The Pope promises to satisfy the King ibid But proceeds hastily to a Sentence Pag. 102 Arguments for rejecting the Pope's Power Pag. 103 And for the Kings Supremacy Pag. 106 The Clergy submit to it Pag. 108 1534. The Pope's Power condemned in Parliam Pag. 109 The Act of the Succession Pag. 110 An Act concerning Hereticks Pag. 111 The Submission of the Convocation Pag. 112 An Act for the Election of Bishops Pag. 113 The Attainder of the Nun of Kent Pag. 114 All swear the Oath of Succession Pag. 119 Fisher Bishop of Rochester is in trouble ibid But is very obstinate Pag. 121 More and Fisher refuse the Oath ibid Another Session of Parliament establishes the King's Supremacy Pag. 123 The Progress of the Reformation in Engl. Pag. 125 The Supplication of the Beggars Pag. 127 Frith writes against Purgatory Pag. 128 A Persecution set on by More Pag. 129 Bilney 's Martyrdom ibid Frith 's Sufferings Pag. 133 A stop put to further Cruelties Pag. 135 The Interest the Reformers had at Court Pag. 136 Others oppose them much Pag. 137 The Opinion of some Bishops of a General Council Pag. 138 Heads of a Speech of Cranmer's Pag. 139 The state of England at that time Pag. 141 1535. A General Visitation proposed Pag. 144 Instructions and Injunctions for it ibid The state of the Monasteries in England Pag. 146 Some Houses surrendered to the King Pag. 150 1536. Queen Katherin's Death Pag. 151 The lesser Monasteries suppressed Pag. 152 A Translation of the Bible designed Pag. 153 Queen Ann Boleyn 's Fall Pag. 155 Her Trial Pag. 159 And Execution Pag. 162 Censures past upon it Pag. 164 Lady Mary 's Submission to the King Pag. 165 The Act of the Succession Pag. 167 The Pope desires a Reconciliation with the K. Pag. 168 Acts against the Pope's Power ibid The Convocation examines some Points of Religion Pag. 169 Articles of Religion agreed on Pag. 172 Which are variously censured Pag. 174 Other Alterations proposed Pag. 175 The King protests against all Councils called by the Pope Pag. 178 Card. Pool writes against him Pag. 179 The lesser Monasteries seized on Pag. 181 Which gave a general discontent Pag. 182 Injunctions given by the King Pag. 184 A Rebellion in Lincolnshire Pag. 186 Another in Yorkshire Pag. 187 They are every where quieted Pag. 191 Greater Monasteries surrendered Pag. 193 Some Abbots Attainted Pag. 196 The Impostures of some Images discovered Pag. 200 Becket 's Shrine broken Pag. 201 The Pope thunders against the King Pag. 203 The English Bishops assert the King's Supremacy and explain the Nature of the Power of the Church Pag. 205 The Bible set out in English and new Injunctions Pag. 208 Prince Edward born Pag. 209 Lambert is condemned and burnt for denying the Corporal Presence Pag. 210 Treaties with the German Princes Pag. 213 1539. The Act of the six Articles Pag. 215 Censures past upon it Pag. 219 An Act for the suppressing the Monasteries Pag. 220 An Act for new Bishopricks Pag. 222 An Act for Proclamations Pag. 224 Some Attainted without being heard Pag. 225 The King's kindness to Cranmer Pag. 226 Bishops hold their Sees at the Kings Pleasure Pag. 228 All the Monasteries supprest Pag. 229 A Treaty for a Match with Ann of Cleve Pag. 233 The King marries her but never likes her Pag. 234 The Knights of St. John suppressed Pag. 236 A new Parliament Pag. 235 Cromwel 's Fall Pag. 238 His Attaindor Pag. 240 Censures past upon it Pag. 241 The King's Marriage annull'd Pag. 242 Cromwel 's Death Pag. 246 A Book of Religion set out by the Bishops Pag. 247 The Explanation of Faith Pag. 248 And of the Sacraments Pag. 250 The Book is publisted Pag. 253 Barns ard others fall into Trouble Pag. 255 And burnt Pag. 257 New Sees founded Pag. 260 1541. The Bible set up in Churches Pag. 262 The Affairs of Scotland Pag. 264 A Persecution set on foot in Scotland Pag. 269 The Queen 's ill Life is discovered Pag. 271 1542. A design to suppress the Bible Pag. 274 Bonner's Injunctions ibid The way of Preaching at that time Pag. 275 A War with Scotland Pag. 279 1543. A Parliament called Pag. 280 An Act about Religion ibid Affairs in Scotland Pag. 282 Some burnt at Windsor Pag. 284 Cranmer 's Ruine is designed Pag. 286 1544. The Act of the Succession Pag. 288 The King makes War on France and Scotland Pag. 290 The King takes Bulloign Pag. 291 1545. Wishart burned in Scotland Pag. 292 Cardinal Beaton is murdered Pag. 294 Chantries given to the King Pag. 296 1546. A Peace with France Pag. 297 Ann Aiscough and others burnt Pag. 298 Designs against Cranmer Pag. 300 And against the Queen Pag. 301 The Duke of Norfolk's Fall Pag. 303 1547. The Earl of Surrey executed Pag. 304 The Duke is Attainted in Parliament Pag. 305 The King's Sickness Pag. 307 And Death Pag. 308 His Severities against Papists Pag. 309 The Carthusians in particular Pag. 310 Fisher 's Sufferings Pag. 311 More 's Death and Character Pag. 312 Attainders after the Rebellions Pag. 314 Forrest burnt for Heresy Pag. 315 Cardinal Pool's Friends Attainted Pag. 316 Some Attainted without being heard ibid The Conclusion Pag. 319 BOOK II. Of the Life and Reign of King Edward the Sixth KIng Edward 's Birth and Education Pag. 1 King Henry's Testament Pag. 2 A Protector chosen Pag. 4 Bishops take out Commissions ibid A Creation of Noblemen Pag. 5 Laymen had Ecclesiastical Dignities Pag. 7 Some take down Images Pag. 8 Arguments for and against it Pag. 9 The King's Funeral Pag. 12 Soul Masses examined ibid The Coronation Pag. 14 The Chancellour turned out Pag. 15 Protectors Patent Pag. 17 The Affairs of Germany ibid The Council of Trent Pag. 19 Divisions in England Pag. 20 The Visitation of all Churches Pag. 23 Censures on the Injunctions Pag. 26 The War with Scotland Pag. 28 The Battel of Musselburgh Pag. 31 The Success of the Visitation Pag. 32 A Parliament meets Pag. 35 An Act of Repeal ibid An Act about the Sacrament Pag. 36 An Act concerning the Nomination of Bishops Pag. 37 An Act against Vagabonds Pag. 39 An Act for dissolving the Chantries Pag. 40 The Convocation sits ibid The Affairs of Germany Pag. 43 Differences between the Protector and the Admiral Pag. 45 1548. The M. of Northampton 's Divorce Pag. 48 Some Ceremonies abrogated Pag. 49 A new Office for the Communion Pag. 52 Auricular Confession examined Pag. 54 Gardiner is imprisoned Pag. 56 A new Liturgy composed Pag. 58 The new Offices Pag. 61 Private Communion Pag. 62 Censures past on the Common-Prayer Book Pag. 63 All Preaching was for some time restrained Pag. 64 Affairs in Scotland Pag. 65 Affairs in Germany Pag. 67 1549. A Session of Parliament Pag. 69 An Act for the Marriage of the Clergy ibid An Act confirming the Liturgy Pag. 72 An Act for Fasting Pag. 73 The Admirals Attainder Pag. 74 A new Visitation Pag. 77 Disputes concerning Christs Presence
Journey unless the Pope would promise to give the King Satisfaction The King of France said he was engaged in Honour to go on but assured them he would mind the King 's Concerns with as much Zeal as if they were his own In September the Queen brought forth a Daughter the renowned Queen Elizabeth and the King having before declared Lady Mary Princess of Wales Sept 7. Q. Elizabeth born did now the same for her Tho since a Son might put her from it she could not be Heir Apparent but only the Heir Presumptive to the Crown At Marseilles the Marriage was made up between the Duke of Orleans and the Pope's Neece to whom the Pope gave besides 100000 Crowns many Principalities which he pretended were either Fiefs of the Papacy or belonged to him in the Rights of the House of Medici The Pope's Historian with some Triumph boasted that the Marriage was Consummated that very Night tho it was thought not credible that P. Arthur that was Nine Months older than the new Duke of Orleans afterwards Henry the Second did Consummate his There was a secret Agreement made between the Pope and Francis that if King Henry would refer his Cause to the Consistory excepting only to the Cardinals of the Imperial Faction as partial and would in all other things return to his Obedience to the See of Rome The Pore promises to satisfy K. Henry then Sentence should be given in his Favours but this to be kept secret So Bonner not being trusted with it and sent thither with an Appeal from the Pope to the next General Council made it with great boldness and threatned the Pope upon it with so much Vehemence that the Pope talked of throwing him into a Cauldron of melted Lead or burning him alive And he apprehending some danger fled away privately But when Francis came back to Paris he sent over the Bishop of that City to the King to let him know what he had obtained of the Pope in his Favours and the Terms on which it was promised This wrought so much on the King that he presently consented to them And upon that the Bishop of Paris tho it was now in the middle of Winter took Journey to Rome being sure of the Scarlet if he could be the Instrument of regaining England which was then upon the point of being lost What these Assurances were which the Pope gave is not certain but the Archbishop of York and Tenstal of Duresm in a Letter which they wrote on that Occasion say that the Pope said at Marseilles That if the King would send a Proxy to Rome he would give Sentence for him against the Queen for he knew his Cause was good and just Upon the Bishop of Paris's coming to Rome the matter seemed agreed for it was promised that upon the King 's sending a Promise under his hand to put things in their former state and his ordering a Proxy to appear for him Judges should be sent to Cambray for making the Process and then Sentence should be given Upon the notice given of this and of a Day that was prefixt for the return of the Courier the King dispatched him with all possible hast and now the Business seemed at an end But the Courier had a Sea and the Alps to pass and in Winter it was not easy to observe a limited day so exactly This made that he came not to Rome on the prefixed day upon which the Imperialists gave out that the King was abusing the Pope's Easiness so they prest him vehemently to proceed to a Sentence The Bishop of Paris moved only for a delay of six days which was no unreasonable time in that Season and in favours of such a King who had a Suit depending six Days and since he had Patience so many Years the delay of a few days was no extraordinary Favour But the design of the Imperialists was to hinder a Reconciliation for if the King had been set right with the Pope there would have been so powerful a League formed against the Emperour as would have broke all his Measures And therefore it was necessary for his Designes to imbroil them It was also said That the King was seeking Delayes and Concessions meerly to delude the Pope and that he had proceeded so far in his Design against that See that it was necessary to go on to Censures And the angry Pope was so provoked by them and by the News that he heard out of England that without consulting his ordinary Prudence he brought in the matter to the Consistory and there the Imperialists being the greater number it was driven on with so much Precipitation that they did in on day that which according to Form should have been done in three They gave the final Sentence declaring the King's Marriage with Queen Katherine good and required him to live with her as his Wife 23. March But proceeds hastily to a Sentence otherwise they would proceed to Censures Two days after that the Courier came with the King's Submission in due form He also brought earnest Letters from Francis in the King's Favours This wrought on all the indifferent Cardinals as well as those of the French Faction So they praied the Pope to recall what was done A new Consistory was called but the Imperialists prest with greater Vehemence then ever that they would not give such Scandal to the World as to recall a definitive Sentence past of the validity of a Marriage and give the Hereticks such Advantages by their unsteadiness in matters of that nature And so it was carried that the former Sentence should take place and the Execution of it was committed to the Emperour When this was known in England it determined the King in his Resolutions of shaking off the Pope's Yoke in which he had made so great a Progress that the Parliament had past all the Acts concerning it before he had the News from Rome For he judged that the best way to Peace was to let them at Rome see with what vigour he could make War All the rest of the World lookt on astonished to see the Court of Rome throw off England with so much scorn as if they had been weary of the Obedience and Profits of so great a Kingdom and their Proceedings look'd as if they had been secretly directed by a Divine Providence that designed to draw great Consequences from this Rupture and did so far infatuate those that were most concerned to prevent it that they needlesly drew it on themselves In England they had been now examining the Foundations on which the Papal Authority was built The â—rguments used for rejecting the Pope's Power with extraordinary Care for some Years and several Books being then and soon after written on that Subject the Reader will be able to see better into the Reasons of their Proceedings by a short Abstract of these All the Apostles were made equal in the Powers that Christ gave them and he often condemned
received the new Opinions Seaton a Dominican the King's Confessor preaching in Lent set out the Nature of true Repentance and the Method to it without mixing the Directions which the Friars commonly gave on that Subject and when another Friar shewed the defectiveness of what he had taught he defended himself in another Sermon and reflected on those Bishops that did not preach and called them dumb Dogs But the Clergy would not meddle with him till they found him in ill Terms with the King and the freedom he used in reproving him for his Vices quickly alienated the King from him upon which they resolved to fall on him but he withdrew into England and wrote to the King taxing the Clergy for their Cruelty and praying him to restrain it One Forrest an ignorant Benedictine was accused for having spoken Honourably of Patrick Hamilton and was put in Prison In Confession to a Friar he acknowledged he thought he was a good Man and that the Articles for which he was condemned might be defended The Friar discovered this and it was received as Evidence and upon it he was condemned and burnt Divers others were brought into the Bishop's Courts of whom the greatest part abjured but two were more resolute one Gourley denied Purgatory and the Pope's Authority another was David Smiton who being a Fisherman had refused to pay the Tithe of his Fish and when the Vicar came to take them he said the Tithe was taken where the Stock grew and therefore he threw the tenth Fish into the Sea For this and other Opinions he was condemned and they were both burnt at one Stake Several others were accused of whom some fled to England and others went over to Germany The Changes made in England raised in all the People a curiosity of searching into matters of Religion and that was always fatal to Superstition Pope Clement the 7th wrote earnestly to the King of Scotland to continue firm to the Catholick Faith Upon which he called a Parliament and made new Laws for maintaining the Pope's Authority and proceeding against Hereticks yet the Pope could not engage him to make War on England King Henry sent Barlow Bishop of St. Davids to him with some Books that were written in Defence of his Proceedings and desired him to examine them Impartially He also proposed the Enterview at York and a Match between him and Lady Mary the King 's eldest Daughter and promised that he should be made Duke of York and Lord Lieutenant of the whole Kingdom Yet the Clergy diverted him from this and perswaded him to go in Person to France and court the Daughter of that King Magdalene He married her in January 1537 but she died in May. She had been bred in the Queen of Navarre's Court and so was well disposed towards the Reformation Upon her Death the King married Mary of Guise she was a Branch of the Family of all Europe that was most zealously addicted to the old Superstition and her Interest joined with the Clergy's engaged the King to become a violent Persecuter of all that were of another mind The King was very expensive both in his Pleasures and Buildings and had a numerous Race of Bastards A Persecution set on foot in Scotland so that he came to want Mony much The Nobility proposed to him the seizing on the Abbey-Lands as his Uncle had done The Clergy on the other hand advised him to proceed severely against all suspected of Heresy By which means according to the Lists they shewed him he might raise 100000 Crowns a Year They also advised him to provide his Children to Abbies and Priories and represented to him That if he continued stedfast in the old Religion he would still have a great Party in England and might be made the Head of a League which was then in Project against King Henry This so far prevailed with him that as he made four of his Sons Abbots and Priors so he gave way to the persecuting Spirit of the Clergy Upon which many were cited to answer for Heresy of these many abjured and some were banisht A Canon Regular a Secular Priest two Friars and a Gentleman were burnt Forrest the Canon Regular had been reproved by his Ordinary the Bishop of Dunkell for meddling with the Scriptures too much He told him he had lived long and had never known what was in the Old or New Testament but contented himself with his Portoise and Pontifical and that he might come to repent it if he troubled himself with such Fancsies The Archbishop of Glasgow was a very moderate Man and disliked cruel Proceedings Russel a Friar and Kennedy a young Man of 18 Years of Age were brought before him they expressed wonderful Joy and a steady Resolution in their Sufferings And after a long dispute between Russel and the Bishop's Divines Russel concluded This is your Hour and the Power of Darkness go on and fill up the Measures of your Iniquities The Archbishop was unwilling to give Sentence he said he thought these Executions did the Church more Hurt than Good But those about him told him He must not take a Way different from the rest of the Bishops and threatned him so that he pronounced Sentence They were burned but they gave such Demonstrations of Patience and Joy as made no small Impression on all that saw it or heard of it Among those that were in trouble George Buchanan was one who at the King's Instigations had writ a very sharp Poem against the Franciscans but was now abandoned by him He made his Escape and lived 20 Years in Forraign Parts and at last returned to do his Country Honour and what by his Immortal Poems what by his History of Scotland he shewed both how great a Master he was in the Roman Tongue and how true a Judge he was both in Wit and in the Knowledge of Human Affairs if Passion had not corrupted him towards the end of his History that he is justly to be reckoned the greatest and best of the Modern Writers So much of the Affairs of Scotland the Author 's Native Country King Henry stayed not long at York The Queen 's ill Life is discovered since his Nephew came not to him He set out a Proclamation there inviting all that had been of late oppressed to come in and make their Complaints and he promised to repair them This was done to cast the Load of all past Errours upon Cromwel The King was mightily wrought on by the Charms of his Wife so that on the First of November he gave publick thanks to God for the happy Choice he had made But this did not last long for the next day Cranmer came and gave him an account of the Queen 's ill Life which one Lassells had revealed to him as having learnt it from his Sister She had been very lewd before her Marriage both with one Deirham and one Mannock Cranmer by the Advice of the other Privy Counsellors put this in Writing
in particular were condemned of Treason for saying that the King was not Supream Head of the Church of England It was then only a Premunire not to swear to the Supremacy but it was made Treason to deny it or speak against it Hall a Secular Priest was at the same time condemned of Treason for calling the King a Tyrant an Heretick a Robber and an Adulterer and saying that he would die as King John or Richard the Third died and that it would never be well with the Church till the King was brought to Pot And that they looked when Ireland and Wales would rise and were assured that three parts of four in England would join with them All these pleaded not Guilty but being condemned they justified what they had said The Carthusians were hanged in their Habits Soon after that three Carthusians were condemned and executed at London two more at York upon the same account for opposing the King's Supremacy Ten other Monks were shut up in their Cells of whom nine died there and one was condemned and hanged These had been all Complices in the Business of the Maid of Kent and tho that was pardoned yet it gave the Government ground to have a watchful Eye over them and to proceed more severly against them upon the first Provocation After these Fisher's Sufferings Fisher and More were brought to their Trials Pope Clements officious Kindness to Fisher in declaring him a Cardinal did hasten his Ruine tho he was little concerned at that Honour that was done him He was tried by a Jury of Commoners and was found guilty of Treason for having spoken against the King's Supremacy but instead of the Common Death in Cases of Treason the King ordered him to be beheaded On the 22th of June he suffered He dressed himself with more then ordinary Care that day for he said it was to be his Wedding-Day As he was led out he opened the New Testament at a Venture and prayed that such a place might turn up as might comfort him in his last Moments The Words on which he cast his Eyes were This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent So he shut the Book and continued meditating on these Words to the last On the Scaffold he repeated the Te Deum and so laid his Head on the Block which was severed from his Body He was a learned and devout Man but much addicted to Superstition and too cruel in his Temper against Hereticks He had been Confessor to the King's Grand-Mother and perswaded her to found two Colledges in Cambridge Christ's and St John's in Acknowledgment of which he was chosen Chancelof the University Henry the Seventh made him Bishop of Rochester He would never exchange that for any other He said his Church was his Wife and he would not part with his Wife because she was Poor He was much esteemed by this King till the Suit of the Divorce was set on foot and then he adhered stifly to the Marriage and the Popes Supremacy and that made him too favourable to the Nun of Kent But the Severities of his long Imprisonment together with this bloody Conclusion of it were universally condemned all the World over only Gardiner imploied his Servile Pen to write a Vindication of the King's Proceedings against him It was writ in Elegant Latin but the Stile was thought too Vehement More 's Death It was harder to find matter against Sir Thomas More for he was very cautious and satisfied his own Conscience by not swearing the Supremacy but would not not speak against it He said the Act had two Edges if he consented to it it would damne his Soul and if he spoke against it it would condemn his Body This was all the Message he sent to Fisher when he desired to know his Opinion about it he had also said the same to the Duke of Norfolk and some Counsellors that came to examine him And Rich then the King's Solicitor coming as a private Friend to perswade him to swear the Oath urged him with the Act of Parliament and asked him if he should be made King by Act of Parliament would not he Acknowledge him He answered he would because a King might be made or deprived by a Parliament But the Matter of the Supremacy was a point of Religion to which the Parliament's Authority did not extend it self All this Rich witnessed against him so these Particulars were laid together as amounting to a Denial of the King's Supremacy and upon this he was judged guilty of Treason He received his Sentence with that equal Temper of Mind which he had shewed in both Conditions of Life He expressed great Contempt of the World and much Weariness in living in it His ordinary Facetiousness remained with him to his last Moment on the Scaffold Some censured that as affected and indecent and as having more of the Stoick than the Christian in it But others said that way of Railery had been so Customary to him that Death did not discompose him nor put him out of his ordinary Humour He was beheaded on the 6th of July in the 52d or 53d Year of his Age. He had great Capacities and eminent Vertues In his Youth he had freer thoughts but he was afterwards much corrupted by Superstition and became fierce for all the Interests of the Clergy He wrote much in Defence of all the old Abuses His Learning in Divinity was but ordinary for he had read little more than some of St. Austin's Treatises and the Canon Law and the Master of the Sentences beyond whom his Quotations do seldom go His Stile was Natural and Pleasant and he could turn things very dextrously to make them look well or ill as it served his Purpose But tho he suffered for denying the Kings Supremacy yet he was at first no Zealot for the Pope For he says of himself That when the King shewed him his Book in Manuscript which he wrote against Luther he advised him to leave out that which he had put in it concerning the Pope's Power for he did not know what Quarrels he might have afterwards with the Pope's and then that would be turned against him But the King was perhaps fond of what he had written and so he would not follow that wise Advice which he gave him There were no Executions after this till the Rebellions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire gave new Occasions to Severity Attainders after the Rebellion and then not only the Lords of Darcy and Hussy but six Abbots and many Gentlemen the chief of whom was Sir Thomas Piercy Brother to the Earl of Northumberland were attainted They had not only been in the Rebellion but had forfeited the General Pardon by their new Attempts after it was proclaimed Yet some said the King took Advantage on very slight Grounds to break his Indemnity But on the other hand it was no Wonder if he proceeded with the utmost Rigour
Sermons only as set Discourses which they will censure or commend as they think they see cause but are resolved never to be the better for them If to all these sad Considerations we add the gross Sensuality and Impurity that is so avowedly practised that it is become a fashion so far it is from being a reproach the Oppression Injustice Intemperance and many other Immoralities among us what can be expected but that these Abominations receiving the highest Aggravation they are capable of from the clear Light of the Gospel which we have so long enjoyed the just Judgments of Heaven should fall on us so signally as to make us a reproach to all our Neighbours But as if all this were not enough to fill up the measure of our Iniquities many have arriv'd at a new pitch of Impiety by defying Heaven it self with their avowed Blasphemies and Atheism and if they are driven out of their Atheistical Tenets which are indeed the most ridiculous of any in the World they set up their rest on some general Notions of Morality and Natural Religion and do boldly reject all that is revealed and where they dare vent it alas where dare they not do it they reject Christianity and the Scriptures with open and impudent scorn and are absolutely insensible of any Obligation of Conscience in any thing whatsoever and even in that Morality which they for Decencies sake magnify so much none are more bare-facedly and grosly faulty This is a direct Attempt against God himself and can we think that he will not visit for such things nor be avenged on such a Nation And yet the Hypocrisy of those who disguise their flagitious Lives with a Mask of Religion is perhaps a Degree above all though not so scandalous till the Mask falls off and that they appear to be what they truly are When we are all so guilty and when we are so alarmed by the black Clouds that threaten such terrible and lasting Storms what may be expected but that we should be generally struck with a deep sense of our crying Sins and turn to God with our whole Souls But if after all the loud Awakenings from Heaven we will not hearken to that Voice but will still go on in our Sins we may justly look for unheard of Calamities and such Miseries as shall be proportioned to our Offences and then we are sure they will be great and wonderful Yet if on the other hand there were a general turning to God or at least if so many were rightly sensible of this as according to the Proportion that the Mercies of God allow did some way ballance the Wickedness of the rest and if these were as zealous in the true Methods of imploring God's Favour as others are in procuring his Displeasure and were not only mourning for their own Sins but for the Sins of others the Prayers and Sighs of many such might dissipate that dismal Cloud which our sins have gathered and we might yet hope to see the Gospel take root among us since that God who is the Author of it is merciful and full of Compassion and ready to forgive and this holy Religion which by his Grace is planted among us is still so dear to him that if we by our own unworthiness do not render our selves incapable of so great a Blessing we may reasonably hope that he will continue that which at first was by so many happy concurring Providences brought in and was by a continued Series of the same indulgent care advanc'd dy Degrees and at last raised to that pitch of perfection which few things atttain in this World THE CONTENTS BOOK I. Of the Beginnings of the Reformation and of the Progress made in it by King Henry the Eighth THe Vnion of the Houses of York and Lancaster in King Hen. the 8th Pag. 1 Empson and Dudley disgraced Pag. 2 He is very Liberal Pag. 3 Is successful in his Wars ibid He is courted both by France and Spain Pag. 4 Francis the 1st is taken Prisoner Pag. 5 And afterwards the Pope Pag. 7 Scotland in disorder ibid Factions in the English Council Pag. 8 Cardinal Wolsey 's Rise ibid And Greatness Pag. 9 Charles Brandon 's Advancement Pag. 10 The King is well with his Parliament Pag. 11 The King's Education Pag. 12 His Learning and Vanity Pag. 13 The way of promoting Bishops ibid A Contest for the Ecclesiastical Immunity Pag. 14 Hunn Imprisoned Murdered and his Body burnt Pag. 16 The King much addicted to the Papacy Pag. 20 Car. Wolsey intends to reform the Clergy ibid The summoning of Convocations Pag. 21 The State of the Monasteries Pag. 22 Wolsey suppresses many Pag. 23 The Progress of Wikliff's Doctrine ibid The Cruelty of the Clergy Pag. 24 Laws made against Hereticks Pag. 25 Warham persecutes the Lollards Pag. 27 The Progress of Luther 's Doctrine Pag. 29 The King writes against him Pag. 30 The King's Marriage Pag. 32 Matches proposed for his Daughter Pag. 33 The King has scruples about his Marriage Pag. 34 1627. And applies to the Pope for a Divorce Pag. 37 Who is very favourable Pag. 38 1528. Campegio sent as Legate to try it Pag. 40 He comes into Engl. with a Decretal Bull Pag. 42 Campana sent over to deceive the King Pag. 43 The Pope resolved to join with the Emperour Pag. 44 1529. The Pope's Sickness Pag. 45 Wolsey aspires to the Popedom Pag. 46 The Pope promises to confirm the Sentence that should be given by the Legates Pag. 47 The Process begins in England Pag. 50 The Queen appeals to the Pope Pag. 51 The Pope grants an Avocation Pag. 52 Cranmer 's Rise and Wolsey 's Disgrace Pag. 54 1530. A Parliament is called Pag. 56 The King's Debts are discharged Pag. 57 Vniversities declare against the Marriage Pag. 58 It is condemned by the Sorbon Pag. 60 The Opinions of the Reformers about it Pag. 61 The English Nobility write to the Pope about it and he answers them Pag. 62 Arguments for the Divorce Pag. 63 Arguments against it Pag. 66 1531. A Session of Parliament Pag. 69 The Laws formerly made against the Pope's Bulls ibid The Clergy sued in a Premunirc Pag. 76 Poisoning made Treason Pag. 78 The King leaves the Queen ibid A Tumult among the Clergy ibid The Pope joins himself to France Pag. 79 1532. Differences betwixt the King and the House of Commons Pag. 81 The Pope writes to the King Pag. 82 The King answers Pag. 83 The King cited to Rome and Cardinals corrupted Pag. 84 The Bishops Oaths to the Pope and the King Pag. 87 More lays down his Office Pag. 88 The King of England and France meet Pag. 89 The King marries Ann Boleyn Pag. 90 1533. The Parliam condemns Appeals to Rome Pag. 91 Cranmer made Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 92 The Convocation condemns the Marriage Pag. 93 Cranmer gives Sentence with the Censure s of it Pag. 95 The Proceedings at Rome upon it Pag. 98 Queen Elizabeth born Pag. 99
marry her and that being entertained by her shews she had then no aspirings to the Crown But the Cardinal having understood somewhat of the King 's secret Intentions did so threaten him that he made him tho not without great difficulty break off his addresses to her Knight then Secretary of State was sent to Rome to prepare the Pope in the matter And applies to the Pope and the Family of the Cassali having much of the Pope's Favour they were likewise imployed to promote it To Gregory Cassali did the Cardinal send a large Dispatch setting forth all the Reasons both in Conscience and Policy for obtaining a Commission to himself to judge the Affair Great Promises were made in the King's Name both for publick and private Services and nothing was forgot that was likely to work either on the Pope or those Cardinals that had the greatest Credit about him Knight made application to the Pope in the secretest manner he could and had a very favourable Answer for the Pope promised frankly to dissolve the Marriage but another Promise being exacted of him in the Emperour's Name not to proceed in that Affair he was reduced to great straits not so much out of regard to his Promises for he had so engaged himself that it was unavoidable for him to break one as to his Interests he was then at the Emperour's mercy so he was in fear of offending him yet he both hated him and was distrustful of him and had no mind to lose the King of England therefore he studied to gain time and promised that if the King would have a little patience he should not only have that which he asked but every thing that was in his power to grant The Cardinal Sanctorum quatuor made some Scruples concerning the Bull that was demanded till he had raised his price and got a great Present and then the Pope signed both a Commission for Wolsey to try the Cause Who was very favourable and judge in it and also a Dispensation and put them in Knights hands but with tears prayed him that there might be no proceedings upon them till the Emperour were put out of a capacity of executing his Revenge upon him and when ever that was done he would own this act of Justice which he did in the King's favour For tho the Pope on publick occasions used to talk in the language of one that pretended to be S. Peter's Successor yet in private Treaties he minded nothing but his own Security and the Interests of his Family And being a very crafty Man he proposed an Expedient which if the King had followed it had put a quicker and easier end to the Process He found his sending Bulls or a Legat to England would become publick and draw the Emperour upon him and must admit of delays and be full of danger therefore he proposed if the King was satisfied in his own Conscience in which he believed no Doctor could resolve him better than himself then he might without more noise make Judgment be given in England and upon that marry another Wife and send over to Rome for a Confirmation which would be the more easily granted if the thing were once done This the Pope desired might be represented to the King as the Advice of the Cardinals and not as his own But the King's Counsellers thought this more dangerous than the way of a Process for if upon the King 's second Marriage a Confirmation should be denyed then the Right Succession by it would be still very doubtful so they would not venture on it The Pope was at this time distasted with Cardinal Wolsey for he understood that during his Captivity he had been in an Intrigue to get himself chosen Vicar of the Papacy and was to have sate at Avignion which might have produced a new Schism Staphileus Dean of the Rota being then in England was wrought on by the promise of a Bishoprick and a Recommendation to a Cardinals Hat to promote the King's Affair and by him the Cardinal wrote to the Pope in a most earnest strain for a dispatch of this business and he desired that an indifferent and tractable Cardinal might be sent over with a full Commission to joyn with him and to judge the matter proposing to the King's Embassadours Campegio as the fittest Man when a Legate should be named he ordered Presents to be made him and that they would hasten his dispatch and take care that the Commission should be full But upon the Arrival of the Couriers that were sent from Rome Gardiner the Cardinals Secretary and Fox the Kings Almoner the one a Canonist and the other a Divine were sent thither with Letters both from the King and Cardinal to the Pope they carried orders that were like to be more effectual than any Arguments they could offer to make great Presents to the Cardinals They carried with them the draught of a Bull containing all the Clauses could be invented to make the matter sure one Clause was to declare the Issue of the Marriage good as being begotten bona fide which was perhaps put in to make the Queen more easy since by that it appeared that her Daughter should not suffer which way soever the matter went The Cardinal in his Letters to Cassali offered to take the blame on his own Soul if the Pope would grant this Bull and with an Earnestness as hearty and warm as can be expressed in Words he pressed the thing and added That he perceived that if the Pope continued Inexorable the King would proceed another way These Intreaties had such Effects Campegio sent over Legate That Campegio was declared Legate and ordered to go for England and joyn in Commission with Wolsey for judging this matter Campegio was Bishop of Saliebury and having a Son whom he intended to advance was no doubt a tractable Man but to raise his price the higher he moved many Scruples and seemed to enter upon this Employment with great fear and aversion Wolsey who knew his Temper prest him vehemently to make all the hast he could and gave him the Assurance of great Rewards from the King For whatever was to be made use of publickly for formes sake these were the effectual Arguments that were most likely to convince a Man of his Temper In which Wolsey was so sincere that in a Letter he wrote to him that of a good Conscience being put among other Motives to perswade him in the first Draught the Cardinal struck it out as knowing how little it would signify Campegio set out from Rome and carried with him a Decretal Bull for annulling the Marriage which was trusted to him and he was Authorized to shew it to the King and Wolsey but was required not to give it out of his Hands to either of them At this time Wolsey was taken with the sweating Sickness which then raged in England and by a Complement which both the King and Ann Boleyn writ him
on the same piece of Paper it appears he was then privy to the Kings Design of marrying her and intended to advance himself yet higher by his merits in procuring her the Crown This Year he settled his two great Colledges and finding both the King and People much pleased with his converting some Monasteries to such uses he intended to suppress more and to convert them to Bishopricks and Cathedral Churches which the Pope was not willing to grant the Religious Orders making great Opposition to it but Gardiner told him it was necessary and must be done so a power for doing it was added to the Legates Commission At this time the Queen engaged the Emperor to espouse her Interests which he did the more willingly because the King was then in the Interests of France and to help her Business a Breve was either found or forged the last is more probable of the same date with the Bull that dispensed with her Marriage But with stronger Clauses in it to answer those Objections that were made against some defects in the Bull though it did not seem probable that in the same Day a Bull and a Breve would have been granted for the same thing in such different strains The most considerable Variation was That whereas the Bull did only suppose that the Queens Marriage with Prince Arthur was perhaps Consummated the Breve did suppose it absolutly without a perhaps This was thought to prejudice the Queen's Cause as much as the Suspicion of the Forgery did blemish her Agents In October Campegio comes into England Campegio came into England and after the first Complements were over he first advised the King to give over the Prosecution of his Suit and then counselled the Queen in the Pope's Name to enter into a Religious Life and make Vows but both were in vain and he by affecting an Impartiality almost lost both sides But he in great measure pacified the King when he shewed him the Bull he had brought over for annulling the Marriage yet he would not part with it out of his hands neither to the King nor the Cardinal upon which great Instances were made at Rome that Campegio might be ordered to shew it to some of the King's Counsellors and to go on and end the business otherwise Wolsey would be ruined and England lost Yet all this did not prevail on the crafty Pope who knew it was intended once to have the Bull out of Campegio's hands and then the King would leave him to the Emperour's Indignation But tho he positively refused to grant that yet he said he left the Legates in England free to judge as they saw Cause and promised that he would confirm their Sentence The Imperialists at Rome pressed him hard to inhibit the Legates and to recall the Cause that it might be heard before the Consistory The Pope declined this motion and to mollify the King he sent Campana one of his Bed-chamber Campana sent to deceive the King over to England with Complements too high to gain much Credit He assured the King that the Pope would do for him all he could not only in Justice and Equity but in the fulness of his Power And that tho he had reason to be very apprehensive of the Emperour's Resentments yet that did not divert him from his Zeal for the King's Service for if his resigning the Popedome would advance it it should not stick at that He also was ordered to require the Legates to put a speedy end to the business but his secret Instructions to Campegio were of another strain he charged him to burn the Bull and to draw out the matter by all the delayes he could invent Sir Francis Brian and Peter Vannes were dispatched to Rome with new Propositions to try whether if both the King and Queen took Religious Vowes so that their Marriage were upon that annulled the Pope would engage to dispence with the King's Vow or grant him a License for having two Wives Wolsey also offered in the King's Name to settle a Pay for 2000 Men that should be a Guard to the Pope and to procure a Restitution of some of his Towns on which the Venetians had seized But the Pope did not care to have his Guards payed by other Princes which he looked on as a putting himself in their hands He was in fear of every thing that might bring a new Calamity upon him and was now resolved to unite himself firmly with the Emperour by whose means only he hoped to reestablish his Family at Florence The Pope resolved to unite with the Emperour and ever after this all the use he made of the King's Earnestness in his Divorce was only to draw in the Emperour to his Interests on the better Terms The Emperour was also then pressing him hard for a General Council of which besides the aversion that the Court of Rome had to it he had particular reason to be afraid for being a Bastard he was threatned with Deposition as uncapable by the Canons of the Church to hold such a Dignity The Pope proposed a Journey incognito to Spain and desired Wolsey to go with him for obtaining a General Peace But in secret he was making up with the Emperour and gave his Agents Assurances that tho the Legates gave Sentence he would not confirm it So the King 's Correspondents at Rome wrote to him to set on the War more vigorously against the Emperour for he could expect nothing at Rome unless the Emperour's Affairs declined The Pope went on cajoling those the King sent over and gave new Assurances that tho he would not grant a Bull by which the Divorce should be immediately his own Act yet he would confirm the Legates Sentence so he resolved to cast the Load wholly upon them if he said he did it himself a Council would be called by the Emperour's means in which his Bull would be annulled and himself deposed which would bring on a new Confusion and that considering the footing Heresy had got would ruine the Church The Pope inclined more to the dissolving the Marriage by the Queen's taking Vowes as that which could be best defended but the Cardinal gave him notice that the Queen would never be brought to that unless her Nephews advised it At this time The Pope's Sickness the Pope was taken suddenly ill and fell in a great Sickness upon which the Imperialists began to prepare for a Conclave But Farnese and the Cardinal of Mantua opposed them and seemed to have Inclination for Wolsey Whom as his Correspondents wrot to him they reverenced as a Deity Upon this he sent a Courier to Gardiner Wolsey's aspiring then on his way to Rome whith large Directions how to manage the Election It was reckoned that the King of France joyning heartily with the King of which he seemed confident there were only six Cardinals wanting to make the Election sure and besides Summes of Mony and other Rewards that were to be
distributed among them he was to give them assurance that the Cardinals Preferments should be divided among them These were the secret Methods of attaining that Chair And indeed it would pusle a Man of an ordinary degree of Credulity to think That one chosen by such means could be Christ's Vicar and the infallible Judge of Controversies But the Pope's Recovery put an end to those Intrigues which yet were soon after revived by a long and dangerous Relapse Then great pains was taken to gain many Cardinals to favour the King's Cause and many Precedents were found of Divorces granted in Favour of Princes upon much slighter grounds But the Imperialists were so strong at Rome that they could not hope to prevail if the Emperour was not first gained so there was a secret Negotiation set on foot with him but it had no other Effect save that it gave great Jealousy both to the Pope and the King of France Another dispatch was sent to Rome to procure a Commission with fuller powers in it to the Legates and a Promise under the Pope's hand to confirm their Sentence the latter was granted The Pope promised to confirm any Sentence the Legates should give but the former was refused for the Pope was resolved to go no further in that Matter tho Wolsey wrote to Rome that if any Justice were denied the King not only England but France likewise would withdraw their Obedience from the Apostolick See because by that it would be inferred that the Emperour had such Influence at Rome as to oblige the Pope to be partial or favourable as he pleased At this time the Cardinal was cheapning his Bulls for Winchester which were rated at 15000 Ducats but since it was a Translation from Duresm so that a new Composition would come in for that Vacancy he refused to pay above a third of what was demanded The Emperour's Ambassadour made a Protestation at Rome in the Queen's Name against the Legates as partial in the King's Favour which the Pope received Gardiner that was a Man of great Craft and could penetrate well into Secrets wrote to the King assuring him that he might expect nothing more from the Pope who was resolved to offend neither the Emperour nor him and therefore he advised him to get the Legates to give Sentence withall possible hast and then when it should come to the Emperour's turn to solicite the Pope for Bulls against the King the Pope would be as backward as he was now He was so fearful and under such irresolution that he could be brought to do nothing with Vigor This Gardiner desired might not be shewn to the Cardinal for he was now setting up for himself and had a private Correspondence with Anne Boleyn who in one of her Letters to him as a token of special Favour sent him some Cramp Rings that the King had Blessed of which the Office is extant and Gardiner in one of his Letters says They were much esteemed for the Virtue that was believed to be in them In the Promise which the Pope signed to confirm the Sentence that should be given by the Legates some Clauses were put by which he could easily break loose from it so he endeavoured to get another in fuller termes by this Artifice He told the Pope that the Courier had met with an Accident in passing a River by which the Promise was so spoiled with Water that it could not be made use of But the Pope instead of being catched with this to give a new one seemed glad that it was spoiled and positively refused to renew it And a long and earnest Letter which the Legates wrote to the Pope pressing him to end the matter roundly by a Decretal Bull assuring him it was only scruple of Conscience that wrought on the King and no desire of a new Wife and that the whole Nation was much offended with the delays of this Matter in which they were all so much concerned wrought nothing on him for he considered that as done by them only in compliance with the King who thought he had intirely gained Campegio and the scandals of his Life were so publick that the motives of Interest were likely to prevail on him more than any other but by all the Arts that were used they were not able to over-reach the Pope who whatever he might be in his Decisions seemed infallible in his Sagacity and Jealousy The Queen's Agents pressed hard for an Avocation but the Pope was unwilling to grant that till he had finished his Treaty in all other points with the Emperour and he began to complain much of the cold Proceedings of the Confederates and that they exposed him so much not only to the Emperour's Mercy but to the scorn of the Florentines by this it was visible he was seeking a Colour for casting himself into the Emperour's Arms great Objections were made to the Motion for an Avocation it was contrary to the King's Prerogative to be cited to Rome and it was said he would seek Justice of the Clergy of Engl. if the Pope denied it It was also contrary to the Promise under the Popes hand and his Faith often given by word of mouth chiefly of late by Campana to recal the Legat's Commission but verbal Promises did not bind the Pope much they vanished into Air and Campana swore that he had not made any and for the written Promise there was a Clause put in it by which he could escape so that he was at liberty from all Ingagements but those he had privately given in discourse and to these he was no Slave The Legates began the Process in England after the necessary Preliminaries the Queen appeared and protested against them as imcompetent Judges The Process begun in England endeavours were used to terrify her into some compliance it was given out that some had intended to kill the King or the Cardinal and that she had some hand in it that she carried very disobligingly to the King and used many indecent Arts to be popular that the King was in danger of his Life by her means and so could no more keep her company neither in Bed nor at Board but she was a Woman of so resolute a mind that no Threatnings could daunt her When both the King and She were together in the Court the Queen instead of answering to the Legates kneeled down before the King and spake in a manner that raised Compassion in all that were present she said She had been his Wife these twenty Years had born him several Children and had always studied to please him therefore she desired to know wherein she had at any time offended him As for their Marriage it was made by both their Parents who were esteemed wise Princes and had no doubt good Counsellours when their Match was agreed on but at present she neither had indifferent Judges nor could she expect that her Lawyers being his Subjects durst speak freely for her and therefore she could not
manage the matter that it came to nothing This failing his Enemies procured an order to be sent to him to go into Yorkshire Thither he went in great State with 160 Horses in his Train and 72 Carts following him and there he lived some time But the King was informed that he was practising with the Pope and the Emperour So the Earl of Northumberland was sent to arrest him of high Treason and bring him up to London On the way he sickned which different collours of Wit may impute either to a greatness or meanness of Mind His Death tho the last be the truer In Conclusion he died at Leicester making great Protestations of his constant Fidelity to the King particularly in the matter of his Divorce And he wished he had served God as faithfully as he had done the King for then he would not have cast him off in his gray Hairs as the King had done Words that declining Favourites are apt to reflect on but they seldom remember them in the hight of their Fortune The King thought it necessary to secure himself of the Affections and Confidences of his People before he would venture on any thing that should displease two such mighty Potentates as the Pope and the Emperour A Parliament is called So a Parliament was called in it the Commons prepared several Bills against some of the Corruptions of the Clergy particularly against Plurality of Benefices and Non-residence Abuses that even Popery it self could not but condemn The Clergy abhorred the Precedent of the Commons medling in Ecclesiastical matters so Fisher spoke vehemently against them and said all this flowed from lack of Faith Upon this the Commons complained of him to the King for reproaching them the House of Peers either thought it no breach of Priviledge or were willing to wink at it for they did not interpose Fisher was hated by the Court for adhering so firmly to the Queen's Interests so he was made to explain himself and it was passed over The Bills were much opposed by the Clergy but in the end they were passed The Kings Debts are discharged and had the Royal Assent In this long Interval of Parliament the King had borrowed great Sums of Mony so the Parliament both to discourage that way of supplying Kings for the Future and for ruining the Cardinal's Creatures who had been most forward to lend as having the greatest Advantages from the Government did by an Act discharge the King of all those Debts The King granted a general Pardon with an exception of such as had incurred the pains of Premunire by acknowledging a Forraign Jurisdiction with design to terrify the Pope and keep the Clergy under the lash The King found it necessary to make all sure at home for now were the Pope and Emperour linkt in the firmest Friendship possible The Pope's Nephew was made Duke of Florence and married the Emperour's Natural Daughter A Peace was also made between Francis and the Emperour and the King found it not so easy to make him break with the Pope upon his account as he had expected The Emperour went into Italy and was crowned by the Pope who when the Emperour was kneeling down to kiss his Foot humbled himself so far as to draw it in and kiss his Cheek But now the King intending to proceed in the Method proposed by Cranmer The Vniversities declare against the King's Marriage sent to Oxford and Cambridg to procure their Conclusions At Oxford it was referred by the major part of the Convocation to thirty three Doctors and Batchelors of Divinity whom that Faculty was to name they were impowered to determine the Question and put the Seal of the University to their Conclusion And they gave their Opinions that the Marriage of the Brother's Wife was contrary both to the Laws of God and Nature At Cambridg the Convocation was unwilling to refer it to a select number yet it was after some days Practice obtained but with great difficulty that it should be referred to twenty nine of which number two thirds agreeing they were empowered to put the Seal of the University to their Determination These agreed in Opinion with those of Oxford The jealousy that went of Dr. Cranmer's favouring Lutheranism made that the fierce Popish Party opposed every thing in which he was so far engaged They were also afraid of Ann Bolleyn's Advancement who was believed tinctured with those Opinions Crook a learned Man in the Greek Tongue was imployed in Italy to procure the Resolution of Divines there in which he was so successful that besides the great discoveries he made in searching the Manuscripts of the Greek Fathers concerning their Opinions in this point he engaged several Persons to write for the King's Cause and also got the Jews to give their Opinions of the Laws in Leviticus that they were Moral and Obligatory Yet when a Brother died without Issue his Brother might marry his Widow within Judea for preserving their Families and Succession but they thought that might not be done out of Judea The State of Venice would not declare themselves but said they would be Neutrals and it was not easy to perswade the Divines of the Republick to give their Opinions till a Brief was obtained of the Pope permitting all Divines and Canonists to deliver their Opinions according to their Consciences which was not granted but with great difficulty Crook was not in a condition to corrupt any for he complained in all his Letters of the great want he was in And he was in such ill terms with John Cassali the King's Embassadour at Venice that he complained much of him to the King and was in fear of being poysoned by him The Pope abhorred this way of proceeding though he could not decently oppose it but he said in great scorn that no Friar should set Limits to his Power Crook was ordered to give no Mony nor make Promises to any till they had freely delivered their Opinion which as he writ he had so carefully observed that he offered to forfeit his Head if the contrary were found true Fifteen or Twenty Crowns was all the reward he gave even to those that wrot for the King's Cause and a few Crowns he gave to some of those that subscribed But the Emperour rewarded those that wrot against the Divorce with good Benesices so little reason there was to ascribe the Subscriptions he procured to Corruption the contrary of which appears by his Original Accounts yet extant Besides many Divines and Canonists not only whole Houses of Religious Orders but even the University of Bononia tho the Pope's Town declared that the Laws in Leviticus about the degrees of Marriage were parts of the Law of Nature and that the Pope could not dispense with them The University of Padua determined the same as also that of Ferrara In all Crook sent over to England an hundred several Books and Papers with many Subscriptions all condemning the King's Marriage as
unlawful in it self The Sorbon declares against the Marriage At Paris the Sorbon made their Determination with great Solemnity after a Mass of the Holy Ghost all the Doctors took an Oath to study the Question and to give their Judgment according to their Consciences and after three Weeks study the greater part agreed in this That the King's Marriage was unlawful and that the Pope could not dispense with it At Orleans Angiers and Tholouse they determined to the same purpose Erasmus had a mind to live in quiet and so he would not give his Opinion nor offend either party Grineus was implored to try what Bucer Zuinglius and Oecolampadius thought of the Marriage Bucer's Opinion was The Opinion of the Reformed Divines about it that the Laws in Leviticus did not bind and were not moral Because God not only dispensed but commanded them to marry their Brother's Wife when he died without Issue Zuinglius and Oecolampadius were of another mind and thought these Laws were moral But were of Opinion that the Issue by a Marriage de facto grounded upon a received Mistake ought not to be Illegitimated Calvin thought the Marriage was null and they all agreed that the Pope's Dispensation was of no force Osiander was imploied to engage the Lutheran Divines but they were affraid of giving the Emperour new grounds of displeasure Melanctthon thought the Law in Leviticus was dispensable and that the Marriage might be lawful and that in those matters States and Princes might make what Laws they pleased And though the Divines of Leipsick after much disputing about it did agree that these Laws were moral yet they could never be brought to justify the Divorce with the subsequent Marriage that followed upon it even after it was done and that the King appeared very inclinable to receive their Doctrine So steadily did they follow their Consciences even against their Interests But the Pope was more compliant for he offered to Cassali to grant the King a Dispensation for having another Wife with which the Imperialists seemed not disatisfied The King's Cause being thus fortified Many of the Nobility write to the Pope by so many Resolutions in his Favours he made many members of Parliament in a Prorogation time sign a Letter to the Pope complaining that notwithstanding the great merits of the King the Justice of his Cause and the Importance of it to the safety of the Kingdom yet the Pope made still new Delayes they therefore pressed him to dispatch it speedily otherwise they would be forced to see for other Remedies tho they were not willing to drive things to Extremities till it was unavoidable The Letter was signed by the Cardinal the Archbishop of Canterbury four other Bishops 22 Abbots 42 Peers and 11 Commoners To this the Pope wrote an answer The Pope's Answer He took notice of the Vehemence of their Stile He freed himself from the Imputations of Ingratitude and Injustice He acknowledged the King's great Merits and said he had done all he could in his Favour He had granted a Commission but could not refuse to receive the Queen's Appeal all the Cardinals with one consent judged that an Avocation was necessary Since that time the delays lay not at his door but at the Kings that he was ready to proceed and would bring it to as speedy an Issue as the Importance of it would admit of and for their Threatnings they were neither agreeable to their Wisdom nor their Religion Things being now in such a Posture November the King set out a Proclamation against any that should purchase bring over or publish any Bull from Rome contrary to his Authority and after that he made an Abstract of all the Reasons and Authorities of Fathers or modern Writers against his Marriage to be published both in Latin and English The main stress was laid on the Laws in Leviticus The Arguments for the Divorce of the forbidden Degrees of Marriage among which this was one not to marry the Brother's Wife These Marriages are called Abominations that defile the Land and for which the Canaanites were cast out of it The Exposition of Scripture was to be taken from the Tradition of the Church and by the Universal Consent of all Doctors those Laws had been still looked on as Moral and ever binding to Christians as well as Jews Therefore Gregory the Great advised Austin the Monk upon the Conversion of the English among whom the Marriages of the Brother's Wife were usual to dissolve them looking on them as grievous Sins Many other Popes as Calixtus Zacharias and Innocent the Third had given their Judgments for the perpetual Obligation of those Laws They had been also condemned by the Councils of Neocesarea Agde and the second of Toledo Among Wickliff's condemned Opinions this was one that the Prohibitions of marrying in such degrees were not founded on the Law of God For which he was condemned in some English Councils and these were confirmed by the General Council at Constance Among the Greek Fathers both Origen Basil Chrysostom and Hesychius and among the Latins Tertullian Ambrose Jerome and St. Austine do formerly deliver this as the belief of the Church in their time that those Laws were Moral and still in force Anselm Hugo de sancto Victore Hildebert and Ivo argue very fully to the same purpose the last particularly writing concerning the King of France who had married his Brothers Wife says it was inconsistent with the Law of God with which none can dispence and that he could not be admitted to the Communion of the Church till he put her away Aquinas and all the School-men follow these Authorities and in their way of reasoning they argue fully for this Opinion and all that writ against Wickliff did also assert the Authority of those Prohibitions in particular Waldensis whose Books were approved by Pope Martin the Fifth All the Canonists did also agree with them as Johannes Andreas Panormitan and Ostiensis so that Tradition being the only sure Expounder of the Scripture the Case seemed clear They also proved that a Consent without Consummation made the Marriage compleat which being a Sacrament that which followed after in the Right of Marriage was not necessary to make it compleat as a Priest saying Mass consummates his Orders which yet were compleat without it Many Testimonies were brought to confirm this from which it was inferred that the Queen's being married to Prince Arthur tho nothing had followed upon it made her incapable of a lawful Marriage with the King And yet they shewed what violent Presumptions there were of Consummation which was all that in such Cases was sought for and this was expressed both in the Bull and Breve tho but dubiously in the one yet very positively in the other After that they examined the Validity of the Pope's Dispensation It was a received Maxime that tho the Pope had Authority to dispense with the Laws of the Church yet he could not
dispense with the Laws of God which were not subject to him And it had been judged in the Rota at Rome when a Dispensation was asked for a King to marry his Wives Sister that it could not be granted and when Precedents were alledged for it it was answered that the Church was to be governed by Laws and not by Examples and if any Pope had granted such Dispensation it was either out of Ignorance or Corruption This was not only the Opinion of the School-men but of the Canonists tho they are much set on raising the Pope's Power as high as is possible And therefore Alexander the third refused to grant a Dispensation in a like case tho the Parent had sworn to make his Son marry his Brother's Widow others went further and said The Pope could not dispense with the Laws of the Church which several ancient Popes had declared against and it was said that the fulness of Power with which the Pope was vested did only extend to the pastoral Care and was not for Destruction but for Edification and that as St. Paul opposed St. Peter to his Face so had mnay Bishops withstood Popes when they proceeded against the Canons of the Church So both Laurence and Dunstan in England had proceeded to Censures notwithstanding the Pope's Authority interposed to the contrary and no Authority being able to make what was a Sin in it self become lawful every Man that found himself engaged in a sinful course of Life ought to forsake it and therefore the King ought to withdraw from the Queen and the Bishops of England in case of refusal ought to proceed to Censures Upon the whole matter Tradition was that upon which all the Writers of Controversy particularly now in the Contests with the Lutherans founded the Doctrine of the Church as being the only infallible Exposition of the doubtful parts of Scripture and that being so clear in this matter there seemed to be no room for any further Debate On the other hand Arguments against it Cajetan was the first Writer that against the stream of former Ages thought that the Laws of Leviticus were only Judiciary Precepts binding the Jews and were not moral his Reasons were that Adam's Children must have married in the Degrees there forbidden Jacob married two Sisters and Judah according to custom gave his two Sons and promised a third to the same Woman Moses also appointed the Brother to marry the Brother's Wife when he died without Issue But a Moral Law is for ever and in all Cases binding and it was also said that the Pope's power reached even to the Laws of God for he dispensed with Oaths and Vows and as he had the Power of determining Controversies so he only could declare what Laws were moral and indispensable and what were not nor could any Bishops pretend to judg concerning the extent of his Power or the validity of his Bulls To all this those that writ for the King answered That it was strange to see Men who pretended such Zeal against Hereticks follow their Method which was to set up private reasonings from some Texts of Scripture in opposition to the received Tradition of the Church which was the bottom in which all good Catholicks thought themselves safe and if Cajetan wrote in this manner against the received Doctrin of the Church in one Particular why might not Luther take the same liberty in other Points They also made distinction in moral Laws between those that were so from the nature of the thing which was indispensable and could in no Case be lawful and to this sort no Degrees but those of Parents and Children could be reduced other Moral Laws were only grounded upon publick Inconveniencies and Dishonesty such as the other Degrees were for the Familiarities that Persons so nearly related live in are such that unless a Terrour were struck in them by a perpetual Law against such mixtures Families would be much defiled But in such Laws tho God may grant a Dispensation in some particular Cases yet an Inferiour Authority cannot pretend to it and some Dispensations granted in the latter Ages ought not to be set up to ballance the Decisions of so many Popes and Councils against them and the Doctrine taught by so many Fathers and Doctors in former times Both sides having thus brought forth the strength of their Cause it did evidently appear That according to the Authority given to Tradition in the Church of Rome the King had clearly the Right on his side and that the Pope's Party did write with little sincerity in this matter being guilty of that manner of arguing from Texts of Scriptures for which they had so loudly charged the Lutherans The Queen continued firm to her Resolution of leaving the matter in the Pope's Hands and therefore would hearken to no Propositions that were made to her for referring the matter to the Arbitration of some chosen on both sides A Session of Parliament followed in January in which the King made the Decisions of the Universities and the Books that were written for the Divorce A Session of Parliament be first read in the House of Lords and then they were carried down by Sir Thomas More and 12 Lords both of the Spirituality and Temporality to the Commons There were twelve Seals of Universities shewed and their Decisions were read first in Latin and then Translated into English There were also an hundred Books shewed written on the same Argument Upon the shewing these the Chancellor desired them to report in their Countries that they now clearly saw that the King had not attempted this matter of his meer will and pleasure but for the discharge of his Conscience and the security of the Succession of the Crown This was also brought into the Convocation who declared themselves satisfied concerning the unlawfulness of the Marriage but the Circumstances they were then in made that their Declaration was not much considered for they were then under the lash All the Clergy of England were sued as in the case of a Premunire for having acknowledged a Forreign Jurisdiction and taken out Bulls and had Suits in the Legatine Court The Kings of England did claim such a Power in Ecclesiastical matters The Laws of England against Bulls from Rome as the Roman Emperours had exercised before the fall of that Empire Anciently they had by their Authority divided Bishopricks granted the Investitures and made Laws both relating to Ecclesiastical Causes Persons When the Popes began to extend their Power beyond the Limits assigned them by the Canons they met with great opposition in England both in the matter of Investitures Appeals Legates and the other Branches of their Usurpations but they managed all the Advantages they found either from the Weakness or ill Circumstances of Princes so steadily that in Conclusion they subdued the World And if they had not by their cruel Exactions so oppressed the Clergy that they were driven to seek Shelter under the Covert
Favour to him which they did according to the flattering and vain stile of that Age In his own Letter he says he had not opened the Pope's Brief and so did not know what it contained being required by the King to bring it to him with the Seals intire The Pope wrote also both to the King and Parliament requiring them under the pains of Excommunication and Damnation to repeal those Statutes Upon the meeting of the next Parliament the Archbishop accompanied by several Bishops and Abbots went to the House of Commons and made them a long Speech in the form of a Sermon upon that Text Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods And exhorted them to repeal those Laws against the Pope's power in granting Provisors and with Tears laid out the mischiefs that would follow if the Pope should proceed to Censures But the Commons would not repeal those Laws yet they were left as dead Letters among the Records for no care was taken to execute them The Pope was so far satisfied with Chichely's behaviour that he received him again to favour and restored to him the Legatine Power This being hitherto mentioned by none of our Writers it seemed no impertinent Digression to give this account of it Now were those long forgotten Statutes revived The Clergy sued in a Premunire to bring the Clergy into a Snare It was designed by the terrour of this to force them into an intire Submission and to oblige them to redeem themselves by the grant of a considerable Subsidy They pretended they had erred ignorantly for the King by his favour to the Cardinal seemed to consent if not to encourage that Authority which he then exercised It was a publick Errour and so they ought not to be punished for it To all this it was answered that the Laws which they had transgressed were still in force and so no Ignorance could excuse the Violation of them The Convocation of Canterbury made their Submission and in their Address to the King he was called the Protector and Supream Head of the Church of England but some excepting to that it was added in so far as it is agreeable to the Law of Christ This was signed by Nine Bishops Fifty Abbots and Priors and the greatest part of the Lower House and with it they offered the King a Subsidy to procure his Favour of an 100000 l. and they promised for the future not to make nor execute any Constitutions without his Licence The Convocation of York did not pass this so easily they excepted to the word Head as agreeing to none but Christ Yet the King wrote them a long expostulating Letter and told them with what Limitations those of Canterbury had passed that Title upon which they also submitted and offered him 18840 l. which was also well received and so all the Clergy were again received into the King's Protection and pardoned But when the King's Pardon was brought into the Parliament the Laity complained that they were not included within it for many of them were also obnoxious on the same account in some measure having had Suits in the Legatine Court and they did apprehend that they might be brought in trouble And therefore they addressed to the King and desired to be comprehended within it But the King told them his mercy was neither to be restrained nor forced This put the House of Commons in great trouble but they past the Act And soon after the King sent a Pardon to all his Temporal Subjects which was received with great Joy and they acknowledged that the King had tempered his Greatness with his Clemency in his way of proceeding in this matter In this Session one Rouse that had poisoned a great Pot of Porridge in the Bishop of Rochester's Kitchin of which two had died and many had been brought near Death A Poisoner condemned of Treason was attainted of Treason and condemned to be boiled to death and that was made the Punishment of Poisoning in time to come By this Act the Parliament made a Crime to be Treason that was not so before and punished the Person accordingly which was founded on the Power reserved in the 25th of Edward the 3d to Parliaments to declare in time coming what Crimes were Treason This severe Sentence was executed in Smithfield Rouse accusing none as his Complices tho malicious Persons did afterwards impute that Action of his to a design of Anne Bolleyn upon Fisher's Life but his silence under so terrible a Condemnation shewed he could not charge others with it After the Sessions of Parliament The King departs from the Queen new Applications were made to the Queen to perswade her to depart from her Appeal but she remained fixed in her Resolution and said she was the King's lawful Wife and would abide by it till the Court at Rome should declare the contrary Upon that the King desired her to chuse any of his Houses in the Country to live in and resolved never to see her more The Clergy were now raising the Subsidy A Tumult among the Clergy and the Bishops intended to make the inferiour Clergy pay their share But upon the Bishop of London's calling some few of them together on whom he hoped to prevail and make them set a good Example to the rest all the Clergy hearing of it came to the Chapter-house and forced their way in tho the Bishop's Officers did what they could by Violence to keep them out The Bishop made a Speech setting forth the King's Clemency in accepting such a Subsidy instead of all their Benefices which they had forfeited to him and therefore desired them to bear their share in it patiently They answered that they had not meddled with the Cardinal's Faculties nor needed they the King's Pardon not having transgressed his Laws and therefore since the Bishops and Abbots only were in fault it was reasonable that they only should raise the Subsidy Upon this the Bishop's Officers and They came to very high Words and it ended in Blows But the Bishop quieted them all he could with good Words and dismissed them with a Promise that none should be brought unto question for what had been then done yet he complained to More of it and he put many of them in Prison But the thing was let fall This Year produced a new Breach between the Pope and the Emperour The Pope turns to the Interest of France the Pope pretended to Modeno and Regio as Fiefs of the Papacy but the Emperour judged against him for the Duke of Ferrara Upon this the Pope resolved to unite himself to the Crown of France and Francis to gain him more entirely proposed a Match between his second Son Henry and the Pope's Neece the famous Catherine de Medici which as it wrought much on the Pope's Ambition so it was like to prove a great support to his Family Francis also offered to resign all his Pretentions in Italy
to his Son Henry which was like to draw in other Princes to a League with him who would have been much better pleased to see a King's younger Son among them than either the Emperour or the King of France The King's Matter was now in a fairer way of being adjusted for the Pope's Conscience being directed by his Interests since he had now broken with the Emperour it was probable he would give the King content He saw the danger of losing England The Interest of the Clergy was much sunk and they were in a great measure subjected to the Crown Lutheranism was also making a great Progress and the Pope was out of any danger from the Emperour on whom the whole Power of the Turkish Empire was now fallen drawn in as was believed by the Practices of Francis at the Port tho that did not well agree with his Title of Most Christian King The Princes of Germany took Advantage from this to make the Emperour consent to some further liberty in matters of Religion and to secure themselves they were then also entered into a League with Francis for preserving the Rights of the Empire unto which King Henry was invited All this raised Francis again very high so he was the fittest Person to mediate an Agreement between the King and the Pope and being himself a Lover of Pleasure he was the more easily engaged to serve the King in the accomplishment of his Amours A new Session of Parliament was held A misunderstanding between the House of Commons in which the Laity complained of the spiritual Courts of their way of proceeding ex Officio and not admitting Persons accused to their Purgation But this was not much considered by reason of an ill understanding that fell in between the King and the House of Commons There was a Custom brought in of making such Settlements of Estates that the Heir was not liable to Wards and the other Advantages to which the King or the Great Lords had otherwise a Right by their Tenures So a Bill for regulating that was sent down by the Lords but the Commons rejected it which gave the King great Offence upon that they addressed to the King for a Dissolution since they had been now obliged to a long Attendance The King answered them sharply He said they had rejected a Bill in which he had offered a great Abatement of that which he might claim by Law and therefore he would execute the Law in its utmost severity He told them he had Patience while his Suit was in dependence and so they must have likewise For this Parliament was made up of Men very ill affected to the Clergy so the King kept it still in being to terrify the Court of Rome so much the more All that was remarkable that past in this Session was an Act against Annats An Act against Annats it sets forth that they were founded on no Law they were first enacted to defend Christendom against Infidels and were now kept up as a Revenue to the Papacy and Bulls were not granted till they were compounded for for 800000 Ducats had bin carried out of England to Rome on that account since the beginning of the former Reign The King was bound by his Royal Care of his Subjects to hinder such Oppressions and therefore all that were provided to great Benefices were required not to pay First Fruits for the future under the pain of forfeiting all their Goods and the profits of their Benefices and those that were presented to Bishopricks were appointed to be consecrated tho their Bulls were denied at Rome and they were required to pay no more but 5 per Cent. of the clear Profits of their Sees If the Pope should upon this proceed to censures they required all the Clergy to perform Divine Offices these notwithstanding But by an extraordinary Proviso they referred it to the King to declare at any time between that and Easter next whether this Act should take place or not and the King by his Letters Patents declared that it should take place being provoked by the Pope In January the Pope The Pope writes to the King upon the motion of the Imperialists wrote to the King complaining that notwithstanding a Suit was depending concerning his Marriage yet he had put away his Queen and kept one Anne as his Wife contrary to a Prohibition served on him therefore he exhorted him to live with his Queen again and to put Anne away Upon this the King sent Dr. Bennet to Rome with a large Dispatch The King's Answer in it he complained that the Pope proceeded in that matter upon the Suggestion of others who were ignorant and rash Men the Pope had carried himself inconstantly and deceitfully in it and not as became Christ's Vicar and the King had now for several Years expected a Remedy from him in vain The Pope had granted a Commission had promised never to recal it and had sent over a Decretal Bull defining the Cause Either these were unjustly granted or unjustly recalled If he had Authority to grant these things where was the Faith which became a Friend much more a Pope since he had recalled them If he had not Authority to grant them he did not know how far he could consider any thing he did It was plain that he acted more with regard to his Interests than according to Conscience and that as the Pope had often confessed his own Ignorance in these matters so he was not furnished with Learned Men to advise him otherwise he would not maintain a Marriage which almost all the Learned Men and Universities in England France and Italy had condemned as unlawful He desired the Pope would excuse the Freedom he used to which his Carriage had forced him He would not question his Authority unless he were compelled to it and would do nothing but reduce it to its first and ancient Limits which was much better than to let high it run on headlong and still do amiss This high Letter made the Pope resolve to proceed and end this matter either by a Sentence or a Treaty The King was cited to answer to the Queen's Appeal at Rome in Person or by Proxy so Sir Edward Karme was sent thither in the new Character of the King 's Excusator to excuse the King's Appearance upon such grounds as could be founded on the Canon Law The King cited to Rome excuses himself and upon the Privileges of the Crown of England Bonner that was a forwad and ambitious Man and would stick at nothing that might contribute to his Preferment was sent over with him The Imperialists pressed the Pope much to give Sentence but all the wise Cardinals who observed by the Proceedings of the Parliament that the Nation would adhere to the King if he should be provoked to shake off the Pope's Yoke were very apprehensive of a Breach and suggested milder Counsels to the Pope and the King's Agents assured him that if he
gave the King content the late Act against Annats should not be put in Execution The Cardinal of Ravenna was then considered as an Oracle for Learning in the Consistory Some Cardinals corrupted so the King's Agents resolved to gain him with great Promises but he said Princes were liberal of their Promises till their turn was served and then forgot them so he resolved to make sure work therefore he made Bennet give him a Promise in writing of the Bishoprick of Ely or the first Bishoprick that fell till that was vacant and he also engaged that the King should procure him Benefices in France to the value of 6000 Ducats a Year for the Service he should do him in his Divorce This was an Argument of so great Efficacy with the Cardinal that it absolutely turned him from being a great Enemy to be as great a Promoter of the King's Cause tho very artificially Several other Cardinals were also prevailed with by the same Topicks The King's Agents put in his Plea of Excuse in 28 Articles and it was ordered that three of them should be discussed at a hearing before the Consistory till they should be all examined But that Court sitting once a Week the Imperialists after some of them were heard procured an Order that the rest should be heard in a Congregation or Committee of Cardinals before the Pope for greater Dispatch but Karn refused to obey this and so it was referred back to the Consistory But against this the Imperialists protested and refused to appear any more News were brought to Rome from England that a Priest that had preached up the Pope's Power was cast into Prison and that one committed by the Archbishop for Heresy appealed to the King as supream Head which was received and judged in the King's Courts The Pope made great Complaints upon this but the King's Agents said the best way to prevent the like for the future was to do the King Justice At this time a Bull was granted for suppressing some Monasteries and erecting new Bishopricks out of them Chester was to be one and the Cardinal of Revenna was so pleased with the Revenue designed for it that he laid his hand upon it till Ely should happen to fall vacant In conclusion the Pope seemed to favour the King's Plea Excusatory upon which the Imperialists made great Complaints But this amounted to no more save that the King was not bound to appear in Person Therefore the Cardinals that were gained advised the King to send over a Proxy for answering to the merits of the Cause and not to lose more time in that Dilatory Plea and they having declared themselves against the King in that Plea before the bargain had been made with them could with the better credit serve him in the other So the Vacation coming on it was resolved by the Cardinals neither to admit nor reject the Plea But both the Pope and the Colledg wrote to the King to send over a Proxy for determining the matter next Winter Bonner was also sent to England to assure the King that the Pope was now so much in the French Interest that he might confidently refer his matter to him but whereas the King desired a Commission to judg in partibus upon the place it was said that the Point to be judged being the Pope's Authority to dispense with the King's Marriage that could not be referred to Legates but must needs be judged in the Consistory At this time a new Session of Parliament was called in England The Clergy gave in an Answer to the Complaints made of them by the Commons in the former Sessions A Session of Parliament But when the King gave it to the Speaker he complained that one Temse a Member of their House had moved for an Address to the King that the Queen might be again brought back to the Court The King said it touched his Conscience and was not a thing that could be determined in that House He wished his Marriage were good but many Divines had declared it unlawful He did not make his Suit out of Lust or foolish Appetite being then past the Heats of Youth he assured them his Conscience was troubled and desired them to report that to the House Many of the Lords came down to the House of Commons and told them the King intended to build some Forts on the Borders of Scotland to secure the Nation from the Inroads of the Scots and the Lords approving of this sent them to propose it to the Commons upon which a Subsidy was voted but upon the breaking out of the Plague the Parliament was prorogued before the Act was finished The Oaths which the Bishops swore both to the Pope and the King At that time the King sent for the Speaker of the House of Commons and told him he found that the Prelates were but half Subjects for they swore at their Consecration an Oath to the Pope that was inconsistent with their Allegiance and Oath to the King By their Oath to the Pope they swore to be in no Council against him nor to disclose his Secrets but to maintain the Papacy and the Regalities of S. Peter against all Men together with the Rights and Authorities of the Church of Rome and that they should honourably entreat the Legats of the Apostolick See and observe all the Decrees Sentences Provisions and Commandments of that See and yearly either in Person or by Proxy visit the Thresholds of the Apostles In their Oath to the King they renounced all Clauses in their Bulls contrary to the King 's Royal Dignity and did swear to be faithful to him and to live and die with him against all others and to keep his Counsel acknowledging that they held their Bishopricks only of him By these it appeared that they could not keep both those Oaths in case a Breach should fall out between the King and the Pope But the Plague broke off the Consultations of Parliament at this time Soon after Sir Thomas More seeing a Rupture with Rome coming on so fast More quits his Office desired leave to lay down his Office which was upon that conferred on Sir Tho. Audley He was satisfied with the King 's keeping up the Laws formerly made in Opposition to the Papal Incroachments and so had concured in the Suit of the Premunire but now the matter went further and so he not being able to keep pace with the Counsels returned to a private Life with a Greatness of Mind equal to what the ancient Greeks or Romans had expressed on such Occasions Endeavours were used to fasten some Imputations on him in the Distribution of Justice but nothing could be brought against him to blemish his Integrity An Enterveiw followed between the Kings of France and England to which An Interview between the King of France England Ann Bolleyn now Marchioness of Pembrook was carried In which after the first Ceremonies and Magnificence was over Francis promised Henry to
their Contests about Superiority but never declared in St. Peter's Favour St. Paul withstood him to his Face and reckoned himself not inferour to him If the Dignity of a Person left any Authority with the City in which he sat then Antioch must carry it as well as Rome and Jerusalem where Christ suffered was to be prefererd to all the World for it was truly the Mother-Church Christ said to Peter Vpon this Rock will I build my Church The Ancients understood by the Rock either the Confession Peter had made or which is all one upon the matter Christ himself and tho it were to be meant of St. Peter all the rest of the Apostles are also called Foundations that of Tell the Church was by many Doctors of the Church of Rome turned against the Pope for a General Council The other Priviledges ascribed to St. Peter were either only a precedence of Order or were occasioned by his Fall as that Feed my Sheep it being a restoring him to the Apostolical Function St. Peter had also a limited Province the Circumcision as St. Paul had the Uncircumcision that was of far greater extent which shewed that he was not considered as the Universal Pastor In the Primitive Church St. Cyprian and other Bishops wrote to the Bishops of Rome as to their fellow Bishop Colleague and Brother they were against Appeals to Rome and did not submit to their Definition and in plain Terms asserted that all Bishops were equal in Power as the Apostles had been It is true the Dignity of the City made the Bishops of Rome to be much esteemed yet in the first Council of Nice the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch were declared to have the same Authority in the Countries about them that the Bishops of Rome had over those that lay about them It is true the East being over-run with Arrianism from which the West was better preserved the oppressed Eastern Bishops did take shelter in the Protection the Bishops of Rome gave them and as is natural to all People they magnified that Authority which was so useful to them But the second General Council indirectly condemned all Appeals to Rome for it decreed that every Province should be governed by its own Synod and allowed no higher Appeal but to the Bishops of the Diocess Constantinople being made the Imperial City the second and fourth General Council gave it equal Priviledges with Rome because it was new Rome which shews that the Dignity of the Sees flowed from the greatness of the Cities The African Churches condemned all Appeals to Rome and the Popes who complained of that pretended only to a Canon of the Council of Nice for it and then they did not talk of a Divine Right but search being made into all the Copies of the Canons of the Council that was found to be a Forgery When the Emperour Mauricius gave the Title Vniversal Bishop to the Patriarch of Constantinple Gregory the Great complained of the Ambition of that Title which he calls equal to the Pride of Lucifer and since England received the Faith by those whom he sent over it appeared from thence what was the Doctrine of that See at that time and by consequence what where the first Impressions made on the English in that matter It is true Boniface the third got the same Title by Phocas's Grant and Boniface the eighth pretended to all Power both spiritual and temporal but the Progress of their Usurpations and the Wars raised to maintain them were very visible in History The Popes swore at their Consecrations to obey the Canons of the eighth first General Councils which are manifested against Appeals and their Universal Jurisdiction small regard is to be had to the Decrees of latter Councils being Cabals pack'd and managed as the Popes pleased Several Sees as Ravenna Milan and Aquileia pretended Exemption from the Papal Authority Many English Bishops had asserted that the Popes had no Authority against the Canons and to that day no Canon the Popes made was binding till it was received which shewed the Pope's Authority was not believed founded on a divine Authority and the Contests that the Kings of England had with the Pope's concerning Investitures Bishops doing the King Homage Appeals to Rome and the Authority of Papal Bulls and Provisions shewed that the Pope's Power was believed subject to Laws and Custom and so not derived from Christ and St. Peter and as Laws had given them some Power and Princes had bin forced in ignorant Ages to submit to their Usurpations so they might as they saw cause change those Laws and resume their Rights The next Point inquired into was And for the King's Supremacy the Authority that Kings had in matters of Religion and the Church The King of Israel judged in all Causes and Samuel called Saul the Head of the Tribes David made many Rules about the Service at the Temple and declaring to Solomon what his Power was 1 Chron. 28.21 2 Chron. 8.14 15. he told him that the Priests were wholly at his Command and it is also said that Solomon appointed the Priests their Charges in the Service of God and that they departed not from his Commandment in any matter he turned out one High-Priest and put another in his room Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josias made also Laws about Ecclesiastical Matters In the New Testament Christ was himself subject to the Civil Powers and charged his Disciples not to affect Temporal Dominion They also wrote to the Churches to be subject to the Higher Powers and call them Supream and charge every Soul to be subject to them so in Scripture the King is called Head and Supream and every Soul is said to be under him which joyn'd together makes up this Conclusion that He is the supream Head over all Persons In the Primitive Church the Bishops only made Rules or Canons but pretended to no compulsive Authority but what came from the Civil Magistrate The Roman Emperours called Councils presided in them and confirmed them and made many Laws concerning Ecclesiastical Matters so did also Charles the Great The Emperours did also either chuse the Popes themselves or confirm their Elections Church-men taking Orders were not thereby discharged from the Obedience they formerly owed their Princes but remained still Subjects And tho the Offices of the Church had peculiar Functions in which the People were subject to them that did not deliver them from their Obedience to the King as a Father's Authority over his Children cuts not off the King's Power over him They found also that in all times the Kings of England had assumed an Authority in Ecclesiastical Matters Ina Alfred Edgar and Canetus had made many Laws about them so had also most of the Kings since the Conquest which appeared particularly in the Articles of Clarendon and the Contests that followed upon them and from the daies of King Ina they had granted Exemptions to Monasteries from the Episcopal Jurisdiction down to William the
Conquerors time besides many other Acts that clearly imported a Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes But they did at the same time so explain and limit this Power that it was visible they did not intend to subject Religion wholly to the Pleasure of the King for it was declared that his Power was only a Coercive Authority to defend the true Religion to abolish Heresies and Idolatries to cause Bishops and Pastors to do their Duties and in case they were negligent or would not amend their Faults to put others in their room Upon the whole matter they concluded that the Pope had no Power in England and that the King had an intire Dominion over all his Subjects which did extend even to the regulating of Ecclesiastical Matters These things being fully opened in many Disputes The Clergy submitted to it and published in several Books all the Bishops Abbots and Priors of England Fisher only excepted were so far satisfied with them or so much in love with their Preferments that they resolved to comply with the Changes which the King was resolved to make Fisher was in great esteem for Piety and strictness of Life and so much pains was taken on him A little before the Parliament met Cranmer proposed to him that he and any five Doctors he would choose and Stokesly with five on his side should confer on that point and examine he Authorities that were on both sides he accepted of it and Stokesly wrote to him to name time and place but Fisher's Sickness hindered the Progress of that motion The Parliament met the 15th of January A Session of Parliament there were but seven Bishops and twelve Abbots present the rest it seems were unwilling to concur in making this change tho they complied with it when it was made Every Sunday during the Session a Bishop preached at St. Paul's and declared that the Pope had no Authority in England Before this they had only said that a General Council was above him and that the Exactions of that Court and Appeals to it were unlawful but now they went a strain higher to prepare the People for receiving the Acts then in Agitation On the 9th of March The Pope's Power taken away the Commons began the Bill for taking away the Pope's Power and sent it to the Lords on the 14th who past it on the 20th without any dissent In it they set forth the Exactions of the Court of Rome grounded on the Pope's Power of dispensing and that as none could dispense with the Laws of God so the King and Parliament only had the Authority of dispensing with the Laws of the Land and that therefore such Licenses or Dispensations as were formerly in use should be for the future granted by the two Arch-bishops some of these were to be confirmed under the Great Seal and they appointed that thereafter all Commerce with Rome should cease They also declared that they did not intend to alter any Article of the Catholick Faith of Christendome or of that which was declared in the Scripture necessary to Salvation They confirmed all the Exemptions granted to Monasteries by the Popes but subjected them to the King's Visitation and gave the King and his Council power to examine and reform all Indulgences and Priviledges granted by the Pope The Offenders against this Law were to be punished according to the Statutes of Premunire This Act subjected the Monasteries entirely to the King's Authority and put them in no small Confusion Those that loved the Reformation rejoyced both to see the Pope's Power rooted out and to find the Scripture made the Standard of Religion After this Act The Act of the Succession another past in both Houses in six Days time without any Opposition Settling the Succession of the Crown confirming the Sentence of Divorce and the King's Marriage with Queen Anne and declaring all Marriages within the Degrees prohibited by Moses to be unlawful All that had married within them were appointed to be divorced and their Issue illegitimated and the Succession to the Crown was settled upon the King's Issue by the prefent Queen or in default of that to the King 's right Heirs for ever All were required to swear to maintain the Contents of this Act and if any refused to swear to it or should say any thing to the Slander of the King's Marriage he was to be judged guilty of misprision of Treason and to be punished accordingly The Oath is also set down in the Journals of the House of Lords by which they did not only swear Obedience to the King and his Heirs by his present Marriage but also to defend the Act of Succession and all the Effects and Contents in it against all manner of Persons whatsoever by which they were bound to maintain the Divorce both against the Pope's Censures and the Emperour if he went about to execute them At this time An Act regulating the proceedings against Hereticks one Philips complained to the House of Commons of the Bishop of London for using him cruelly in Prison upon Suspicion of Heresy the Commons sent up this to the Lords but received no Answer So they sent some of their Members to the Bishop desiring him to answer the Complaints put in against him But he acquainted the House of Lords with it and they all with one consent voted that none of their House ought to appear or answer to any Complaint at the Bar of the House of Commons So the Commons let this particular Case fall and sent up a Bill to which the Lords agreed regulating the Proceedings against Hereticks That whereas by the Statute made by King Henry the Fourth Bishops might commit Men upon Suspition of Heresy and Heresy was generally defined to be whatever was contrary to the Scriptures or Canonical Sanctions which was liable to great Ambiguity therefore that Statute was repealed and none were to be committed for Heresy but upon a Presentment made by two Witnesses None were to be accused for speaking against things that were grounded only upon the Pope's Canons Bail was to be taken for Hereticks and they were to be brought to their Trials in open Court and if upon Conviction they did not abjure or were Relapses they were to be burnt the King 's Writ being first obtained This was a great check to the Bishop's Tyrrany and gave no smal comfort to all that favoured the Reformation The Convocation sent in a Submission at the same time The Submission of the Clergy by which they acknowledged That all Convocations ought to be assembled by the King 's Writ and promised upon the Word of Priests never to make nor execute any Canons without the King's Assent They also desired That since many of the received Canons were found to be contrary to the King's Prerogative and the Laws of the Land there might be a Committee named by the King of 32 the one half out of both Houses of Parliament and the other
of the Clergy empowered to abrogate or regulate them as they should see Cause This was confirmed in Parliament and the Act against Appeals to Rome was renewed and an Appeal was allowed from the Archbishop to the King upon which the Lord Chancellor was to grant a Commission for a Court of Delegates A Proviso was added that till the Committee of 32 should settle a Regulation of the Canons those then in force should still take place except such as were contrary to the King's Prerogative or the Laws But this last Proviso tho it seemed reasonable to give the Spiritual Courts some Rules till the 32 should finish their Work made that it came to nothing for it was thought more for the Greatness of the King's Authority and it subjected the Bishop's Courts more to the Prohibitions of the Temporal Courts to keep this whole matter in such General Terms than to have brought it to a Regulation that should be fixed and constant Another Act past An Act for the Election of Bishops for regulating the Elections and Consecrations of Bishops condemning all Bulls from Rome and appointing that upon a Vacancy the King should grant a Licence for an Election and should by a missive Letter signify the Person 's Name whom he would have chosen And within twelve Days after these were delivered the Dean and Chapter or Prior and Convent were required to return an Election of the Person named by the King under their Seals The Bishop Elect was upon that to swear Fealty and a Writ was to be issued out for his Consecration in the usual manner After that he was to do Homage to the King upon which both the Temporalities and Spiritualities were to be restored and Bishops were to exercise their Jurisdiction as they had done before All that transgressed this Act were made guilty of a premunire A private Act past depriving Cardinal Campegio and Jerome de Ghinuccii of the Bishopricks of Salisbury and Worcester the Reasons given for it are because they did not reside in their Diocesses for Preaching the Laws of God and keeping Hospitality but lived at the Court of Rome and carried 3000 l. a Year out of the Kingdom The last Act of a publick Nature The Attaindor of the Nun of Kent tho relating only to private Persons of which I shall give an account was concerning the Nun of Kent and her Complices It was the first occasion of shedding any Blood in this Quarrel and it was much cherished by all the Superstitious Clergy that adhered to the Queen's Interests and the Pope's The Nun and many of her Complices came to the Lord's Bar and confessed the whole matter Among the Concealers of this Treason Sir Thomas More and Fisher were named the former wrote upon that a long Letter to Cromwel giving him a particular account of all the Conversation he had at any time with the Nun He acknowledged he had esteemed her highly not so much out of any regard he had to her Prophesies but for the Opinion he conceived of her Holiness and Humility But he adds that he was then convinced That she was the most false dissembling Hypocrite that had been known and guilty of most detestable Hypocrisy and divellish dissembled Falshood He also believed that she had Communication with an evil Spirit Concerning this Letter a curious Discovery has been made In Queen Mary's time More 's Works were published and among them other Letters of his to Cromwel relating to that long one which he wrote concerning the Nun were printed but that was left out of which More kept a Copy and gave it to his Daughter Roper that Copy was in the MS. out of which the rest were published and out of that I have transcribed it The design of suppressing it seems to be this It is probable there might have been some thoughts in Queen Mary's time to Canonize the Nun since she was called a Martyr for her Mother's Marriage and there was no want of Miracles to justify it Therefore a Letter so plain and full against her was thought fit to be kept out of the way This Justification of Mores prevailed so far that his Name was struck out of the Bill The Act contains a Narrative of that whole Story which is in short this Elizabeth Barton of Kent fell in some Trances it seems they were Hysterical Fits and spake such things as made those about her think she was inspired of God The Parson of the Parish Master hoping to draw Advantages from this gave Archbishop Warham notice of it who ordered him to observe her carefully and bring him an account of what should follow But she had forgot all that she said in her Fitts when they were over Yet the Priest would not let it go so but perswaded her that she was inspired and taught her so to counterfeit those Trances that she became very ready at it The matter was much noised about and the Priest intended to raise the credit of an Image of the B. Virgins that was in his Church that so Pilgrimages and Offerings might be made to it by her means He associated to himself one Bocking a Monk of Canterbury and they taught her to say in her Fits that the B. Virgin appeared to her and told her she could not be well till she visited that Image She spake many good Words against ill Life and spake also against Heresy and the King's Suit of Divorce then depending and by many strange motions of her Body she seemed to be inwardly possessed A day was set for her cure and before an Assembly of 2000 People she was carried to that Image and after she had acted her Fitts all over she seemed of a sudden quite recovered which was ascribed to the Intercession of the Virgin and the Virtue of that Image She entered into a Religious Life and Bocking was her Ghostly Father There were wiolent Suspicions of Incontinence between them but the esteem she was in bore them down Many thought her a Prophetess and Warham among the rest A Book was also written of her Revelations and a Letter was shewed all in Letters of Gold pretended to be writ to her from Heaven by Mary Magdalene She pretended that when the King was last at Calais she was carried invisibly beyond Sea and brought back again and that an Angel gave her the Sacrament and that God revealed to her that if the King went on in his Divorce and married another Wife he should fall from his Crown and not live a Month longer but should die a Villain 's Death Many of the Monks of the Charter-House and the Observant Friers with many Nuns and B. Fisher came to give credit to this and set a great value on her and grew very insolent upon it for Frier Peyto preaching in the King's Chappel at Greenwich denounced the Judgments of God upon him and said tho others as lying Prophets deceived him yet he in the name of God told him that Dogs should lick
his Blood as they had done Ahabs The King bore this patiently but ordered one Dr. Corren to preach next Sunday and to answer all that he had said who railed against Peyto as a Dog and a Traitor Peyto had gone to Canterbury but Elston a Franciscan of the same House interrupted him and called him one of the lying Prophets that went about to establish the Succession of the Crown by Adultery and spoke with such Vehemence that the King himself was forced to command him silence And yet so unwilling was the King to go to Extremities that all that was done upon so high a Provocation was that they were called before the Council and rebuked for their Insolence But the Nun's Confederates publishing her Revelations in all the parts of the Kingdom she and Nine of her Complices were apprehended in November last Year and they did all without any Rack or Torture discover the whole Conspiracy and upon that were appointed to go to St. Pauls and after a Sermon preached upon that Occasion by the Bishop of Bangor they repeated their Confession in the Hearing of the People and were sent to ly Prisoners in the Tower But it was given out That all was extorted from them by Violence and Messages were sent to the Nun desiring her to deny all that she had confessed which made the King judge it necessary to proceed to further Extremities So she and six of her chief Complices were Attainted of Treason And the Bishop of Rochester and five more were Attainted of Misprision of Treason But at the Intercession of Q. Ann as it is exprest in the Act all others that had been concerned with her were pardoned This was as black an Imposture as any ever was and if it had fallen out in a darker Age in which the World went mad after Visions the King might have lost his Crown by it The Discovery of this disposed all to look on older Stories of the Trances of Monastical People as Contrivances to serve base ends and did make way for the ruine of that Order of Men in England but all that was at present done upon it was that the Observants were put out of their Houses and mixt with the other Franciscans and the Austin Friers were put in their rooms When all these Acts were passed the King gave his Assent to them on the 29th of March and prorogued the Parliament till November The Members of both Houses swore to the Oath of Succession on the day of the Prorogation On the 20th of April The Oath of Succession sworn followed the Execution of the Nun and her Complices at Tyburn where she freely acknowledged her Impostures and the Justice of the Sentence and laid the blame on those that suffered with her who because the thing was profitable to them praised her much and tho they knew that all was feigned yet gave out that it was done by the working of the Holy Ghost and she concluded her Life begging both God's and the King's Pardon Upon the first Discovery of this Cheat Fisher in some Trouble Cromwell sent Fisher's Brother to him to reprove him for his Carriage in that Business and to advise him to ask the King's Pardon for the Encouragement he had given to the Nun which he was confident the King would grant him But Fisher excused himself and said he had done nothing but only tried whether her Revelations were true or not He confessed that upon the Reports he had heard he was induced to have a high Opinion of her and that he had never discovered any Falsehood in her It is true she had said some things to him concerning the King's Death which he had not revealed but he thought it was not necessary to do it because he knew she had told it to the King her self she had named no Person that should kill the King but had only denounced it as a Judgment of God on him and he had reason to think that the King would have been offended with him if he had spoken of it to him and so he desired to be no more troubled with that matter But upon that Cromwell wrote him a sharp Letter he shewed him that he had proceeded rashly in that Affair being so partial in the matter of the King's Divorce that he easily believed every thing that seemed to make against it he shewed him how necessary it was to use great Caution before extraordinary things should be received or spread about as Revelations since otherwise the Peace of the World should be in the hands of every bold or crafty Impostor yet in conclusion he advises him again to ask the King's Pardon for his Rashness and he assures him that the King was ready to forgive that and every thing else by which he had offended him But Fisher was obstinate and would make no Submission and so included within the Act yet it was not executed till a new Provocation drew him into further Trouble And is very obstinate The Secular and Regular Clergy did every where swear the Oath of Succession which none did more zealously promote than Gardiner who before the 6th of May got all his Clergy to swear it and the Religious Orders being apprehensive of the King's Jealousies of them took care to remove them by sending in Declarations under the Seals of their Houses that in their Opinion the King 's present Marriage was lawful and that they would always acknowledg him Head of the Church of England that the Bishops of Rome had no Authority out of his own Diocess and that they would continue obedient to the King notwithstanding his Censures that they would preach the Gospel sincerely according to the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Catholick Doctors and would in their Prayers pray for the King as Supream Head of the Church of England A meeting of the Council-sate at Lambeth More and heâ— refuse the Oath to which many were cited in order to the swearing the Oath among whom was Sir Thomas More and Fisher More was first called on to take it he answered that he neither blamed those that made the Acts nor those that swore the Oath and that he was willing to swear to maintain the Succession to the Crown but could not take the Oath as it was conceived Fisher made the same Answer but all the rest that were cited before them took it More was much press'd to give his Reasons against it but he refused to do that for it might be called a disputing against Law yet he would put them into Writing if the King would command him to do it Cranmer said if he did not blame those that took it it seems he was not perswaded it was a Sin and so was only doubtful of it but he was sure he ought to obey the Law if it was not sinful so there was a Certainty on the one hand and only a Doubt on the other and therefore the former ought to determine him this he confessed did
The State of England and assumed a Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs The Nobility and Gentry were generally well satisfied with the Change but the Body of the People was more under the Power of the Priests and they studied to infuse in them great Fears of a Change in Religion It was said the King was now joyning himself to Hereticks that both the Queen Cranmer and Cromwell favoured them It was left free to dispute what were Articles of Faith and what were only the Decrees of Popes and Changes would be made under this Pretence that they only rejected those Opinions which were supported by the Papal Authority The Monks and Friars saw themselves left at the King's Mercy Their Bulls could be no longer useful to them The trade of new Saints or Indulgences was near an end they had also some Intimations that Cromwell was forming a Project for suppressing them so they thought it necessary for their own Preservation to imbroil the King's Affairs as much as was possible therefore both in Confessions and Discourses they were infusing into the People a dislike of the King's Proceedings and this did so far work on them that if the Emperour's Affairs had been in such a condition that he could have made War on the King he might have done it with great Advantage and found a strong Party in England on his side But the Practices of the Clergy at home and of Cardinal Pool abroad the Libels that were published and the Rebellions that were afterwards raised in England wrought so much on the King's Temper that was naturally imperious and boisterous that he became too apt to commit Acts of the highest Severity and to bring his Subjects into Trouble upon the slightest Grounds and his new Title of Head of the Church seemed to have encreased his former Vanity and made him fancy that all his Subjects were bound to regulate their Belief by the measures he set them He had now raigned 25 Years in all which time none had suffered for Crimes against the State but Pool Earl of Suffolk and Stafford Duke of Buckingham the former was executed in Obedience to his Father's last Commands the latter fell by Cardinal Wolsey's Malice he had also been inveigled by a Priest to imagine he had a Right to the Crown but in the last ten Years of his Life Instances of Severity returned more frequently The Bishops and Abbots did what they could to free the King of any Jealousies that might be raised in him concerning them and of their own accord before any Law was made about it they swore to maintain the King's Supremacy The first Act of it was the making Cromwell Vicar General and Visitor of all the Monasteries and Churches of England with a Delegation of the King's Supremacy to him he was also empowered to give Commissions subaltern to himself and all Wills where the Estate was in value above 200 l. were to be proved in his Court This was afterwards enlarged and he was made the King's Vicegerent in Ecclesiastical Matters and had the Precedence of all next the Royal Family and his Authority was in all Points the same that the Legates had in time of Popery for as the King 's came in the Popes room so the Vicegerent was what the Legates had been Pains was taken to engage all the Clergy to declare for the Supreamacy At Oxford a publick Determination was made to which every Member assented that the Pope had no more Authority in England than any other Forreign Bishop The Franciscans at Richmond made some more Opposition they said by the Rule of St. Francis they were bound to obey the Holy See The Bishop of Litchfield told them that all the Bishops in England all the Heads of Houses and the most learned Divines had signed that Proposition St. Francis made his Rule in Italy where the Bishop of Rome was Metropolitan but that ought not to extend to England and it was shewed that the Chapter cited by them was not written by him but added since yet they continued positive in their refusal to sign it It was well known that all the Monks and Friars A general Visitation proposed tho they complied with the Time yet they hated this new Power of the King 's the People were also startled at it so one Dr. Leighton that had been in the Cardinal's Service with Cromwell proposed a General Visitation of all the Religious Houses in England and thought that nothing would reconcile the Nation so much to the King's Supremacy as to see some good Effect flow from it Others thought this was too hardy a Step and that it would provoke the Religious Orders too much Yet it was known that they were guilty of such Disorders that nothing could so effectually keep them in awe as the enquiring into these Cranmer led the way to this by a Metropolitical Visitation for which he obtained the King's Licence he took care to see that the Pope's Name was struck out of all the Offices of the Church and that the King's Supremacy was generally acknowledged In October the General Visitation of the Monasteries was begun Instructions and Injunctions for it which was cast into several Precincts Instructions were given them directing them what things to enquire after as whether the Houses had the full number according to their Foundation and if they performed Divine Worship in the appointed Hours what Exemptions they had what were their Statutes how their Heads were chosen and how their Vows were observed Whether they lived according to the Severities of their Orders how the Master and other Officers did their Duties how their Lands and their Revenues were managed what Hospitality was kept and what care was taken of the Novices what Benefices were in their Gift and how they disposed of them how the Inclosures of the Nunneries were kept whether the Nuns went abroad or if Men were admitted to come to them how they imploied their time and what Priests they had for their Confessors They were also ordered to give them some Injunctions in the King's Name That they should acknowledge his Supremacy and maintain the Act of Succession and declare all to be absolved from any Rules or Oaths that bound them to obey the Pope and that all their Statutes tending to that should be razed out of their Books That the Abbots should not have choice Dishes but plain Tables for Hospitality and that the Scriptures shoul be read at Meals that they should have daily Lectures of Divinity and maintain some of every House at the University The Abbot was required to instruct the Monks in true Religion and to shew them that it did not consist in outward Ceremonies but in Cleanness of Heart and Purity of Life and the worshiping of God in Spirit and Truth Rules were given about their Revenues and against admitting any under 20 Years of Age. The Visitors were empower'd to punish Offenders or to bring them to answer before the Visitor General What the Ancient
before the Act of Parliament past for suppressing the lesser Monasteries Q. Katherine was put to much trouble for keeping the Title Queen Queen Katherin's Death but bore it resolutely and said That since the Pope had judged that her Marriage was good she would die rather than do any thing in prejudice of it Her Sufferings begot Compassion in the People and all the Superstitious Clergy supported her Interests zealously But now her Troubles ended with her Life She desired to be buried among the Observant Friers for they had suffered most for her She ordered 500 Masses to be said for her Soul and that one of her Women should go a Pilgrimage to our Lady of Walsingham and give 200 Nobles on her way to the Poor When she found Death coming on her as she writ to the Emperour recommending her Daughter to his care So she writ to the King with this Inscription My dear Lord King and Husband She forgave him all the Injuries he had done her and wish'd him to have regard to his Soul She recommended her Daughter to his Care and desired him to be kind to her three Maids and to pay her Servants a Years Wages and ended thus mine Eyes desire you above all things She died on the Eighth of January at Kimbolt on in the 50th Year of her Age 33 years after she came to England She shas a Devout and Exemplary Woman She used to work with her own hands and kept her Women at work with her The Severities and Devotions that were known to her Priests and her Alms-Deeds joined to the Troubles she fell in begat a high Esteem of her in all sorts of People The King complained often of her Peevishness but that was perhaps to be imputed as much to the Provocations he gave her as to the Sowrness of her Temper He ordered her to be buried in the Abbey of Peterborough and was somewhat touched with her Death But Q. Ann did not carry this so decently as became a happy Rival In February a Parliament met In Parliament the lesser Monasteries suppressed after a Prorogation of 14 Months The Act impowering 32 to revise the Ecclesiastical Laws was confirmed but no time was limited for finishing it so it had no effect The chief business of this Session was the suppressing of the Monasteries under 200 l. a Year The Report the Visitors made was read in the two Houses and disposed them to great easiness in this matter The Act sets forth the great disorders of those Houses and the many unsuccessful Attempts that had been made to reform them so the Religious that were in them were ordered to be put in the greater Houses where Religion was better observed and the Revenues of them were given to the King Those Houses were much richer than they seemed to be for an abuse that had run over Europe of keeping the Rents of the Church at their first Rates and instead of raising them the exacting great Fines for the Incumbent when the Leases were renewed was so gross in those Houses that some rated but at 200 l. were in real value worth many Thousands By another Act a new Court was erected with the Title of the Court of the Augmentations of the King's Revenue consisting of a Chancellor a Treasurer 10 Auditors 17 Receivers besides ofther Officers The King was also empowered to make new Foundations of such of those Houses now suppressed as he pleased which were in all 370 and so this Parliament after six Years Continuance was now dissolved A Convocation sate at this time A Translation of the Bille designed in which a motion was made for Translating the Bible into English which had been promised when Tindal's Translation was condemned but was afterwards laid aside by the Clergy as neither necessary nor expedient So it was said that those whose Office it was to teach People the Word of God did all they could to suppress it Moses the Prophets and the Apostles wrote in the Vulgar Tongue Christ directed the People to search the Scriptures and as soon as any Nation was converted to the Christian Religion the Bible was translated into their Language nor was it ever taken out of the hands of the People till the Christian Religion was so corrupted that it was not safe to trust them with such a Book which would have so manifestly discovered those Errours and the Legends as agreeing better with those Abuses were read instead of the Word of God So Cranmer look'd on the putting the Bible in the People's hands as the most effectual means for promoting the Reformation and therefore moved that the King might be prayed to give order for it But Gardiner and all the other Party opposed this vehemently They said All the extravagant Opinions then in Germanny rose from the indiscreet use of the Scriptures Some of those Opinions were at this time disseminated in England both against the Divinity and Incarnation of Christ and the usefulness of the Sacraments for which 19 Hollanders had been burnt in England the former Year It was therefore said That during these Distractions the use of the Scriptures would prove a great Snare So it was proposed that instead of them their might be some short Exposition of the Christian Religion put in the Peoples hands which might keep them in a certain Subjection to the King and the Church But it was carried in the Convocation for the Affirmative At Court Men were much divided in this Point some said if the King gave way to it he would never be able after that to govern his People and that they would break into many Divisions But on the other hand it was said That nothing would make the Difference between the Pope's Power and the King's Supremacy appear more eminently than if the one gave the People the free use of the Word of God whereas the other had kept them in Darkness and ruled them by a blind Obedience It would be also a great mean to extinguish the Interest that either the Pope or the Monks had in England to put the Bible in the People's hands in which it would appear that the World had been long deceived by their Impostures which had no Foundation in the Scriptures These Reasons joyned with the Interest that the Queen had in the King prevailed so far with him that he gave order for setting about this with all possible hast and within three Years the Impression of it was finished At this time the King was in some Treaty with the German Princes not only for a League in Temporal Concerns but likewise in matters of Religion The King thought the Germans should have in all things submitted to him and the Opinion he had of his own Learning which was perhaps heightned a little with his new Title of Head of the Church made him expect that they should in all points comply with him Gardiner was then his Ambassadour in France and diswaded him much from any Religious League with them
as that which would alienate the World abroad and his People at home from him The Popish Party saw the interest the Queen had in him Q. Ann's Fall was the great Obstacle of their Designes She grew not only in the Kings Esteem but in the Love of the Nation The last Nine Months of her Life She gave above 14000 l. in Alms to the Poor and was much set on doing good Soon after Queen Katherin's Death she bore a dead Son which was believed to have made some Impression on the King's mind It was also considered that now Queen Katherine being dead the King might marry another and be set right again with the Pope and the Emperour And the Issue by any other Marriage would never be questioned whereas while Queen Ann lived the ground of the Controversy still remained and her Issue would be Illegitimated her Marriage being null from the beginning as they thought With these Reasons of State the King 's Affectiosn joyned for he was now in Love with Jane Seymour whose humour was tempered in a mean between the Gravity of Queen Katherine and the Pleasantness of Queen Ann. The poor Queen used all possible Arts to reinflame a dying Affection but the King was changed and instead of being wrought on by her Caresses he came to look on them as Artifices to cover some other Criminal Affection Her cheerfulness was not alwayes governed with Decency and Discretion And her Brother's Wife being jealous of her Husband and Her possessed the King with her own Apprehensions and filled his Head with many Stories Norris Weston and Brereton the King's Servants and Smeton a Musician were observed to be particularly officious about her Somewhat was pretended to have been sworn by the Lady Wyngfield at her Death that determined the King but there is little light left to judg of that Matter The King was at Justs at Greenwich May 1 where it was reported that he was displeased with the Queen for letting her Handkerchief fall to one for wiping his Face but this seems to be a Fiction for a Parliament was summoned the day before that and then it was resolved to destroy her The King left her upon which she was confined to her Chamber and the five before mentioned were seized on and sent to the Tower and the next day she was carried thither On the River some Privy Counsellors came to examine her but she made deep Protestations of her Innocence and as she landed at the Tower she fell down on her Knees and prayed God so to asist her as she was free of the Crimes laid to her charge After this she fell into fits of the Mother sometimes she laughed and at other times she wept excessively She was also devout and light by turns and sometimes she stood upon her Vindication and at other times she confessed some Indiscretions which she afterwards denied All the People about her made the most of every Word that fell from her and sent it immediately to Court The others that were imprisoned on her account denied every thing only Smeton confessed Leudness with her The Duke of Norfolk and others that came to examine her made her believe that both Norris and Smeton had accused her but tho that was false yet it had this Effect on her that it made her confess that which did totally alienate the King from her She acknowledged that she had rallied Norris that he waited for the King's Death and then thought to have her which tho he denied yet upon that she fell out with him She denied that Smeton was ever in her Chamber but once when he came to play on the Virginals She insinuated as if he had made Love to her for seeing him one day pensive she told him he must not expect that she should talk to him since he was so mean a Person and he answered A Look would serve him She also said Weston had seemed jealous of Norris for being oft in her Chamber and had declared Love to her upon which she defied him Whether these Confessions were real Truths or the Effects of Imagination and Vapors cannot be certainly determined at this distance It is probable there had been some Levities in her Carriage that were not becoming All the Court was now turned against her and she had no Friend about the King but Cranmer and therefore her Enemies procured an Order for him not to come to Court yet he put all to hazard and wrote the King a long Letter upon this Critical Juncture He acknowledged that if the Things reported of the Queen were true it was the greatest Affliction that ever befel the King and therefore exhorted him to bear it with Patience and Submission to the Will of God he confessed he never had a better Opinion of any Woman than of her and that next the King he was more bound to her than to all Persons living and therefore he begged the King's leave to pray that she might be found Innocent he loved her not a little because of the Love which she seemed to bear to God and his Gospel but if she was guilty all that loved the Gospel must hate her as having given the greatest Slander possible to the Gospel but he prayed the King not to entertain any Prejudice to the Gospel on her account nor give the World reason to say That his Love to it was founded on the Power that she had with him The King's Jealousy was now too deeply rooted to admit of any Cure but an extream one May 12. The Indictments were laid in the Counties of Kent and Middlesex the former relating to what was done in Greenwich Smeton pleaded Guilty and confessed he had known the Queen catnally three times the rest pleaded not guilty but they were all condemned Three days after that May 15. Her Trial. the Queen and her Brother who was then a Peer were tried before the Duke of Norfolk as High Steward and a Court of 27 Peers It has been oft given out to defame her the more that her own Father sate and condemned her but the Record of the Attainder shews that is false for he was not of the Number The Crime charged on her was That she had procured her Brother and four others to lie with her and had often said to them That the King never had her Heart and this was to the Slander of the Issue begotten between the King and her which was Treason by the Act that confirmed her Marriage so that Act that was made for the Marriage was now turned on her to ruine her They would not now acknowledg her the King 's lawful Wife and therefore they did not found the Treason on the known Statute 25th Edw. 3. It does not appear what Evidence was brought against her for Smeton being already condemned could not be made use of and his never being brought face to face against her gave great suspition that he was perswaded to confess by base Practices The
Evidence as appears by Spelman's Account of it that was then a Judg was only the Declaration of a dead Woman but whether that was forged or real can never be known till the great Day discovers it The Judgment in case of Treason for a Woman is Burning but it was given either for that or beheading at the King's Pleasure The Judges complained of this as contrary to Law but there was a secret Reason for it into which they did not penetrate The Earl of Northumberland was one of the Judges he had been once in love with the Queen and either some return of that or some other Accident made that he fell suddenly so ill that he could not stay out the Trial for after the Queen was judged he went out of the Gourt before her Brother was tried who was condemned upon the same Evidence Yet all this did not satisfy the enraged King he resolved to illegitimate his Daughter and in order to that to annul his Marriage with the Queen It was remembred that the Earl of Northumberland had said to Cardinal Wolsey that he had engaged himself so far with her that he could not go back which was perhaps done by some Promise conceived in Words of the Future Tense but no Promise unless in the Words of the Present Tense could annul the Subsequent Marriage Perhaps the Queen did not understand that Difference or probably the fear of so terrible a Death as Burning wrought so much on her that she confessed a Contract but the Earl denied it positively and took the Sacrament upon it wishing that it might turn to his Damnation if there was ever either Contract or Promise of Marriage between them She was secretly carried to Lambeth and confessed a Precontract upon which her Marriage with the King was judged null from the beginning yet this was so little known at that time that Spelman writes of it as a thing only talked of but it was published in the next Parliament These two Sentences contradicted one another for if she was never the King's Wife she could not be guilty of Adultery for there could be no breach of the Faith of Wedlock if they were never truly married But the King was resolved both to be rid of her and to declare his Daughter by her a Bastard When she had Intimations given her to prepare for Death Her Execution among other things she reflected on her Carriage to Lady Mary to whom she had been too severe a Stepmother So she made one of her Women sit down and she fell on her Knees before her and charged her to go to Lady Mary and in that Posture and in her Name to ask her Forgiveness for all she had done against her This Tenderness of Conscience seemed to give much Credit to the continual Protestations of her Innocence which she made to the last The day before her Death she sent her last Message to the King asserting her Innocence recommending her Daughter to his Care and thanking him for his advancing her first to be a Marchioness then to be a Queen and now when he could raise her no higher on Earth for sending her to be a Saint in Heaven The day she died the Lieutenant of the Tower writ to Cromwell that it was not fit to publish the time of her Execution for the fewer that were present it would be the better since he believed she would declare her Innocence at the hour of her Death for that morning she had made great Protestations of it when she received the Sacrament and seemed to long for Death and had great Joy and Pleasure in it she was glad to hear the Executioner was good for she said she had a very short Neck at which she laughed heartily A little before Noon she was brought to the place of Execution there were present some of the Chief Officers and Great Men of the Court she was it seems prevailed on out of regard to her Daughter to make no Reflections on the hard measure she met with nor to say any thing touching the Grounds on which Sentence past against her only she desired that all would judg the best she commended the King highly and so took her leave of the World She was for some time in her private Devotions and concluded To Christ I commend my Soul upon which the Executioner who was brought from Calis on that occasion cut off her Head and so little regard was had to her Body that it was put in a Chest of Elm-tree made to send Arrows into Ireland and was buried in the Chappel in the Tower Norris was much dealt with to accuse her and his Life was promised him if he would do it but he said he knew she was Innocent and would die a thousand times rather than defame her so he and the other three were beheaded and all of them continued to the last to vindicate her Smeton was hanged and it was said that he retracted all before he died but of that there is no certainty When this was done it was very variously censured The Popish Party observed that she who had supplanted Queen Katherine Censures past upon it did now meet with harder measure her faint way of speaking concerning her Innocence at last was judged too high a Complement to the King in a dying Woman and shewed more regard to her Daughter than to her own Honour yet she writ a Letter to the King in so high a strain both of Wit and Natural Eloquence in her own Justification that it may be reckoned one of the best composed pieces of that time In her Carriage it seems there were some Freedoms that became not her Quality and had encouraged those infortunate Persons to make some Addresses to her which is never done when there is such difference of Conditions without some Encouragement is first given It was said on the other hand that the King of all Men had the least reason to suspect her since after six Years Courtship he gained nothing from her before he married her but the Particulars she confessed gave much matter for Jealousy especially in so violent a Man to work upon and so it was no wonder if it transported him out of measure Others condemned Cranmer as too obsequious for passing the Sentence annulling the Marriage yet when she came and confessed a Precontract in Court he could not avoid the giving Sentence upon it All that hated the Reformation infulted and said it now appeared how bad that Cause was which was supported by such a Patron But it was answered that her Faults could not reflect on those who being ignorant of them had desired her Protection Gregory the Great had courted and magnified Phocas and Brunichild after he knew their Villanies and Irene after her barbarous Cruelties was rot a little extolled for her Zeal in the matter of Images It has seemed strange to some that during her Daughter's long and glorious Reign none writ in Vindication of her Mother which
officious Courtiers are apt to do often without any good Grounds so that Silence was made an Argument of her Guilt and that she could not be defended But perhaps that was an effect of the Wisdom of the Ministers of that time who would not suffer so nice a Point upon which the Queen's Legitimation depended to be brought into dispute The day after Anne Boleyn's Death the King married Jane Scimour who gained more upon him than all his Wives ever did But she was happy that she did not out-live his Love to her Lady Mary was advised upon this turn of Affairs Lady Mary 's Submission oo the King to make her Submission to the King she offered to confess the Fault of her former Obstinacy and in General to give up her Understanding entirely to the King but that would not satisfy unless she would be more particular so at last she was prevailed with to do it in the fullest Terms that could be desired She acknowledged the King to be the Supream Head on Earth under Christ of the Church of England and did renounce the Bishop of Rome's Authority and promised in all things to be obedient to the Laws that were made which she said flowed from her inward Belief and Judgment and in which she would for ever continue and she did also acknowledg that the King's Marriage with her Mother was by God's Law and Man's Law unlawful and incestuous all this she writ with her own Hand and subscribed it upon which she was again received into Favour and an Establishment was made for a Family about her in which 40 l. a quarter was all the Allowance for her Privy Purse so great was the Frugality of that time Lady Elizabeth continued to be educated with great Care and was so forward that before she was four Years old she both wrote a good Hand and understood Italian for there are Letters extant written by her in that Language to Queen Jane when she was with child in which she subscribed Daughter On the 8th of June the Parliament met A Farliament meets which shews that it was summoned before the Justs at Greenwich The Chancellour told them that the King had called them to settle the Succession of the Crown in case he should dye without Children lawfully begotten and to repeal the Act made concerning his Marriage with Queen Anne It seems the Parliament was not at first easily brought to comply with these things and that it was necessary to take some pains to prepare them to it For the Bill of Succession was not put in till the 30th of June but then it was quickly dispatched without any Opposition by it the Attainder of Queen Anne and her Complices is confirmed both the Sentences of Divorces pass'd upon the King 's two former Marriages were also confirmed and the Issue by both was illegitimated and for ever excluded from claiming the Crown by Lineal Descent And the Succession was established on the King's Issue by his present Queen or any whom he might afterwards marry But it not being fit to declare who should succeed in default of that lest the Person so named might be thereby enabled to raise Commotions in Confidence of the King's Wisdom and Affection to his People they left it to him nominate his Successors either by Letters Patents or by his last Will signed by his Hand and promised to obey the Persons so nominated by him It was declared Treason to maintain the Lawfulness of his former Marriages or of his Issue by them and it was made not only Treason but a forfeiture of the Right of Succession if any of those whom the King should name in default of others should endeavour to get before them The Scots complained of this Act and said their Queen Dowager being King Henry's Eldest Sister could not be put by her Right after the King 's lawful Issue But by this the King was now made Master indeed and had the Crown put entirely in his Hands to be disposed of at his Pleasure and his Daughters were now to depend wholly on him He had it also in his Power in a great measure to pacify the Emperour by providing that his Kinswoman might succeed to the Crown Pope Clement the 7th Pope Paul the 3d proposes a Recoaciliation with the King was now dead and Farnese succeeded by the Name of Paul the 3d who after an unsuccesful Attempt which he made for reconciling himself with the King when that was rejected and Fisher was beheaded thundered out a most terrible Sentence of Deposition against him Yet now since both Queen Katherine and Queen Anne upon whose account the Breach was made were out of the way he thought it a fit time to try what might be done and ordered Cassali to let the King know that he had always favoured his Cause when he was a Cardinal that he was driven very much against his Mind to pass Sentence against him and that now it would be easy for him to recover the Favour of the Apostolick See But the King instead of hearkening to the Proposition Acts against the Pope's Power got two Acts to be pass'd The one was for the utter extinguishing the Pope's Authority and it was made a Premunire for any to acknowledg it or to perswade others to it And a strict Charge was given to all Magistrates under severe Penalties to enquire after all Offenders By another all Bulls and all Priviledges flowing from them were declared null and void only Marriages or Consecrations made by virtue of them were excepted All who enjoyed Priviledges by these Bulls were required to bring them into the Chancery upon which the Arch-bishop was to make them a new Grant of them and that being confirmed under the Great Seal was to be of full force in Law Another Act pass'd explaining an Exception that was in the Act for the Residence of all Incumbents by which those who were at the Universities were dispensed with upon which many went and lived idlely there It was therefore now declared that none above the Age of fourty except Heads and publick Readers should have the Benefit of that Proviso and that none under that Age should be comprehended in it except they performed their Exercises Another Act pass'd in Favour of the King's Heirs if they should Reign before they were of full Age that they might any time before they were 24 repeal by Letters Patents all Acts made during their Minority All these things being concluded the Parliament after it had sate six Weeks was dissolved The Convocation examines some points of Religion The Convocation sate at the same time and was much imployed for the House of Lords was oft adjourned because the Spiritual Lords were busy in the Convocation Latimer preached the Latine Sermon he was the most celebrated Preacher of that time the Simplicity of his matter and his Zeal in expressing it being preferred to more elaborate Composures They first confirmed the Sentence of the Divorce of
allow of so many Errours To this it was answered That our Saviour did not deliver all things to his Disciples till they were able to bear them And the Apostles did not abolish all the Rites of Judaism at once but by a gentle Progress intended to wean those that were converted to the Christian Religion from them The Clergy were to be drawn by slow and easy Steps out of their Ignorance and Superstition whereas the driving on things with precipitated hast might spoil the whole Design and alienate those who by slower Methods might be gained and it might also much endanger the Peace of the Nation At the same time other things were in Consultation tho not finished Other Alterations proposed Cranmer offered some Queries to shew the Cheats that had been put on the World as that Priestly Absolution without Contrition was of more efficacy than Contrition was without it and that the People trusted wholly to outward Ceremonies in which the Priests encouraged them because of the gain they made by them That the exemption of Clergy-men was without good ground that Bishops did ordain without due care and previous trial and that the dignified Clergy misapplied their Revenues and did not reside on their Benefices he also desired that the other four Sacraments might be enquired into but these things were not at this time taken under any further consideration It is true Confirmation seems to have been examined The Method in which they made their Enquiries was this the Point to be examined was brought under so many Heads in the form of Queries and to these every one gave his Answer with his Reasons so I find two Papers the one of Cranmer's the other of Stokesly's on this Head the former runs wholly upon Scripture-Authority and he thinks it was not instituted by Christ but was done by the Apostles by that extraordinary Effusion of the Holy Ghost that rested on them The other founds his Opinion for its being a Sacrament on the Tradition of the Church but nothing was determined in this point Cranmer did at this time offer another Paper to the King exhorting him to proceed to a further Reformation and that nothing should be determined without clear Proofs from Scripture for the departing from that Rule had been the Occasion of all the Errours that had been in the Church Many things were now acknowledged to be Errours for which some not long before had suffered Death He therefore proposed several points to be discussed as whether there was a Purgatory Whether departed Saints ought to be invocated or Tradition be believed Whether Images ought to be considered only as Representations of History And whether it was lawful for the Clergy to marry He prayed the King not to give Judgment in these points till he heard them well examined And for the last he offered that if those who would defend the lawfulness of it should not in the Opinion of indifferent Judges prove their Opinion to be true they should be willing to suffer Death but if they proved it all that they desired was that the King would leave them to the Liberty which God had allowed them in that matter But all this was carried no further at this time The Pope had issued out a Summons for a General Council at Mantua and had cited the King to it From this the King did appeal to a General Council rightly constituted So a motion being made by Fox that the Convocation should deliver their Sense in this Particular They drew up a Paper in which they set forth the great Good that might follow in a General Council rightly called but that nothing could be more mischievous than one called on private malice according to what Nazianzen observed of the Councils in his time And they thought neither the Pope nor any one Prince had sufficient Authority to call one but that all Princes who had an entire and supream Government over all their Subjects ought to concur to it This was signed by them all on the 20th of July and so was the Convocation dismiss'd Two days before it brake up Cromwel was made the King's Vicegerent in Ecclesiastical Matters of which some Account was formerly given Soon after this The King protests against a Council called by the Pope the King published a long and sharp Protestation against the Council summoned by the Pope he denied that he had any Authority to summon any of his Subjects He shewed that the place was neither proper nor safe and that no good could be expected from any Council in which the Pope presided since the regulating his Power was one of the chief occasions that the World had for a Council And while Christendom was in such Distractions and the Emperour and the King of France were engaged in War it was not a fit time for one to be called The Pope had refused it long and this Conjuncture was chosen in which the Bishops could not come to it that so a packt meeting of Italian Bishops might do what they pleased under the name of a General Council But the World would be no longer cozened No credit was due to a Pope's safe Conduct for they had often broken their Oaths as to himself in particular And notwithstanding his former kindness to that See they had been for three Years stirring up all the Princes in Christendom against him He protested against all Councils called by the Pope but declared He would be ready to concur with other Christian Princes for calling one when it should be convenient And in the mean while he would maintain all the Articles of the Faith and lose his Life and Crown sooner than suffer any of them to be put down Three Years after this the King made a new Protestation to the same effect when the Council was summoned to meet at Vincenza Reginald Pool began at this same time to raise that Opposition to the King Cardinal Pool writes against the King which proved so fatal to all his Family He was by his Mother descended from the Duke of Clarence Brother to Edward the Fourth and was by his Father likewise the King 's near Kinsman To this high Quality there was joined a great Sweetness of Temper and a Disposition for Letters which the King cherished much and gave him the Deanry of Exeter and some other Preferments in order to the carrying on of his Studies being resolved to advance him to the highest Dignities in the Church He lived many Years both at Paris and Padua In the latter of these he joined himself to a Society of Learned Men that gave themselves much to the Study of Eloquence and of the Roman Authors among whom were Contareno Bembo Caraffa and Sadoletti all afterwards honoured with the Scarlet but Pool was esteemed the most Eloquent of of them all When he was at Paris he first incurred the King's Displeasure for he refused to joyn with those whom he imploied in order to the procuring the Determinations of the
French Universities for the Divorce Yet after that he came to England and was present when the Convocation declared the King to be their Supream Head And it is probable that he joined in it for he kept his Deanry some Years after this which it is not likely would have been granted him if he had not done that The King suffered him after that to go beyond Sea but could never draw him over again Some time afterwards he wrote plainly to the King that he condemned both his Divorce and his Separation from the Apostolick See The King upon that sent him a Book writ by Sampson Bishop of Chichester in defence of these things and that set him on writing his Book de Vnione Ecclesiastica which was printed this Year It was full of sharp Reflections on the King whom he compared to Nebuchadnezzar It tended much to depress the Regal and to exalt the Papal Authority And in Conclusion he addressed himself to the Emperour praying him rather to turn his Arms against the King than the Turk It was very Eloquently wrote but there was little Learning or Reasoning in it and it was full of Indecencies in the Language that he bestowed not only on Sampson but on the King The King required him to come over but that was not to be expected after he had made such a step So he devested him of all his Dignities but that recommended him to a Cardinal's Hat Stokesly and Tonstal wrote him a long and learned Letter in the King's Vindication Gary diner wrote also his Book de vera Obedientia to which Bonner prefixed a vehement Preface against the Pope's Power and for justifying the King's Supremacy The King's anger at Pool could not reach him but it fell Heavy on his Kindred Visitors were appointed to survey all the lesser Monasteries The lesser Monasteries cited in They were required to carry along with them the Concurrence of the Gentry near them and to examine the estate of their Revenues and Goods and take Inventories of them and to take their Seals into their keeping They were to try how many of the Religious would take Capacities and return to a Secular Course of Life and these were to be sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Lord Chancellour for them and an Allowance was to be given them for their Journey But those who intended to continue in that state were to be sent to some of the great Monasteries that lay next A Pension was also to be assigned to the Abbot or Prior during Life And of all this they were to make their report by Michaelmass And they were particularly to examine what Leases had been made all the last Year The Abbots hearing of what was coming on them had been raising all the Mony they could and so it was intended to recover what was made away by ill Bargains There were great Complaints made of the Proceedings of the Visitors of their Violencies and Briberies and perhaps not without reason Ten Thousand of the Religious were set to seek for their Livings with Forty Shillings and a Gown a Man Their Goods and Plate were estimated at an 100000 l. And the valued Rents of their Houses was 32000 l. but was really above ten times so much The Churches and Cloisters were in most places pulled down and the Materials sold This gave a general Discontent Which gave a general Discontent and the Monks were now as much pitied as they were formerly hated It was thought strange to see the King devour what his Ancestors had dedicated to the Honour of God and his Saints The Nobility and Gentry who provided for their younger Children or Friends by putting them in those Sanctuaries were sensible of their Loss The People who had been fed at the Abbot's Tables and as they travelled over the Country found the Abbies to be places of Reception to Strangers saw what they were to lose But the more Superstitious who thought their Friends must now ly still in Purgatory without that Relief which the Masses procured them were out of measure offended at these Proceedings The Books that were published of the Disorders in these Houses had no great effect on the People For it was said There was no reason to destroy whole Houses for the sake of some vicious Persons who ought to have been driven out of them and punished But to remove this general discontent Cromwel advised the King to sell these Lands at very easy Rates to the Nobility and Gentry and to oblige them to keep up the wonted Hospitality This would both be grateful to them and would engage them to assist the Crown in the Maintenance of the changes that had been made since their own Interests would be Interwoven with the Rights of Crown and the commoner sort whose grudges lay chiefly in their Stomachs for the want of the good Dinners they used to find would be easily pacified if these were still kept up And upon a Clause in the Act empowering the King to found anew such Houses as he should think fit there were 15 Monasteries and 16 Nunneries new founded It seems these had been more regular than the rest so that for a while they were reprived till the General Suppression came that they fell with the rest They were bound to obey such Rules as the King should send them and to pay him Tenths and first Fruits But all this did not so pacify the People but there was still a great out-cry The Clergy studied much to inflame the Nation and built much on this That an Heretical Prince deposed by the Pope was no more to be acknowledged which had been for 500 Years received as an Article of Faith and was decreed in the same Council that Established Transubstantiation and had been received and caried down from Gregory the Seventh's time who pretended that it was a part of the Papal Power to depose Kings and give away their Dominions and had it been oft put in Practice in almost all the Parts of Europe and some that had been raisers of great Sedititions had been Canonized for it The Pope had summoned the King to appear at Rome and answer for putting away his Queen and taking another Wife for the Laws he had made against the Church and for putting the Bishop of Rochester and others to death for their not obeying them if he did not appear nor reform these things he excommunicated and deprived him absolved his Subjects from their Obedience dissolved his Leagues with Forreign Princes and put the Kingdom under an Interdict But tho the force of these Thunders was in this Age much abated yet they had not quite lost their Strength and the Clergy resolved to make the most of them that could be Some Injunctions which were given by Cromwell Injunctions given by the King increased this ill Disposition They were to this Effect All Church-men were required every Sunday for a quarter of a Year and twice every Quarter after that to preach against
the Pope's Power and assert the King's Supremacy and to explain the Articles lately set forth by the Convocation and to publish the Abrogation of some Holy-days in Harvest time They were no more to extol Images Relicks or Pilgrimages but to exhort the People to do Works of Charity instead of them And they were required to teach the People the Lord's Prayer the Creed and the Ten Commandments in English and to explain these carefully and instruct the Children well in them They were to perform the Divine Offices reverently and to have good Curats to supply their rooms when they were absent They were charged not to go to Ale-houses or sit too long at Games but to study the Scriptures much and be exemplary in their Lives Those that did not reside were to give the fortieth part of their Income to the Poor and for every 100 l. a year that any had they were to maintain a Scholar at some Gramar-School or the University and if the Parsonage-house was in decay they were ordered to apply a fifth part of their Benefice for repairing it Such as did not obey these Injunctions were to be suspended and their mean Profits were to be sequestred The Clergy detested this Precedent of the King 's giving Injunctions without the Concurrence of a Convocation and by which they said they would be made Slaves to his Vicegerent they also complained of those heavy Taxes that were laid on them and that Images Relicks and Pilgrimages would be now brought under great Contempt Both the Secular and Regular Clergy were so sensibly concerned in these things that they inflamed the People all they could The great Abbots were not wanting for their share to set that on they were now opprest with the Crouds of those who were sent to them from the supprest Houses and they expected to fall next nor were their Fears removed by a Letter that was sent about in the King's Name for silencing all Reports that were given out of his Intentions to suppress them this rather encreased than lessened their Jealousie The People continued quiet till they had reaped their Harvest A Rebellion in Lincolnshire but in the beginning of October 20000 rose in Lincolnshire led by a Priest disguised into a Cobler They took an Oath to be true to God the King and the Common-wealth and sent a Paper of their Grievances to the King They complained of some Acts of Parliament of the suppressing of many Religious Houses of mean and ill Counsellours and bad Bishops and prayed the King to address their Grievances by the Advice of the Nobility but yet they acknowledged him to be their Supream Head and that the Tenths and first Fruits of Livings belonged to him of right The King sent the Duke of Suffolk to raise Forces against them and gave an Answer to their Petition He said it belonged not to the Rabble to direct Princes what Counsellours they should choose The Religious Houses were supprest by Law and the Heads of them had under their Hands confessed such horrid Scandals that they were a Reproach to the Nation and since in many of them there were not above four and that they wasted their Rents in riotous living it was much better to apply them to the common good of the Nation than leave them in such hands he required them to submit to his Mercy and to put two hundred of their Leaders into the hands of his Lieutenants The Clergy having brought so many together did all they could to put Heat and Spirit in them they perswaded them that if they did not maintain their Faith and their Liberties both would be lost Some of the Gentry were forced to joyn with them for their own Preservation and they sent Advices to the Duke of Suffolk to procure from the King the offer of a General Pardon which would effectually dissipate them At the same time there was a more formidable rising in York-shire Another in Yorkshire which being in the Neighbourhood of Scotland was like to draw Assistance from that Kingdom tho their King was then gone into France to marry Francis's Daughter this inclined the King to make more haste to settle matters in Lincolnshire he sent them secret Assurances of Mercy which wrought on the greatest part so they dispersed themselves and the most obstinate went to over them in Yorkshire The Cobler and some others were taken and executed The distance that those in the North were at from the Court gave them time to rise and form themselves into some Method One Ask commanded in chief and performed his part with great Dexterity their March was called The Pilgrimage of Grace they had in their Banners and on their Sleeves the five Wounds of Christ they took an Oath that they would restore the Church suppress Hereticks preserve the King and his Issue and drive base-born Men and ill Counsellours from him They became 40000 strong in a few days and met with no Opposition they forced the Arch-bishop of York and the Lord Darcy to swear their Covenant and to go along with them They besieged Skipton but the Earl of Cumberland made it good against them Sir Ralph Evers held out Scarborough Castle tho for twenty days he and his Men had no Provisions but Bread and Water There was also a rising in all the other Northern Counties against whom the Earl of Shrewsbury made Head and the King sent several of the Nobility to his Assistance and within a few days the Duke of Norfolk marched with some Troops and joyned him They possessed themselves of Doncaster and resolved to keep that pass till the rest of the Forces that the King had ordered to be summoned should come up to them for they were not in a Condition to engage with such numbers of desperate Men and it was very likely that if they met with any ill Accident the People might have risen about them every where so the Duke of Norfolk resolved to keep close at Doncaster and let the Provisions and Rage of the Rebels spend and then with the help of a little time they might probably fall into Factions and melt away They had now fallen to 30000 but the King's Army was not above 5000. The Duke of Norfolk proposed a Treaty and made some go among them as Desertors and spread Reports that their Leaders were making Terms for themselves They were perswaded to send their Petitions to the Court and the King to make them more secure discharged a Rendezvouz that he had appointed at Northampton and sent them a general Pardon excepting six by name and reserving four to be afterwards named but this put them all in such Apprehensions that it made them more resolved and desperate Yet the King to give his People some Content put out Injunctions requiring the Clergy to continue the use of all the Ceremonies of the Church 300 were imployed to carry the Rebels Demands to the King Which were a General Pardon a Parliament to be held at
5 Days after the time prefixed should expire leaving only so many as might serve for Baptizing Children or giving the Sacrament to such as died in Penitence He charged all his Subjects to rise in Arms against him and that none should assist him He absolved all other Princes from their Confederacies with him and obtested them to have no more Commerce with him He required all Christians to make War on him and to seize on the Persons and Goods of all his Subjects and make Slaves of them He charged all Bishops to publish the Sentence with due Solemnities and ordained it to be affixed at Rome Tournay and Dunkirk This was first given out the 30 of August 1535 but it had been all this while suspended till the Suppression of the Monasteries and the burning of Becket's Bones did so inflame the Pope that he resolved to forbear going to Extremities no longer So on the 17 of December this Year the Pope published the Bull which he said he had so long suspended at the Intercession of some Princes who hoped that King Henry might have been reclaimed by gentler Methods and therefore since it appeared that he grew still worse and worse he was forced to proceed to his Fulminations By this Sentence it is certain That either the Popes Infallibility must be confessed to be a Cheat put upon the World or if any believe it they must acknowledge that the Power of deposing Princes is really lodged in that Chair For this was not a sudden fit of Passion but was done ex Cathedra with all the Deliberation they ever admit of The Sentence was in some particulars without a Precedent but as to the main Points of deposing the King and absolving his Subjects from their Obedience there was abundance of Instances to be brought in these last 500 Years to shew that this had been all along asserted the Right of the Papacy The Pope writ also to the Kings of France and Scotland with design to inflame them against King Henry And if this had been an Age of Croissades no doubt there had been one undertaken against him for it was held to be as meritorious if not more to make War on him than on the Turk But now the Thunders of the Vatican had lost their force The King got all the Bishops The Bishops of England assert the King's Power and the Nature of Ecclesiastical Offices and Eminent Divines of England to sign a Declaration against all Church-men who pretended to the Power of the Sword or to Authority over Kings and that all that assumed such Powers were Subverters of the Kingdom of Christ Many of the Bishops did also sign another Paper declaring the Limits of the Regal and Ecclesiastical Power that both had their Authority from God for several Ends and different Natures and that Princes were subject to the Word of God as well as Bishops ought to be obedient to their Laws There was also another Declaration made signed by Cromwel the 2 Archbishops 11 Bishops and 20 Divines asserting the Distinction betwen the Power of the Keys and the Power of the Sword The former was not absolute but limited by the Scripture Orders were declared to be a Sacrament instituted by Christ which were conferred by Prayer and Imposition of Hands And that in the New Testament no mention was made of any other Ranks but of Deacons or Ministers and of Priests or Bishops After this the use of all the Inferiour Degrees of Lectures Acolyths c. was laid down These were set up about the beginning of the 3d Century for in the middle of that Age mention is made of them both by Cornelius and Cyprian and they were intended to be degrees of Probation through which Men were to ascend to the higher Functions But the Canonists had found out so many Distinctions of Benefices and that a simple Tonsure qualified a Man for several of them that these Institutions became either a matter of Form only or were made a Colour for Laymen to possess Ecclesiastical Benefices In this and several other Books of that time Bishops and Priests are spoken of as being both one Office In the Ancient Church there were different Ordinations and different Functions belonging to these Offices tho the Superiour was believed to include the Inferiour But in the latter Ages both the School-men Canonists seemed on different grounds to have designed to make them appear to be the same Office and that the one was only a higher degree in the same Order The School-men to magnify Transubstantiation extolled the Office by which that was performed so high and the Canonists to exalt the Pope's Universal Authority deprest the Office of Bishops so low to make them seem only the Pope's Delegates and that their Jurisdiction was not from Christ that by these means these two Offices were thought so near one another that they differed only in degree And this was so well observed at Trent that the Establishing the Episcopal Jurisdiction as founded on a Divine Right was apprehended as one of the fatallest Blows that could have been given to the Papacy This being at this time so commonly received it is no wonder if before that matter came to be more exactly inquired into some of the Reformers writ more carelessly in the Explanations they made of these Offices which is so far from being an Argument that they were upon due enquiry of another mind that it is to be look'd on as a part of the Dregs of Popery flowing from the belief of Transubstantiation and the Pope's Supremacy of which all the Consequences were not so early observed This Year the English Bible was finished The Bible in English and new Injunctions The Translation was sent over to Paris to be printed there for the Workmen in England were not thought able to go about it Bonner was then Embassadour in France and he obtained a Licence of Francis for printing it but upon a Complaint made by the French Clergy the Press was stopt and many of the Copies were seized on and burnt So it was brought over to England and was undertaken and now finished by Grafton Cromwel procured a General Warrant from the King allowing all his Subjects to read it for which Cranmer wrote his thanks to Cromwel and rejoyced to see the day of Reformation now risen in England since the Word of God did shine over it all without a Cloud Not long after this Cromwel gave out Injunctions requiring the Clergy to set up Bibles in their Churches and to encourage all to read them He also exhorted the People not to dispute about the sense of difficult places but to leave that to Men of better Judgments Incumbents were required to instruct the People and teach them the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments in English And that once every Quarter there should be a Sermon to declare the true Gospel of Christ and to exhort the People to Works of Charity and not to trust to
new Opinions Fox Bishop of Hereford Treaties with the German Princes died at this time He had been much imploied in Germany and had setled a League between the King and the German Princes The King was acknowledged the Patron of their League and he sent them over 100000 Crowns a Year for the support of it There was a Religious League also proposed but upon the turn that followed in the Court upon Queen Ann's Death that fell to the ground and all that was in put their League relating to Religion was That they should joyn against the Pope as the common Enemy and set up the true Religion according to the Gospel But the Treaty about other Points was afterwards set on foot The King desired Melanchthon to come over and several Letters passed between them but he could not be spared out of Germany tho he was then invited both to France and England The Germans sent over some to treat with the King the Points they insisted most on were the granting the Chalice to the People and the putting down private Masses in which the Institution seemed express the having the Worship in a known Tongue which both common sense and the Authority of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians seemed to justify much The third was The Marriage of the Clergy for they being extream sensible of the Honour of their Families reckoned that could not be secured unless the Priests might marry Concerning these things their Ambassadours gave a long and learned Memorial to the King to which an Answer was made penned by Tonstall in which the things they complained of were justified by the ordinary Arguments Upon Fox's Death Bonner was promoted to Hereford and Stokesly dying not long after he was translated to London Cromwell thought that he had raised a Man that would be a faithful Second to Cranmer in his Designs of Reformation who indeed needed help not only to ballance the Opposition made him by other Bishops but to lessen the Prejudices he suffered by the Weakness and Indiscretion of his own Party who were generally rather Clogs than Helps to him Great Complaints were brought to the Court of the rashness of the new Preachers who were flying at many things not yet abolished Upon this Letters were writ to the Bishops to take care that as the People should be rightly instructed so they should not be offended with too many Novelties Thus was Cranmer's Interest so low that he had none to depend on but Cromwell There was not a Queen now in the King's Bosom to support them and therefore Cromwell set himself to contrive how the King should be engaged in such an Alliance with the Princes of Germany as might prevail with him both in Affection and Interest to carry on what he had thus begun And the Beauty of Anne of Cleve was so represented to him that he set himself to bring about that Match A Parliament was summoned to the 28th of April The Act of the six Articles in which twenty of the Abbots sate in Person On the 5th of May a Motion was made that some might be appointed to draw a Bill against Diversity of Opinions in matters of Religion these were Cromwell Cranmer the Bishops of Duresme Ely Bath and Wells Bangor Carlile and Worcester they were divided in their Minds and tho the Popish Party were sive to four yet the Authority that Cromwell and Cranmer were in turned the Ballance a little but after they had met eleven days they ended in nothing Upon that the Duke of Norfolk proposed the six Articles The first was for the Corporal Presence 2. For Communion in one kind 3. For observing the Vows of Chastity 4. For private Masses 5. For the Celibate of the Clergy And the sixth was for Auricular Confession Against most of these Cranmer argued several days It is not like he opposed the first both because of that which he had declared in Lambert's Case so lately and in his own Opinion he was then for it but he had the Words of the Institution and the constant Practice of the Church for twelve Ages to object to the second and for the third since the Monks were set at Liberty to live in the World it seemed hard to restrain them from Marriage and nothing did so effectually cut off their Pretensions to their former Houses as their being married would do For the fourth if private Masses were useful then the King had done very ill to suppress so many Houses that were chiefly founded for that end the Sacrament was also by its first Institution and the Practice of the Primitive Church to be a Communion and all those private Masses were invented to cheat the World For the fifth it touched Cranmer in the quick for it was believed that he was married but the Arguments used for that will be found in the next Book For Auricular Confession Lee Gardiner and Tonstal press'd much to have it declared necessary by the Law of God Cranmer argued against this and said it was only a good and profitable thing The King came often to the House in Person and disputed in these Points for the greatest part he was against Cranmer but in this particular he joyned with him Tonstall drew up all the Quotations brought from Antient Authors for it in a Paper which he delivered to the King the King answered in a long Letter written with his own Hand in which he shewed that the Fathers did only advise Confession but did not impose it as necessary and so it was concluded in general only that it was necessary and expedient On the 24th of May the Parliament was prorogued a few days but by a Vote it was provided that the Bills should continue in the state they were then in At their next meeting two Committees were appointed to draw the Bill of Religion Cranmer was the chief of the one and Lee of the other both their Draughts were carried to the King and were in many places corrected with his own Hand in some Parts he writ whole Periods a new That which Lee drew was more agreeable to the King's Opinion so it was brought into the House Cranmer argued three days against it and when it came to the Vote the King who was much set on having it past desired him to go out but he excused himself for he thought he was bound in Conscience to vote against it But the rest that opposed it were more compliant and it also passed without any considerable Opposition in the House of Commons and was assented to by the King The Substance of it was That the King being sensible of the good of Union and of the mischief of Discord in points of Religion had come to the Parliament in Person and opened many things of high Learning there and that with the assent of both Houses he set forth these Articles 1. That in the Sacrament there was no Substance of Bread and Wine but only the Natural Body and Blood of Christ
2. That Christ was entirely in each kind and so Communion in both was not necessary 3. That Priests by the Law of God ought not to marry 4. That Vows of Chastity taken after the Age of 21 ought to be kept 5. That Private Masses were lawful and useful 6. That Auricular Confession was necessary and ought to be retained Such as did speak or write agaist the first of these were to be burned without the benefit of Abjuration and it was made Felony to dispute against the other five and such as did speak against them were to be in a Premunire for the first Offence the second was made Felony Married Priests that did not put away their Wives were to be condemned of Fellony in those that lived incontinently the first Offence was a Premunire and the second Felony Women that offended were to be punished as the Priests were Those that contemned Confession and the Sacrament and abstained from it at the accustomed times were for the first Offence in a Premunire the second was Felony Proceedings were to be made in the Forms of Common Law by Presentments and a Jury and all Church-men were charged to read the Act in their Churches once a Quarter This Act was received with great Joy by all the Popish Party Censures past upon it they reckoned that now Heresy would be extirpated and that the King was as much engaged against it as he was when he writ against Luther this made the Suppression of the Monasteries pass much the easier The poor Reformers were now exposed to the Rage of their Enemies and had no Comfort from any part of it but one that they were not delivered up to the Cruelty of the Ecclesiastical Courts or the Trials ex Officio but were to be tried by Juries yet the denying the benefit of Abjuration was a Severity without a Precedent and was a forcing Martyrdom on them since they were not to be the better for their Apostacy It was some Satisfaction to the married Clergy that the incontinent Priests were to be so severely punished which Cromwell put in and the Clergy knew not how they could decently oppose it Upon the passing the Act the German Ambassadours being set on to it by those that favoured their Doctrine in England desired an Audience of the King and told him of the Grief with which their Masters would receive the News of this Act and therefore earnestly press'd him to stop the Execution of it The King answered that he found it necessary to have the Act made for repressing the Insolence of some People but assured them it should not be put in Execution except upon great Provocation When the Princes heard of the Act they writ to the King to the same purpose they warned him of many Bishops that were about him who in their Hearts loved Popery and all the old Abuses and took this method to force the King to return back to the former Yoke hoping that if they once made him cruel to all those they called Hereticks it would be easy to bring him back to submit to that Tyranny which he had shaken off and therefore they proposed a Conference between some Divines of both sides in order to an Agreement of Doctrine The King was only concerned upon State Maxims to keep up their League in Opposition to the Emperour but they still press'd a Religious as well as a Civil League After the Act of the six Articles An Act for suppressing the Monasteries the Act for suppressing the Monasteries was brought in and tho there were so many Abbots sitting in the House none of them protested against it By it no Monastery was suppressed but only the Resignations made or to be made were confirmed and the King 's Right founded either on their Surrenders Forfeitures or Attainders of Treason was declared good in Law Houses surrendred were to be managed by the Court of Augmentations but those seized on by Attainders were to come to the Exchequer All Persons except the Founders and Donors were to have the same Rights to the Lands belonging to these Houses that they had before this Act was made All Deeds and Leases made for a Year before this to the prejudice of these Houses were annulled and all the Churches belonging to them and formerly exempted were put under the Jurisdiction of the Bishop or of such as should be appointed by the King This last Proviso has produced a great Mischief in this Church for many that purchased Abby-Lands had this Clause put in their Grants that they should be the Visitors of the Churches and by this they continue still exempted from the Episcopal Jurisdiction and this has emboldened many to break out into great Scandals which have been made use of by prejudiced Men to cast an Obloquy on the Church tho this Disorder proceeds only from the want of Authority in the Bishops to censure them A Question was raised upon this Suppression whether the Lands should have reverted to the Donors or been escheated to the Crown By a Judgment of the Roman Senate in Theodosius's time all the Endowments of the Heathenish Temples were given to the Fisc and tho the Heirs of the Donors pretended to them yet it was said that by the Gifts that their Ancestors made they were totally alienated from them and their Heirs When the Order of the Templers was suppressed their Lands went to the Lord by an Escheat This might seem reasonable in Endowments that were simple Gifts without any Conditions But the Grants to Religious Houses were of the nature of Covenants given in consideration of the Masses that were to be said for them and their Families and therefore it was inferred that when the Cheat of redeeming Souls out of Purgatory was discovered and these Houses were suppress'd then the Lands ought to revert to the Heirs of the Donors and upon that account it was thought necessary to exclude them by a special Proviso Another Bill was brought in An Act for new Bishopricks empowering the King to erect new Bishopricks by his Letters Patents it was read three times in one day in the House of Lords The Preamble set forth that the ill Lives of those that were called Religious made it necessary to change thir Houses to better Uses for teaching the Word of God instructing of Children educating of Clerks relieving of old infirm People the endowing of Readers for Greek Latine and Hebrew mending of High-ways and the bettering the Condition of the Parish Priests and for this end the King was empowered to erect new Sees and to assign what Limits and Divisions and appoint them what Statutes he pleased I have seen the first Draught of this Preamble all written with the King 's own Hand and indeed he used extraordinary Care in corecting both Acts of Parliament and Proclamations with his own Hand All Papers in matters of Religion that were set out by publick Authority in this Reign were revised by him and in many places large
Corrections are to be seen made with his own Hand which shew both his great Judgment in those Matters and his extraordinary Application to Business but as he was fond of his two accquired Titles of Defender of the Faith and Supream Head of the Church and loved to shew that he did not carry them in vain so there was nothing which he affected more then to discover his Learning and Understanding in matters of Religion He writ also a List of all the new Sees which he intended to found which were Waltham for Essex St. Albans for Hartford another for Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire out of the Monasteries of Dunstable Newenham and Clowstown another for Oxfordshire and Berkshire out of the Rents of Osney and Tame one for Northampton and Huntington out of Peterborough one for Midlesex out of Westminster one for Leicester and Rutland out of Leicester one for Glocestershire out of St. Peters in Glocester one for Lancashire out of Fountain and the Arch-Deaconry of Richmond one for Suffolk out of Edmundsbury one for Stafford and Salop out of Shrewsbury one for Nottingham and Darby out of Welbeck Wersop and Thurgarton and one for Cornwall out of the Rents of Lanceston Bodmyn and Wardreth Over these he writ Bishopricks to be made and in another part of the same Paper he writ Places to be altered which have Sees in them and names Christ-Church in Canterbury St. Swithins and several others a little under that he writ Places to be altered into Colledges and Schools but mentions only Burton upon Trent Neither Chester nor Bristol are named here tho Episcopal Sees were afterwards erected in them The King had formed a great Design of endowing many Sees and making many other noble Foundations yet the great Change that was made in the Councils and Ministry before this took Effect made that only a small part of that which he now intended was accomplished An Act for Proclamations Another Act was brought in concerning the Obedience due to the King's Proclamations which set forth That great Exceptions had been made to the Legality of the King's Proclamations by some who did not consider what a King might do by his Royal Power which the King took very ill and since many Occasions called for speedy Remedies and could not admit of Delays till a Parliament might be called therefore it was enacted that such Proclamations as the King set out by Advice of his Council with Pains upon Offenders should be obeyed as if they were Acts of Parliaments yet it was provided that no Laws nor Customs might be taken away by them and that the Subjects should not suffer in their Estates Liberties or Persons by them If any offended against them and fled out of the Kingdom that was made Treason It was also provided that if the King's Heirs should reign before they were of Age the Proclamations set out by the Privy Council should have the like force in Law By this the Injunctions that had been given or should be thereafter given were now legally authorized The Statute of Precedence past in this Parliament The King's Vicegerent was to take place of all after the Royal Family and next him among the Clergy came the two Arch-bishops then the Bishops of London and Duresme after them the Bishop of Winchester as Prelate of the Garter and all the other Bishops were to take place according to the Date of their Consecrations A Bill of Attainder past Some attainted without being heard not only confirming the Sentences that had been given against the Marquess of Exeter the Lord Mounticute and others that had been condemned at common Law but of some that were of new attainted without a Trial of these some were absent and others were in Prison but it was not thought fit to bring them to make their Answers The chief of these were the Marchionses of Exeter and the Countess of Sarum Mother to Cardinal Pool It was questioned whether this could be done in Law or not The Judges delivered their Opinion that it was against natural Justice to condemn any without hearing them and that when the Parliament proceeded as a Court they were obliged to follow the common Rules of Equity but if they did otherwise yet since they were the Supream Court of the Nation whatsoever they did could not be reversed The latter part of this was laid hold on and the former was neglected so that Act past This Council was ascribed to Cromwell and he being the first that was executed upon such a Sentence gave occasion to many to observe the Justice of God in making ill Councils turn upon those that gave them When the Parliament was prorogued The King 's Kindnesss to Cranmer the King ordered Cranmer to put in writing all the Arguments he had used against the six Articles and bring them to him He sent also both Cromwell and the Duke of Norfolk to dine with him and to assure him of the Constancy of his Kindness to him At Table they expressed great Esteem for him and acknowledged that he had opposed the six Articles with so much Learning and Gravity that those who differed most from him could not but value him highly for it and that he needed not to fear any thing from the King Cromwell said the King made that difference between him and the rest of his Council that he would not so much as hearken to any Complaints that were made of him and made a Parallel between him and Cardinal Wolsey the one lost his Friends by his Pride and the other gained on his Enemies by his Humility and Mildness the Duke of Norfolk said he could speak best of the Cardinal having been his Man so long this heated Cromwell who answered that he never liked his Manners and tho Wolsey had intended if he had been chosen Pope to have carried him with him to Italy yet he was resolved not to have gone tho he knew the Duke intended to have gone with him Upon this the Duke of Norfolk swore he lied and gave him foul Language This put all the Company in great Disorder They were in some sort reconciled but were never hearty Friends after this Cranmer put his Reasons against the six Articles together and gave them to his Secretary to be written out in a fair Hand for the King's use but he crossing the Thames with the Book in his Bosom met with such an Adventure on the Water as might have at another time sent the Author to the Fire There was a Bear baited near the River which breaking loose run into it and happened to overturn the Boat in which Cranmer's Secretary was and he being in danger of his Life took no care of the Book which falling from him floated on the River and was taken up by the Bear-Ward and put in the hand of a Priest that stood by to see what it might contain he presently found it was a Confutation of the six Articles and so told the Bear-ward that the
of which they were lately driven and were now setled in Malta They were under a great Master who depended on the Pope and the Emperour But some they could not be brought to surrender of their own accord as others had done it was necessary to suppress them by Act of Parliament Another House which they had in Ireland was also suppressed and Pensions were reserved for the Priors and Knights On the 14th of May the Parliament was Prorogued to the 25th a Vote having past that the Bills should continue in the State they were in On the 12th of June Cromwel's Fall there was a sudden turn at Court for the Duke of Norfolk arrested Cromwel of High Treason and sent him Prisoner to the Tower He had many Enemies The meanness of his Birth made the Nobility take it ill to see the Son of a Black-Smith made an Earl and have the Garter given him besides his being Lord Privy Seal Lord Chamberlain of England Lord Vicegerent and a little while before he had also the Mastership of the Rolls All the Popish Clergy hated him violently They imputed the Suppression of Monasteries and the Injunctions that were laid on them chiefly to his Counsels And it was thought that it was mainly by his means that the King and the Emperour continued to be in such ill Terms The King did now understand that there was no agreement like to be made between the Emperour and Francis for it stuck at the matter of the Dutchy of Milan in which neither of them would yield to the other and the King was sure they would both court his Friendship in case of a War and this made him less concerned for the Favour of the German Princes So now Cromwel's Counsels became unacceptable With this a secret Reason concurred The King did not only hate the Queen but was now come to be in Love with Katherine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk which both raised his Interest and deprest Cromwel who had made the former Match The King was also willing to cast upon him all the Errours that had been committed of late and by making him a Sacrifice he hoped he should regain the Affections of his People The King had also Informations brought him That he secretly encouraged those that opposed the six Articles and discouraged those who went about the Execution of it His Fall came so suddenly that he had not the least Apprehension of it before the Storm brake on him He had the common Fate of all disgraced Ministers his Friends forsook him and his Enemies insulted over him only Cranmer stuck to him and wrote earnestly to the King in his Favours He said he found that he had always loved the King above all things and had served him with such Fidelity and Success that he believed no King of England had ever a faithfuller Servant And he wished the King might find such a Councellour who both could and would serve him as he had done So great and generous a Soul had Cranmer that was not turned by changes in his Friends Fortunes and would venture on the displeasure of so Imperious a Prince rather than fail in the Duties of Friendship But the King was now resolved to ruine Crom wel and that unjust Practice of Attainting without hearing the Parties Answer for themselves which he had promoted too much before was now turned upon himself He had such Enemies in the House of Lords that the Bill of Attainder was dispatched in two days being read twice in one day Cranmer was absent and no other would venture to speak for him But he met with more Justice in the House of Commons for it stuck ten days there And in Conclusion a new Bill was drawn against him and sent up to the Lords to which they consented and it had the Royal Assent In it they set forth His Attainder That tho the King had raised him from a base State to great Dignities Yet it appeared by many Witnesses that were Persons of Honour that he had been the most Corrupt Traitor that ever was known That he had set many at Liberty that were condemned or suspected of Misprision of Treason That he had given Licences for transporting out of the Kingdom things prohibited by Proclamation And had granted many Passports without search made That he had said he was sure of the King That he had dispersed many Erroneous Books contrary to the Belief of the Sacrament And had said That every Man might Administer it as well as a Priest That he had licensed many Preachers suspected of Heresy And had ordered many to be discharged that were committed on that account and had discharged all Informers That he had many Hereticks about him That above a Year before he had said The preaching of Barns and others was good And that he would not turn tho the King did turn but if the King turned he would fight in Person against him and all that turned And drawing out his Dagger he wisht that might pierce him to the Heart if he should not do it he had also said If he lived a year or two longer it should not be in the King's Power to hinder it He had likewise been found guilty of great Oppression and Bribery And when he heard that some Lords were taking Counsel against him he had threatned that he would raise great stirrs in England For these things he was Attainted both of High Treason and Heresy A Proviso was added for securing the Church of Wells of which he had been Dean This was lookt on as very hard Measure It was believed Censures past upon it That he had at least Verbal Orders from the King for the Licences and Orders that were complained of and perhaps he could have shewed some in Writing if he had been heard to make his Answers Bribery seemed to be cast on him only to render him odious but no Particulars were mentioned Nor was it credible That he could have spoken such Words of the King as were alledged especially when he was in the height of his Favour and if he had spoken them above a Year before it is not to be imagined that they could have been so long kept secret and what was said of his drawing out a Dagger look'd like a design to affix an overt Act to them This being done The King's Marriage annulled The King went on to move for a Divorce An Address was moved to be made to him by the Lords that he would suffer his Marriage to be examined Cranmer and others were sent down to desire the Concurrence of the Commons and they ordered 20 of their number to go along with the Lords who went all in a body to the King He granted their desire the matter being concerted before So a Commission was sent to the Convocation to discuss it Gardiner opened it to them and they appointed a Committee for the Examination of Witnesses The Substance of the whole Evidence amounted to these Particulars
That the matter of the Precontract with the Prince of Lorrain was not fully cleared and it did not appear if it was made by the Queen or whether it was in the Words of the present time or not That the King had married her against her Will and had not given an inward and compleat Consent and that he had never consummated the Marriage so that they saw he could have no Issue by the Queen Upon these grounds the whole Convocation with one consent annulled the Marriage and declared both Parties free This was the grossest piece of Compliance that the King had from his Clergy in his whole Reign For as they knew that there was nothing in the pretended Precontract so by voiding the Marriage because the Consent was not internal and free they made a most pernicious Precedent for breaking all publick Treaties for none can know Men's Hearts it would be easy for every one to pretend that he had not given a perfect Consent and that being allowed there could be no Confidence nor safety among Men any more And in the Process for the King 's first Divorce they had laid it down as a Principle that a Marriage was compleat tho it were never consummated But in a Word the King was resolved to be rid of the Queen and the Clergy were resolved not to offend him And they rather sought out Reasons to give a colour to their Sentence then past it on the force of those Reasons Cromwel was required to send a Declaration of all he knew concerning the Marriage which he did but ended in these most abject Words Written with the heavy Heart and trembling Hand of your Highness's most heavy and most miserable Prisoner and poor Slave Tho. Cromwel and under his Subscription he wrote Most Sacred Prince I cry for Mercy Mercy Mercy The Judgment of the Convocation was reported to the House of Lords by Cranmer and the Reasons were opened by Gardiner They were sent down to the Commons to give them the same account and both Houses were satisfied with it Next day some Lords were sent to the Queen who had retired to Richmond They told her The King was resolved to declare her his adopted Sister and to setle 4000 l. a Year on her if she would consent to it which she cheerfully embraced and it being left to her choice either to live in England or to return to her Brother She preferred the former They prest her to write to her Brother that all this matter was done with her good Will that the King used her as a Father and that therefore he and the other Allies should not take this ill at his hands She was a little averse to this but was prevailed on to do it When things were thus prepared the Act confirming the Judgment of the Convocation past without any Opposition An Act past mitigating one Clause in the Act of the six Articles by which the pains of Death for the Marriage or Incontinence of the Clergy were changed into a Forfeiture of their Goods and Benefices Another Act past Authorizing those Committees of Bishops and Divines that had been named by the King both for the Doctrine and Ceremonies to go on in it and appointing that what should be agreed on by them and Published with the King's Approbation should bind the Subjects as much as if every Particular in it had been ennumerated in that Act any Law or Custome to the contrary notwithstanding But a Proviso was added That nothing might be done by them contrary to the Laws then in force Which Contradiction in the Provisos seems to have been put in on design to keep all Ecclesiastical Proceedings under the Inspection of the Secular Courts since they are the only Expounders of Acts of Parliament Another Act past That no Pretence of a Precontract should be made use of to annul a Marriage duly Solemnized and Consummated And that no Degrees of Kindred but those ennumerated in the Law of Moses might hinder a Marriage This last was added To enable the King to marry Katherine Howard that was Cousin German to Ann Boleyn which was one of the Degrees prohibited by the Canon Law but the reason of the former part is not known It directly condemns the King's Divorce of Ann Boleyn grounded on a pretended Precontract The Province of Canterbury gave the King a Subsidy of 4 s. in the Pound to be payed in two Years with a Preamble of high Acknowledgments of their Happiness under his Protection A Subsidy was also asked of the Laity but in the House of Commons it was much opposed Many said they had given the King the Abbey-Lands in hopes that no Subsidies should have been any more demanded and it shewed a strange Profuseness that now within a Year after that a Subsidy was demanded But it was answered That the King had been at great charge in fortifying his Coasts and in keeping up such Leagues beyond Sea as preserved the Nation in safety a Tenth and four 15ths were granted Several Bills of Attainder were past And in Conclusion the King sent a General Pardon out of which Cromwel and divers others were excepted and then the Parliament was dissolved Cromwel's mean Addresses could not preserve him So he was executed on the 28 of July Cromwels Death He thanked God for bringing him to die in that manner which was just on the account of his Sins against God and his Offences against his Prince He declared that he doubted of no Article of the Catholick Faith nor of any Sacrament of the Church He said He had been seduced but now he died in the Catholick Faith and denied he had supported the Preachers of ill Opinions He desired all their Prayers and prayed very fervently for himself and thus did he end his days He rose meerly by the strength of his Natural Parts for his Education was suitable to his mean Extraction Only he had all the New Testament in Latin by Heart He carried his Greatness with Extraordinary Moderation and fell rather under the weight of Popular Odium than Guilt At his Death he mixed none of the Superstitions of the Church of Rome with his Devotions So it was said that he used the Word Catholick Faith in its true sense and in Opposition to the Novelties of the Church of Rome Yet his Ambiguous way of expressing himself made the Papists say that he died repenting of his Heresy But the Protestants said that he died in the same Perswasions in which he lived With him fell the Office of the King's Vicegerent and none after him have aspired to that Character that proved so fatal to him who first carried it It was believed that the King lamented his Death when it was too late and the Miseries that fell on the new Queen and on the Duke of Norfolk and his Family were look'd on as Strokes from Heaven on them for their cruel prosecuting this unfortunate Minister With his Fall the Progress of the Reformation stopt for Cranmer
could never gain much Ground after this and indeed many hoped that he should be quickly sent after Cromwell some complained of him in the House of Commons and Informations were brought the King that the chief Encouragement that the Hereticks had came from him The Ecclesiastical Committees imployed by the King A Book of Religion set out by Bishops were now at work and gave the last finishing to a Book formerly prepared but at this time corrected and explained in many Particulars They began with the Explanation of Faith which according to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome was thought an implicit believing whatever the Church proposed But the Reformers made it the chief Subject of their Books and Sermons to perswade People to believe in Christ and not in the Church and made great use of those Places in which it was said That Christians are justified by Faith only tho some explained this in such a manner that it gave their Adversaries Advantages to charge them that they denied the necessity of Good Works but they all taught that tho they were not necessary to Justification yet they were necessary to Salvation They differed also in their Notion of Good Works The Church of Rome taught that the Honour done to God in his Images or to the Saints in their Shrines and Relicks or to the Priests were the best sort of Good Works Whereas the Reformers prest Justice and Mercy most and discovered the Superstition of the other The Opinion of the Merit of Good Works was also so highly raised that many thought they purchased Heaven by them This the Reformers did also correct and taught the People to depend meerly upon the Death and Intercession of Christ Others moved subtiller Questions As whether Obedience was an essential part of Faith or only a Consequent of it This was a Nicety scarce becoming Divines that built only on the Simplicity of the Scriptures and condemned the Subtilties of the Schools and it was said that Men of ill Lives abused this Doctrine and thought that if they could but assure themselves that Christ died for them they were safe enough So now when they settled the Notion of Faith The Explanation of Faith they divided it into two sorts The one was a Perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel but the other carried with it a Submission to the Will of God and both Hope Love and Obedience belonged to it which was the Faith professed in Baptism and so much extoll'd by St. Paul It was not to be so understood as if it were a Certainty of our being predestinated which may be only a Presumption since all God's Promises are made to us on Conditions but it was an entire receiving the whole Gospel according to our Baptismal Vows Cranmer took great Pains to state this matter right and made a large Collection of many places all written with his own Hand both out of Antient and Modern Authors concerning Faith Justification and the Merit of Good Works and concluded with this That our Justification was to be ascribed only to the Merits of Christ and that those who are justified must have Charity as well as Faith but that neither of these was the meritorious Cause of Justification After this was stated they made next a large and full Explanation of the Apostles Creed with great Judgment and many excellent practical Inferences the Definition they gave of the Catholick Church runs thus It comprehended all Assemblies of Men in the whole World that received the Faith of Christ who ought to hold an Unity of Love and Brotherly Agreement together by which they became Members of the Catholick Church After this they explained the seven Sacraments In opening these there were great Debates for as was formerly mentioned the method used was to open the Point enquired into by proposing many Queries And of the Sacramenss and every one was to give in his Answer to these with the Reasons of it and then others were appointed to make an Abstract of those things in which they all either agreed or differed The Original Papers relating to these Points are yet preserved which shew with how great Consideration they proceeded in the Changes that were then made Cranmer had at this time some particular Opinions concerning Ecclesiastical Offices That they were delivered from the King as other Civil Offices were and that Ordination was not indispensibly necessary and was only a Ceremony that might be used or laid aside but that the Authority was conveyed to Church-men only by the King's Commission yet he delivered his Opinion in this matter with great Modesty and he not only subscribed the Book in which the contrary Doctrine was established but afterwards published it in a Book which he writ in King Edward's days from whence it appears that he changed his Mind in this Particular Baptism was explained as had been done formerly Penance was made to consist in the Absolution of the Priests which had been formerly declared only to be desirable where it could be had In the Communion both Transubstantiation Private Masses and Communion in one kind were asserted They asserted the Obligation of the Levitical Law about the Degrees of Marriage and the Indissolubleness of that Bond. They set out the Divine Institution of Priests and Deacons and that no Bishop had Authority over another they made a long Excursion against the Pope's Pretensions and for justifying the King's Supremacy They said Confirmation was instituted by the Apostles and was profitable but not necessary to Salvation and they asserted extream Unction to have been commanded by the Apostles for the Health both of Soul and Body Then were the Ten Commandments explained the second was added to the first but the Words For I am the Lord thy God c. were left out It was declared that no Godly Honour was to be done unto Images and that they ought only to be reverenced for their sakes whom they represented therefore the preferring of one Image to another and the making Pilgrimages and Offerings to them was condemned but the censing them or kneeling before them was permitted yet the People were to be taught that these things were done only to the Honour of God Invocation of Saints as Intercessors was allowed but immediate Addresses to them for the Blessings that were prayed for was condemned The strict rest from Labour on the seventh day was declared to be Ceremonial but it was necessary to rest from Sin and Carnal Pleasure and to follow Holy Duties The other Commandments were explained in a very plain and practical way Then was the Lord's Prayer explained and it was asserted that the People ought only to pray in their Vulgar Tongues for exciting their Devotion the more The Angels Salutation to the Virgin was also paraphrased They handled Free-will and defined it to be a Power by which the Will guided by Reason did without constraint discern and choose Good and Evil the former by the help of God's Spirit and
three were condemned for some Words which they had spoken against the Mass and upon that were burnt Dr. London and Simonds an Attorney had taken some Informations against several Persons of Quality at Court and intended to have carried the Design very high But a great Pacquet in which all their Project was disclosed by them being intercepted they were sent for and examined about it but they denied it upon Oath not knowing that their Letters were taken and were not a little confounded when their own Hand-writing was shewed them So they were convicted of Perjury and were set on a Pillory and made ride about with their Faces to the Horses Tails and Papers on their Breasts in three several Places which did so affect Dr. London that he died soon after Cranmer 's Ruine is designed The chief thing aimed at by the whole Popish Party was Cranmer's Ruine Gardiner imploied many to infuse it into the King that he gave the chief Encouragement to Heresy of any in England and that it was in vain to lop off the Branches and leave the Root still growing The King till then would never hear the Complaints that were made of him But now to penetrate into the depth of this Design he was willing to draw out all that was to be said against him Gardiner reckoned that this Point being gained all the rest would follow And judged that the King was now alienated from him and so more Instruments and Artifices than ever were now made use of A long Paper of many Particulars both against Cranmer and his Chaplains was put in the King's hands So upon this the King sent for him and after he had complained much of the Heresy in England he said He resolved to find out the chief Promoter of it and to make him an Example Cranmer wished him first to consider well what Heresy was that so he might not condemn those as Hereticks who stood for the Word of God against Humane Inventions Then the King told him franckly That he was the Man complained of as most guilty and shewed him all the Informations that he had received against him Cranmer confessed he was still of the same mind that he was of when he opposed the six Articles and submitted himself to a Trial He confessed many things to the King in particular that he had a Wife but he said he had sent her out of England when the Act of the six Articles past and expressed so great a Sincerity and put so entire a Confidence in the King that instead of being ruined he was now better established with him than formerly The King commanded him to appoint some to examine the Contrivance that was laid to destroy him He answered That it was not decent for him to nominate any to judge in a Cause in which himself was concerned Yet the King was positive so so he named some to go about it and the whole secret was found out It appeared that Gardiner and Dr. London had been the chief Sticklers and had encouraged Informers to appear against him Cranmer did not press the King to give him any Reparation for he was so noted for his readiness to forgive Injuries and to do Good for Evil that it was commonly said that the best way to obtain his Favour was to do him an Injury of this he gave signal Instances at this time both in Relation to some of the Clergy and Laity by which it appeared that he was acted by that meek and lowly Spirit that became all the Followers of Christ but more particularly one that was so great an Instrument in reforming the Christian Religion and did in such eminent Acts of Charity shew that he himself practised that which he taught others to do A Parliament was now called The Act of the Succession in which the great Act of Succession to the Crown past By it the Crown was first provided to Prince Edward and his Heirs or the Heirs by the King 's present Marriage after them to Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth and in case they had no Issue or did not observe such Limitations or Conditions as the King should appoint then it was to fall to any other whom the King should name either by his Letters Patents or by his last Will signed with his Hand An Oath was appointed both against the Pope's Supremacy and for the maintaining Succession according to this Act which all were required to take under the pains of Treason It was made Treason to say or write any thing contrary to this Act or to the Slander of any of the King's Heirs named in it By this tho the King did not Legitimate his Daughters yet it was made Criminal for any to object Bastardy to them Another Act past qualifying the Severity of the Act of the six Articles none were to be imprisoned but upon a Legal Presentment except upon the King's Warrant None was to be challenged for Words but within a Year nor for a Sermon but within 40 Days This was made to prevent such Conspiracies as had been discovered the former Year Another Act past renewng the Authority given to 32 to reform the Ecclesiastical Law which Cranmer promoted much and to set it forward he drew out of the Canon Law a Collection of many things against the Regal and for the Papal Authority with several other very Extravagant Propositions to shew how Indecent a thing it was to let a Book in which such things were continue still in any credit in England But he could not bring this to any good Issue during this Reign Another Act past discharging all the King's Debts and they also required such as had received payment to bring back the Money into the Exchequer This was taxed as a piece of gross Injustice and it was thought strange that since the King had done this once before he could have the credit to raise more Mony and be tempted to do it a second time A General Pardon was granted out of which Heresy was excepted The King was now engaged in a War The King makes War on France and Scotland both with France and Scotland and to make his Treasure hold out the longer he embased the Coin in a very Extraordinary manner The Earl of Hartford was sent with an Army by Sea to Scotland he landed at Grantham a little above Leith He burnt both Leith and Edinburgh but he neither staied to take the Castle of Edinburgh nor did he Fortify Leith but only wasted the Country all the Way from that to Berwick He did too much if it was intended to gain the Hearts of that Nation and too little if it was intended to subdue them for this did only inflame their Spirits more by which they were so united in their Aversion to England that the Earl of Lennox who had been cast off by France and was gone over to the English Interest could make no Party in the West but was forced for his own Preservation to fly into
put in the Tower and then it would appear how many would inform against him The King seemed to consent to this and they resolved to execute it the next day but in the Night the King sent for Cranmer and told him what was resolved concerning him Cranmer thanked the King for giving him notice of it and not leaving him to be surprised He submitted to it only he desired he might be heard answer for himself and that he might have indifferent Judges who understood those matters The King wondered to see him so little concerned in his own Preservation but told him he must take care of him since he took so little care of himself The King therefore gave him Instructions to appear before the Council and to desire to see his Accusers before he should be sent to the Tower and that he might be used by them as they would desire to be used in the like Case And if he could not prevail by the force of Reason then he was to appeal to the King in Person and was to shew the King's Seal-Ring which he took from his Finger and gave him and they knew it all so well that they would do nothing after they once saw that so he being summoned next Morning came over to White-Hall He was kept long in the Lobbey before he was called in But when that was done and he had observed the Method the King had ordered him to use and had at last shewed the Ring they rose all in great Confusion and went to the King He chid them severely for what they had done and expressed his Esteem and Kindness to Cranmer in such Terms that his Enemies were glad to get off by pretending that they had no other Design but to have his Innocence declared in a publick Trial and were now so convinced of the King 's unalterable Favour to him that they never made any more Attempts upon him But what they durst not do in Relation to Cranmer And against the Queen they thought might be more safely tried against the Queen who was known to love the New Learning which was the common Phrase for the Reformation She used to have Sermons in her Privy Chamber which could not be so secretly carried but that it came to the King's Knowledge Yet her Conduct in all other things was so exact and she expressed such a tender care of the King's Person that it was observed she had gained much upon him but his Peevishness growing with his Distempers made him sometimes uneasy even to her They used often to talk of Matters of Religion and sometimes she held up the Argument for the Reformers so stifly that he was offended at it yet as soon as that appeared she let it fall but once the Debate continuing long the King expressed his Displeasure at it to Gardiner when she went away He took hold of this Opportunity to perswade the King that she was a great Cherisher of Hereticks Wriothesly joined with him in the same Artifice and filled the angry King's Head with many Stories in so much that he signed the Articles upon which she was to be Impeached But Wriothesly let that Paper fall from him carelesly and it happened to be taken up by one of the Queen's Friends who carried it to her Upon which she went to the King and brought on a Discourse of Religion and after a little Opposition she yielded and seemed convinced by the King's Reasons and told him That she only held up that Argument to be instructed by him and sometimes to engage him in Discourse and so to make him forget his pains and this she seconded with such Flattery that he was perfectly satisfied and reconciled to her Next day as he was walking with her in the Garden Wriothesly came thither on design to have carryed her to the Tower but the King chid him severely for it and was heard to call him Knave and Fool. The good natured Queen interposed to mitigate his Displeasure but the King told her She had no reason to be concerned for him Thus the Design against her vanished and Gardiner that had set it on lost the King's Favour entirely by it But now the Fall of the Duke of Norfolk and his Son the Earl of Surry The Duke of Norfolk's Fall came on The Father had been long Treasurer and had served the King with great Fidelity and Success His Son was a Man of rare Qualities he had a great Wit and was more than ordinary learned He particularly hated the Earl of Hartford and scorned an Alliance with him which his Father had projected The Duke of Norfolk had intended to unite his Family to the Seimours by marrying his Son to the Earl of Hartford's Daughter and his Daughter the Dutchess of Richmond to Sir Thomas Seimour But both his Children refused to comply with him in it The Seimours were apprehensive of the Opposition they might meet with if the King should die from the Earl of Surry who was a high spirited Man had a vast Fortune and was the Head of the Popish Party It was likewise suspected that he kept himself unmarried in hopes of marrying the Lady Mary The Duke's Family was also fatally divided His Dutchess had been separated from him about four Years and now turned Informer against him His Daughter did also hate her Brother and was a Spy upon him One Holland a Whore of the Duke's did also betray him and discovered all she could yet all amounted to no more than some Complaints of the Fathers who thought the Services he had done the Crown were little regarded and some Threatnings of the Sons It was also said that the Father gave the Coat of Arms that belonged to the Prince of Wales and the Son gave Edward the Confessors Coat but that was only a Pretence to make a noise among the People and to cover the want of more important matter against them One Southwel objected things of a higher Nature to the Earl of Surry He denied them and desired that according to the Martial Law they might have a Trial by Combate and fight in their Shirts But that was not granted yet both Father and Son were put in the Tower The Earl of Surry was tried by a Jury of Commoners The Earl of Surry executed and was found guilty of Treason and executed on the 19th of January He was much lamented and the Blame of his Death being cast on the Seimours raised a General Odium against them The old Duke saw a Parliament called to destroy him by an Act of Attainder for there was not matter enough to ruine him at Common Law so to prevent that he made such humble Submission to the King as would have mollified any that had not Bowels of Brass He wrote to him That he had spent his whole Life in his Service without having so much as a Thought to his Prejudice He had obeyed all the King's Laws and was resolved to obey all that ever he should make He
of Age he was put into the hands of Dr. Cox and Mr. Cheek the one was to form his mind and to teach him Philosophy and Divinity the other was to teach him the Tongues and Mathematicks other Masters were also appointed for the other parts of his Education He discovered very early a good disposition to Religion and Vertue and a particular Reverence for the Scriptures for he took it very ill when one about him laid a great Bible on the Floor to step up on it to somewhat which was out of his reach without such an advantage He profited well in Letters and wrote at eight Years old Latin Letters frequently both to the King to Q. Katherine Parre to the Archbishop of Canterbury and his Uncle the Earl of Hartford who had been first made Viscount Beauchamp being the Heir by his Mother of that Family and was after that advanced to be an Earl In the end of his Fathers life it had been designed to create him Prince of Wales for that was one of the reasons given to hasten the attainder of the D. of Norfolk because he held some places during life which the King intended to put in other hands in order to that Ceremony Upon his Fathers death the E. of Hartford and Sir Anth. Brown were sent to bring him up to the Tower of London and when King Henry's death was published he was proclaimed King At his coming to the Tower his Fathers Will was opened K. Hen. testament by which it was found that he had named 16. to be the Governors of the Kingdom and of his Sons person till he should be eighteen Years of Age. These were the Archbishops of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Lord Chancellor Lord St. John Great Master Lord Russel Lord Privy Seal Earl Hartford Lord Great Chamberlain Vis Lisle Lord Admiral Tonstall B. of Duresme Sir Anth. Brown Master of the Horse Sr Will. Paget Secretary of State Sr Ed. North Chancellour of the Augmentations Sir Ed. Mountague L d Chief Just of the Common Pleas Judge Bromley Sir Anth. Denny and Sir Will. Herbert Chief Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Sr Ed. Wotton Treasurer of Callis Doctor Wotton Dean of Canterbury and York They were also to give the Kings Sisters in Marriage and if they married without their consent they were to forfeit their right of succession for the King was Impowered by Act of Parliament to leave the Crown to them with what limitations he should think fit to appoint There was also a Privy Council named to be their Assistants in the Government if any of the 16. died the Survivers were to continue in the Administration without a power to substitute others in their rooms who should die It was now proposed that one should be chosen out of the 16. to whom Ambassadours should address themselves and who should have the chief direction of affairs but should be restrained to do nothing but by the consent of the greater part of the other Co-executors The Chancellor who thought the Precedence fell to him by his Office since the Archbishop did not meddle much in secular Affairs opposed this much and said it was a change of the Kings will who had made them all equal in power and dignity and if any were raised above the rest in Title it would not be possible to keep him within due bounds since great Titles make way for High Power but the Earl of Hartford had so prepared his Friends that it was carried that he should be declared the Governour of the Kings Person and the Protector of the Kingdom A Protector chosen with this restriction that he should do nothing but by the advice and consent of the rest Upon this advancement and the opposition made to it two Parties were formed the one headed by the Protector and the other by the Chancellour the favourers of the Reformation were of the former and those that opposed it were of the latter The Chancellor was ordered to renew the Commissions of the Judges and Justices of Peace and King Henry's great Seal was to be made use of till a new one should be made The day after this all the Executors took their Oaths to execute their trust faithfully the Privy Councellors were also brought into the Kings presence who did all express their satisfaction in the choice that was made of the Protector and it was ordered that all dispatches to foreign Princes should be signed only by him All that held Offices were required to come and renew their Commissions Bishops take out Commissions and to swear Allegiance to the King among the rest the Bishops came and took out such Commissions as were granted in the former Reign only by those they were subaltern to the Kings Vicegerent but there being none now in that Office they were immediately subaltern to the King and by them they were to hold their Bishopricks only during the Kings pleasure and were impowered in the Kings name as his Delegates to perform all the parts of the Episcopal function Cranmer set an Example to the rest in taking out one of those It was thought fit thus to keep the Bishops under the terror of such an Arbitrary power lodged in the King that so it might be more easie to turn them out if they should much oppose what might be done in points of Religion but the ill consequences of such an unlimited power being well foreseen the Bishops that were afterwards promoted were not so fettered but were provided to hold their Bishopricks during life The late King had in his Will required his Executors to perform all the promises he had made A Creation of Noblemen so Paget was required to give an account of the Promises the late King had made and he declared upon Oath that upon the prospect of the attainder of the D. of Norfolk the King intended a Creation of Peers and to divide his Lands among them the Persons to be raised were Hartford to be a Duke Essex a Marquess Lisle Russel St. John and Wriothesly to be Earls Sir Tho. Seimour Cheyney Rich Willoughby Arundell Sheffield St. Leger Wymbish Vernon and Danby to be Barons and a division was to be made of the Duke of Norfolks Estate among them some shares were also set off for others who were not to be advanced in Title as Denny and Herbert and they finding Paget had been mindful of them but had not mentioned himself had moved the King for a share to him The King appointed Paget to give notice of this to the Persons named but many excused themselves and desired no addition of honor since the Lands which the King intended to give them were not sufficient to support that dignity The Duke of Norfolk prevented all this for being apprehensive of the ruine of his Family if his Estate were once divided he sent a message to the King desiring him to convert it all to be a Revenue to the Prince of Wales This wrought so much on the
Falsid the Scots engaged with them in Parties but lost 1300 men The two Armies came in view the English consisted of fifteen thousand Foot and three thousand Horse and a Fleet under the Command of the Lord Clinton sailed along by them as they marched near the Coast the Scottish Army consisted of thirty thousand and a good train of Artillery The Protector sent a Message to the Scots inviting them by all the Arguments that could be invented to consent to the Marriage and if that would not be granted he desired engagements from them that their Queen should be contracted to no other person at least till she came of age and by the advice of the Estates should choose a Husband for herself This the Protector offered to get out of the War upon Honourable terms but the Scottish Lords thought this great Condescension was an effect of fear and believed the Protector was straitned for want of Provisions so instead of publishing this offer they resolved to fall upon him next day And so all the return that was made was That if the Protector would march back without any act of Hostility they would not fall upon him One went officiously with the Trumpeter and challenged the Protector in the Earl of Huntley's name to decide the matter by their Valour but the Protector said he was to fight no way but at the head of his Army yet the Earl of Warwick accepted the challenge but Huntley had given no order for it On the twentieth of September the Armies engaged In the beginning of the action a shot from the Ships killed a whole lane of men and disordered the High-landers so that they could not be made to keep their Ranks The Battel of Musselburgh The Earl of Angus charged bravely but was repulsed and the English broke in with such fury on the Scots that they threw down their Arms and fled Fourteen thousand were killed fifteen hundred taken Prisoners among whom was the Earl of Huntley and five hundred Gentlemen Upon this the Protector went on and took Leith and some Islands in the Frith in which he put Garrisons and left Ships to wait on them he sent some Ships to the mouth of Tay and took a Castle Broughty that commanded that River If he had followed this blow and gone forward to Striveling to which the Governour with the small remainders of his Army had retired and where the Queen was it is probable in the consternation in which they were he might have taken that place and so have made an end of the War But the party his Brother was making at Court gave him such an Alarm that he returned before he had ended his business And the Scots having sent a Message desiring a Treaty which they did only to gain time he ordered them to send their Commissioners to Berwick and so marched back He took in all the Castles in Merch and Teviotdale and left Garrisons in them and made the Gentry swear to be true to the King and to promote the Marriage He entred into Scotch ground the second of September and returned to England on the twenty ninth with the loss only of sixty men and brought with him a great deal of Artillery and many Prisoners This success did raise his reputation very high and if he had now made an end of the War it had no doubt establish'd him in his authority The Scots sent no Commissioners to Berwick but instead of that they sent some to France to offer their Queen to the Dauphin and to cast themselves on the protection of that Crown and so the Earl of Warwick whom the Protector left to treat with them returned back The Protector upon this great success summoned a Parliament to get himself established in his power The Visitors had now ended the Visitation The success of the Visitation and all had submitted to them and great Inferences were made from this that on the same day on which the Images were burnt in London their Army obtained that great Victory in Scotland But all sides are apt to build much on Providence when it is favourable to them and yet they will not allow the Argument when it turns against them Bonner at first protested that he would obey the Injunctions if they were not contrary to the Laws of God and the Ordinances of the Church but being called before the Council he retracted that and asked Pardon yet for giving terrour to others he was for some time put in Prison upon it Gardiner wrote to one of the Visitors before they came to Winchester that he could not receive the Homilies and if he must either quit his Bishoprick or sin against his Conscience he resolved to chuse the former Upon this he was called before the Council and required to receive the Book of Homilies but he excepted to one of them that taught that Charity did not justifie contrary to the Book set out by the late King confirmed in Parliament He also complained of many things in Erasmus's Paraphrase And being pressed to declare whether he would obey the Injunctions or not he refused to promise it and so was sent to the Fleet. Cranmer treated in private with him and they argued much about Justification Gardiner thought the Sacraments justified and that Charity justified as well as Eaith Cranmer thought that only the merits of Christ justified as they were applied by Faith which could not be without Charity so the question turned much on a different way of explaining the same thing Gardiner objected many things to Erasmus's Book particularly to some passages contrary to the power of Princes it was answered That Book was not chosen as having no faults but as the best they knew for clearing the difficulties in Scripture Cranmer offered to him that if he would concur with them he should be brought to be one of the Privy Council but he did not comply in this so readily as he ordinarily did to such offers Upon the Protectors return he wrote to him complaining of the Councils proceedings in his absence and after he had given his objections to the Injunctions he excepted to this that they were contrary to Law and argued from many precedents that the Kings authority could not be raised so high and that though Cromwel and others endeavoured to perswade the late King that he might govern as the Roman Emperours did and that his Will ought to be his Law yet he was of another opinion and thought that it was much better to make the Law the Kings Will. He complained also that he was hardly used that he had neither Servants Physicians nor Chaplains allowed to wait on him and that though he had a Writ of Summons he was not suffered to come to the Parliament which he said might bring a Nullity on all their Proceedings But he lay in Prison till the Act of General Pardon past in Parliament set him at liberty Many blamed the severity of these proceedings as contrary both to Law
and Equity and said that all people even those who complained most of arbitrary power were apt to usurp it when they were in authority And some thought the delivering the doctrine of Justification in such nice terms was not sutable to the plain simplicity of the Christian Religion Lady Mary was so alarmed at these proceedings that she wrote to the Protector that such changes were contrary to the honour due to her Fathers Memory and it was against their duty to the King to enter upon such points and endanger the publick Peace before he was of Age. To which he wrote answer That her Father had died before he could finish the good things he had intended concerning Religion and had expressed his regret both before himself and many others that he left things in so unsetled a state and assured her that nothing should be done but what would turn to the Glory of God and the Kings Honour He imputed her Writing to the importunity of others rather than to her self and desired her to consider the matter better with an humble Spirit and the assistance of the Grace of God The Parliament was opened the fourth of November A Parliament meets and the Protector was by Patent authorized to sit under the Cloath of State on the Right hand of the Throne and to have all the Honours and Priviledges that any Unkle of the Crown either by Father or Mothers side ever had Rich was made Lord Chancellour The first Act that past five Bishops only dissenting An Act of Repeal was A Repeal of all Statutes that had made any thing Treason or Felony in the late Reign which was not so before and of the six Articles and the authority given to the Kings Proclamations as also of the Acts against Lollards All who deni'd the Kings Supremacy or asserted the Popes for the first offence were to forfeit their goods for the second were to be in a Pramunire and were to be attainted of Treason for the third But if any intended to deprive the King of his Estate or Title that was made Treason none were to be accused of Words but within a month after they were spoken they also repealed the power that the King had of annulling all Laws made till he was twenty four years of age and restrained it only to an annulling them for the time to come but that it should not be of force for the declaring them null from the beginning Another Act past with the same dissent An Act about the Sacrament for the Communion in both kinds and that the people should always communicate with the Priest and by it irreverence to the Sacrament was condemned under severe penalties Christ had instituted the Sacrament in both kinds and S. Paul mentions both In the Primitive Church that custome was universally observed but upon the belief of Transubstantiation the reserving and carrying about the Sacrament were brought in this made them first endeavour to perswade the World that the Cup was not necessary for Wine could neither keep nor be carried about conveniently but it was done by degrees the Bread was for some time given dipt as it is yet in the Greek Church but it being believed that Christ was entirely under either kind and in every crumb the Council of Constance took the Cup from the Laity yet the Bohemians could not be brought to submit to it so every where the use of the Cup was one of the first things that was insisted on by those who demanded a Reformation At first all that were present did communicate and censures past on such as did it not And none were denied the Sacrament but Penitents who were made to withdraw during the Action But as the devotion of the World slackned the people were still exhorted to continue their Oblations and come to the Sacrament though they did not receive it and were made believe that the Priest received it in their stead The name Sacrifice given to it as being a holy Oblation was so far improved that the World came to look on the Priests officiating as a Sacrifice for the dead and living From hence followed an infinite variety of Masses for all the accidents of humane life and that was the chief part of the Priests trade but it occasioned many unseemly jests concerning it which were restrained by the same Act that put these down Another Act past without any dissent An Act concerning the nomination of Bishops That the Conge d'elire and the Election pursuant to it being but a shadow since the person was named by the King should cease for the future and that Bishops should be named by the Kings Letters Patents and thereupon be consecrated and should hold their Courts in the Kings name and not in their own excepting only the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's Court And they were to use the Kings Seal in all their Writings except in Presentations Collations and Letters of Orders in which they might use their own Seals The Apostles chose Bishops and Pastors by an extraordinary gift of discerning Spirits and proposed them to the approbation of the people yet they left no rules to make that necessary In the times of Persecution the Clergy being maintained by the Oblations of the people they were chosen by them But when the Emperours became Christians the Town Councils and eminent men took the Elections out of the hands of the Rabble And the Tumults in popular Elections were such that it was necessary to regulate them In some places the Clergy and in others the Bishops of the Province made the choice The Emperours reserved the Confirmation of the Elections in the great Sees to themselves But when Charles the Great annexed great Territories and Regalities to Bishopricks a great change followed thereupon Church-men were corrupted by this undue greatness and came to depend on the humours of those Princes to whom they owed this great encrease of their wealth Princes named them and invested them in their Sees But the Popes intended to separate the Ecclesiastical State from all subjection to Secular Princes and to make themselves the heads of that State at first they pretended to restore the freedom of Elections but these were now ingrossed in a few hands for only the Chapters chose The Popes had granted thirty years before this to the King of France the nomination to all the Bishopricks in that Kingdome so the King of Englands assuming it was no new thing and the way of Elections as King Henry had setled it seemed to be but a Mockery so this change was not much condemned The Ecclesiastical Courts were the Concessions of Princes in which Trials concerning Marriages Wills and Tithes depended so the holding those Courts in the Kings name was no Invasion on the Spiritual Function since all that concerned Orders was to be done still in the Bishops name only Excommunication was still left as the Censure of those Courts which being a Spiritual Censure ought to have been reserved to
the design against his Son The Emperour's Ambassadors were also very uneasie to the Legates at Trent and prest a Reformation of abuses and endeavoured to restrain them from proceeding in points of doctrine so they took hold of the first pretence they had by the death of one that seemed to have some symptomes of the Plague and removed it to Bologna By this all the advantages the Emperour had from the Promises which the Protestants made to submit to a free General Council assembled in Germany were defeated and it was thought a strange turn of Divine Providence that when the extirpation of Lutheranism was so near being effected a stop was put to it by that which of all things was least to be apprehended since it might have been expected that the perfecting such a design would have made the Pope and the Emperor friends though there had been ever so many other grounds of difference between them So unusual a thing made the favourers of the Reformation ascribe it to the immediate care that Heaven had of that work now when all the humane supports of it were gone Upon this fatal revolution of affairs there many Germans and Italians that had retired to Germany came over to England Peter Martyr and Bernardinus Ochinus came over first Bucer and Fagius followed They were invited over by Cranmer who entertained them at Lambeth till they were provided Martyr was sent to Oxford and Bucer and Fagius to Cambridge but the latter dyed soon after There were some differences between the French and English concerning some new Forts which were made about Bulloigne on both sides yet a Truce was agreed on for the Protector had no mind to engage in a War with France He had a new trouble raised up in his own Family Differences between the Protector and the Admiral by the Ambition of his Brother who thought that being the Kings Uncle as well as his Brother was he ought to have a larger share of the Government He had made addresses to Lady Elizabeth the Kings sister but finding no hopes of success he made applications to the Queen Dowager who married him a little undecently for it was afterwards objected to him that he married her so soon after the Kings death that if she had conceived with Child immediately after the marriage it might have been doubtful whether it was by the late King or not yet the marriage was for some time concealed and the Admiral moved the King and his Sisters to write to the Queen to accept him for her Husband The Kings Sisters excused themselves that it was not decent for them to interpose in such a matter but the young King was more easie so upon his Letter the Queen published her marriage The Admiral being now possessed of much Wealth and the King coming often to the Queens Lodgings he endeavoured to gain him and all that were about him and furnished the King often with Money His design was that whereas in former times when Infant-Kings had two Uncles one was Governour of his Person and another was Protector of the Realm so now these two Trusts might be divided and that he might be made Governour of the Kings Person This is the true account of the breach between those Brothers for the story of the quarrel between their Wives about precedence seems to be an ill-grounded fiction for there was no pretence of a competition between the Queen Dowager and the Dutchess of Somerset but the latter being a high Woman might have perhaps inflamed her Husbands resentments over whom she had an absolute power which gave the rise to that story The Protector was at first very easie to be reconciled to his Brother but after the many provocations he received from him he threw off nature too much When he was in Scotland the Admiral began to take advantage upon that to make a party And the good advices that were given him by Paget to look on those as the common Enemies of their Family who were making this breach between them had no effect to cure a mind hurried on by Ambition It was the advertisement that was sent him of this that made the Protector leave Scotland before he had finished his business there During the Session of Parliament the Admiral prevailed with the King to write with his own hand a Message to the House of Commons to make him the Governour of his person When the Admiral was making Friends in order to this it came to his Brothers ears before he had made any publick use of it So he employed some to divert him from it but with no success Upon that he was sent for to appear before the Council but he refused to come yet they having threatned to turn him out of all his places and to send him to the Tower he submitted and the Brothers were reconciled But the Admiral continued his secret practices still with those about the King Gardiner being included in the Act of Pardon was set at liberty He promised to receive and obey the Injunctions only he excepted to the Homily of Justification yet he complied in that likewise but it was visible that in his heart he abhorred all their proceedings though he outwardly conformed The Second Marriage of the M. of Northampton was tried at this time for his first Wife being convict of Adultery he and she were separated The M. of Northamptons Divorce And he moved in the end of the former Reign that he might be suffered to marry again so a Commission was then granted and was renewed in this Reign to some Delegates to examine what relief might be given to the innocent person in such a case But this being new and Cranmer proceeding in it with his usual exactness which is often accompanied with slowness the Marquess became impatient and married a second Wife Upon this the Council ordered them to be parted till the Delegates should give sentence The Arguments for the second Marriage were these Christ had condemned Divorces for other cases but excepted that of Adultery A Separation from Bed and Board and the Marriage bond standing was contrary to many places of Scripture that mention the end of Marriage S. Paul discharges the married person if the other wilfully deserted him much more will it follow in the case of Adultery And though St. Paul says the Wife is tyed to her Husband as long as he liveth that is only to be understood of a Husband that continued to be one but that relation ceased by Adultery The Fathers differed in their opinions in this matter some allowed Marriage upon Divorce to the Husband but denied it to the Wife others allowed it to both So Tertullian Epiphanius and Basil Jerome also justified Fabiolae that had done it Chrysostome and Chromatius allowed a second Marriage St. Austin was doubtful about it The Roman Emperours allowed by their Laws even after they became Christians Divorce and a second Marriage both to Husbands and Wives upon many other Reasons
Saturdays and Ember days should be Fish days under several penalties excepting the weak or those that had the Kings Licence Christ had told his Disciples that when he was taken from them they should fast So in the Primitive Church they fasted before Easter but the same number of days was not observed in all places afterwards other rules and days were set up but S. Austin complained that many in his time placed all their Religion in observing them Fast-days were turned to a mockery in the Church of Rome in which they both dined and did eat Fish drest exquisitely and drank Wine This made many run to another extream against all Fasts or distinction of days which certainly if rightly managed and without superstition is a great means for keeping up a seriousness of mind which is necessary for maintaining the power of Religion Other Bills were proposed but not past one for making it Treason to marry the Kings Sisters without the consent of the King and Council But the forfeiture of Succession in that case was thought sufficient The Bishops did also complain of their want of power to repress vice which so much abounded But the Laity were so apprehensive of coming again under an Ecclesiastical Tyranny that they would not consent to it A Proposition was also made for bringing the Common Law into a body in imitation of Justinians Digests But it fell being too great a design to be finished under an Infant King In this Parliament the Admiral was Attainted The Admirals Attainder The Queen Dowager died in September last not without suspicion of Poison upon that he renewed his Addresses to Lady Elizabeth but finding it in vain to expect that his Brother and the Council would consent to it and that her right to the Succession would be cut off if he married her without their consent he resolved to make sure of the Kings Person till he made a change in the Government He fortified his House he laid up a Magazine and made a party among the Nobility The Protector imployed many to divert him from those desperate designs but his Ambition being incurable he was forced to proceed to extremities against him He sent him Prisoner to the Tower in January with his Confederate Sharington who being Vice-Treasurer of the Mint at Bristol had supplied him with Money and had coined much base Money for his use Many were sent to perswade him to a better mind and his Brother was willing to be again reconciled to him if he would retire from the Court and business but he was intractable So many Articles were objected to him both of his designs against the State and of his Malversation in his Office several Pyrates having been entertained by him Many Witnesses and Letters under his own hand were brought against him Almost the whole Council went to the Tower and examined him but he refused to make any Answers and said he expected an open Tryal The whole Council upon this acquainted the King with it and desired him to refer the matter to the Parliament which he granted Upon that some Counsellors were again sent to see what they could draw from him but he was sullen and after he had answered to three of the Articles denying some particulars and excusing others he refused to go any further The business was next brought into the House of Lords The Judges and the Kings Council delivered their opinions That the Articles objected to him were Treason Then the Evidence was given upon which the whole House past the Bill the Protector only withdrawing They dispatched it in two days In the House of Commons many argued against Attainders without a Trial or bringing the party to make his Answers But a Message was sent from the King desiring them to proceed as the Lords had begun So the Lords that had given Evidence against him in their own House were sent down to the Commons Upon which they past the Bill and the Royal Assent was given the fifth of March And afterwards the King being prest to it by the Council gave order for the Execution which was done the twentieth of March. This was the only cure that his Ambition seemed capable of Yet it was thought against nature that one Brother should fall by the hand of another And the Attainting a man without hearing him was condemned as contrary to Natural Justice so that the Protector suffered almost as much by his death as he could have done by his life The Laity and Clergy both gave the King Subsidies and so the Parliament was Prorogued The first thing taken into care was the receiving the Act of Uniformity A new Visitation Some Complaints were made of the Priests way of officiating that they did it with such a tone of voice that the people did not understand what was said no more than when the Prayers were said in Latine so this Temper was found Prayers were ordered to be said in Parish Churches in a plain voice but in Cathedrals the old way was still kept up as agreeing better with the Musick used in them Though this seemed not very decent in the Confession of sins nor in the Litany where a simple voice gravely uttered agreed better with those devotions than those Cadences and unmusical notes do Others continued to use all the Gesticulations Crossings and Kneelings that they had formerly been accustomed to The people did also continue the use of their Beads which were brought in by Peter Hermit in the eleventh Century by which the repeating the Angels Salutation to the Virgin was made a great part of their devotion and was ten times said for one Pater Noster Instructions were given to the Visitors to put all these down in a new Visitation and to enquire if any Priests continued to drive a trade by Trentals or Masses for departed Souls Order was also given that there should be no Private Masses at Altars in the corners of Churches and that there should be but one Communion in a day unless it were in great Churches and at high Festivals in which they were allowed to have one Communion in the morning and another at noon The Visitors made their Report That they found the Book of Common Prayer received universally over all the Kingdom only Lady Mary continued to have Mass said according to the abrogated forms Upon this the Council wrote to her to conform to the Laws for the nearer she was to the King in blood she was so much the more obliged to give a good Example to the rest of the Subjects She refused to comply with their desires and sent one to the Emperour for his Protection upon which the Emperour pressed the English Embassadours and they promised that for some time she should be dispensed with The Emperour pretended afterwards that they made him an absolute Promise that she should never be more troubled about it but they said it was only a Temporary Promise A Match was also proposed for her with the King
without consent of the Parliament of Paris and of the States but the Emperor had a more unlimited power in making Treaties As for the business of Bulloign the Bishop of Arras said it was taken after the Emperor's Treaty with England and so was not included in it nor could the Emperor comprehend it within it without breach of his Faith and Treaties with France which was so contrary to the Emperor's honour that it could not be done For the honour of a Prince is a good excuse when he has no mind to engage in a deceitful or unjust War but it is often forgotten when the Circumstances are more favourable Paget after several other Conferences found there was nothing more to be expected of the Emperor so he returned back to England It was upon that proposed in Council whether since by the Treaty with France Bulloign was to be delivered up within a few Years it were not better to prevent a new War and a Siege the issue of which was like to prove very dangerous and to enter into a Treaty for doing it presently and if at the same time it were not more advisable to make an end of the War in Scotland since there was no possibility of compassing the Marriage for which it was first begun Upon this A Faction against the Protector all the Protector 's Enemies took off the Mask and declared themselves against it The Earl of Southampton and the Earl of Warwick were the chief sticklers the one hated him for turning him out of his Office and the other hoped to be the chief Man in business if he should fall Many things concurred to raise the Protector many Enemies his partiality to the Commons provoked the Gentry his cutting off his Brothers head and building a Magnificent Palace in the Strand upon the ruines of some Bishops Houses and Churches and that in a time both of War and Plague disgusted the People The Clergy hated him not only for his promoting the changes made in Religion but for his possessing himself of so many of the Bishops best Mannors his entertaining foreign Troops both Germans and Italians though done by the consent of Council yet gave a general distast and that great advancement he was raised to wrought much both on himself and others for it raised his pride as much as it provoked the envy of others The Privy Counsellors complained that he was become so Arbitrary in his proceedings that he little regarded the opposition that was made by the Majority of the Council to any of his designs All these things concurred to beget him many Enemies and except Cranmer who never forsook his friend and Paget and Smith all turned against him so they violently opposed the proposition for a Treaty with France they also complained that the Places about Bulloign were lost by his carelesness and by his not providing them well and that he had recalled the Garrison out of Hadington and they put him in mind of the conditions upon which he was first made Protector by which he was limited to do nothing but by their advice though he had since that taken out a Patent which cloathed him with a far greater power Upon Pagets return when it was visible that nothing could be expected from the Emperor he prest them much to consent to a Treaty with France but it was said that he had secretly directed Paget to procure no better answer that so he might be furnished with an excuse for so dishonourable an Action therefore they would not give way to it The Protector carried the King to Hampton Court Which turns to a publick breach October and put many of his own Creatures about him which increased the Jealousies so Nine of the Privy Council met at Ely-House and assumed to themselves the Authority of the Council and Secretary Petre being sent by the King to ask an account of their meeting instead of returning joyned himself to them They made a large Declaration of the Protector 's ill government and bad designs and of his engaging the King to set his hand to Letters for raising Men and for dispersing Seditious Papers therefore they resolved to see to the safety of the King and Kingdom Both the City of London and the Lieutenant of the Tower declared for them They also sent Letters all over England desiring the assistance of the Nobility and Gentry Seven more Privy Counsellors came and joyned with them They wrote to the King complaining of the Protector 's obstinacy and his refusing to hearken to their Counsels though the late King had left the Government of his Person and Kingdom to them in common and the Protector was advanced to that dignity by them upon conditions which he had little regarded therefore they desired the King would construct well of their Intentions and proceedings The Protector had removed the King from Hampton Court as being an open place to Windsor which had some more defence about it and had armed some of his own Servants and set them about the King's Person which heightned the Jealousies of him yet seeing himself abandoned by all friends except a few and finding the Party against him was formed to such a strength that it would be in vain to struggle any longer he offered to submit himself to the Council So a Proposition of a Treaty was set on foot and the Lords at London were desired to send two of their number with their Propositions and a Passeport was sent them for their safety Cranmer and the other two writ to the Council to dispose them to an agreement and not to follow Cruel Counsels Many false reports as is usual on such occasions were carried of the Protector as if he had threatned that if they intended to put him to death the King should dye first which served to increase the prejudices against him The Council writ to Cranmer and Paget charging them to look well to the Kings Person that he should not be removed from Windsor and that the Duke of Somerset's Servants might be put from him and his own sworn Servants admitted to wait they also protested that they would proceed with all the moderation and favour towards the Duke of Somerset that was possible The Council understanding that all things were prepared as they had desired sent first three of their number to see that the Duke of Somerset and some of his Creatures Smith Stanhop Thynne Wolf and Cecil should be confined to their Lodgings and on the 12th of October the whole Council went to Windsor and made great protestations of their duty to the King which he received favourably and assured them he took all that they had done in good part The Duke of Somerset with the rest of his friends The Protector 's fall except Cecil who was presently inlarged were sent to the Tower and many Articles were objected to him That he being made Protector with this condition that he should do nothing but by the consent of
down all the Churches as for laying aside those Habits Cranmer desired Bucer's opinion concerning the lawfulness of those Habits and the obligation lying on Subjects to obey the Laws about them His opinion was that every creature of God was good and that no former abuse could make a thing indifferent in its self become unlawful He thought ancient customes ought not to be lightly changed and that there might be a good use made of those Garments that they might well express the purity and candour that became all who ministred in Holy things and that it was a sin to disobey the Laws in such matters Yet since those Garments had been abused to Superstition and were like to become a subject of Contention he wished they might be taken away by Law and that Ecclesiastical Discipline and a more compleat Reformation might be set up and that a stop might be put to the robbing of Churches otherwise they might see in the present State of Germany a dreadful prospect of that which England ought to look for He also writ to the same effect to Hooper and wished that all good men would unite against the greater Corruptions and then lesser abuses would easily be redressed Peter Martyr did also deliver his opinion to the same purpose and was much troubled at Hooper's stiffness and at such contests among the professors of true Religion Hooper was suspended from Preaching but the Earl of Warwick writ to Cranmer to dispense with him in that matter He answered That while the Law continued in force he could not do it without incurring a Praemunire Upon that the King writ to him allowing him to do it and dispensing with the Law Yet this matter was not setled till a year after John à Lasco with some Germans of the Helvetian Confession came this year into England being driven out of Germany by the Persecution there They were erected by Letters Patents into a Corporation and à Lasco was their Superintendent he being a stranger medled too much in English affairs and wrote both against the Habits and against kneeling in the Sacrament Polydore Virgil was this year suffered to go out of England and still to hold the preferments he had in it Pomet was made Bishop of Rochester and Caverdale Co-adjutor to Veysy in Exeter There was now a design set on foot A review of the Common-Prayer-Book for a review of the Common-Prayer-Book In order to which Bucer's opinion was asked He approved the main parts of the former Book he wished there might be not only a denunciation against scandalous persons that came to the Sacrament but a discipline to exclude them That the Habits might be laid aside that no part of the Communion Office might be used except when there was a Sacrament that Communions might be more frequent that the Prayers might be said in a plain voice that the Sacrament might be put in the peoples hands and that there might be no Prayers for the Dead which had not been used in Justin Martyr's time He advised a change of some phrases in the Office of the Communion that favoured Transubstantiation too much and that Baptism might be only in Churches He thought the hallowing the Water the Chrisme and the White garment were too scenical nor did he approve of adjuring the Devil nor of the Godfathers answering in the Childs name He thought Confirmation should be delayed till the person was of Age and came sincerely to renew the Baptismal Covenant He advised Catechizing every Holy-day both of Children and the Adult he disliked private Marriages Extream Unction and offering Chrisomes at the Churching of Women And thought there ought to be greater strictness used in the examining of those who came to receive Orders At the same time he understood that the King expected a New-years gift from him of a Book written particularly for his own use So he made a Book for him concerning the Kingdom of Christ He prest much the setting up a strict discipline the Sanctification of the Lords day Bucer offers some advices to the King the appointing many days of Fasting and that Pluralities and Non-residence might be effectually condemned that Children might be Catechized that the Reverence due to Churches might be preserved that the Pastoral function might be restored to what it ought to be that Bishops might throw off Secular affairs and take care of their Diocesses and govern them by the advice of their Presbyters that there might be Rural Bishops over twenty or thirty Parishes and that Provincial Councils might meet twice a year that Church-lands should be restored and that a fourth part should be assigned to the poor that Marriage without consent of Parents should be annulled that a second Marriage might be declared lawful after a Divorce for Adultery and some other Reasons that care should be taken of the education of youth and for repressing luxury that the Law might be reformed that no Office might be sold but given to the most deserving that none should be put in Prison upon slight offences and that the severity of some Laws as that which made Theft capital might be mitigated The young King was much pleased with these advices The Kings great understanding and upon that began himself to form a Scheme for amending many things that were amiss in the Government which he writ with his own hand and in a stile and manner that had much of a Child in it though the thoughts were manly It appears by it that he intended to set up a Church discipline and settle a method for breeding of youth but the discourse is not finished He also writ a Journal of every thing that past at home and of the news that came from beyond Sea It has clear marks of his own Composing as well as it is written with his own hand He wrote another discourse in French being a Collection of all the places of Scripture against Idolatry with a Preface before it dedicated to the Protector At this time Ridley made his first Visitation of his Diocess Altars put down the Articles upon which he proceeded were chiefly relating to the Service and Ceremonies that were abolished whether any continued to use them or not and whether there were any Anabaptists or others that used private Conventicles He also carried some Injunctions with him against some remainders of the former superstition and for exhorting the people to give Alms and to come oft to the Sacrament and that Altars might be removed and Tables put in their room in the most convenient place of the Chancel In the Ancient Church their Tables were of Wood But the Sacrament being called a Sacrifice as Prayers Alms and all Holy Oblations were they came to be called Altars This gave the rise to the Opinion of Expiatory Sacrifice in the Mass and therefore it was thought fit to take away both the name and form of Altars Ridley only advised the Curates to do this but upon some contests arising
and worship and our being during the whole action in one continued posture of devotion and if the Jews who were more bound up to Ceremonies made a change in the posture at the Memorial of their deliverance without any warrant mentioned in the Old Testament it must be acknowledged that the Christian Church which is more at liberty in such matters had authority to make the like change of the posture in this Memorial of Christ's sufferings At this time six of the most eminent Preachers were appointed to wait on the Court by turns two at a time and the other four were sent as Itinerant Preachers into all the Counties of England in a Circuit for supplying the defects of the Clergy who were generally very weak and faulty The Mass said in Lady Mary's Chappel Lady Mary in trouble for having Mass said was now again challenged The Court was less afraid of the Emperours displeasure than formerly and so would no longer bear with so publick a breach of Law And the Promise they had made being but Temporary and never given in Writing they thought they were not bound by it But the Emperour assured her that he had an absolute Promise for that Priviledge to her This encouraged her so much that when the Council wrote to her she said she would follow the Catholick Church and adhere to her Fathers Religion Answer was writ in the Kings name requiring her to obey the Law and not to pretend that the King was under age since the late Rebels had justified themselves by that The way of Worship then established was also vindicated as most consonant to the word of God But she refused to engage into any disputes only she said she would continue in her former courses And she was thinking of going out of England insomuch that the Emperour ordered a Ship to lie near the Coast for her Transportation which was strange advice for it is probable if she had gone beyond Sea she had been effectually shut out from succeeding to the Crown The Emperour espoused her quarrel so warmly that he threatned to make War if she should be hardly used and the Merchants having then great effects at Antwerp it was not thought fit to give him a colour for breaking with them and seizing on these so the Council were willing to let the matter fall and only advised her to have her Mass privately said yet the young King could not be easily induced to yield to that for he said he ought not to connive at Idolatry The Council ordered Cranmer Ridley and Poinet to satisfie him in it And they convinced him that though he ought not to consent to any sin yet he was not at all times obliged to punish it He burst out in weeping lamenting his Sisters obstinacy and his own circumstances that obliged him to comply with such an impious way of Worship Dr. Wotton was sent over to the Emperour to convince him that no absolute Promise was ever made For Paget and Hobbey whom the Emperour vouched for it declared upon Oath that they made not any but what was Temporary and since the King did not meddle in the concerns of the Emperours Family it was not reasonable for him to interpose in this The Emperor pretended that he had promised to her Mother at her death to protect her and so he was bound in honour to take care of her But now when the Council were not in such fear of the Emperours displeasure as formerly they sent to seize on two of her Chaplains that had said Mass in her House when she was absent they kept out of the way and she writ to the Council to stop the prosecution and continued to stand upon the Promise made to the Emperour A long answer was returned to her by the Council in which after the matter of the Promise was cleared they urged her with the absurdity of Prayers in an unknown tongue offering the Sacrament for the dead and worshipping Images All the Ancients appealed upon all occasions to the Scriptures by these she might easily discover the errours and cheats of the old Superstition that were supported only by false Miracles and lying Stories They concluded that they being trusted with the execution of the Laws were obliged to proceed equally Mallet one of the Chaplains was taken and she earnestly desired that he might be set at liberty but it was denied her The Council sent for the chief Officers of her House and required them to let her know the Kings pleasure that she must have the new Service in her Family and to give the like charge to her Chaplains and Servants This vexed her much and did almost cast her into sickness She said she would obey the King in every thing in which her Conscience was not touched But charged them not to deliver the Councils Message to her Servants Upon that the Lord Chancellour Petre and Wyngfield were sent with the same orders to her and carried to her a Letter from the King which she received on her knees but when she read it she cast the blame of it on Cecyl then Secretary of State The Chancellour told her the whole Council were of one mind that they could not suffer her to use a form of Worship against Law And had ordered them to intimate this both to herself and her Family She made great protestations of duty to the King but said she would die rather than use any form of Worship but that which was left by her Father only she was afraid she was not worthy to suffer on so good an account When the King was of age she would obey his Commands in Religion and though he now knew many things above his age yet as they did not think him yet capable of matters of War or Policy so much less could he judge in points of Divinity If her Chaplains refused to say Mass she could have none but for the new Service she was resolved against it and if it were forced on her she would leave her house She desired her Officers might be sent back to her whom they had put in the Tower for not intimating the Councils order to her Servants which had been strange for them to have done when she forbid it She charged them to use her well for her Fathers sake who had raised them all out of nothing She was sick by reason of their ill usage and if she died she would lay it at their door She insisted on the Promise made to the Emperour who writ of it to her and she believed him more than them all She gave them a token to be carried to the King and so dismist them When they had laid a charge on her Chaplains and Servants to the same effect and were going away she called after them and desired they would send her Comptroller to her for she was weary of receiving her accounts and examining how many Loaves were made of a Bushel of Meal Upon this resolution that she exprest
only as a Paper of News and so ordered their Ambassadours to communicate them to the Emperour But the King's death broke off this Negotiation He had contracted great Colds by Violent Exercises which in January setled in a deep Cough and all Medicines proved ineffectual The Kings sickness There was a suspicion taken up and spred over all Europe that he was poisoned but no certain grounds appear for justifying that During his sickness Ridley preached before him and among other things run out much on works of Charity and the duty of Men of high condition to be Eminent in good works The King was much touched with this so after Sermon he sent for the Bishop and treated him with such respect that he made him sit down and be covered then he told him what Impression his Exhortation had made on him and therefore he desired to be directed by him how to do his duty in that matter Ridley took a little time to consider of it and after some consultation with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London he brought the King a Scheme of several Foundations one for the sick and wounded another for such as were wilfully idle or were mad and a third for Orphans so he endowed St. Bartholomew's Hospital for the first Bridewell for the second and Christ's Church near Newgate for the third and he enlarged the Grant he made the former year for St. Thomas's Hospital in Southwark The Statutes and Warrants relating to these were not finished before the 26. of June though he gave order to make all the hast that was possible and when he set his hand to them he blest God that had prolonged his life till he finished his designs concerning them These Houses have by the good Government and great Charities of the City of London continued to be so useful and grown to be so well-endowed that now they may be well reckoned among the Noblest in Europe The King bore his sickness with great submission to the will of God The Patents for the succession to the Crown and seemed concerned in nothing so much as the state that Religion and the Church would be in after his death The Duke of Suffolk had only three Daughters the eldest of these was now married to Lord Guilford Dudley the second to the Earl of Pembroke's eldest Son and the third that was crooked to one Keys The Duke of Northumberland for strengthning his Family married also his own two Daughters the one to Sir Henry Sidney and the other to the Earl of Huntington's eldest Son He grew to be much hated by the People and the jealousie of the King 's being poisoned was fastened on him But he regarded these things little and resolved to improve the fears the King was in concerning Religion to the advantage of Lady Jane The King was easily perswaded to order the Judges and his Learned Council to put some Articles which he had signed for the succession of the Crown in the common form of Law They answered that the Succession being setled by Act of Parliament could not be taken away except by Parliament yet the King required them to do what he commanded them But next time they came to the Council they declared that it was made Treason to change the Succession by an Act past in this Reign so they could not meddle with it Mountague was chief Justice and spake in the name of the rest Northumberland fell out in a great passion against him calling him Traitor for refusing to obey the King's commands for that is always the language of an Arbitrary Minister when he acts against Law But the Judges were not shaken by his threatnings so they were again brought before the King who sharply rebuked them for their delays but they said all that they could do would be of no force without a Parliament yet they were required to do it in the best manner they could At last Mountague desired they might have a Pardon for what they were to do that being granted all the Judges except Gosnald and Hales agreed to the Patent deliver'd their Opinions that the Lord Chancellor might put the Seal to it and that then it would be good in Law yet the former of these two was at last wrought on so Hales was the only Man that stood out to the last who though he was a zealous Protestant yet would not give his Opinion against his Conscience upon any consideration whatsoever The Privy Councellours were next required to set their hand to it Cecyl in a Relation he writ of this transaction says that hearing some of the Judges declare so positively that it was against Law he refused to set his hand to it as a Privy Councellour but signed it only as a Witness to the King's subscription Cranmer stood out long he came not to Council when it was past there and refused to consent to it when he was prest to it for he said he would never have a hand in disinheriting his late Master's Daughters The young dying King was at last set on him and by his Importunity prevailed with him to do it and so the Seal was put to the Patents The King's distemper continued to encrease so that the Physicians despaired of his Recovery A confident Woman undertook his Cure and he was put in her hands but she left him worse than she found him and this heightned the jealousie of the Duke of Northumberland that had introduced her and put the Physicians away At last to Crown his designs he got the King to write to his Sisters to come and divert him in his sickness and the matter of the Exclusion had been carried so secretly that they apprehending no danger had begun their Journey In the 6th of July The Kings death and Character the King felt death approaching and prepared himself for it in a most devout manner He was often heard offering up Prayers and Ejaculations to God Particularly a few Moments before he died he prayed earnestly that God would take him out of this wretched life and committed his Spirit to him he interceded very fervently for his Subjects that God would preserve England from Popery and maintain his true Religion among them soon after that he breathed out his Innocent Soul being in Sir Henry Sidney's arms Endeavours were used to conceal his death for some days on design to draw his Sisters into the snare before they should be aware of it but that could not be done Thus died Edward the VI. in the sixteenth Year of his Age. He was counted the wonder of that time he was not only Learned in the Tongues and the Liberal Sciences but knew well the state of his Kingdom He kept a Table-Book in which he had writ the Characters of all the eminent Men of the Nation he studied Fortification and understood the Mint well he knew the Harbours in all his Dominions with the depth of Water and way of coming into them He understood foreign
affairs so well that the Ambassadours that were sent into England published very extraordinary things of him in all the Courts of Europe He had great quickness of apprehension but being distrustful of his Memory he took Notes of every thing he heard that was considerable in Greek Characters that those about him might not understand what he writ which he afterwards Copied out fair in the Journal that he kept His Virtues were wonderful when he was made believe that his Unkle was guilty of conspiring the death of the other Counsellours he upon that abandoned him Barnaby Fitzpatrick was his Favourite and when he sent him to travel he writ oft to him to keep good Company to avoid excess and Luxury and to improve himself in those things that might render him capable of Imployment at his return He was afterwards made Lord of Upper Ossory in Ireland by Queen Elizabeth and did answer the hopes that this excellent King had of him He was very merciful in his nature which appeared in his unwillingness to sign the Warrant for burning the Maid of Kent He took great care to have his debts well paid reckoning that a Prince who breaks his Faith and loses his Credit has thrown up that which he can never recover and made himself liable to perpetual distrust and extreme contempt He took special care of the Petitions that were given him by poor and opprest People But his great zeal for Religion crowned all the rest It was not only an angry heat about it that acted him but it was a true tenderness of conscience founded on the love of God his Neighbors These extraordinary qualities set off with great sweetness and affability made him be universally beloved by all his People Some called him their Josias others Edward the Saint and others called him the Phoenix that rise out of his Mothers ashes and all People concluded that the sins of England must have been very great since they provoked God to deprive the Nation of so signal a blessing as the rest of his Reign would have by all appearance proved Ridley and the other good Men of that time made great lamentations of the Vices that were grown then so common that Men had past all shame in them Luxury Oppression and a hatred of Religion had over-run the higher rank of People who gave a countenance to the Reformation meerly to rob the Church but by that and their other practices were become a great scandal to so good a work The inferiour sort were so much in the power of the Priests who were still notwithstanding their outward Compliance Papists in heart and were so much offended at the spoil they saw made of all good endowments without putting other and more useful ones in their room that they who understood little of Religion laboured under great prejudices against every thing that was advanced by such tools And these things as they provoked God highly so they disposed the People much to that sad Catastrophe which is to be the subject of the next Book BOOK III. Book III 1553. THE LIFE and REIGN OF Queen MARY BY King Edward's death Qu. Mary succeeds the Crown devolved according to Law on his Eldest Sister Mary who was within half a days Journey to the Court when she had notice given her by the Earl of Arundel of her Brother's death and of the Patent for Lady Jane's succession and this prevented her falling into the Trap that was laid for her Upon that she retired to Framlingham in Suffolk both to be near the Sea that she might escape to Flanders in case of a misfortune and because the slaughter that was made of Kets People by Northumberland begat him the hatred of the People in that Neighbourhood Before she got thither she wrote on the 9th of July to the Council and let them know she understood that her Brother was dead by which she succeeded to the Crown but wondred that she heard not from them she knew well what Consultations they had engaged in but she would pardon all that was done to such as would return to their duty and proclaim her Title to the Crown By this it was found that the Kings death could be no longer kept secret so some of the Privy Council went to Lady Jane and acknowledged her their Queen The news of the King's death afflicted her much and her being raised to the Throne rather encreased than lessened her trouble She was a very extraordinary Person both for Body and Mind She had learned both the Greek and Latine Tongues to great perfection and delighted much in study She read Plato in Greek and drunk in the Precepts of true Philosophy so early that as she was not tainted with the levities not to say Vices of those of her Age and condition so she seemed to have attained to the practice of the highest notions of Philosophy for in those sudden turns of her condition as she was not exalted with the prospect of a Crown so she was as little cast down when her Palace was made her Prison The only passion she shewed was that of the Noblest kind in the concern she exprest for her Father and Husband who fell with her and seemingly on her account though really Northumberland's ambition and her Father's weakness ruined her She rejected the offer of the Crown when it was first made her she said she knew that of right it belonged to the late King's Sisters and so she could not with a good Conscience assume it but it was told her that both the Judges and Privy Councellours had declared that it fell to her according to Law This joyned with the Importunities of her Husband who had more of his Father's Temper than of her Philosophy in him made her submit to it Upon this XXI Privy Councellours set their hands to a Letter to Queen Mary letting her know that Queen Jane was now their Soveraign and that the Marriage between her Father and Mother was null so she could not succeed to the Crown and therefore they required her to lay down her Pretensions and to submit to the settlement now made and if she gave a ready obedience to these Commands they promised her much favour The day after this they proclaimed Jane But Lady Jane Gray is proclaimed In it they set forth That the late King had by Patent excluded his Sisters that both were illegitimated by sentences past in the Ecclesiastical Courts and confirmed in Parliament and at best they were only his Sisters by the half blood and so not inheritable by the Law of England There was also cause to fear that they might marry strangers and change the Laws and subject the Nation to the Tyranny of the See of Rome Next to them the Crown fell to the Dutchess of Suffolk and it was provided that if she should have no Sons when the King died the Crown should devolve on her Daughter who was born and married in the Kingdom Upon which
Title of Queen she submitted with as much greatness of mind as her Father shewed of abjectness They sent also Orders to Northumberland to dismiss his Forces and to obey the Queen and the Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget were sent to carry these welcome tidings to her When Northumberland heard of the Turn that was in London without staying for Orders he discharged his Forces and went to the Market-place at Cambridge where he was at that time and proclaimed the Queen The Earl of Arundel was sent to apprehend him and when he was brought to him he fell at his Feet to beg his favour for a mind that has no ballance in it self turns insolent or abject out of measure with the various changes of fortune He and three of his Sons and Sir Tho. Palmer that was his wicked Instrument against the Duke of Somerset were all sent to the Tower Now all People went to implore the Queen's favour and Ridley among the rest but he was sent to the Tower for she was both offended with him for his Sermon and resolved to put Bonner again in the See of London Some of the Judges and several Noblemen were also sent thither among the rest the Duke of Suffolk but three days after he was set at liberty He was a weak Man and could do little harm so he was pitched on as the first Instance towards whom the Queen should express her Clemency She came to London on the 3d. of August She comes to London and on the way was met by her Sister Lady Elizabeth with a thousand Horse whom she had raised to come to the Queen's assistance When she came to the Tower she discharged the Duke of Norfolk the Dutchess of Somerset and Gardiner of whose Commitment mention has been formerly made as also the Lord Courtney Son to the Marquess of Exeter who had been kept there ever since his Fathers Attainder whom she made Earl of Devonshire And thus was she now peaceably setled on the Throne notwithstanding that great Combination against her which had not been so easily broken if the Head of it had not been a Man so Universally distastful She was a Lady of great Vertues Her former life she was strict in her Religion to superstition her Temper was much corrupted by Melancholy and the many cross accidents of her life increased this to a great degree She adhered so resolutely to her Mothers Interests that it was believed her Father once intended to have taken her Life upon which her Mother wrote a very devout Letter to her charging her to trust in God and keep her self pure and to obey the King in all things except in matters of Religion She sent her two Latine Books for her entertainment Saint Jerome's Epistles and a Book of the Life of Christ which was perhaps the famous Book of Thomas à Kempis The Kings displeasure at her was such that neither the Duke of Norfolk nor Gardiner durst venture to intercede for her Cranmer was the only Man that hazarded on it and did it so effectually that he prevailed with him about it But after her Mothers death she hearkned to other Counsels so that upon Anne Boleyn's fall she made a full submission to him as was mentioned before She did also in many Letters which she writ both to her Father and to Cromwell Protest great sorrow for her former stubornness and declared that she put her Soul in his hand and that her Conscience should be always directed by him and being asked what her Opinion was concerning Pilgrimages Purgatory and Reliques she answered that she had no Opinion but such as she received from the King who had her whole heart in his keeping and might imprint upon it in these and in all other matters whatever his inestimable Vertue high Wisdom and excellent Learning should think convenient for her So perfectly had she learned the stile that she knew was most acceptable to her Father After that she was in all points obedient to him and during her Brothers Reign she set up on that pretence that she would adhere to that way of Religion that was setled by her Father Two different Schemes were now set before her Gardiner and all that had complied in the former times moved that at first she should bring things back to the state in which they were The Counsels then laid down when her Father died and afterwards by easie and slow steps she might again return to the obedience to the See of Rome But she her self was more inclined to return to that immediately she thought she could not be legitimated any other way and so was like to proceed too quick Gardiner finding that Political Maximes made no great Impression on her and that he was lookt on by her as a crafty temporising Man addressed himself to the Emperour who understood Government and Mankind better and undertook that if he might have the Seals he would manage matters so that in a little time he should bring all things about to her mind and that there was no danger but in her precipitating things and being so much governed by Italian Counsels for he understood that she had sent for Cardinal Pool The People had a great Aversion to the Papal authority and the Nobility and Gentry were apprehensive of losing the Abbey Lands therefore it was necessary to remove these prejudices by degrees He also assured the Emperour that he would serve all his Interests zealously and shewed him how necessary it was to stop Cardinal Pool who stood Attainted by Law In this he was the more earnest because he knew Pool hated him The Emperour upon this writ so effectually to the Queen to depend on Gardiner's Counsels that on the 13th of August he was made Lord Chancellour and the conduct of affairs was put in his hands The Duke of Norfolk being now at liberty pretended that he was never truly attainted and that it was no legal Act that had past against him and by this he recovered his Estate all the Grants that had been made out of it being declared void at Common Law He was made Lord Steward for the Trial of the Duke of Northumberland Northumberlands Trial and his Son the Earl of Warwick and the Marquess of Northampton All that they pleaded in their own defence lay in two points the one was whether any thing that was acted by Order of Council and the authority of the Great Seal could be Treason The other was whether those that were as guilty as they were could sit and judge them The Judges answered that the Great Seal or Privy Council of one that was not lawful Queen could give no Authority nor Indemnity and that other Peers if they were not convicted by Record might judge them These Points being determined against them they pleaded Guilty and submitted to the Queens Mercy So Sentence past upon them and the day after that Sir John Gates Sir Tho. Palmer and some others were tried and
being disappointed he turned back and was forsaken by his men so that a Herauld without using any force apprehended him at Temple-bar It was on Ash-Wednesday and the Queen had shewed such Courage that she would not stir from Whitehall nor would she omit the Devotions of that day and this success was looked on as a reward from Heaven on her Piety This raw and ill formed Rebellion was as lucky for the ends of the Court as if Gardiner had projected it for in a weak Government an ill digested Insurrection raises the power of the Prince and adds as much Spirit to his Friends as it depresses the faction against him and it also gives a handle to do some things for which it were not easie otherwise to find either Colours or Instruments The Popish Authors studied to cast the blame of this on the Reformed Preachers but did not name any one of them that was in it so it appears that what some later Writers have said of Poinet's having been in it is false otherwise his name had certainly been put in the number of those that were Attainted for it Upon this it was resolved to proceed against Lady Jane Gray and her Husband Lady Jane Grays Execution she had lived six Months in the daily Meditations of Death so she was not much surprised at it Fecknam who was sent to prepare her for Death acknowledged that he was astonished at her calm behaviour her great knowledge and the extraordinary sence she had of Religion She writ to her Father to moderate his grief for her death since it was great matter of joy to her that she was so near an end of her Miseries and the enjoyment of Eternal glory One Harding that had been her Fathers Chaplain and a zealous Preacher in King Edward's time had now changed his Religion to him she wrote a long and pathetick Letter setting forth his Apostasie and the Judgments of God which he might expect upon it She sent her Greek New Testament to her Sister with a Letter in Greek recommending the study of that Book to her and chiefly the following it in her practice these were the last exercises of this rare young Person She was at first much moved when she saw her Husband led out to his Execution but recovered her self when she considered how soon she was to follow him and when he desired they might take leave of one another she declined it for she thought it would encrease their Grief and disorder and continued so setled in her temper that she saw his beheaded Body carried to the Chappel in the Tower without expressing any visible concern about it She was carried out next to a Scaffold set up within the Tower to hinder great Crouds from looking on a sight which was like to raise much compassion in the Spectators She confessed her sin in taking an honour that was due to another though it was a thing neither procured nor desired by her and acknowledged her other sins against God that she had loved her self and the World too much and thanked God for making her afflictions a means to her repentance she declared she died a true Christian trusting only to the Merits of Christ then she repeated the LI. Psalm and stretched out her Head on the Block which upon the signal given was cut off Her Death was as much lamented as her Life had been admired It affected Judge Morgan that had pronounced the Sentence so much that he run mad and thought she still followed him The Queen her self was troubled at it for it was rather reason of State than private Resentment that set her on to it Her Father was soon after tried by his Peers and Condemned and Executed Several others suffered He was the less pitied because by his means his Daughter was brought to her untimely end Wiat was brought to his Trial he begged his Life in a most abject manner but he was Condemned and Executed and so were Fifty-eight more Six hundred of the Rabble were appointed to come with Ropes about their Necks and beg the Queen's pardon which was granted them A slander was cast on the Earl of Devonshire and Lady Elizabeth as if they had set on the rising that was intended in the West Wiat in hopes of Life had accused them but he did them Justice at his Death yet they were both put in Prison upon it Sir Nicolas Throgmorton was accused of the same crime but after a long Trial he was acquitted yet his Jury were hardly used and severely fined Sir Jo. Cheek was sought for so he fled beyond Sea but both he and Sir Peter Carew hoping that Philip would be glad to signalize his first coming to England with Acts of Grace rendred themselves to him After that Cheek was again taken in Flanders upon a new suspicion and to deliver himself out of his trouble he renounced his Religion But though he got his Liberty upon that yet he could never recover the quiet of his mind so he languished for some time and dyed There was at this time a base Imposture discovered in London The Imposture of the Spirit In the Wall one seemed to speak out of a Wall in a strange tone of Voice Great numbers flockt about the House and several things both relating to Religion and the State were uttered by it but it was found to be one Elizabeth Crofts who by the help of a Whistle spoke those words through a Hole in the Wall There was no other Complice found but one Drake and they both were made to do Penance for it publickly at S. Pauls Injunctions were now given to the Bishops Injunctions sent to the Bishops to execute such Ecclesiastical Laws as had been in force in K. Henry's time That in their Courts they should proceed in their own Names that the Oath of Supremacy should be no more exacted none suspected of Heresie was to be put in Orders they were required to suppress Heresie and Hereticks and to turn out all married Clergymen and to separate them from their Wives If they left their Wives they might put them in some other Cure or reserve a Pension for them out of their Livings none that had vowed Chastity was to be suffered to live with his Wife those that were ordained by the Book set out in King Edward's time were to be confirmed by all the other Rites then left out and that was declared to be no valid Ordination The Queen gave also a special Commission to Bonner Gardiner Tonstall Day Many Bishops turned out and Kitchin to proceed against the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of St. Davids Chester and Bristoll and to deprive them of their Bishopricks for having contracted Marriage and thereby having broken their Vows and defiled their Function She also authorised them to call before them the Bishops of Lincoln Glocester and Hereford who held their Bishopricks only during their good behaviour and since they had done things contrary to the
stay in England where he had no hopes of making himself Master left her and that increased her Melancholy New Fires were kindled More Hereticks burnt Cardmaker that had been a Prebendary at Bath and Warne a Tradesman were burnt in Smithfield in May. The body of one that suffered for Robbery but at his Execution said somewhat savouring of Heresie was burnt for it Seven were burnt in several parts of Essex They were condemned by Bonner and sent down to be burnt near the places of their abode The Council writ to the Great Men of the County to gather many together and assist at those Spectacles and when they heard that some had come of their own accord to the burnings at Colchester they writ to the Lord Rich to give their thanks to those Persons for their Zeal so dexterously did they study to cherish a spirit of Cruelty among the People Bradford who had been committed soon after he had saved Bourne in the Tumult at Saint Paul's had been condemned with the rest and was preserved till July He was so much considered that Heath Archbishop of York and Day Bishop of Chichester Weston and Harpsfield with the King's Confessor and Alphonsus à Castro went to see if they could prevail on him and had long Conferences with him in Prison but all to no purpose Bourn was made Bishop of Bath and Wells and his Brother was Secretary of State but though Bradford had preserved his life yet he neither came to visit him nor did he interpose for his life on the contrary it was objected to Bradford that by his carriage in suppressing that Tumult it appeared that he had set it on but he appealed to God who saw how unworthily they returned him evil for good and he appealed to Bourn who was sitting among the Bishops that judged him if he had not prayed him for the Passion of Christ to endeavour his preservation and if he had not done it at the hazard of his own Life But Bourn as he was ashamed to accuse him so he had not the honesty nor the courage to vindicate him a young Apprentice was burnt with him whom he encouraged much in his sufferings and in transports of joy he hugged the Faggots that were laid about him Thornton Harpsfield and others set on a Persecution at Canterbury though Cardinal Pool was averse to it but he durst not now discover so much for the Pope had an inveterate hatred to him and was resolved upon the first occasion to recall him and for that end he entred in a Correspondence with Gardiner who hoped thereby to have been made a Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury and upon the hopes he had of that he still preserved Cranmer for tho' he was now condemned for Heresie yet the See was not esteemed void till he was formally degraded Some said it was fit to begin with him that had been the chief promoter of Heresie in England But Gardiner said it was better to try if it could be possible to shake him for it would be a great blow to the whole Party if he could be wrought on to forsake it whereas if he should be burnt and should dye with such resolution as others expressed it would much raise the spirits of his followers The See of Canterbury was now only sequestred in Pool's hands and he being afraid of falling under the Pope's rage was willing to let the cruel Prebendaries do what they pleased They burnt two Priests and two Laymen at Canterbury and sent a Man and a Woman to be burnt in other Places in Kent Two that belonged to the Dioceses of Winchester and Chichester were condemned by Bonner and were burnt near the places of their abode There were at this time several pretended discoveries of Plots both in Dorsetshire and Essex and Orders were given to draw Confessions from some that were apprehended by Torture but the thing was let fall for it was grounded only on the surmises of the Clergy The Queen was this Year rebuilding the House of the Franciscans at Greenwich Religious Houses set up and had recalled Peyto and Elston of which mention was made Book 1. pag. 117. the one she made her Confessor and the other was to be Guardian of that House The People expressed such hatred of them that as they were passing upon the River some threw stones at them but they that did it could not be discovered More 's Works published Judge Rastall published Sir Tho. More 's Works at this time but as was formerly observed he left out his Letter concerning the Nun of Kent though it lies among his other Letters in that very Manuscript out of which he published them He prefixed nothing concerning Mores Life to his Works which makes it highly probable that he never writ it for this was the proper time and place for publishing it if he had ever writ it So that Manuscript life of Mores pretended to be writ by him out of which many things have been quoted since that time to the disgrace of King Henry and Anne Boleyn must be a later forgery contrived in spite to Queen Elizabeth The Queen did now go on with her Intentions of founding Religious Houses out of those Abbey-Lands that were still in the Crown She recommended it also to the Councils care that every where there might be good Preaching and that there might be a Visitation of the Universities she desired that Justice might be done on the Hereticks in such a manner that the People might be well satisfied about it and prest them to take care that there might be no Pluralities in England and that the Preachers might give good Example as well as make good Sermons The burnings went on Seven were burnt in August in several places six more were burnt in one fire at Canterbury and four were burnt in other places but the particular days are not marked In September five were burnt at Canterbury and seven in other places In October two were burnt at Ely by Shaxton's means who now compleated his Apostasie by his Cruelty The 16th of that month became remarkable by the sufferings of Ridley and Latimer Ridley and Latimer are burnt Three Bishops Lincoln Gloucester and Bristol were sent with a Commission from Cardinal Pool to proceed against them Ridley said he payed great respect to Pool as he was of the Royal Family and esteemed him much for his Learning and Vertues but as he was the Popes Legate he would express no reverence to him nor would uncover himself before any that acted by authority from him The Bishop of Lincoln exhorted him To return to the obedience of the See of S. Peter on whom Christ had founded his Church to which the Ancient Fathers had submitted and which himself had once acknowledged He began his answer with a Protestation That he did not thereby submit to the authority of the Pope or his Legate he said Christ had founded his Church not on St. Peter but on the
any that could might seize on their Dominions The Bishops had also this to say for their Severities that by the Oath which they took at their Consecrations they were bound to persecute Hereticks with all their might so that the Principles of that Religion working on sowre and revengeful tempers it was no wonder that Cruel Councils were more acceptable than moderate ones BOOK IV. Book IV 1558. OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE REFORMATION In the beginning of Qu. ELIZABETH's Reign THE Morning after Queen Mary died Qu. Elizabeth Proclaimed the Lord Chancellor went to the House of Lords and communicated to them the News of Her death and then sent for the Commons and declared it to them and added that the Crown was now devolved on their present Queen Elizabeth whose Title they were resolved to proclaim This was Echoed with repeated Acclamations which were so full of Joy that it appeared how weary the Nation was of the Cruel and weak administration of affairs under the former Reign and that they hoped for better times under the next And indeed the Proclaiming the new Queen both at Westminster and in the City of London was received with such unusual transports of Joy as gave the Melancholy Priests just cause to fear a new Revolution in matters of Religion and though the Queen's Death affected them with a very sensible sorrow yet the Joy in this change was so great and so Universal that a sad look was thought Criminal and the Priests were glad to vent their griefs at their forsaken Altars which were now like to be converted again to Communion Tables The Queen came from Hatfield The Queen came to London where she had lived private to London The Bishops met Her at Highgate she received them all kindly only she lookt on Bonner as defiled with so much blood that it seemed indecent to treat him with the sweetness that always attends the beginnings of Reigns for common Civility to a Person so polluted might seem some countenance to his Crimes She past through London in the midst of all the Joys that People delivered from the Terror of Fires and Slavery could express She quickly shewed that she was resolved to retain no Impressions of the hardships she had met with in her Sister's time and treated those that had used her worst with great gentleness Bennefield himself not excepted only with a sharpness of raillery she used to call him her Jaylor She gave notice of her coming to the Crown to all foreign Princes and writ particular acknowledgments to King Philip for the good offices he had done her Among the rest she writ to Sir Edward Karn that was her Sisters Ambassadour at Rome But the Pope in his usual stile told him that England was a Fee of the Papacy and that it was a high Presumption in her to take the Crown without his consent especially she being illegitimate but he said if she would renounce her Pretensions and refer her self wholly to him she might expect from him all the favour that could consist with the dignity of the Apostolick See The Queen hearing this recalled Karn's power but he being a zealous Papist continued still at Rome Philip proposed Marriage to the Queen Philip proposes marriage to the Queen but in vain and undertook to procure a Dispensation for it from Rome But the Queen as she continued all her life averse to that state of life so she knew how unacceptable a stranger and particularly a Spaniard would be to her People She did not much value the Pope's Dispensation and if two Sisters might marry the same Person then two Brothers might likewise marry the same Woman which would have overthrown all the Arguments for her Father's Divorce with Queen Catherine upon which the Validity of her Mothers Marriage and her legitimation did depend Yet though she firmly resolved not to marry King Philip she thought that during the Treaty at Cambray it was not fit to put him quite out of hopes so he sent to Rome for a Dispensation but the French sent to oppose it and set up a Pretension for the young Queen of Scotland as the righteous Heir to the Crown of England The Queen continued to imploy most of her Sisters Privy-Councellours The Counsels about changing Religion and they had turned so often before in matters of Religion that it was not likely they would be Intractable in that point but to these she added divers others the most Eminent of whom were Sir Will. Cecyl and Sir Nicolas Bacon She ordered all that were Imprisoned on the account of Religion to be set at liberty upon which one that used to talk pleasantly told her the four Evangelists continued still Prisoners and that the People longed much to see them at liberty She answered she would talk with themselves and know their own mind Some proposed the annulling all Queen Mary's Parliaments because force was used in the first and the Writs for another were not lawful since the Title of Supream Head was left out in the Summons before it was taken away by Law but it was thought a Precedent of dangerous Consequence to annul Parliaments upon Errors in Writs or particular disorders The Queen desired that all the changes that should be made might be so managed as to breed as little division among her People as was possible She did not like the Title of Supream Head as importing too great an Authority She loved Magnificence in Religion as she affected it in all other things this made her incline to keep Images still in Churches and that the Popish party might be offended as little as was possible she intended to have the manner of Christ's Presence in the Sacrament defined in general terms that might comprehend all sides A Scheme was formed of the Method in which it was most advisable for the Queen to proceed and put in Cecyl's hands It was thought necessary to do nothing till a Parliament were called A Scheme proposed The Queen had reason to look for all the mischief that the Pope could do her who would set on the French and by their means the Scots and perhaps the Irish against her The Clergy and those that were imployed in Queen Mary's time would oppose it and do what they could to inflame the Nation and the greater part of the People loved the Pomp of the old Ceremonies It was therefore proposed that the Queen should on any terms make Peace with France and encourage the Party in Scotland that desired a Reformation The Clergy were generally hated for their Cruelty and it would be easie to bring them within the Statute of Praemunire Care was also to be taken to expose the former Councellours for the ill conduct of affairs in Qu. Mary's time and so to lessen their credit It was also proposed to look well to the Commissions both for the Peace and the Militia and to the Universities Some Learned Men were to be ordered to consider what alterations
of the Temporal Authority the World was then so over-mastered by Superstition and Credulity that not only the whole Spiritual Power but even the Temporal Power of Princes was likely to have fallen into the Pope's hands But the discontented Clergy supported the Secular Power as much as they had before advanced the Papal Tyranny Boniface the 8th had raised his Pretentions to that impudent pitch that he declared all Power both Ecclesiastical and Civil was derived from him and established that as an Article of Faith necessary to Salvation and he and his Successors took upon them to dispose of all Ecclesiastical Benefices by their Bulls and Provisions Upon which Laws were made in England restraining those Invasions on the Crown since those Endowments were made for informing the People of the Law of God and for Hospitality and Acts of Charity which were defeated 25. Ed. 1 as well as the Crown was disinherited by the Provisions which the Popes granted Therefore they condemned them for the future but no Punishment being declared for the Transgressors of that Fact the Courtiers at Rome were not frighted at so general a Law so these Abuses were still continued But in Edward the Third's time 25. Ed. 3 a more severe Law was made by which all that transgressed were to be imprisoned to be fined at pleasure and to forfeit all their Benefices By an other Act they were put out of the King's Protection Several other Confirmations of this were made both in that Reign and under Richard the Second and the former Punishments were extended not only to the Provisors themselves but to all that were imployed by them or took Farms of them and because Licences might be granted by the King for Aliens to hold Benefices in England he did bind himself to grant none Others took both Presentations in England and obtained Provisions from Rome which was likewise condemned The Right of Prefentations was tried only in the King's Courts but the Popes had a mind to take the Cognizance of that to their own Courts upon which the Parliament considering the great Prejudice the Nation was like to suffer and the Subjection that the Crown would fall under resolved to provide effectual Remedies so all the Commons declared they would live and die with the King 16. Ric. 2. and desired him to examine all the Lords whether they would uphold the Regality of the Crown The Temporal Lords declared they would do it But the Spiritual Lords made some difficulty yet in Conclusion they also promised they would adhere to the Crown So a Law passed that if any purchased Translations Excommunications or Bulls from Rome that were contrary to the King or his Crown they and all that brought them over or that received or executed them were declared to be out of the King's Protection and that their Goods and Chattels should be forfeited to the King and their Persons imprisoned And because the Proceedings upon this were by a Writ called from the most material Words of it Premunire facias this Statute carried the name of the Statute of Premunire There was also a Law passed in Henry the Fourth's Reign against some Bulls which the Cistertians had procured and against the high Rates set on Bulls in the Apostolick Chamber and whereas the King had been prevailed with to give Licences for some Bulls by which the Provisors put the Incumbents out of their Benefices these were all declared to be of no force when done in prejudice of the Subjects Rights The Invasions that both the Popes and Kings made upon Elections were by another Law condemned and the Liberty of Elections was again set up But those Kings being more concerned to preserve their own Prerogative than the Rights of their People were often prevailed with to grant Pardons and Licences to those who obtained Provisions at Rome so these were all again condemned in Henry the Fifth's time In all this time 4. Hen. 5. the weakness of the Papacy gave Princes some Advantages which they had not in former Ages for a great while the Popes sate at Avignion where they were much eclipsed of their former Greatness After that a Schism followed between the Popes that sate at Rome and those that still sate at Avignion and the Princes of Christendom being then at liberty to choose which of those they would acknowledg the Popes durst not thunder against those Laws as they had done in former times upon much less Provocation And indeed all the use that the Kings made of them was to oblige the Provisors to come and depend on them for their Licence to execute their Bulls and the King's Authority being joyned with the Popes it was hard for those who were oppressed to resist that double force Nor was there any vigorous Execution made of those Laws otherwayes than to draw Mony from the Provisors For it fell out in this case what is ordinary on all such occasions that Favourites make use of good Laws by which Power is trusted to the Prince for the Protection and Security of the Subjects only for their own ends It was a strange weakness in the Princes of Christendom to take such pains as was done at Constance for healing the Breach in the Papacy for while that continued they reigned in peace and the Clergy was less oppressed than formerly But that being once made up the Popes were beginning again to raise their old Pretentions And Pope Martin the 5th not being willing to engage with so high spirited a King as Henry the 5th was he took Advantage in the Minority of Henry the Sixth's Reign 6. Hen. 6. to propose a Repeal of those Laws and first wrote very severely to Chichely then Archbishop of Canterbury for not opposing the Statute of Provisors that had passed in the former Reign nor standing up for the Rights of St. Peter He therefore exhorted him to imitate his Predecessor Thomas Becket and required him to declare at the next Parliament the unlawfulness of it and that all who obeyed it were under Excommunication He also required him to order the Clergy to preach every where against it Yet Chichely did not proceed so zealously as the Pope expected and therefore he suspended his Legatine Power The Archbishop appealed upon this from the Pope to the next General Council or if none met to the Tribunal of God But the Pope wrote also to the Clergy requiring them to do what in them lay for the repeal of the Statute And in another Letter to the two Archbishops in which in spite to Chicheley York is first named he annulled the Statutes made by Edward the Third and Richard the Second and declared all to be excommunicated that executed them reserving the absolution of them to himself unless they were at the point of death And he required them to publish and affix this his Monitory Brief The Archbishop humbled himself to the Pope and got the other Bishops and the University of Oxford to write in his
and delivered it to the King not knowing how to open it in Discourse The King was struck with it and at first inclined to believe it was a Forgery yet he ordered a strict enquiry to be made into it but he quickly found Proof enough for the Queen had so far cast off both Modesty and the Fear of a Discovery that several Women had been Witnesses to her Lewdness It also appeared that she had intended to continue in that ill Course for she had brought Deirham into her Service and at Lincoln by the Lady Rochford's means one Culpeper was brought to her in the Night and stayed many Hours with her in a Cellar and at his going away she gave him a Gold Chain The Queen after a slight denial which she made at first did at last confess all Deirham and Culpeper were executed and a Parliament was called upon it When it met a Committee was sent to examine the Queen Their Report is recorded only in General That she confessed but no Particulars are mentioned Upon that they pass'd an Act in the Form of a Petition In it they prayed the King that the Queen and her Complices with her Bawd the Lady Rochford might be attainted of Treason And that all those who knew of the Queen's Vicious Course before her Marriage might be attainted of Misprision of Treason for not revealing it to the King before he married her Among those were her Father and Mother and her Grand-Mother the Dutchess of Norfolk It was also declared Treason to know any thing of the Incontinence of any Queen for the future and not to reveal it And it was made Treason in any whom the King intended to marry judging they were Maids not to reveal it if they were not such The Queen and the Lady Rochford were beheaded on the 14th of February She confessed her Incontinence before her Marriage but denied to the last that she had broken her Wed-lock tho the Lasciviousness of her former Life made the World easy to believe the worst things of her All observed the Judgments of God on the Lady Rochford who had been so instrumental in the Ruine of Ann Bolleyn and of her Husband And when she to whose Artifices their Fall was in a great Measure ascribed was found to be so vile a Woman it tended much to raise their Reputation again The attainting her Kindred and Parents for not discovering her former Lewdness was thought extream Severity for it had been a hard piece of Duty to the King in them to have discovered such a Secret Yet tho they lay some time in Prison the King pardoned them all afterwards when his Rage was a little qualified That other Proviso obliging a young Woman to discover her own Faultiness if the King should make Love to her was thought a Piece of grievous Tiranny And upon this those that rallied that Sex took occasion to say that after this none who was reputed a Maid could be induced to marry the King So that it was not so much choice as necessity that made him marry a Widow two Years after Some Hospitals were this Year resigned to the King but there was good ground to question the Validity of those Deeds because by their Statutes it was provided that the Consent of all the Fellows was necessary to make their Deeds good in Law So those Statutes were now by a special Act annulled and this made way for the Dissolution of many Hospitals The Bishops sitting in Convocation A Design to suppress the Bible took great pains to suppress the English Bible but the King could not be prevailed on directly to call it in So they complained much of the Translation then set out and intended to procure a Condemnation of that and then to set about a new one in which it would be easy to put such Delayes that it should not be finished in many Years Gardiner did also propose a singular Conceit that many of the Latin Words should be still retained in the English for he thought they had either such a Majesty or so peculiar a Signification that they could not be fitly rendered He proposed an hundred of those and it seems hoped that if this could be carried the Translation would be so full of Latine Words that the People should not understand it for all its being in English Cranmer perceiving that the Bible was the great Eye-sore of that Party and that they were resolved to suppress it by all the means they could think of procured an Order from the King referring the Correction of the Translation to the two Universities The Bishops took this very ill and all of them except the Bishops of Ely and St. Davids protested against it Bonner 's Injunctions At this time Bonner gave some Injunctions to his Clergy which had a strain in them so far different from the other parts of his Life that it is probable he drew them not himself He required his Clergy to read every day a Chapter in the Bible with some Gloss upon it and to study the Book set out by the Bishops That they should imploy no Curats but such as he approved of That they should take care to instruct young Children well in the Principles of the Christian Religion That they should not go to Taverns nor use unlawful Games chiefly on Sundays or Holy-days That they should perform all the Duties of their Function decently and seriously That they should suffer no Plays nor Enterludes in Churches And that in their Sermons they should explain the Gospel and Epistle for the Day and study to stir up the People to Good Works and to Prayer and should explain all the Ceremonies of the Church but should forbear all railing or the reciting of fabulous Stories and should chiefly set forth the Excellencies of Vertue and the Vileness of Sin and that none under the degree of a Bishop should preach without a License In the former times there had been few or no Sermons except in Lent The way of preaching in that time for on Holy Days the Sermons were Panegyricks on the Saints and on the virtue of their Relicks But in Lent there was a more solemn way of preaching and the Friars maintained their Credit much by the pathetick Sermons they preached in that time by which they wrought much on the Affections of the People yet these for the most part tended most to extol some of the Laws of the Church as Fasting Confession and other Austerities with the making Pilgrimages but they were careful to acquaint the People as little as was possible with the true Simplicity of Christianity or the Scriptures and they seemed to design rather to raise a sudden Heat than to work a real Change in their Auditors They had also mixt so much out of Legends with their Sermons that the People came to disbelieve all that they said for the sake of those Fabulous things with which their Sermons were embased The Reformers took great care to