the Grant of the said Chanteries Free-Chapels c. came to take Effect In the mean time It will not be amiss to shew that these Chanteries consisted of Salaries allowed to one or more Priests to say daily Mass for the Souls of their deceased Founders and their Friends Which not subsisting on themselves were generally Incorporated and United to some Parochial Collegiate or Cathedral Church No fewer then 47. in Number being found and Founded in Saint Paul's Free-Chapels though Ordained for the same Intent were Independent of themselves of stronger Constitution and Richer Endowment then the Chanteries severally were though therein they fell also short of the Colleges which far exceeded them both in the Beauty of their Building the number of Priests maintained in them and the Proportion of Revenue allotted to them All which Foundations having in them an Admixture of Superstition as Pre-supposing Purgatory and Prayers to be made for Deliverance of the Soul from thence were therefore now suppressed upon that Account and had been granted to the late King upon other Pretences At what time it was Preached at Mercers-Chapel in London by one Doctour Cromer a Man that wished exceeding well to the Reformation That If Trentals and Chantery-Masses could avail the Souls in Purgatory then did the Parliament not well in giving away Colleges and Chanteries which served principally for that purpose But if the Parliament did well in dissolving and bestowing them upon the King which he thought that no man could deny then was it a plain Case that such Chanteries and private Masses did confer no Relief on the Souls in Purgatory Which Dilemma though it were unanswerable yet was the matter so handled by the Bishops seeing how much the Doctrine of the Church was concerned therein that they brought him to a Recantation at Saint Paul's Cross in the June next following this Sermon being Preached in Lent where he confessed himself to have been seduced by naughty books contrary to the Doctrine then received in the Church But the Current of these Times went the other way and Cromer might now have Preached that safely for which before he had been brought into so much trouble But that which made the greatest Alteration and threatened most danger to the State Ecclesiastical was the Act entituled An Act for Election of Bishops and what Seals and Styles shall be used by Spiritual Persons c. In which it was Ordained for I shall onely repeat the Sum thereof That Bishops should be made by the King's Letters Patents and not by the Election of the Deans and Chapters That all their Processes and Writings should be made in the King's Name onely with the Bishop's Teste added to it and sealed with no other Seal but the King 's or such as should be Authorised and Appointed by Him In the Compounding of which Act there was more Danger couched then at first appeared By the last Branch thereof it was plain and evident that the Intent of the Contrivers was by degrees to weaken the Authority of the Episcopal Order by forcing them from their Strong-hold of Divine Institution and making them no other then the King's Ministers onely His Ecclesiastical Sheriffs as a man might say to execute His Will and disperse His Mandates And of this Act such use was made though possibly beyond the true intention of it that the Bishops of those Times were not in a Capacity of conferring Orders but as they were thereunto enpowered by especial Licence The Tenour whereof if Sanders be to be believed was in these words following viz. The King to such a Bishop Greeting Whereas all and all manner of Jurisdiction as well Ecclesiastical as Civil flows from the King as from the Supreme Head of all the Body c. We therefore give and grant to thee full Power and Liceâ—ce to continue during Our Good Pleasure for holding Ordination within thy Diocess of N. and for promoting fit Persons unto Holy Orders even to that of the Priest-hood Which being looked on by Queen Mary not onely as a dangerous Diminution of the Episcopal Power but as an Odious Innovation in the Church of Christ â— She caused this Act to be repealed in the first Year of Her Reign leaving the Bishops to depend on their former claim and to act all things which belonged to their Jurisdiction in their own Names and under their own Seals as in former Times In which Estate they have continued without any Legal Interruption from that time to this But in the first Branch there was somewhat more then what appeared at the first sighâ— For though it seemed to aim at nothing but that the Bishops should depend wholly on the King for their preferment to those great and eminent Places yet the true Drift of the Design was to make Deans and Chapters useless for the time to come and thereby to prepare them for a Dissolution For had nothing else been intended in it but that the King should have the sole Nomination of all the Bishops in His Kingdoms it had been onely a Reviver of an Antient Power which had been formerly Invested in His Predecessour's and in all other Christian Princes Consult the Stories and Records of the Eâ—der Times and it will readily appear not onely that the Romane Emperours of the House of France did nominate the Popes themselves but that after they had lost that Power they retained the Nomination of the Bishops in their own Dominions The like done also by the German Emperours by the Kings of England and by the Antient Kings of Spain the Investiture being then performed Per Annulum Baculum as they used to Phrase it that is to say by delivering of a Ring together with a Crosier or Pastoral Staff to the Party nominated Examples of which Practice are exceeding obvious in all the Stories of those Times But the Popes finding at the last how necessary it was in order to that absolute Power which they ambitiously affected over all Christian Kings and Princes that the Bishops should depend on none but them challenged this power unto themselves declaring it in several Petit Councels for no less then Simony if any man should receive a Bishoprick from the Hands of his own Natural Prince From hence those long and deadly Quarrels begun between Pope Hildebrand and the Emperour Henry the Fourth and continued by their Successours for many years after From hence the like Disputes in England between Pope Vrban the Second and King William Rufus between Pope Innocent and King Iâ—hn till in the end the Popes prevailed both here and elsewhere and gained the point unto themselves But so that to disguise the matter the Election of the future Bishop was committed to the Prior and Convent or to the Dean and Chapter of that Cathedral wherein he was to be Installed Which passing by the Name of Free Elections were wholly in a manner at the Pope's Disposing The Point thus gained it had been little to their Profit if they had
a most prudent Prince had formerly protested against the calling of this Council by Pope Paul the 3d. who did as much pretend to the peace of Christendome as the Pope now being that to admit a Minister of the Pope in the quality or capacity of a Nuncio inferred a â—acit acknowledgement of that supâ—emacy whereof he had been deprived by Act of Parliament that the Popes of Rome have alwaies raised great advantages by the smallest concessions and therefore that it was most expedient for the good of the Kingdom to keep him alwaies at a distance that Queen Mary in favour only unto Pâ—lâ— refused to give admittance to Cardinal Peitow though coming from the Pope in quality of a Legate a Lateâ—â—e that a great part of the people were in discontentment with the change of Religion and wanted nothing but such an opportunity to break out into action as the Nuncio's presence might afford them and therefore that it concerned the Queen to be as zealous for Religion and the weal of her people as her sister the late Queen Mary was in maintenance of Cardinal Pole and his private authority And to say truth the greatest obstacle in the way of the Nuncio's coming was partly laid in it by the indiscretion of some Papists in England and partly by the precipitancy of the Popes Ministers in Ireland For so it was that the only noise of the coming of a Nuncio from the Pope had wrought in sundry evil-disposed persons such a courage and boldness that they did not only break the Laws made against the Pope and his authority with great audacity but spread abroad false and slanderous reports that the Queen was at the point to change her Religion and alter the government of the Realm Some also had adventured further even to a practising with the Devil by conjurations charms and casting of Figures to be informed in the length and continuance of her majesties Reign And on the other side the Popes Legate being at the same time in Ireland not only joyned himself to some desperate Traytors who busied themselves in stirring up rebellion there but for as much as in him was had deprived her Majesty of all Right and Title to that Kingdom Upon which grounds it was carried clearly by the Board against the Nuncio Nor would they vary from the Vote upon the intercession of the French the Spaniard or whose displeasure was more dangerous of the Duke of Alva Nothing discouraged with the repulse which had been given to the French and Spaniard the Emperour Ferdinand must make tryal of his fortune also not as they did in favour of the Nuncio's coming but in perswading her to return to the old Religion To this end he exhorts her by his Letters in a friendly way not to relinquish the Communion of so many Catholick Kings and Princes and her own Ancestors into the bargain nor to prefer her single judgement and the judgement of a few private persons and those not the most learned neither before the judgement and determination of the Church of Christ. That if she were resolved to persist in her own opinion she should deal favourably with so many reverend and Religious Prelates as she kept in prison and which she kept in prison for no other reason but for adhering unto that Religion which himself professed and finally he intreats most earnestly that she would set apart some Churches to the use of the Catholicks in which they might with freedome exercise their own Religion according to the Rites and Doctrines of the Church of Rome To which desires she made a full and sufficient answer by satisfying him touching her merciful dealing with those Bishops whom for their obstinacy and many other weighty reasons she had deprived of their preferments in the Church And to the rest she answered That she had setled her Religion on so sure a bottome that she could not easily be changed that she doubted not but that she had many learned men in her Dominions which were able to defend the doctrine by them taught against all Opponents and that for granting any Churches to the use of the Papists it was a point so contrary to the polity and good Lawes of the Land that she desired to be excused for not yielding to it In which last she seemed to have an eye upon the Edict of the Emperour Constantine touching the meetings of the Marcionites Novatians Valentinians and other Hereticks of that age In which it was enjoined that none of them should from thenceforth hold any assemblys and that for the more certain conforming unto his Decree those Churches or other houses whatsoever they were in which they used to hold their Meetings should be demolished to the ground to the end that there might be no place in which such men as were devoted to their superstitious faction might have the opportunity of assembling together For which the Reader may consult Eusebius in the life of Constantine l. b. 3. cap. 63. But that it might appear both to him and others that she was ready to shew all just favours she laid a most severe command upon all her Officers for the full payment of all such pensions as had been granted unto all such Abbots Monks and Friers in the time of her father as were not since preferred in the Church to cures or dignities And this to be performed to the utmost farthing on pain of her most high displeasure in neglect thereof It could not be but that the governing of her affairs with such an even and steady hand though it occasioned admiration in some must needs create both envy and displeasure in the hearts of other Christian Princes from none of which she had a juster cause to fear some practice than the King of Spain or rather from the fierce and intemperate Spirit of the Duke of Alva as appeared afterwards when he was made Lord Deputy or Vice-Gerent of the Belgick Provinces They had both shewed themselves offended because their intercession in behalf of the Nuncio had found no better entertainment and when great persons are displeased it is no hard matter for them to revenge themselves if they find their adversaries either weak or not well provided But the Queen looked so well about her as not to be taken tardy in either kind For which end she augments her store of Arms and Ammunition and all things necessary for the defence of her Kingdom which course she had happily begun in the year foregoing But holding it a safer maxim in the Schools of Polity not to admit than to endeavour by strong hand to expel an enemy She entertains some fortunate thoughts of walling her Kingdom round about with a puissant Navy for Merchants had already increased their shipping by managing some part of that wealthy trade which formerly had been monopolized by the Haâ—se or Easterlings And she resolves not to be wanting to her self in building ships of such a burthen and so fit for service as might inable
Ploydon whose learned Commentaries do sufficiently set forth his great abilities in that Profession and one Mr. Lovelace of whom we find nothing but the name By them and their Advice the whole pleading chiefly is reduced to these two heads to omit the nicities and punctilioes of lesser moment the first whereof was this That Bonner was not at all named in the indictment by the stile and title of Bishop of London but only by the name Dr. Edmond Bonner Clerk Dr. of the Lawes whereas at that time he was legally and actually Bishop of London and therefore the Writ to be abated as our Lawyers phrase it and the cause to be dismissed our of the Court But Ploydon found here that the Case was altered and that this Plea could neither be allowed by Catiline who was then Chief Justice nor by any other of the Bench and therefore it is noted by Chief Justice Dyer who reports the Case with a Non allocatur The second principle Plea was this That Horn at the time when the Oath was tender'd was not Bishop of Winchester and therefore not impowred by the said Statute to make tender of it by himself or his Chancellor And for the proof of this that he was no Bishop it was alleged that the form of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops which had been ratified by Parliament in the time of King Edward had been repealed in the first year of Queen Mary and so remained at Horn's pretended consecration The Cause being put off from Term to Term comes at the last to be debated amongst the Judges at Serjeants Inne By whom the cause was finally put upon the issue and the tryal of that issue Ordered to be committed to a Jury of the County of Surry But then withall it was advised that the decision of the Point should rather be referred to the following Parliament for fear that such a weighty matter might miscarry by a contrary Jury of whose either partiality insufficiency there had been some proof made before touching the grants made by King Edward's Bishops of which a great many were made under this pretence that the Granters were not actually Bishops nor legally possessed of their several Sees According to this sound advice the business comes under consideration in the following Parliament which began on the 30th of September where all particulars being fully and considerately discoursed upon it was first declared That their not restoring of that Book to the former power in terms significant and express was but Casus omissus and Secondly That by the Statute 5th and 6th Edw. 6th it had been added to the Book of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments as a member of it or at least an appendant to it and therefore by 1. Eliz. was restored again together with the said Book of Common Prayer intentionally at the least if not in terminis But being the words in the said Statute were not cleer enough to remove all doubts they did therefore revive it now and did accordingly Enact that all persons that had been or should be made Ordered or Consecrate Archbishops Bishops Priests Ministers of Gods Holy Word and Sacraments or Deacons after the form and order prescribed in the said Book be in very deed and also by authority hereof declared and enacted to be and shall be Archbishops Bishops Priests Ministers and Deacons rightly made Consecrate and Ordered Any Statute Law Canon or any thing to the contrary notwithstanding Nothing else done in this Parliament which concerned the Church not any thing at all in the Convocation by which it was of course accompanied more than the granting of a Subsidy of six shillings in the pound out of all their Benefices and promotions And as for Bonner who was the other party to the cause in question it was determined that neither he nor any other person or persons should be impeached or molested in regard of any refusal of the said Oath heretofore made and hereafter to be made before the end of that Parliament Which favour was indulged unto them of the Laity in hope of gaining them by fair means to a sence of their duty to Bonner and the rest of the Bishops as men that had sufficiently suffered upon that account by the loss of their Bishopricks By this last Act the Church is strongly setled on her natural pillars of Doctrine Government and Worship not otherwise to have been shaken than by the blind zeal of all such furioâ—s Sampsons as were resolved to pull it on their own heads rather than suffer it to stand in so much glory And here it will be time to conclude this History having taken a brief view of the State of the Church with all the abberrations from its first constitution as it stood at this time when the Puritan faction had began to disturb her Order and that it may be done with a greater certainty I shall speak it in the words of one who lived and writ his knowledge of it at this time I mean John Rastel in his answer to the Bishops challenge Who though he were a Papist and a fugitive Priest yet I conceive that he hath faithfully delivered to many sad truths in these particulars Three books he writ within the compass of three years now last past against Bishop Jewel in one of which he makes this address unto him viz. And though you Mr. Jewel as I have heard say do take the bread into your hands when you celebrate solemnly yet thousands there are of your inferiour Ministers whose death it is to be bound to any such external fashion and your Order of celebrating the Communion is so unadvisedly conceived that every man is left unto his private Rule or Canon whether he will take the bread into his hands or let it stand at the end of the table the Bread and Wine being laid upon the table where it pleases the Sexton or Parish-Clerk to set them p. 28. In the Primitive Church Altars were allowed amongst Christians upon which they offered the unbloody sacrifice of Christs body yet your company to declare what followers they are of antiquity do account it even among one of the kinds of Idolaâ—ry if one keep an Altar standing And indeed you follow a certain Antiquity not of the Catholicks but of desperate Hereticks Optatus writing of the Donatists that they did break raze and remove the Altars of God upon which they offered p. 34. and 165. Where singing is used what shall we say to the case of the people that kneel in the body of the Church yea let them hearken at the Chancel dore it self they shall not be much wiser Besides how will you provide for great Parishes where a thousand people are c p. 50. Then to come to the Apostles where did you ever read that in their external behaviour they did wear Frocks or Gowns or four-cornered Caps or that a company of Lay-men-servants did follow them all in one Livery or that at their Prayers
they saâ—e in sides or lay on the ground or fell prostrate or sung Te Deum or looked toward the South or did wear Copes of Tissâ—e or Velvet with a thousand more such questions p. 446. Whereas the Church of God so well ordered with excellent men of learning and godlinesse is constrained to suffer Coblers Weavers Tinkers Tanners Cardmakers â—apsters Fidlers Gaolers and other of like profession not only to enter into disputing with her but also to climb up into Pulpits and to keep the place of Priests and Ministers c. p. 2. Or that any Bagpipers Horse coursers Jaylers or Ale basters were admitted then into the Clergy without good and long tryal of their conversation p. 162. Or that any Bishop then did swear by his honour when in his visitation abroad in the Country he would warrant his promise to some poor prisoner Priest under him or not satisfied with the prisoning of his adversary did cry out and call upon the Prince not disposed that way to put them to most cruel deaths or refused to wear a white Rochet or to be distinguished from the Laity by some honest Priests apparel p. 162. or gathered a Benevolence of his Clergy to set him up in his houshold p. 163. Or that the Communion Table if any then were was removable up and down hither and thither and brought at any time to the lower parts of the Church there to execute the Lords Supper or that any Communion was said on Good Friday or that the Sacrament was ministred then sometimes in loaf Bread sometimes in Wafers and those rather without the name of Jesus or the sign of the Crosse than with it or that at the Communion time the Minister should wear a Cope and at all other Service a Surplice only or as at some places it is used nothing at all besides his common apparel or that they used a common and prophane cup at the Communion and not a consecrated and hallowed vessel p. 162 163. Or that a solemn curse should be used on Aâ—h Wednesday or that a Procession about the fields was used in the Rogation week rather thereby to know the bounds and borders of every Parish than to move God to mercy and shew mens hearts to devotion or that the man should put the Wedding ring upon the fourth finger of the left hand of the Women and not on the right as hath been many hundred years continued p. 163. Or that the resiâ—ue of the Sacrament unreceived was taken of the Priest or of the Parish Clerk to spread their young childrens butter thereupon or to serve their own tooth with it at their homely table or that it was lawful then to have but one Communion in one Church in one day p. 164. or that the Lent or Friday was to be fasted for civil policy not for any devotion p. 165. or that the Lay people communicating did take the cup at one another hands and not at the Priests p. 166. Or that any Bishop then threw down the Images of Christ and his Saints and set up their own their wives and their childrens pictures in their Chambers and Parlours p. 164. or that being a virgin at the taking of his Office did afterwards yet commendably take a wife unto him p. 165. or that was married on Ash Wednesday or that preached it to be all one to pray on a dunghil and in a Church or that any Fryer of 60 years obteining afterwards the room of a Bishop married a young woman of nineteen years c p. 166. Thus have we seen the Church established on a sure foundation the Doctrine built upon the Prophers and Apostles according to the explication of the ancient Fathers the Government truly Apostolical and in all essential parts thereof of Divine institution the Liturgy an extract of the Primitive forms the Ceremonies few but necessary and such as tended only to the preservation of decency and increase of piety And we have seen the first Essays of the Puritan faction beginning low at Caps and Surplices and Episcopal habits but aiming at the highest points the alteration of the Government both in Church and State the adulterating of the Doctrine and the subversion of the Liturgy and form of worship here by Law established But the discovery of those dangerous Doctrines and those secret Plots and open practises by which they did not onely break down the roofe and walls of this goodly building but digged up the foundation of it will better fall within the compasse of a Presbyterian or Acrian History for carring on of whose designes since the dayes of Calvin they have most miserably imbroyled all the Estates and Kingdomes of these parts of Christendome the Realmes and Churches of Great Brittaine more than all the rest Let it suffice me for the present if I have set the Church on its proper bottom and shewed her to the world in her Primative lustre that we may see how strangely she hath been unsetled how monstruously disfigured by unquiet men whose interess is as incompatible with the rights of Monarchy as with distinction of apparrell the Government of Bishops all set formes of Prayer and whatsoever also they contend against And therefore heare I will conclude my History of the Reformation as not being willing to look further into those disturbances the lamentable effects whereof wee feele to this very day AN APPENDIX To the former BOOK CONTAINING 1. The Articles of Religion agreed upon in Convocation Anno 1562. compared with those which had been made and published in the Reign of King Edward the 6 th Anno 1552. 2. Notes on the former Articles concerning the Particulars in which they differed and the reasons of it A PREFACE to the following ARTICLES THe Lutherans having published that famous Confession of their faith which takes name from Ausbâ—rge at which City it was tendered to the consideration of Charls the 5th and the Estates of the Empire there assembled Anno 1530. In tract of time all other Protestant and Reformed Churches followed that example And this they did partly to have a constant Rule a mongst themselves by which all private persons were to frame their judgments and pâ—rtly to declare that consent and harmony which was betwixt them and the rest of those National Churches which had made an open separation from the Popes of Rome Upon which grounds the Prelates of the Church of England having concurred with the godly desires of King Edward the sixth for framing one uniform Order to be used in God's publick Worship and publish ing certain pious and profitable Sermons in the English Toung for the instruction of the people found a necessity of holding forth some publick Rule to testifie as well their Orthodoxie in some points of Doctrine as their abhorrency from the corruptions of the Church of Rome and the extravagancies of the Anabaptists and other Sectaries This gave the first occasion to the Articles of Religion published in the Reign of King Edward the sixth
in the Latin tougue 12. That all such holy-dayes and fasting-dayes be observed and kept as were observed and kept in the latter time of King Henry the 8. h. 13. That the laudable and honest Ceremonies which were wont to be used frequented and observed in the Church be hereafter frequented used and observed and that children be Christned by the Priest and confirmed by the Bishop as heretoâ—â—â—e hath been accustoâ—ed and used 14. Touching such persons as were heretofore promoted to any Orders after the new sort and 〈◊〉 of Oâ—ders considering they were not Ordered in very deed the Bishop of the Diocesse finding otherwise sufficient ability in these men may supply that thing which wanted in them before then according to his discretion admit them to minister 15. That by the Bishop of the Diocesse an uniform doctrine be set forth by Homâ—lies or otherwise for the good instruction and teaching of all people And that the said Bishop and other persons aforesaid do compel the parishioners to come to their several Churches and there devoutly to hear divine Service as of reason they ought 16. That they examine all Schoolmasters and Teachers of children and finding them suspect in any wise to remove them and place Catholick men in their rooms with a special commandment to instruct their children so as they may be able to answer the Priest at the Masse and so help the Priest at Masse as hath been accustomed 17. That the said Bishops and all other the persons aforesaid have such regard respect and consideration of and for the setting forth of the premises with all kind of vertue godly living and good example with repressing also or keeping under of vicâ— and unthriftinesse as they and every of them may be seen to favour the restitution of 〈◊〉 Religion and also to make and honest account and reckoning of their office and câ—re to the honour of God Our good contentation and profit of this Our Realm and the Dominions of the same The generality of the people not being well pleased before with the Queen's proceedings were startled more than ever at the noise of these Articles none more exasperated than those whose either hands or hearts had been joyned with Wiat. But not being able to prevail by open army a new device is found out to befool the people and bring them to a misconceit of the present government A young maid called Elizabeth Crofts about the age of eighteen years was tutored to counterfeit certain speeches in the wall of a house not far from Aldersgate where she was heard of many but seen of none and that her voice might be conceived to have somewhat in it more than ordinary a strange whistle was devised for her out of which her words proceeded in such a tone as seemed to have nothing mortal in it And thereupon it was affirmed by some of the people great multitudes whereof resorted dayly to the place that it was an Angel or at least a voice from Heaven by others that it could be nothing but the Holy Ghost but generally she pass'd by the name of the Spirit in the wall For the interpreting of whose words there wanted not some of the confederates who mingled themselves by turns amongst the rest of the people and taking on them to expound what the Spirit said delivered many dangerous and seditious words against the Queen her mariage with the Prince of Spain the Mass Confession and the like The practice was first set on foot on the 14th of March which was within ten days after the publishing of the Articles and for a while it went on fortunately enough according to the purpose of the chief contrivers But the abuse being searched into and the plot discovered the wench was ordered to stand upon a scaffold neer St Paul's Cross on the 15th of July there to abide during the time of the Sermon and that being done to make a publick declaration of that lewd imposture Let not the Papists be from henceforth charged with Elizabeth Barton whom they called the Holy made of Kent since now the Zuinglian Gospellers for I cannot but consider this as a plot of theirs have raised up their Elizabeth Crofts whom they called the Spirit in the wall to draw aside the people from their due Allegiance Wiat's Rebellion being quenched and the Realm in a condition capable of holding a Parliament the Queen Convenes her Lords and Commons on the 2d of April in which Session the Queens mariage with the Prince of Spain being offered unto consideration was finally concluded and agreed unto upon these conditions that is to say That Philip should not advance any to any publick office or dignity in England but such as were Natives of the Realm and the Queens subjects That he should admit of a set number of English in his houshold whom he should use respectively and not suffer them to be injured by foreiners That he should not transport the Queen out of England but at her intreaty nor any of the issue begotten by her who should have their education in this Realm and should not be suffered but upon necessity and good reasons to go out of the same not then neither but with the consent of the English That the Queen deceasing without children Philip should not make any claim to the Kingdom but should leave it freely to him to whom of right it should belong That he should not change any thing in the Lawes either publick or private nor the immunities and customes of the Realm but should be bound by oath to confirm and keep them That he should not transport any Jewels nor any part of the Wardrobe nor alienate any of the revenues of the Crown That he should preserve our Shipping Ordnance and Muâ—ition and keep the Castles Forts and Block Houses in good repair and well maned Lastly That this Match should not any way derogate from the League lately concluded between the Queen and the King of France but that the peace between the English and the French should remain firm and inviolate For the clearer carrying on this great business and to encourage them for the performance of such further services as her occasions might require the Queen was pleased to increase the number of her Barons In pursuance whereof she advanced the Lord William Howard Cosen German to Thomas Duke of Norfolk to the Title of Lord Howard of Essingham on the 11th of March and elected him into the Order of the Garter within few months after whose son called Charls being Lord Admiral of England and of no small renown for his success at the Isle of Gades was by Queen Elizabeth created Earl of Nottingham Anno 1589. Next to him followed Sir John Williams created Lord Williams of Tame on the 5th of April who dying without Issue Male left his Estate though not his Honors betwixt two daughters the eldest of whom called Margaret was married to Sir Henry Norris whom Queen Elizabeth created Lord Norris of
as willing as himself to have the Catholick Religion entertained in all parts of the Kingdom though neither of them seemed desirous to act any thing in it or take the envy on himself that he was well enough pleased with that reservednesse hoping they did not mean it for a precedent unto him or others who had a mind to shew their zeal and forwardness in the Catholick cause Have I not seen saith he that the hereticks themselves have broke the Ice in putting one of their own number I think they called him by the name of Servetus to a cruell death Could it be thought no crime in them to take that more severe course against one of their brethren for holding any contrary doctrine from that which they had publickly agreed amongst them And can they be so silly or so partial rather as to reckon it for a crime in us if we proceed against them with the like severity and punish them by the most extream rigour of their own example I plainly see that neither you my Lord Cardinal nor you my Lord Chancellor have any Answer to return to my present Argument which is sufficient to encourage me to proceed upon it I cannot act Canonically against any of them but such as live within the compasse of my jurisdiction in which I shall desire no help nor countenance from either of you But as for such as live in the Diocesse of Canterbury or that of Winchester or otherwise not within my reach in what place soever let them be sent for up by order from the Lords of the Council committed to the Tower the Fleet or any other Prison within my Diocesse And when I have them in my clutches let God do so and more to Bonner if they scape his fingers The Persecution thus resolved on home goes the bloody Executioner armed with as much power as the Law could give him and backed by the Authority of so great a King taking some other of the Bishops to him convents before him certain of the Preachers of King Edwards time who formerly had been committed to several prisons of whom it was demanded Whether they would stand to their former doctrines or accept the Queens Pardon and Recant To which it was generally and stoutly answered That they would stand unto their doctrines Hereupon followed that Inquisition for blood which raged in London and more or less was exercised in most parts of the Kingdom The first that led the way was Mr. John Râ—gers a right learned man and a great companion of that Tyndal by whom the Bible was translated into English in the time of King Henry After whose Martyrdom not daring to return into his own country he retired to Wittâ—berge in the Dukedom of Saxonie where he remained till King Edward's comming to the Crown and was by Bishop Ridley preferred to the Lecture of St. Pauls and made one of the Prebends Nothing the better liked of for his Patron 's sake he was convented and condemned and publickly burnt in Smithfield on the 4th of February On the 9th day of which Month another fire was kindled at Glocester for the burning of Mr. John Hooper the late Bishop thereof of whom sufficient hath been spoke in another place condemned amongst the rest at London but appointed to be burnt in Glocester as the place in which he most had sinned by sowing the seeds of false doctrine amongst the people The news whereof being brought unto him he rejoyced exceedingly in regard of that excellent opportunity which was thereby offered for giving testimony by his death to the truth of that Doctrine which had so oft sounded in their ears and now should be confirmed by the sight of their eyes The Wâ—rraâ—â— for whose burning was in these words following as I find it in the famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton Whereas John Hooper who of 〈◊〉 was called Bishop of Worcester and Gâ—ocester is by due order of the Laws Ecclesiastical condemned and judged for a most â—bstinate false and detestable Heretick and committed to our Secular Power to be burned according to the wholsome and good Laws of our Realm in that case provided Forasmuch as in those Oities and Diâ—cesses thereof he hath in times past preached and taught most pestilent Heresies and Doctrine to our Subjects there We have therefore given order that the said Hooper who yet persisteth obstinate and refuseth mercy when it was graciously offered shall be put to execution in the said City of Glocester for the example and terrour of others such aâ— he hath there seduced and mis-taâ—get and because he hath done most harm there And will that you calling to you some of reputation dwelling in that Shire such as you think best shall repair unto your said City and be at the said execution assisting our Mayor and Sheriffs of the same City in this behalf And for asmuch as the said Hooper is as other Hereticks a vain-glorious person and delighted in his tongue to persuade such as he hath seduced to persist in the miserable opinions that he haâ—h sown amongst them our pleasure is therefore and we require you to take order that the said Hooper be neither at the time of his execution nor in going to the place there suffered to speak at large but thither to be led quietly and in silence for eschewing of further infection and such inconveniences as may otherwise ensâ—e in this part Whereof fail ye not as ye tender our pleasure The like course was also taken with Bishop Earrar but that I do not find him restrained from speaking his mind unto the people as the other was A man of an implausible nature which rendred him the less agreeable to either side cast into prison by the Protestant and brought out to his death and martyrdom by the Popish party Being found in prison at the death of King Edward he might have fared as well as any of his ranck and order who had no hand in the interposing for Queen Jane if he had governed himself with that discretion and given such fair and moderate Answers as any man in his condition might have honestly done But being called before Bishop Gardiner he behaved himself so proudly and gave such offence that he was sent back again to prison and after condemned for an obstinate Heretick But for the sentence of his condemnation he was sent into his own Diocess there to receive it at the hand of Morgan who had supplanted and succeeded him in the See of St. Davids Which cruell wretch having already took possession could conceive no way safer for his future establishment than by imbruing his hands in the blood of this learned Prelate and to make sure with him for ever claiming a restitution or comming in by a Remitter to his former estate in reference whereunto he past sentence on him caused him to be delivered to the Civil Magistrate not desisting till he had brought him to the Stake on the third of March more glad to see
refused to do their sentence was pronounced by the Prolocutor in the name of the rest in which they were deolared to be no members of the Chruch and that therefore they their patrons and followers were condemned as Hereticks In the reading whereof they were again severally asked whether they would turn or not to which they severally answered read on in God's name for they were resolved not to turn And so the sentence being pronounced they were returned again to their several prisons there to expect what execution would ensue upon it And execution there was none to ensue upon it â—ill the end of the Session of Parliament then next following because till then there was no saw in force for putting Hereticks to death as in former times During which interval they excrcited themselves in their private studies or in some godly meditations wrâ—â—ing consolatory Letters unto such of their friends as were reduced by the iniquity of the times to the like extremity amongst which as they understood their dear brother Mr John Hooper Bishop of Glocester to have been marked out for the slaughter so that intelligence revived in Bishop Râ—dley's thoughts the remembrance of that conteroveâ—sie which had been between them concerning the Episcopal habit in the time of King Edward There is no question to be made but that they had forgotten and forgiven that quarrel long before yet Ridley did not think he had done enough if he left not to the world some testimony of their mutual charity as well as their consent in doctrine such as might witness to the world that they maintained the spirit of unity in the bond of peace Concerning which he writes to him in this manner following viz. But now dear Brother forasmuch as I understand by your books which I have but superficially seen that we throughly agree and wholly consent together in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dayes however in times past in ceâ—ain by-matters and circumstances of Religion your wisdom and my simplicity I must confesse have a little jarred each of us following the aboundance of his own spirit Now I say be assured that even with my whole heart God is my witnesse in the bowels of Christ I love you in the truth and for the truths sake which abideth in us as I am perswaded and by the Grace of God shall abide in us for â—ver more And because the world as I perceive brother ceaseth not to play his pageant and busily conspireth against Christ our Saviour with all possible force and power Exalting high things against the knowlege of God Let us join hands together in Christ as if we cannot overthrow yet to our power and as much as in us lyeth let us shake those high Altitudes not with carnal but with spiritual weapons and withall brother lâ—t us prepare our selves to the day of dissâ—lâ—tion by that which after the short time of this bodily affliction by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall triumph together with him in eternal glory Comforted with reciprocal letters of this holy nature they both prepared themselves for death in which Hooper had the honour to lead the way as being more in Bâ—nner's eye when the Act past for reviving the Statutes before mentioned in the case of Heresie But Hooper having led the way and many â—ther godly and religious men following the same tract which he had made it came at last unto the turn of these reverend Prelates to pass through the same 〈◊〉 to the Land of Promise In order whereunto a Commission is directed from the Pope to Dr. James Broâ—ks Bishop of Glocester by which he is authorized as Subdelegate to his Holiness to proceed in the cause of â—homas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury The like Commission is directed to Dr Martin and Dr Story to attend the business as delegated thereunto by the King and Queen before whom convented in St Mary's Church on the 12th of September he did his reverence to the two Doctors as Commissioners for the King and Queen but could not be perswaded to shew any respect to the Bishop of Glâ—cesteâ— because commissionared by the Pope He had before abjur'd the Popes supremacy in the time of King Henry and would not now submit unto it in the Reign of Queen Mary desiring the Bishop not to interpret it an affront to his person to whom otherwise he should gladly pay all due regards had he appeared in any other capacity than the Popes Commissioner Not being able to remove him from that resolution they propounded to him certain Articles concerning his having been twice maried his denyal of the Pope's supremacy his judgement in the point of the blessed Sacrament his having been declared an Heretick by the late Prolocutor and the rest of the Commissioners there assembled To all which Articles he so answered as to deny nothing of the charge in matter of fact but only to stand upon his justification in point of Doctrine The whole proceeding being summed up he is cited to appear before the Pope within 80 dayes To which he said that he was most willing so to do if the King and Queen would please to send him And so he was returned to the prison from whence he came and there kept safe enough from making any journy to Rome remaining in safe â—â—stody till he was brought out to suffer death of which more hereafter On the 28th of the same month comes out another Commission from the Cardinal Legate directed to John White Bishop of Lincoln James Brooks Bishop of Glocester and John Holyman Bishop of Bristow or any two of them inabling them to proceed to the degradation of the other two Bishops if they retracted not those doctrines for holding which they had been formerly deâ—lared to be Hereticks But they couragiously adhering to their first opinions and otherwise expressing as little reverence to the Substitutes of the Cardinal Legate as Cranmer had done to the Commissioners of the Pope the sentence was pronounced upon them to this effect that is to say That forasmuch as the said Nichosas Ridley and Hugh Latimer did affiâ—m maintain and stubbornly desend certain opinions and Heresies contrary to the Word of God and the received faith of the Church as first In denying the true and natural body of Christ and his natural blood to be in the Sacrament of the Altar 2. In affirming the substance of bread and wine to râ—main after the words of the consecration And 3. In denying the Masse to be a lively sacrifice of the Church for the quick and the dead and by no means could be reduced from the same that therefore they said John of Lincoln James of Glocester and John of Bristol did adjudge and condemn them the said N. Ridlâ—y and H. Latimer as Hereticks both by word and deed to be degraded from the degree of a Bishop from Priesâ—hood and all
Appellation had been so entituled Which appeares more plainly by a particular of the Robes and Ornaments which were preparing for the day of this Solemnity as they are entred on Record in the book called The Catalogue of Honour published by Thomas Mills of Canterbury where it appeares also that they were prepared only but never used by reason of the Kings death which prevented the Sollemnities of it The ground of this Error I conceive first to be taken from John Stow who finding a creation of some Noble men and the making of many Knights to relate to the 18 day of October supposed it to have been done with reference to the Creation of a Prince of Wales whereas if I might take the liberty of putting in my own conjecture I should conceive rather that it was done with Reference to the Princes Christning as in like manner we find a creation of three Earles and five to inferiour Titles at the Christning of the Princesse Mary born to King James after his coming into England and Christened upon Sunday the fifth of May. 1604. And I conceive withall that Sir Edward Seimour Vicount Beauchamp the Queenes elder brother was then created Earle of Hartford to make him more capable of being one of the Godfathers or a Deputy-Godfather at the least to the Royall Infant the Court not being then in a condition by reason of the mournfull accident of the late Queenes death to show it selfe in any extraordinary splendour as the occasion had required at another time Among which persons so advanced to the Dignity and degree of Knighthood I find Mr. Thomas Seimour the Queenes youngest brother to be one of the number of whom we shall have frequent occasion to speak more fully and particularly in the course of this History No other alteration made in the face of the Court but that Sir William Pawlet was made Treasurer and Sir John Russell Comptroller of his Majesties Houshold on the said 18th day of October which I conceive to be the day of the Princes Christning both of them being principall Actors in the Afâ—aires and troubles of the following times But in the face of the Church there appeared some lines which looked directly towards a Reformation For besides the surrendring of divers Monasteries and the executing of some Abbots and other Religious Persons for their stiffenesse if I may not call it a perversenesse in opposing the Kings desires there are two things of speciall note which concurred this year as the Prognosticks or â—ore-runners of those great events which after followed in his Reign For it appeares by a Memoriall of the Famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton that Grafton now made known to Cromwell the finishing of the English Bible of which he had printed 1500. at his own proper charges amounting in the totall to 500. p. desiring stoppage of a surreptitions Edition in a lesse Letter which else would tend to his undoing the suit endeared by Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at whose request Cromwell presents one of the Bibles to the King and procures the same to be allowed by his Authority to be read publiquely without comptrole in all his Dominions and for so doing he receives a letter of thanks from the said Arch-Bishop dated August the 13th of this present year Nor were the Bishops and Clergy wanting to advance the work by publishing a certain book in the English Tongue which they entituled The Institution of a Christian Man in which the Doctrine of the Sacraments the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Commandments were opened and expounded more perspicuously and lesse abhorrent from the truth then in former times By which clear light of Holy Scripture and the principall duties of Religion so laid opâ—n to them the people were the better able to discerne the errors and corruptionâ— of the Church of Rome From which by the piety of this Prince they were fully Freed And for a preamble thereunto the Rood of Boxley commonly called the Rood of Grace so Artificially contrived by reason of some secret wires in the body or concavities of it that it could move the eyes the lips c. to the great wonder and astonishment of the common people was openly discovered for a lewd imposture and broke in pieces at St. Pauls Cross on Sunday the 24. of February the Rood of Bermondsey Abby in South-work following the same fortune also within six dayes The next year brings an end to almost all the Monasteries and Religious houses in the Realme of England surrendered into the Kings hands by publâ—que instruments under the seales of all the severall and respective Convents and those surrenderies ratified and confirmed by Act of Parliament And this occasionally conduced to the future peace and quiet of this young Prince by removing out of the way some Great Pretenders who otherwise might have created to him no small disturbance For so it happened that Henry Earle of Devâ—nshire and Mary wife of Exceter descended from a daughter of King Edward the fâ—urth and Henry Pole Lord Mountacute descended from a daughter of George Duke of Clarence the second brother of that Edward under colour of preventing or revenging the Dissolution of so many famous Abbyes and religious houses associated themselves with Sir Edward Nâ—vill and Sir Nicholas Carew in a dangerous practise against the person of the King and the Peace of the Kingdom By whose endictment it appeares that it was their purpose and designe to destroy the King and advance Reginald Pole one of the younger brothers of the said Lord Mountacute of whom we shall hear more in the course of this History to the Regalâ— Throne Which how it could consist with the Pretensions of the Marquisse of Exceter or the Ambition of the Lord Mountacute the elder brother of this Reginald it is hard to say But having the Chronicle of John Speed to justifie me in the truth hereof in this particular I shall not take upon me to dispute the point The dangerous practise of which Persons did not so much retard the worke of Reformation as their execution did advance it to this year also appertaineth the suppressing of Pilgrimages the defacing of the costly and magnâ—ficent shrines of our Lady of Walsingham Ipswich Worcester c and more particularly of Thomas Becket once Arch-Bishop of Canterbury This last so rich in Jewells of most inestimable value that two great chests were filled with the spoyles thereoâ— so heavy and capacious as is affirmed by Bishop â—oodwin that each of them required no fewer then eight men to carry them out of the Church nothing inferiour unto Gold being charged within them More modestly in this then Sanders that malitious Sycophant who will have no lesse then twenty six waine load of silver Gold and precious stones to be seised into the Kings hands by the spoyle of that Monument Which proceedings so exasperated the Pope then being that without more delay by his Bull of January 1. he deprived the King
22th day of March next following Upon this ground were buâ—lt the Statutes prohibiting all Appeales to Rome and for determining all Ecclesiasticall suites and controversies within the Kingdom 24. Hen. 8. cap. 1â— That for the manner of declaring and consecrating of Arch-Bishops and Bishops 25. Hen. 8. Cap. 20. and the prohibiting the payment of all impositions to the Court of Rome and for obtaining all such dispensations from the see of Canterbury which formerly were procured from the Popes of Rome 25. Hen. 8. Cap. 21. and finally that for declaring the King to be the Supreme Head of the Church of England and to have all Honours and Preheminences and amongst others the first-fruits and tenths of all Ecclesiasticall promotions within the Realm which were annexed unto that Title In the forme of consecrating Arch-Bishops and Bishops and the rule by which they excercised their Jurisdiction there was no change made but what the transposition of the Supreme Power from the Pope to the King must of necessity infer For whereas the Bishops and Clergy in the Convocation An. 1532. had bound themselves neither to make nor execute any Canons or Constitutions Ecclesiasticall but as they were thereto enabled by the Kings Authority it was by them desired assented to by him and confirmed in Parliament that all such Canons and Constitutions Synodall and Provinciall as were before in use and neither Repugnant to the Word of God the kings Prerogative Royall or the known Lawes of the Land should remaine in force till a review thereof were made by thirty two Persons of the Kings appointment Which review not having been made from that time to this all the said old Canons and Constitutions so restrained and qualified do still remaine in force as before they did For this Consult the Act of Parliament 25. Hen. 8. Cap. 1. And this and all the rest being setled then followed finally the Act for extinguishing the Power of the Pope of Rome 28. Hen. 8 Cap. 10. which before we mentioned In order to a Reformation in points of Doctrine he first directed his Bishops and Clergy in their Convocation Aâ—no 1537. to compile a Book containing The Exposition of the Creed the Lords Prayer the Avemary and the Ten Commandements together with an Explication of the use and nature of the seven Sacraments More cleerely in it self and more agreeable to the Truth of Holy Scripture then in former times which book being called The Institution of a Christian Maâ— was by them presented to the King who liked thereof so well that he sent it by Doctor Barlow Bishop of St. Davids to King James the fifth hoping thereby to induce him to make the like Reformation in the Realm of Scotland as was made in England though therein he was deceived of his expectation But this Book having lien dormant for a certain time that is to say as long as the six Articles were in force was afterwards corrected and explained by the Kings own hand and being by him so corrected was sent to be reviewed by Archâ—Bishop Cranmer by him referred with his own emendations on it to the Bishopâ— and Clergy then Assembled in their Convocation Anno 1543. and by them Approved VVhich care that Godly Prelate took as himselfe confesseth in a Letter to a friend of his bearing date January 25. because the book being to come out by the Kings Censure and Judgement he would have nothing in the same which Momus himselfe could Reprehend VVhich being done it was published shortly after by the name of a Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian man with an Epistle of the Kings Prefixt before it in which it was commended to the Perusall of all his subjects that were Religiously disposed Now as the first book was ushered in by an injunction published in Sâ—ptember An. 1536. by which all Curates were required to Teach the people to say the Lords Prayer the Creed the Aveâ—ary and the Ten Commandements in the English Tongue â—o was the second countenanced by a Proclamation which made way unto it bearing date May the sixth 1541 whereby it was commanded that the English Bible of the Larger Vollumne should publiquely be placed in every Parish-Church of the Kings Dominions And here we are to understand that the Bible having been Translated into the English Tongue by the great paines of William Tyndall who after suffered for Religion in the Reigne of this King was by the Kings Command supprest and the reading of it interdicted by Proclamation the Bishops and other Learned men advising the reâ—traint thereof as the times then stood But afterward the times being changed and the People better fitted for so great a benefit the Bishops and Clergy Assembled in their Convocation Anno 1536. humbly petitioned to the King that the Bible being faithfully Translated and purged of such Prologues and Marginall Notes as formerly had given offence might be permitted from thenceforth to the use of the people According to which Godly motion his Majesty did not only give Order for a new Translation but in the Interim he permitted Cromwell his Viccar Generall to set out an Injunction for providing the whole Bible both in Latine and English after the Translation then in use which was called commonly by the name of Matthews Bible but was no other then that of Tyndall somewhat altered to be kept in every â—arish Church throughout the Kingdome And so it stood but not with such a Generall observation as the case required till the finishing of the new Translation Printed by Grafton countenanced by a learned Preface of Arch-Bishop Cranmer and Authorised by the Kings Proclamation of the sixth of May as before was said Finally that the people might be better made acquainted with the Prayers of the Church it was appointed a little before the Kings going to Bolloigne Anno 1545. that the Lâ—tany being put into the same forme almost in which now it stands should from thenceforth be said in the English Tongue So farr this King had gone in order to a Reformation that it was no hard matter for his Son or for those rather who had the Managing of Affaires during his Minority to go thorough with it In Reference to the Regall State he added to the Royal Stile these three Glorious Attributes that is to say Defender of the Faith The Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England and King of Ireland In what manner he obtained the Title of Supreme Head conferred upon him by the Convocation in the year 1530. and confirmed by Act of Parliament in the 26 yeare of his Reign hath been showne before That of Defender of the Faith was first bestowed upon him by Pope Leo the tenth upon the publishing of a Book against Martin Luther which Book being presented unto the Pope by the hands of Doctor Clark afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells hath been preserved ever since amongst the choisest Rarities of the Vatican Library Certain it is that the Pope was so well pleased
Shifts on his part and much patience on theirs he is taken pro confesso on the twenty third and in the beginning of October deprived of his Bishoprick To whom succeded Doctour Nicholas Ridley Bishop of Rochester a Learned Stout and Resolute Prelate as by the Sequel will appear not actually translated till the twelâ—th of April in the year next following and added not long after to the Lords of the Council The necessary Execution of so many Rebels and this seasonable Severity against Bishop Bonner did much facilitate the King's Proceedings in the Reformation As certainly the Opposition to Aâ—thority when it is suppressed both makes the Subject and the Prince more absolute Howsoever to make sure Work of it there passed an act of Parliament in the following Session which also took beginning on the fourth of November for taking down such Images as were still remaining in the Churches as also for the bringing in of all Antiphonaries Missalls Breviaries Offices Horaries Primers and Processionals with other Books of False and Superstitious Worship The Tenour of which Act was signified to the Subject by the King's Proclamations and seconded by the Missives of Arch-Bishop Cranmer to the Suffragan Bishops requiring them to see it put in execution with all Care and Diligence Which so secured the Church on that side that there was no further Opposition against the Liturgie by the Romish Party during the rest of this King's Reign For what can any workman do when he wants his Tools or how could they Advance the Service of the Church of Rome when the Books by which they should officiate it were thus taken from them But then there started up another Faction as dangerous to the Church as opposite to the Publick Liturgie and as destructive of the Rules of the Reformation then by Law established as were those of Rome The Arch-Bishop and the rest of the Prelates which co-operated with him in the Work having so far proceeded in abolishing many Superstitions which before were used resolved in the next place to go forwards with a Reformation in a Point of Doctrine In Order whereunto Melancthon's coming was expected the year before but he came not then And therefore Letters were directed by the archâ—Archâ—Bishop of Canterbury to Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr two Great and Eminent Divines but more addicted to the Zuinglian then the Lutheran Doctrines in the point of the Sacrament Martyr accordingly came over in the end of November and having spent some timewith the Arch-Bishop in his House at Lambeth was dispatched to Oxford where he was made the King's Professour for Divinity and about two years after made Canon of Christ-Church In his first Lectures he is said by Sanders if he may be credited to have declared himself so much a Zuinglian in that point as to give great offence to Cranmer and the rest of the Bishops but afterwards upon notice of it to have been more moderate and to conform his Judgment to the Sense of those Learned Prelates Which whether it be true or not certain it is that his Readings were so much disliked by some of that University that a publick Disputation was shortly had betwixt him and some of those who disliked his Doings in which he publickly maintained these two Propositions 1. That the Substance of the Bread and Wine was not changed and 2. That the Body and Blood of Christ was not Carnally and Bodily in the Bread and Wine but united to the same Sacramentally And for the better Governing of the Disputation it was appointed by the King that Doctour Cox Chancellour of that University assisted by one Mr. Morrison a right Learned man should preside as Judges or Moderatours as we call them by whom it was declâ—red in the open Scholes that Martyr had the upper hand and had sufficiently answered all Arguments which were brought against him But Chadsey the chief of the Opponents and the rest of those who disputed with him acknowledged no such Satisfaction to be given unto them their party noising it abroad according to the Fate of such Dispuâ—ations that they had the Victory But Bucer not coming over at the same time also he was more earnestly invited by Pet. Alexander the Arch-Bishop's Secretary whose Letters bear Date March 24. which so prevailed with him at the last that in June we finde him here at Canterbury from whence he writes to Peter Martyr who was then at Oxford And being here he receives Letters from Calvin by which he was advised to take heed of his old fault for a fault he thought it which was to run a moderate course in his Reformations The first thing that he did at his coming hither as he saith himself was to make himself acquainted with the English Liturgie translated for him into Latine by Alexander Alesius a Learned Scot and generally well approved of by him as to the main Frame and Body of it though not well satisfied perhaps in some of the particular Branches Of this he gives account to Calvin and desires some Letters from him to the Lord Protectour with whom Câ—lvin had already began to tamper that he might finde the greater favour when he came before him which was not till the Tumults of the time were composed and quieted Having received a courteous entertainment from the Lord Protectour and being right heartily welcomed by Arch-Bishop Cranmer he is sent to take the Chair at Cambridg Where his first Readings gave no such distast to the Learned Academicks as to put him to the necessity of challenging the Dissentients to a Disputation though in the Ordinary Form a Disputation was there held at his firstâ—coming thither concerning the Sufficiency of Holy Scripture the Fallibility of the Church and the true Nature of Justification But long he had not held the place when he left this life deceasing on the nineteenth of January 1550. according to the computation of the Church of England to the great loss and grief of that University By the chiefest Heads whereof and most of the Members of that Body he was attended to his Grave with all due Solemnity of which more hereafter But so it was that the Account which he had given to Calvin of the English Liturgie and his desiring of a Letter from him to the Lord Protectour proved the occasions of much trouble to the Church and the Orders of it For Calvin not forgetting the Repulse he found at the hands of Cranmer when he first offered his Assistance had screwed himself into the Favour of the Lord Protectour And thinking nothing to be well done which either was not done by him or by his Direction as appears by his Letters to all Princes which did but cast an eye towards a Reformation must needs be meddling in such Matters as belonged not to him He therefore writes a very long Letter to the Lord Protectour in which approving well enough of set Forms of Prayer he descends more particularly to the English Liturgy in canvasing whereof he
with Excommunication in that publick Audience for which they were committed to the Tower on the fifth of April The rest of the Bishops were commanded to abide in London and to give bond for their appearance at the Council-Table whensoever they should be râ—quired And so the whole Assembly was dismist and the conference ended before it had been well begun the Lord Keeper giving to the Bishops this sharp remembrance Sincâ— said he you are not wâ—lling that we should hear you you shall very shortly hear from us Which notwithstanding produced this good effect in the Lords and Commons that they conceived the Bishops were not able to defend their Doctrin in the points disputed which made the way more easie for the passing of the publick Liturgy when it was brought unto the Vote Two Speeches there were made against it in the House of Peers by Scot and Fecknam and one against the Queens Supremacy by the Archbishop of York but they prevailed as little in both points by the power of their Eloquence as they had done in the first by their want of Arguments It gave much matter of discourse to most knowing men that the Bishops should so wilfully fall from an appointment to which they had before agreed and thereby forfeit their whole Cause to a Condemnation But they pretended for themselves that they were so straightned in point of time that they could not possibly digest their Arguments into form and order that they looked upon it as a thing too much below them to humble themselves to such a Conference or Disputation in which Bacon a meer lay-man and of no great learning was to sit as Judge and finally that the points had been determined already by the Catholick Church and therefore were not to be called in question without leave from the Pope Which last pretence if it were of any weight and moment it must be utterly impossible to proceed to any Reformation in the state of the Church by which the power and pride of the Popes of Rome may be any thing lessened or that the corruptions of the Church should be redressed iâ— it consist not with their profit For want of time they were no more straightned than the opposite party none of them knowing with what arguments the other side would fortifie and confirm their cause nor in what forms they would propose them before they had perused â—heir reciprocal Papers But nothing was more weakly urged than their exception against the Presidency of Sir Nicholas Bacon which could not be considered as a matter either new or strange not strange because the like Presidency had been given frequently to Cromwel in the late Reign of King Henry the 8th and that not only in such general Conferences but in several Convocations and Synodical meetings Not new because the like had been frequently practised by the most godly Kings and Emperors of the Priâ—â—itive times for in the Council of Chalceâ—on the Emperor appointed certain Noblemen to sit as Judges whose names occur in the first Action of that Counâ—il The like we find exemplified in the Ephesine Council in which by the appointment of Theodosius and Vulentinian then Roman Emperors Candidianus a Count Imperial sate as Judge or President who in the managing of that trust over-acted any thing which was done by Cromwel as Vicar-General to that King or Bacon was impowered to do as the Queens Commissioner No such unreasonable condescention to be found in this as was pretended by the Bishops and the rest of that party to save themselves from the guilt and censure of a Tergiversation for which and other their contempts we shall find them called to a reckoning within few months after In the Convocation which accompanied the present Parliament there was little done and that little which they did was to little purpose Held under Bonner in regard of the Vacancy of the See of Canterbâ—ry it began without the ordinary preamble of a Latine Sermon all preaching being then prohibited by the Queens command The Clergy for their Prolocutor made choice of Doctor Nicholas Harâ—sâ—ield Archdeacon of Canterbâ—ry a man of more ability as his works deâ—lare than he had any opportunity to make use of in the present service The Aâ—t of the submission of the Clergy to King Henry the 8th and his Successors Kings of England had been repealed in the first year of Queen Mary so that the Clergy might have acted of their own authority without any license from the Queen and it is much to be admired that Bonner White or Watson did not put them to it but such was either their feaâ— or modesty or a despair of doing any good to themselves and the cause that there was nothing done by the Bishops at all and not much more by the lower Clergy than a declaration of their judgment in some certain points which at that time were conceived fit to be commended to the sight of the Parliament that is to say 1. That in the Sacrament of the Altar by vertue of Christs assisting after the word is duly pronounced by the Priest the natural body of Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary is really present under the species of Bread and Wine as also his natural Blood 2. That after the Câ—nsecration there remains not the substance of Bread and Wine not any substance save the substance of God and Man 3. That the true body of Christ and his Blood is offered for a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead 4. That the supream power of feeding and governing the militant Church of Christ and of confirming their brethren is given to Peter the Apostle and to his lawful Successors in the See Apostolick as unto the Vicars of Christ. 5. That the authority to handle and define such things which belong to Faith the Sacraments and Discipline Ecclesiastical hath hitherto ever belonged and onely ought to belong unto the Pastors of the Church whom the holy Spirit hath placed in the Church and not unto Lay-men These Articles they caused to be engrossed so commended them to the care and consideration of the Higher House By Bonner afterwards that is to say on the 3d. of March presented to the hands of the Lord Keeper Bacon by whom they were candidly received But they prevailed no further with the Queen or the House of Peers when imparted to them but that possibly they might help forwards the disputation which not long after was appointed to be held at Westminster as before was said It was upon the 8th of May that the Parliament ended and on the 24th of June that the publick Liturgy was to be officiated in all the Churches of the Kingdom In the performanâ—e of which service the Bishops giving no encouragement and many of the Clergy being backward in it it was thought fit to put them to the final test and either to bring them to conformity or to bestow their places and preferments on more tractable persons The Bishops at that time
her in short time not only to protect her Merchants but command the Ocean Of which the Spaniard found good proof to his great loss and almost to his total ruine in the last 20 years of her glorious government And knowing right well that mony was the â—inew of war she fell upon a prudent and present course to fill her coffers Most of the monies in the Kingdom were of forein coynage brought hither for the most part by the Easterling and Flemish Merchants These she called in by Proclamation â—â—ted the 15th of November being but two dayes before the end of this 3d. year commanding them to be brought to her Majesties Mint there to be coyned and take the stamp of her Royal authority or otherwise not to pass for current within this Realm which counsel took such good effect that monies came flowing into the Mint insomuch that there was weekly brought into the Tower of London for the space of half a year together 8000. 10000. 12000. 16000. 20000. 22000 l. of silver plate and as much more in Pistols and other gold of Spanish coins which were great sums according to the standard of those early dayes and therefore no small profit to be growing to her by the coynage of them The Genevians slept not all this while but were as busily imployed in practising upon the Church as were the Romanists in plotting against the Queen Nothing would satisfie them but the nakedness and simplicity of the Zuinglian Churches the new fashions taken up at Franckfort and the Presbyteries of Geneva According to the pattern which they saw in those mounts the Church of England is to be modell'd nor would the Temple of Jerusalem have served their turn if a new Altar fashioned by that which they found at Damascus might not have been erected in it And they drove on so fast upon it that in some places they had taken down the steps where the Aâ—tar stood and brought the Holy Table into the midst of the Church in others they had laid aside the antient use of Godfathers and Godmothers in the administration of Baptism and left the answering for the child to the charge of the father The weekly Fasts the time of Lent and all other dayes of abstinence by the Church commanded were looked upon as superstitious observations No fast by them allowed of but occasional only and then too of their own appointing And the like course they took with the Festivals also neglecting those which had been instituted by the Church as humane inventions not fit to be retained in a Church reformed And finally that they might wind in there outlandish Doctrines with such forein usages they had procured some of the inferiour Ordinaries to impose upon their several Parishes certain new books of Sermons and Expositions of the holy Scripture which neither were required by the Queens Injunctions nor by Act of Parliament Some abuses also were discovered in the Regular Clergy who served in Churches of peculiar or exempt jurisdiction Amongst whom it began to grow too ordinary to marry all such as came unto them without Bains or Licence and many times not only without the privity but against the express pleasure and command of their Parents For which those Churches past by the name of Lawlesse Churches in the voice of the people For remedy whereof it was found necessary by the Archbishop of Canterbury to have recourse unto the power which was given unto him by the Queens Commission and by a clause or passage of the Act of Parliament for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in the Church c. As one of the Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical he was authorized with the rest of his associates according to the Statute made in that behalf To reform redresse order correct and amend all such Errours Heresies Schisms abuses offences conâ—empts and enormities whatsoever as might from time to time arise in the Church of England and did require to be redressed and reformed to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and conservation of the peace and unity of the Kingdom And in the passage of the Act before remembred it was especially provided That all such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof should be retained and be in use as were in the Church of England by authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward the 6th until further Order should be therein taken by authority of the Queens Majesty with the advice of her Commissioners Appointed Ordered under the Great Seal of England for Causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan of this Realm And also if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the Orders of the said Book of Common Prayer the Queens Majesty might by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitan Ordain or publish such further Ceremonies or Rites as should be most for the advance of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments Fortified and assured by which double power the Archbishop by the Queens consent and the advice of some of the Bishops Commissionated and instructed to the same intent sets forth a certain book of Orders to be diligently observed and executed by all and singular persons whom it might concern In which it was provided That no Parson Vicar or Curate of any exempt Church commonly called Lawless Churches should from thenceforth attempt to conjoin by solemnization of Matrimony any not being of his or their Parish Church without sufficient testimony of the Bains being ask'd in the several Churches where they dwel or otherwise were sufficiently licenced That there should be no other dayes observed for Holy days or Fasting dayes as of duty and commandment but only such Holy dayes as be expressed for Holy dayes in the Calendar lately set forth by the Queens authority and none other Fasting dayes to be so commanded but as the Lawes and Proclamations of the Queens Majesty should appoint that it should not be lawful to any Ordinary to assign or enjoyn the Parishes to buy any Books of Sermons or Expositions in any sort than is already or shall be hereafter appointed by publick Authority that neither the Curates or Parents of the children which are brought to Baptism should answer for them at the Font but that the antient use of Godfathers and Godmothers should be still retained and finally that in all such Churches in which the steps to the Altar were not taken down the said steps should remain as before they did that the Communion Table should be set in the said place where the steps then were or had formerly stood and that the Table of Gods Precepts should be fixed upon the wall over the said Communion Board Which passage compared with that in the Advertisements published in the year 1565. of which more hereafter make up this construction that
then being and therefore that he could not consent to the holding of a Convocation in that place without some Declaâ—ation to be made by the Archbishops Bishops that their holding the Convocation in the same should not be taken or intended for any violation of the rights privileges that belong'd unto it which was accordingly perform'd It was â—n the 19th day of January that these formalities were transacted at whâ—t time the Archbishops and Bishops having first had some secret communication amongst themselves about the Articles of Religion established in King 〈◊〉 time râ—quired the Prolocutor and six others of the Lower Hâ—use of Convocation to repair unto them By whom it was signified unto their Lordships that some of the Clergy had prepared certain Bills containing a specification of such matters as were conceived to be amiss in the state of the Church and that the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Reign of King Edward the 6th had been delivered unto others to be considered of corrected and accommodated as they found it necessary Being encouraged in the last and furthered by the diligence of some of the Bishops who were employed in the same work the Articles were agreed upon publickly read before the Bishops in the Chapter-house of St. Paul on the 29th of the same month and by all of them subscribed with great unanimity The Prelates had observed some deviation from the Doctrine of King Edward's Reign which had been made by the Calviniâ—n on Zuinglian Gospellers in the Articles of Predestination Grace Free-will and final perseverance Nor could they but take notice with how little reverence the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administred and the Authority of the Church despised by too many of the same party also which they were willing to impute to the want of some known rule amongst them by which they were to regulate their judgments and conform their actions To which end it was thought expedient that the Book of Articles agreed upon in Convocation Anno 1552. should be revised and accommodated to the use of the Church the Queens leave being first obtained for their warrant in it In the managing of which great business I know not whether I should more admire their moderation or their wisdome Their wisdome eminent in not suffering any Outlandish Divine who might drive on a different interess from that of the Church either to vote amongst them or carry any stroke in their consultations Their moderation no less visible in declining all unnecessary determinations which rather tended to the multiplying of controversies and ingendring strifes than either unto edification or increase of piety So that they seemed to have proceeded by those very Rules which King James so much approved of in the conference at Hampton Court First in not separating further from the Church of Rome in points of Discipline or Doctrine than that Church had separated from what she was in her purest times Secondly in not stuffing the Book of Articles with all Conclusions Theological in which a latitude of judgement was to be allowed as far as it might be consistent with peace and charity and Thirdly in not thrusting into it every opinion or Position negative which might have made it somewhat like Mr. Craiges Confession in the Kirk of Scotland who with his I renounce and I abhor his detestations and abrenunciations did so amaze the simple people as the King observeth that not being able to conceive or understand all those points utterly gave over all and fell back to Popery or else remained in their former ignorance Upon which grounds as they omitted many whole Articles and qualified the expressions of some others in King Edward's book so were they generally very sparing in defining any thing which was meerly matter of moduliâ—y or de modo only As namely touching the manner of Christs presence in the Holy Eucharist the manner of effecting grace by the blessed Sacraments or of the operation of Gods grace in a mans conversion Which rules being carefully observed by all the Bishops on whose authority and consent the greatest part of the whole Work did seem to rest and all particulars agreed upon amongst themselves it was no wonder if they passed their Votes without contradiction But in taking the subscriptions of the lower house there appeared more difficulty For though they all testified their consent unto them on the said 29th of January either by words express or by saying nothing to the contrary which came all to oâ—e yet when subscription was required many of the Calvinians or Zuinglian-Gospellers possibly some also which enclined rather to their old Religion and who found themselves unsatisfied in some particulars had demurred upon it With this demur their Lordships are acquainted by the Prolocutor on the 5th of February By whom their Lordships were desired in the name of that House that such who had not hitherto subscribed the Articles might be ordered to subscribe in their own proper house or in the presence of their Lordships Which request being easily granted drew on the subscription of some others but so that many still remained in their first unwillingness An Order thereupon is made by their Lordships on the â—oth then following that the Prolocutor should return the names of all such persons who refused subscription to the end that such further course might be taken with them as to their Lordships should seem most fit After which we hear no news of the like complaints and informations which makes it probable if not concluded that they all subscribed And being thus subscribed by all they were soon after published both in English and Latine with this following Title that is to say Articles agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year 1562. for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion But what they were and wherein they agreed or differed with or from those established by King Edward the 6th shall be referred for the avoiding of all interruptions in the course of this History to a place more proper Nothing else brought to a conclusion by them but the Bill of Subsidy which having past that House was confirmed in Parliament Nothing else brought into conclusion though many things were had in deliberation On Friday the 5th of February the Bishops of Salisbury Exon St David's and Lichfield were appointed by the rest of the Prelates to examine a Catechism which it seems was presented to them But being by them remitted to the consideration of the lower house they were advertised by Day and Sampson on the 3d. of March that the said house unanimously had approved thereof And there it rested for that time and for ever after nothing being done in confirmation of it as a publick Doctrine by whomsoever it was written nor any further speech made of it in the time succeeding Which fortune also hapned to a Book of Discipline projected
13th of April And for creating the greater confidence and amity between both Princes it was not long before she sent the Lord Henry Hunsâ—on accompanied with the Lord Strange and divers Knights and Gentlemen to the Court of France to present that King with the Collar and Habit of the Garter into which Noble Order he had been elected at a General Chapter Garter the King at Arms was also sent along with them to invest him in it with all the Ceremonies and Solemnities thereunto belonging to make it the more acceptable in the sight of that people But notwithstanding these courses on the one side and the indignities put upon her by the Hugonot Princes on the other Reason of State prevailed with her not to lay aside the care of their safety and affairs For wel she knew that if the Hugonots were not incouraged under hand and the Guisian faction kept in breath by their frequent stirrings they would be either hammering some design against her in her own Dominions or animate the Queen of Scots to stand to her Title and pretensions for the Crown of England Upon which general ground of self-preservation as she first aided those of Scotland for the expelling of the French and the French Protestants from being ruined and oppressed by the House of Guise so on the same she afterwards undertook the Patronage of the Belgick Neatherlands against the tyranny and ambition of the Duke of Alva who otherwise might have brought the war to her own dores and hazarded the peace and safety of her whole Estate Having secured her self by this peace with France and being at no open enmity with the King of Spain she resolves to give her self some pleasure and thereupon prepareth for her Summers progress In the course whereof she bestowed a visit upon Cambridge on the 5th of August where she was honorably received by Mr. Secretary Cecil being then Chancellor of that University together with all the Heads of Houses and other Students attired in their Academical Habits according to their several and distinct degrees Her lodging was provided in Kings College the dayes of her abode there spent in Scholastical exercises of Philosophy Physick and Divinity the nights in Comedies and Tragedies and other pleasing entertainments On Wednesday the 7th of the same month she rode through the Town and took a view of all the Colleges and Halls the goodly Monuments of the piety of her predecessors and of so many men and women famous in their generations Which done she took her leave of Cambridge in a Latine Oration in which she gave them great encouragement to persue their studies not without giving them somes hopes that if God spared her life and opportunity she would erect some Monument amongst them of her love to Learning which should not be inferiour unto any of her Royal Ancestors In which diversion she received such high contentment that nothing could have seemed to be equal to it but the like at Oxon where she was entertained about two years after for seven days together with the same variety of Speeches Enteâ—ludes Disputations and other Academical expressions of a publick joy In one point that of Oxford seemed to have the preheminence all things being there both given and taken with so even an hand that there could be no ground for any emulation strife or discord to ensue upon it But in the midst of those contentments which she had at Cambridge were sown the seeds of those divisions and combustions with which the Church hath been continually distracted to this very day For so it hapned that Mr. Thomas Preston of Kings College and Mr. Thomas Cartwright of Trinity College were appointed for two of the Opponents in a Disputation In which the first by reason of his comely gesture pleasing pronunciation and graceful personage was both liked and rewarded by her the other receiving neither reward or commendation Which so incensed the proud man too much opinionated of himself and his own abilities that he retired unto Geneva where having throughly informed himself in all particulars both of Doctrine and Discipline wherein the Churches of that platform differed from the Church of England he returned home with an intent to repair his credit or rather to get himself a name as did Erastrotus in the burning of Diana's Temple by raising such a fire such combustions in her as never were to be extinguished like the fire of Taberah but by the immediate hand of Heaven The Genevians had already began to blow the coals and brought fewel to them but it was onely for the burning of Caps and Rochets The Common-Prayer book was so fortified by Act of Parliament that there was no assaulting of it without greater danger than they durst draw upon themselves And as for the Episcopal Government it was so interwoven and incorporated with the Laws of the land so twisted in with the Preâ—ogative of the Crown and the Regal Interess that they must first be in a capacity of trampling on the Laws and the Crown together before they could attempt the destruction of it But Caps and Typpets Rochets and Lawn sleeves and Canonical Coats seemed to be built upon no better foundation than superstitious custom some old Popish Canon or at the best some temporary Injunction of the Queens devising which could not have the power and effect of Law This Game they had in chase in King Edward's time which now they are resolved to follow both with horn and hound and hunt it to the very last But as good Huntsmen as they were they came off with loss they that sped best in it being torn by the briers and bushes through which the fury of their passion carried them in pursute of the sport Amongst which none sped worse than Sampson because none had so much to lose in the prosecution for resting obstinate in refusing to wear that habit which of right belonged unto his place he was deprived of that place by the High Commissioners to which the habit did belong So eminent a Preferment as the Deanry of Christ-church deserved a man of a better temper and of a more exemplary conformity to the rules of the Church Both which were found in Dr. Thomas Godwin Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen advanced unto this Deanry first and after to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells more fortunate in being father to Dr. Francis Godwin a late Bishop of Hereford never to be forgotten for his Commentaries of the English Bishops digested with such infinite pains and no less ingenuity The obstinacy of these men in matter of Ceremony prompted the Bishops to make trial of their Orthodoxie in points of Doctrine The Articles of Religion lately agreed upon in Convocation had been subscribed by all the Clergy who had voted to them subscribed not onely for themselves but in the name of all those in the several Diocesses and Cathedral Churches whom they represented But the Bishops not thinking that sufficient to secure the Church