to a Dog Beware of these false Preachers which preach to you new Fangles Will you know how to discern a true Preacher from a False You have a Dog which is your Conscience Whensoever you shall come to any Sermon ask your Dog What he saith unto it If he say it be good then follow it but if your Dog bark against it and say it is naught then beware and follow it not Adding these words If you will ask your Conscience What she thinks of such new Fangles as are brought into the Church of God she will say that they be naught He also preached that Men now-a-days say that Holy Water signifieth of Christ Blood O! these are very glorious words But it is not fit good Christians that such new Fangles and Fantasies of Men should be brought into the Church of God Item In all his Sermons he commonly useth to make Invectives against the other Preachers of this Cathedral Church making the People believe that the Preachers of the Church preach nothing but a carnal Liberty new Fangles new Auricular Confession Prayers Fasting and all good Works This last is added by Cranmer's Hand as are also several other Passages above according as he himself took the Examination And as the Gospellers thus articled against the Papists so the Papists were as hot in drawing up Articles against the Gospellers Scory before-mentioned was accused that he preached in a Sermon at S. Elphies on Ascension-day 1541. That there was none in Heaven but Christ only meaning I suppose as Mediators there with God in opposition to the Intercession of Saints Then followeth writ by Cranmer's hand these words The Witnesses against him were Bradkirk Priest Shether Marden Colman Adding These four be Witnesses against all the Articles of Ridley and Scory in the first Detection made to me two Years past Then follow more Accusations of Scory He preached in August â—ast in the Chapter-house of Christ's-Church That no Man may pray in any wise in Latin or other Tongue except he understand what he prayeth And that Priests and Clarks do offend taking any Money or Reward for saying Dirige and Mass. He said that some Preachers brought in their Sermons Gesta Romanorum perswading to the People that it was the Gospel or the Bible Another time Anno 1541 he preached in Lent in Christ's-Church Canterbury That only Faith justifies and he that doth deny that only Faith doth justify would deny if he durst be so bold that Christ doth justify He preached at Christ's-Church another time That the Supper of the Lord which is Sacrificium Hostia is not Hostia pro peccatis but Hostia Lâ—â—dis He preached at Faversham Anno 1542 in the Feast of Dedication That the Dedication of material Churches was instituted for the Bishop Profits and that he could not see by Scripture that they might use any such Fashions for that purpose as for Conjuration And then they must conjure the Devil out of the Ground or out of the Lime and Stones And if so then it were as necessary for every Man's House to be consecrate or dedicate Admit quoth he that the Dedication of the same were lawful yet the Bishops should always preach for that is their Office and other Men might and may consecrate them as well as they Item This sumptuous adorning of Churches is against the old Fashion of the Primitive Church They had no such Copes nor Chalices nor other Jewels nor Gildings nor Paintings of Images as we now have And therefore if I were Curate I would sell all such things or lay them to pledg to help the Poor At Christmass last there was a general Procession by the King's Majesty and Mr. Scory preached these words Every Country hath a Custom to chuse a Patron As England hath chosen S. George Scotland S. Andrew c. thinking rather by intercession of Saints to obtain the Victory of their Enemies But good People quoth he forasmuch as Saints be circumscript it is not possible for the Saint that is in the North to hear the Prayer that is made in the South nor that Saint that is in the South to hear the Prayer that is made in the North. But this last
Ely By the way one might enquire why he resorted not rather to his Friend and Patron the Arch-bishop of Canterbury But the reason may soon be guessed namely That after the Fall of Somerset the Arch-bishop's good Friend he came not so often to Court or transacted Business there unless sent for knowing his Interest likewise to be but little with the Duke of Northùmberland who now bare all the Sway and who had a jealous Eye of him as he had of all Somerset's Friends And so the Arch-bishop might have rather hindred than forwarded A Lasco's Business if he had appeared in it But this en passent The Chancellor gently received A Lasco and dismissing him sent him to Secretary Cecyl with this Message to get him to propound the Business the next Day in the Afternoon at the Council-Board when himself should be there promising him likewise that he would be assistant to him in procuring him a Warrant in Writing to be directed to all Ministers and Church-wardens of the Parishes of Southwark and S. Katharines that for the time to come the Strangers of this Congregation should receive no Molestation in that regard any more Accordingly A Lasco the next Morning sent one of the Elders of his Church to Cecyl with his Letter excusing himself that he came not being grievously afflicted with a Pain in his Head Therein he acquainted him with the Sum of his Conference with the Lord Chancellor adding that the obtaining such a Warrant would be necessary for them to produce and shew to such as at that present did annoy them and to be hereafter kept by the Church That they might not be forced at other times upon the like Occasions to create new trouble to the King's Council or himself in suing for new Warrants of that Nature Meaning hereby to put the Secretary upon drawing this up the more formally and substantially And so intreating him to hear what the Elder had to say and to dispatch him he took his leave This Letter also is inserted in the Appendix The Superintendency of A Lasco seemed to extend not only to this particular Congregation of Germans but over all the other Churches of Foreigners set up in London as also over their Schools of Learning and Education They were all subject to his Inspection and within his Jurisdiction And Melancthon in an Epistle to him in the Month of Septemb. 1551. speaks of the Purity of Doctrine in his Churches His Condition now as to worldly Circumstances began to be so good that he was able to relieve and succour such Learned Foreigners as should retire hither For when one Nicolas Forst a Learned and grave Man who had lived long in the University of Lovain and had spent some time with Melancthon was minded for the sake of Religion to convey himself into England he recommended him earnestly to the Superintendent as a Person fit to teach in his Churches and Schools and that he would friendly entertain him as an Exile for the same Cause himself was and find him some little Nest to remain in Nay and the said Melancthon himself had some thoughts of sheltering himself under A Lasco here as appears by the forementioned Letter wherein he stiles him his Patron For the Superscription of his Letter is thus Illustri Magnifico ac Reverendo Viro Nobilitate generis Virtute Sapientia praestanti Dn. Iohanni a Lasco Patrono suo colendo So much of Deference and Honour did Learned and Pious Men then use to give him In this Letter Melancthon told him that the Calamities of the Churches were great and that he himself expected Banishment and might probably in a short time arrive where he was And in respect of his hospitable reception of Strangers he told him that he believed he did often remember that saying of the exiled Queen Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Nor was A Lasco any ways unfurnished for this Spiritual Government being a Man of good Learning and of great Piety Strictness and Gravity from his younger Age and of whom the great Erasmus himself acknowledged that he learned much For in his Epistle to Iohannes a Lasco the Arch-bishop of Gnesne who was Namesake and Unckle to our Superintendent he speaks thus of his Nephew That he was but Young yet Grave beyond his Years and that he himself accounted it none of the least parts of his Happiness that he happened to have his Converse and Society for some Months praising the Endowments that God had given him And particularly concerning the Benefits he received by him he could not but confess Senex juvenis convictu factus sum melior ac sobrietatem temperantiam verecundiam linguae moderationem modestiam pudicitiam integritatem quam juvenis a sene discere debuerat a juvene senex didici That by the Conversation of that young Man he an old Man became better and that Sobriety Temperance Awfulness government of the Tongue Modesty Chastity Integrity which the Young ought to learn of the Old he an old Man had learned of a Young This he wrote in August 1527 soon after A Lasco was gone from him And in Iune the same Year while he resided with him in another Letter to Leonard Cox a Learned English Man he signified the great complacency he took in his Company Iohannis a Lasco tale sum expertus ingenium ut vel hoc uno amico mihi videar satis beatus That he had found A Lasco's Parts to be such that he seemed happy enough in his single Friendship And this good Understanding continued between them as long as Erasmus lived For A Lasco seems to have been with him in his last Sickness when as the last Token of Erasmus's esteem of him he made a purchase to him of his own Library that incomparable Treasure if we may believe the Author of his Life in English A Lasco thought not the Clergy obliged to Celibacy or single Life for he himself was a married Man Who his Wife was I know not but as for her Qualities she was in all probability a pious and discreet Woman whereby she gained a great share in his Affections He stiled her The other part of himself But in August 1552. God deprived him of her Which Stroke put him for some time under much sadness and indisposition both of Mind and Body as appears by one of his Letters He was alive at the Accession of Q. Elizabeth to the English Throne And though he came not back then to England again whence he departed upon K. Edward's Death yet according to that great Interest he had here with the most eminent Persons and even the Queen her self he neglected not by his Letters to promote the Reformation and to give his grave Counsel in order thereunto And Zanchy Publick Professor at Stratsburgh knowing the sway he bare here in a Letter to him in the Year 1558 or 59 excited him in these words Non
Advice of certain Learned Men. Another was that he had been the great setter forth of all this Heresy received into the Church in this last Time had written in it had disputed had continued it even to the last Hour and that it had never been seen in this Realm but in the time of Schism that any Man continuing so long hath been pardoned and that it was not to be remitted for Ensamples-sake Other Causes he alledged but these were the chief why it was not thought good to pardon him Other Causes beside he said moved the Queen and the Council thereto which were not meet and convenient for every one to understand them The second Part touched the Audience how they should consider this thing That they should hereby take example to fear God and that there was no Power against the Lord having before their Eyes a Man of so high Degree sometime one of the chiefest Prelates of the Church an Arch-bishop the chief of the Council the second Peer in the Realm of long time a Man as might be thought in greatest assurance a King of his side notwithstanding all his Authority and Defence to be debased from an high Estate to a low Degree of a Counsellor to be a Caitiff and to be set in so wretched Estate that the poorest Wretch would not change Conditions with him The last and End appertained unto him Whom he comforted and encouraged to take his Death well by many places of Scripture And with these and such bidding him nothing mistrust but he should incontinently receive that the Thief did To whom Christ said Hodiè mecum eris in Paradiso And out of S. Paul armed him against the Terrors of the Fire by this Dominus fidelis est Non sinet nos tentari ultra quam ferre potestis By the Example of the three Children to whom God made the Flame seem like a pleasant Dew He added hereunto the Rejoicing of S. Andrew in his Cross the Patience of S. Laurence on the Fire Ascertaining him that God if he called on him and to such as die in his Faith either will abate the fury of the Flame or give him Strength to abide it He glorified God much in his Conversion because it appeared to be only his Work Declaring what Travel and Conference had been used with him to convert him and all prevailed not till it pleased God of his Mercy to reclaim him and call him Home In discouring of which place he much commended Cranmer and qualified his former Doing And I had almost forgotten to tell you that Mr. Cole promised him that he should be prayed for in every Church in Oxford and should have Mass and Dirige Sung for him and spake to all the Priests present to say Mass for his Soul When he had ended his Sermon he desired all the People to pray for him Mr. Cranmer kneeling down with them and praying for himself I think there was never such a number so earnestly praying together For they that hated him before now loved him for his Conversion and hope of Continuance They that loved him before could not sodenly hate him having hope of his Confession again of his Fall So Love and Hope encreased Devotion on every side I shall not need for the time of Sermon to describe his Behaviour his Sorrowful Countenance his heavy Chear his Face bedewed with Tears sometime lifting his Eyes to Heaven in Hope sometime casting them down to the Earth for Shame To be brief an Image of Sorrow the Dolor of his Heart bursting out at his Eyes in plenty of Tears Retaining ever a quiet and grave Behaviour Which encreased the Pity in Mens Hearts that they unfeignedly loved him hoping it had been his Repentance for his Transgression and Error I shall not need I say to point it out unto you you can much better imagine it your self When Praying was done he stood up and having leave to speak said Good People I had intended indeed to desire you to pray for me which because Mr. Doctor hath desired and you have done already I thank you most heartily for it And now will I pray for my self as I could best devise for mine own comfort and say the Prayer word for word as I have here written it And he read it standing and after kneeled down and said the Lord's Prayer and all the People on their Knees devoutly praying with him His Prayer was thus O Father of Heaven O Son of God Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost proceeding from them both Three Persons and one God have Mercy upon me most wretched Caitiff and miserable Sinner I who have offended both Heaven and Earth and more grievously than any Tongue can express whither then may I go or whither should I fly for succor To Heaven I may be ashamed to lift up mine Eyes and in Earth I find no refuge What shall I then do shall I despair God forbid O good God thou art Merciful and refusest none that come unto thee for Succour To thee therefore do I run To thee do I humble my self saying O Lord God my Sins be great but yet have Mercy upon me for thy great Mercy O God the Son thou wast not made Man this great Mystery was not wrought for few or small Offences Nor thou didst not give thy Son unto Death O God the Father for our little and small Sins only but for all the greatest Sins of the World so that the Sinner return unto thee with a penitent Heart as I do here at this present Wherefore have Mercy upon me O Lord whose Property is always to have Mercy For although my Sins be great yet thy Mercy is greater I crave nothing O Lord for mine own Merits but for thy Name 's Sake that it may be glorified thereby and for thy dear Son Jesus Christ's Sake And now therefore Our Father which art in Heaven c. Then rising he said Every Man desireth good People at the time of their Deaths to give some good Exhortation that other may remember after their Deaths and be the better thereby So I beseech God grant me Grace that I may speak something at this my departing whereby God may be glorified and you edified First It is an heavy case to see that many Folks be so much doted upon the Love of this false World and so careful for it that or the Love of God or the Love of the World to come they seem to care very little or nothing therefore This shall be my first Exhortation That you set not over-much by this false glosing World but upon God and the World to come And learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which S. Iohn teacheth That the Love of this World is Hatred against God The Second Exhortation is That next unto God you obey your King and Queen willingly and gladly without murmur or grudging And not for fear of them only but much more for the Fear of God Knowing
to the Kinges grace beseching him to send his honorable Lettres under his Seal down to whom he please in my Diocess That they may show and publish that it is not his pleasure that soche bookes should be had or red and also punish soch as saith so I trust before this letter shal come unto you my said L. Abbot hath done so That said Abbot hath the names of some that crakyth in the Kings name that their false opinions shold go forth and wil dy in the quarrel that their ungracious opinions be true and trustyth by Michaelmas day there shal be more that shal beleve of thair opinion than they that beleivyth the contrary If I had known that your Grace had been at London I would have commaunded the said Abbot to have spoken with you But your Grace may send for him when ye please and he shal show you my whole mynd in that matier and how I thought best for the suppression of soch as holdyth these arroneous opinions For if they continue any time I thynk they shal undoe us all The said Abbot departed from me on Monday last and sith that tyme I have had much trouble and business with others in like matters And as they say that whersomever they go they hear say that the Kings pleasure is the N. Testament in English shal go forth and men sholde have it and read it And from that opinion I can no wayes induce them But I had greater authority to punish them then I have Wherfore I beseech your good Lordship to advertise the Kinges grace as I trust the said Abbot hath done before this letter shal come unto your grace that a remedy may be had But now it may be done wel in my Diocess for the Gentlemen and the Communalty be not greatly infected But merchants and soch that hath their abiding not far from the Sea The said Abbot of Hyde can show you of a Curate and well learned in my Diocess that exhorted his Parishioners to believe contrary to the Catholic faith There is a Colledg in Cambridg called Gunnel haule of the foundatâ—â—n of a Bp. of Norwich I hear of no clerk that hath commen out lately of that Colledg but savoryth of the frying pan tho he speak never so holily I beseech your grace to pardon me of my rude and tedious writing to you the zeal and love that I owe to Almighty God cawse me this to do And thus Almighty God long preserve your Grace in good prosperity and health At Hoxne the xiiij th day of May 1530. Your obediensary and dayly Orator NUM XIII Archbishop Cranmer to King Henry Complaining of a Prior in Canterbury that had preached against him PLesyth it your Grace to be advertised That wher as wel by your Graces special letters dated the third day of Iune in the xxvij th year of your Graces most noble reign as also by mouth in Wynchester at Mich. last past your Grace commanded al the Prelates of your Realm that they with al acceleration and expedition shold do their diligence every one in his Diocess fully to persuade your people of the Bp. of Rome his authority that it is but a false and injust Usurpation and that your Grace of veray right and by Gods law is the Supreme Head of this Church of England next immediately unto God I to accomplish your Graces Commandment incontinent upon my return from Wynchester knowing that al the Country about Otford and Knol where my most abode was were sufficiently instructed in those matters already came up into these parts of East Kent onely by preaching to persuade the people in the said two Articles and in mine own church at Canterbury Because I was informed that that Towne in those two points was least perswaded of al my Diocess I preached there two Sermons my self And as it then chaunced Dr. Leighton was present at my first Sermon being then your Graces Visitor Of whom if it so please your Grace you may heare the report what I preached The scope and effect of both my Sermons stood in three things First I declared that the Bp. of Rome was not Gods Vicar in earth as he was taken And although it is so taught these three or four hundred years yet it is done by means of the Bp. of Rome who compelled men by oaths so to teach to the maintenance of his authority contrary to God's word And here I declared by what means and craft the Bp. of R. obtained such usurped authority Seconde Bycause the See of R. was called Sancta Sedes Romana and the Bp. was called Sanctissimus Papa and mennys consciences peradventure could not be quiet to be separated from so holy a place and from Gods most holy Vicar I shewed the people that this thing ought nothing to move theym For it was but a Holines in name For indeed there was no such holines at Rome And hereupon I took occasion to declare his glory and the Pomp of Rome the Covetousnes the unchast living and the maintenance of al vices Thirde I spake against the Bp. of R. his lawes Which he calleth Divinas Lâ—ges and Sacros Canones and makes them equal with Gods Law And here I declared that many of the Laws were veray contrary And some of theym which were good and laudable yet they were not of such holines as he would make theym that is to be taken as Gods laws or to have remission of sins by observing theym And here I sayd that so many of his laws as were good men ought not to contemne or despise them and wilfully to break theym For those that be good your G. hath received as laws of your Realm until such time as others shold be made And therfore as lawes of your realm they must be observed and not contempned And here I spake as wel of the Ceremonies of the Church as of the foresaid lawes that they ought neither to be rejected or despised nor yet to be observed with this opinion that they of themselfes make men holy or that they remit sins For seeing that our sins be remitted by the death of our Savior Christ Jesus I sayd it was too moch injury to Christ to impute the remission of our sins to any Lawes or ceremonies of mans making Nor the Laws and ceremonies of the Church at their first making were ordeined for that intent But as the common lawes of your G's realm be not made to remit sins nor no man doth observe theym for that intent but for a common commodity and for a good order and quietnes to be observed among your Subjects evyn so were the laws and ceremonies first instituted in the Church for a good order and for remembrances of many good things but not for remission of our sinns And though it be good to observe theym wel for that intent they were first ordened yet it is not good but a contumely unto Christ to observe theym with this opinion that they remit
things ascribed to the Apostles and called Traditions deduced from the time of the Apostles and read in the name of old Authors and set forth under the pretensed title of their name which be both feigned forged and nothing true ful of superstition and untrueth fayned by them which would magnify their power and authority as is the Epistles of Clemens Anacletus Evaristus and Fabianâ—s and other which are set forth by the Bp. of Rome and his complices which be forged fayned and of no authority nor to be beleved but counterfeited by them who by the colour of antiquity would magnify that usurped power of the Bp. of Rome And now concerning another book which I made of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Wher the most chief and principal article of our faith and most directly pertaining to the redemption of our sins and to our Salvation is That our Savior Christ Iesu by his most precious death and effusion of his most precious blood upon the cros did redeme mankind taking away our sins pacifying the indignation of his Father and cancelling the obligation that was against us In which Sacrifice-making unto his Father our said Savior Jesus Christ as S. Paul saith plainly to the Hebrews was not a Priest after the order of Aaron forasmuch as he was of another tribe and also that Priesthood was imperfect and unprofitable bringing nothing to perfection But our Savior Christ made his Sacrifice upon the Cross perfectly absolutely and with the most highest perfection that could be so much that after that one oblation and sacrifice for sin made by him but once only neither he nor any other creature should at any time after make any mo oblations for the same And for that S. Paul saith he was called an eternal Priest after the order of Melchizedec and not of Aaron This faith ought every man and woman undoubtedly to beleve and openly to profess upon pain of everlasting damnation and also to dy in this profession if case shal so require The which most wholsome and most necessary doctrin of our Faith I not diligently considering as many times to right great Clerks and learned men in much writing in like matters it hath chaunced to say too far the infirmity and weakness of men being such that seldome in many words error hath escaped So in my Book of the Sacrifice of the Mass I did incircumspectly and rashly write and set forth to the people that Christ was not a Priest after the order of Melchizedec when he offered himself upon the cross to his Father for our sins but was a Priest after the order of Aaron And that when Christ did offer his own body to his father after the order of Melchizedec to appease his wrath it may not be understand of the Sacrifice of the Cros but of the Sacrifice that Christ made at his Maundy in form of bread and wine To the which indede S. Pauls doctrin is contrary both in other places and in the Epistle Ad Hebraeos very manifestly Against whom who without doubt had the very Spirit of God neither it becometh nor I wil not willingâ—y teach or defend any thing Wherfore ye shal impute that Good Audience to the frailty of mans nature and to my negligent marking having at that time rather a respect to a fantasy that I then had in my mind than to the true and infallible doctrin of scripture And moreover in the same my book I said not only that the Sacrifice of the Mass is the self same substaunce of Christ but also the self same oblation or offering of our Savior Christs very flesh and bloud which himself once offered to his Father on the Cross to appease his wrath And that the Priests do continually and daily in the Mass offer not only the self same body of Christ but also to the same effect that Christ did offer himself to his Father at his Maundy Of the which words and doctrin if they be not very warily and circumspectly read and more favorably taken then the words as they ly may wel bear it might be gathered that Priests herein be equal with Christ. Priests of the order of Melchizedec appeasing the wrath and indignation of the Father of heaven crucifying or offering Christ to the same effect that Christ in his own person did upon the cross is a blasphemy intolerable to be heard of Christen ears For Christ as S. Paul saith was but once offered once gave up himself for the Redemption of our sins on Good-Friday upon the Cross nor never before nor after was offered for us but in a Sacrament and as a commemoration of the same And so of the Maundy or Supper of the Lord Christ himself saith Haec quotiescunque feceritis in meam commemorationem facietis Once he dyed for our sins and once again he rose for our justification He dyeth no more And his Sacrifice was so good so ful so pleasaunt so precious to God that her neded no more oblations to appease God not only for the sins past but also for al the sins to the day of doom There nede no more Sacrifices no more Offerers but as having a respect and a remembrance of that most holy most perfect and most entier Lamb then and for ever offered up for us But these things aforesaid I cannot deny but they were spoken of me and written And as I do not now like them so at â—he example of S. Austin and other good Doctors I am not ashamed to retract them and cal them again and condemn them For when I followed mine own invention not directed by Scripture I began as the nature of man is to wander and at the last went clean contrary to Gods Word wherfore I heartily exhort every man as touching matters of Faith to found the same upon Gods certain true and infallible word lest by doing the contrary they fal into Superstition Idolatry and other manifold errors as my self and many other have done Wherfore these my two books the one of the Sacrifice of the Mas and the other of the Traditions unwritten in those poynts before rehersed and al other wherin they be not ful consonant to Scripture I forsake and renounce as false erroneous and against the true word of God requiring thee good Christian Reader whosoever shal read them to give no further credence to them then I would my self That is not to take as undoubted truth all that is therin written but as written of a man that some time falleth to be so far true as they be consonant to Scripture wher they be not against Scripture to be humane persuasion which may either be so or not so as the greater reason shal lead where they be not consonant to Scripture to be erroneous and false And that I much lament and am sorry that I wrote them in those poynts And I desire every man that hath any of the said books to beware of them and to give no credence to them in al
Instrument of the Councel swearing and subscribing to the Succession as limited by the King EDWARD WEE whose Names be underwritten having heretofore manitimes heard the Kings Majesty our most gracious Sovereign Lords earnest desire and express Commandment touching the Limitation of the Succession in the Imperial Crown of this Realm and others his Majesties Realmes and Dominions and having seen his Majesties own Devise touching the said Succession first wholly written with his most Gracious hand and after Copied out in his Majesties presence by his most high Commandment and Confirmed with the Subscription of his Majesties own Hand and by his Highnes delivered to certain Judges and other learned men to be written in sul Order DO by his Majesties special and absolute Commandment eftsoons given us aggree and by these Presents signed with our hands and sealed with our Seales promise by our Oaths and Honors to observe fully perform and keep al and every Article Branch and Matter contained in the said Writing delivered to the Judges and others and subscribed with his Majesties hand in six several places and al such other matters as his Majesty by his Last Wil shal appoint declare or command touching or concerning the Limitation of the Succession of his said Imperial Crown And WEE do further promise by his Majesties said Commandment never to vary or swarve during our lives from his said Limitation of his Succession But the same shal to the uttermost of our powers Defend and Maintaine And if any of us or any other shal at any time hereafter which God forbid vary from this Aggrement or any part therof We and Every of us do assent to â—ake use and repute him for a Breaker of the common Concord Peace and Unity of this Realm and to do our utmost to se him or them so varying or swerving punished with most sharp punishment according to their deserts T. Cant. T. Ely Wynchester Northumberland I. Bedford I. Suffolk W. Northampt. F. Shrewsbury F. Huntyngdon PEMBROKE E. Clynton T. Darcy G. Cobham T. Cheyne R. Ryche Iohn Gate William Petres Ioan Cheek W. Cecyll Edward Mountagu Iohn Bakere Edward Gryffyn Iohn Lucas Iohn Gosnald These are the Names with which this Instrument is signed but there be no Seals The Kings own Writing directing the Succession My Devise for the Succession FOR lack of issue for my Body to the L. Fraunceses heir Masles if she have any such issue before my Death To the Lady Iane and her Heir Masles To the Lady Katerins Heir Masles To the Lady Maryes heir Masles To the Heires Masles of the Daughters which she shal have hereafter Then to the Lady Margarets heires Masles For lack of such issue to the Heire Masles of the Lady Ianes Daughters To the heir masles of the Lady Katerins Daughters and so forth til you come to the Lady Margarets daughters heires masles If after my Death their Masle be entred into eighteen years old then he to have the whole Rule and Governance therof But if he be under 18 then his Mother to be Governess til he enter 18 years old But to do nothing without the Advice and Aggrement of Six Parcel of a Councel to be pointed by my last Wil to the number of Twenty If their Mother dy before their Entry into Eighteen the Realm to be governed by the Councel Provided that after he be 14 years al great matters of Importance be opened to him NUM LXIX A Letter of Q. Jane's Councel to the Lord Rich L. Lieutenant of the County of Essex AFter our right hartie commendations to your Lp. Although the matter conteined in your letters of therle of Oxfords departing to the Ladi Mari be grevous unto us for divers respects yet we must neades give your Lp. our hartie thankes for your redi advertisement therof Requiring your Lp. nevertheless like a Noble man to remain in that promise and steedfastnes to our Sovereign Lady Queen Ianes Service as ye shal find us redi and firm with al our force to the same Which neither with honor nor with saftie nor yet with duty we mai now forsaake From the Toure of London the xix th of Iulie 1553. Your L. assured loving freends T. Cant. T. Ely Canc. I. Suffolk Pembroke William Paget Winchester Arundel T. Darcy T. Cheyne W. Petre S. Io. Bakere I. Bedford F. Shrewsbury Rychard Cotton Io. Cheek Robert Bowes NUM LXX Queen Jane to Sir John Bridges and Sir Nicolas Poyntz to raise forces against a rising in Bucks IANE the Queen TRusty and Welbeloved we grete you wel Because we doubt not but this our most lawful possession of the Crown with the free consent of the Nobility of our realm and other the States of the same is both plainly known and accepted of you as our most loving subjects Therfore we do not reiterate the same but now most earnestly wil and require and by authority hereof warrant you to assemble muster and levy al the power that you can possible make either of your servants Tenants officers or freends as wel horsemen as footmen reserving to our trusty and right wel beloved Cousins the Erles of Arundel and Penbroke their tenants servants and officers and with the same to repair with al possible speed towards Buckinghamshire for the repression and subduing of certain tumults and rebellions moved there against us and our Crown by certain seditious men For the râ—pression wherof we have given ordre to divers others our good subjects and gentlemen of such degree as you are to repair in like maner to the â—ame parties So as we nothing doubt but upon the access of such our loving subjects as be appointed for that purpose to the place where this Seditious people yet remaine the same shal eyther lack harts to abyde in their malicious purpose or ells receive such punishment and execution as they deserve seking the destruction of their native country and the subversion of al men in their degrees by rebellion of the base multitude Whose rage being stirred as of late years hath been seen must needs be the confusion of thole common weale Wherfore our special trust is in your courage wisdome and fidelities in this matter to advaunce your self both with power and speed to this enterprise in such sort as by our Nobility and Councel shal be also prescribed unto you And for the sustentation of your charges in this behalf our said Councel by our Commandment do furthwith give order to your satisfaction as by their letters also shal appear unto you And besides that we do assure you of our special consideration of this your service to us our Crowne and expresly to the preservation of this our Realm and commonweale Yeven under our signet at our Toure of London the xviij day of Iuly the first year of our reigne NUM LXXI The Councellors of Q. Jane their letter to the Lady Mary acknowledging her Queen OUR bownden duties most humbly remembred to your most excellent
Majesty It may like the same to understand that We your most humble faythful and obedient Subjects having alwayes God we take to witnes remayned your Highnes true and humble Subjects in our harts ever sythens the death of our late Soveraign Lord and Master your Highnes brother whom God pardon And seeing hitherto no possibilite to utter our determination herein without great destruction and bludshed both of our selves and others tâ—l this time Have this day proclaimed in your city of London your Majesty to be our true natural Soveraign Liege Lady and Queen Most humbly beseeching your Majesty to pardon and remit our former infirmities and most graciously taccept our meanings which have byn ever to serve your Highnes truly And so shal remain in al our powers and forces to theffusion of our bludds as thies bearers our very good Lords therle of Arundel and L. Paget can and be redy more particularly to declare To whom it may please your Excellent Majesty to give firme credence And thus we do and shal daily pray to Almighty God for the preservation of your most royal person long to reign over us From your Majesties city of London this day of Iuly the first year of your most prosperous Reygne Thus endorsed by the hand of Sir Will. Cecyl Copy of the letter to the Quene from Baynards Castle 20 July 1553. NUM LXXII The Archbishop to Mrs. Wilkinson persuading her to fly THE true Comforter in all distress is only God through his son Iesus Christ. And whosoever hath him hath compaâ—y enough although he were in a wildernes al alone And he that hath twenty thousand in his company if God be absent is in a miserable wilderness and desolation In him is al comfort and without him is none Wherefore I beseech you seek your dwelling there whereas you may truly and rightly serve God and dwel in him and have him ever dwelling in you What can be so heavy a burden as an unquiet conscience to be in such a place as a man cannot be suffered to serve God in Christs religion If you be loth to depart from your kin and friends remember that Christ calleth them his mother sisters and brothers that do his fathers wil. Where we find therfore God truly honored according to his wil there we can lack neither friend nor kin If you be loth to depart for slandering Gods word remember that Christ when his houre was not yet come departed out of his countrey into Samaria to avoyd the malice of the Scribes and Pharisees and commanded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should fly to another And was not Paul let down by a basket out at a window to avoid the persecution of Aretas And what wisdome and policy he used from time to time to escape the malice of his enemies the Acts of the Apostles do declare And after the same sort did the other Apostles Albeit when it came to such a point that they could no longer escape danger of the persecutors of Gods true religion then they shewed themselves that their flying before came not of fear but of godly wisdome to do more good and that they would not rashly without urgent necessity offer themselves to death Which had been but a temptation of God Yea when they were apprehended and could no longer avoid then they stood boldly to the profession of Christ Then they shewed how little they passed of death How much they feared God more then men How much they loved and preferred the eternal life to come above this short and miserable life Wherefore I exhort you as wel by Christs commandment as by the example of him and his Apostles to withdraw your self from the malice of yours and Gods enemies into some place where God is most purely served Which is no slandering of the truth but a preserving of your self to God and the truth and to the society and comfort of Christs little flock And that you wil do do it with speed lest by your own folly you fal into the persecutors hands And the Lord send his holy spirit to lead and guide you whersoever you go And al that be godly wil say Amen NUM LXXIII The words and sayings of John Duke of Northumberland spoken by him unto the people at the Towerhill of London on Tuesday in the forenoon being the 22d day of August immediatly before his death as hereafter followeth GOod people I am come hither for to dy this day for the which al you are come hither to see And that although this is most horrible and detestable yet justly have I deserved the same for that I have been most grievous sinner unto Almighty God and to al the whole world and to the Queens grace In as much as I did presume of my self in the plain field to bear armor against her Grace Wherfore I do acknowledg that I have offended her lawes and that justly she might have put me to death without any Law had she so pleased But of her most clemency hath weighed my death by a law which justly hath condemned me But the more I trust for my Salvation and the more better for me to consider the greatnes of my sins And therfore the better for my Salvation And forasmuch as I am permitted to speak my conscience this I do protest before God the World and al you that this my death hath not been altogether of mine own procuring but hath been incensed by others Whom I pray God to pardon For I wil not name nor accuse any man here And now I shal shew how I have been of a long time led by false Teachers somewhat before the death of K. Henry VIII and ever since Which is a great part of this my death Wherfore good people beware and take heed that you be not led and deceived by these seditious and leud Preachers that have opened the Book and know not how to shut it But return home again to your true religion and Catholick faith which hath been taught you of old For since the time that this new teaching hath come among us God hath given us over unto our selves and hath plagued us sundry and many wayes with wars commotions tumults rebellions pestilence and famine besides many more great and grievous pâ—agues to the great decay of our common wealth Wherfore Good people be obedient unto the Queen her lawes and be content to receive again the true Catholic faith from which of long time you have been led Examples we have of Germany Which in like manner being led and seduced how are they now brought to ruine as wel it is known to the world And also we are taught by our Creed in the latter part of the same Where it is said We believe in the holy Ghost the holy Catholick faith the Communion of Saints Thus you may see the Articles of our belief do teach us the true faith Catholic This is my very faith and
our greatest cros may be to be absent from him and strangers from our home and that we may godly contend more and more to please him Amen c. As for your parts in that it is commonly thought your staff standeth next the door â—ee have the more cause to rejoyce and be glad as they which shal come to their fellowes under the Altar To the which Society God with you bring me also in his mercy when it shall be his good plesure I have received many good things from you my good Lord Master and dear Father N. Ridley Fruits I mean of your good labours Al which I send unto you again by this bringer Augustin Benher one thing except which he can tell I do keep upon your further plesure to be known therin And herewithal I send unto you a little treatise which I have made that you might peruse the same and not only you but also ye my other most dear and reverend Fathers in the Lord for ever to give your Approbation as ye may think good Al the prisoners here about in maner have seen it and read it and as therin they aggre with me nay rather with the truth so they are ready and wil be to signify it as they shal se you give them example The matter may be thought not so necessary as I seem to make it But yet if ye knew the great evil that is like hereafter to come to the posterity by these men as partly this bringer can signify unto you Surely then could ye not but be most willing to put hereto your helping hands The which thing that I might the more occasion you to perceive I have sent you here a writing of Harry Harts own hand Wherby ye may see how Christs glory and grace is like to loose much light if your sheep quondam be not something holpen by them that love God and are able to prove that al good is to be attributed only and wholly to Gods grace and mercy in Christ without other respects of worthines then Christs merits The effects of salvation they so mingle and confound with the cause that if it be not seen to more hurt will come by them than ever came by the Papists in as much as their life commendeth them to the world more then the Papists God is my witnes that I write not this but because I would Gods glory and the good of his peopâ—e In Free wil they are plain Papists yea Pelagians And ye know that Modicum fermenti totam Massam corrumpit They utterly contemn al learning But hereof shal this bringer show you more As to the chief captains therefore of Christs church here I complain of it unto you as truly I must do of you even unto God in the last day if ye wil not as ye can help something Vt veritas doctrinae maneat apud posteros in this behalf as ye have done on the behalf of matters expugned by the Papists God for his mercy in Christ guide you Most dearly beloved Fathers with his holy Spirit here and in al other things as most may make to his glory and the commodity of the Church Amen Al here God therfore be praised prepare themselves willingly to pledg our Captain Christ even when he wil and how he wil. By your good prayers we shal al fare the better and therefore we al pray you to cry to God for us as we God willing do and wil remember you My brethren here with me have thought it their duty to signify this need to be no less then I make it to prevent the plantations which may take root by these men Yours in the Lord Robert Ferrar Rowland Taylor Iohn Bradford Iohn Philpot. NUM LXXXIV The Prisoners for the Gospel their Declaration concerning K. Edward his Reformation To the King and Queens most excellent Majesties with their most honorable high court of Parlament WE poor Prisoners for Christs religion require your Honours in our dear Saviour Christs name earnestly now to repent for that you have consented of late to the unplaceing of so many godly lawes set furth touching the true religion of Christ before by two most Noble Kings being Father and brother to the Queens Highnes and aggreed upon by al your consents not without your great and many deliberations free and open disputations costs and paines taking in that behalf neither without great Consultations and conclusions had by the greatest learned men in the realm at Windsor Cambridg and Oxford neither without the most willing consent and allowing of the same by the whole Realm throughly So that there was not one Parish in al England that ever desired again to have the Romish Superstitions and vaine Service which is now by the Popish proud covetous clergy placed again in contempt not only of God al Heaven and al the holy ghostes lessons in the blessed Bible but also against the honors of the said two most noble Kings against your own Country fore aggreements and against al the godly consciences within this realm of England and elsewhere By reason wherof Gods great plagues must needs follow and great unquietnes of consciences besides al other persecutions and vexations of bodies and goods must needs ensue Moreover we certify your honours that since your said unplaceing of Christs true religion and true service and placing in the room therof Antichristâ— Romish Superstition heresy and idolatry al the true preachers have been removed and punished and that with such open robbery and cruelty as in Turky was never used either to their own Countrimen or to their mortal enemies This therfore our humble suit is now to your honourable estates to desire the same for al the mercies sake of our dear and only Savior Iesus Christ and for the duty you owe to your native Country and to your own souls earnestly to consider from what light to what darknes this realm is now brought and that in the weightiest chief and principal matter of Salvation of al our souls and bodies everlasting and for ever more And even so we desire you at this your assembly to seek some effectual reformation for the afore written most horrible deformation in this church of England And touching your selves we desire you in like maner that we may be called before your Honors and if we be not able both to prove and approve by the Catholic and Canonical rules of Christs true religion the church Homilies and Service set furth in the most innocent K. Edwards days and also to disallow and reprove by the same authorities the Service now set furth since his departing then we offer our bodies either to be immediately burned or else to suffer whatsoever other painful and shameful death that it shal please the King and Queens Majesties to appoint And we think this trial and probation may be now best either in the plain English tongue by Writing or otherwise by disputation in the same tongue Our Lord for his great mercy sake
such men should be driven from them provided they do reside a good part of the year upon their Churches V. Since the Dispensation of two or three benefices hath been granted by former Princes to some Priests for the merit of their life and maners they cannot without injury be deprived of them Nor yet can they in al respects reside personally and perpetually VI. When many have designed their sons for the Universities and have been at no smal charges to give them learning because they have entertained good hope that they might hereafter be assistant to their friends and relations this hope being gone their care about this matter wil also grow cold otherwise of it self cold enough For as he said Where there is no honor there is no Art VII The houses of the Rectories in many places are either ruined or none at al or let out by Indentures Going to the Court of Rome Going to a General Councel Going to a Synod or Parlament Violent detaining Remedies That there be a les number of those that follow the Court who heap up benefices upon benefices That they who have many Benefices reside a certain time upon each That a way be found wherby such as live in Towns and Cities may be forced to pay Personal tiths Which being now almost quite taken a way the Benefices in such places are in a great part lessened When some of the Bishops by reason of the slendernes of their possessions cannot afford Stipends to the Priests their fellow laborers that they who serve them reside for a certain time of the year in their own parishes That Rectors who heretofore have payd pensions to Monasteries in ready mony be not now compelled to pay the same in bread-corn to Lay-proprietors That in Woody places where the custome hath alwayes obtained tith may be payd of Sylvae caeduae that is Wood that is cut to grow again especially when there is a great scarcity of corn in such places Parishes are not divided jure divino Whence followeth that as many Benefices may be layd into one so one by reason of the greatnes of it may be divided into two NUM LXXXIX Pole Cardinal Legate to Archbishop Cranmer in answer to the Letter he had sent to the Queen ALmighty God the Father by the grace of his only son god and man that dyed for our sins may geve yow trew and perfect repentance This I daylie pray for my self being a Synner but I thank God never obstinate synner And the same grace the more earnestly I do pray for to be geven to them that be obstinate the more neade they have thereof being otherwise past al mannes cure and admonition to save them As your open sayings in open audience doyth show of yow Which hath cawsed that those judges that hath syt apon the examination of your greviouse fautes seing no lykelod of ony repentaunce in yow hath utterlie cast awaye al hope of your recoverie Whereof doith follow the most horrible sentence of condempnation both of your body and soule both your temporal death and eternal Which is to me so great an horrour to here that if there were ony way or mean or fashion that I might fynd to remove you from errour bryngeng yow to the knowledge of the truth for your Salvation This I testifie to you afore God apon the Salvation of myne owne sowle that I would rather chuse to be that meane that yow might receive this benefyt by me then to receive the greatest benefyt for my self that can be geven under heaven in this world I easteme so moch the salvation of one sowle And becawse it happened to me to see your private lettres directed to the Qwenes Highnes sent by the same unto me wherein you utter and express such appearaunt reasons that cause yow to swarve from the rest of the Church in these Articles of the authoritie of the Pope and of the Sacrament of the aulter Concluding with these words That if ony man can show yow by reason that the authoritie of the Pope be not prejudicyal to the wealth of the realm or that your doctrine in the Sacrement be erroneous then you wold never be so perverse to stond wylfullie in your own opinion but shal with al humilitie submytt your self to the truthe in al things and gladly embrace the same Thise your words written in that lettre geveth me some occasion desyring your wealth not utterly to dispayr thereof but to attempt to recover yow by the same way that yow open unto me Which is by reason to show yow the error of your opinion and withal the light of the treuthe in both causes But whither this may healp yow indede or bring you to revoke the same with trew repentaunce this I know not and I fear moche the contrarie For that I see the ground and begynning how you fel into errour in both thise articles not to be of that sort that maketh men commonly to fall into errours and heresies Which sort and way is by medling with your wyt and discourse natural to examen the Articles of the faith Makeing your reason judge thereof which ought to bee judged and ruled by the tradition of the faith Which abuse causeth men dayly to fall into errours and heresies And the same also is in yow and is joyned with that yow have done But here standeth not the grownde of your errour nor yet in this other common maner of faulling from the trouthe which S. Paul noteth in the Gentiles and is in al meâ— commonlie that followeth their sensual appetites Qui veritatem Dâ—i in injustitia detinent Which thing also hath been occasion of your â—rrour But yet not this is the very grownde thereof but a further sawte that you geveng your othe to the truthe yow mocked with the same as the Iewes mocked with Christ when thei saluted him saing Ave Rex Iudaeorum and afterwards did crucifie hym For so did yow to the Vicar of Christ Knowledgeng the Pope of Rome by the words of your othe to be so and in mynde entendeng to crucifie the same authoritie Whereof came the plague of deape ignoraunce and blyndnes unto yow Which is now that bringeth you to this greivous peryl to perish both bodie and sowle From which peril no reason can deliver yow But yow discovereng your self touching the entrie when yow shuld make the customable othe of al legitimate Busshops in Christendom which is the dore for you to entre to the service of God in the highest spiritual office withyn this realme and seeing you made the same but for a countenaunce nothing meaneng to observe that yow promised by the othe this is a dore that every thieffe may entre bye This is not the dore that thei entre by that mean earnestlie the service of God Wherein the Prophets sentence is playne askeng this question Quis ascendet in montem Domini aut quis stabit in loco sancto ejus And then answering to the same