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Gift of

ECCLESIASTICAL MEMORIALS,

RELATING CHIEFLY TO
RELIGION, AND
THE REFORMATION OF IT,
AND THE EMERGENCIES
OF THE
CHURCH OF ENGLAND,
UNDER
KING HENRY VIII. KING EDWARD VI.
AND
QUEEN MARY I.

LARGE APPENDIXES, CONTAINING ORIGINAL PAPERS,
RECORDS, &c.

One generation shall praise thy works unto another, and dedare thy power. — The memorial
of thine abundant kindness shal! be shewed ; and men shall sing of thy righteousness. Psalm cxlv. 4, 7.

BY JOHN STRYPE, M.A.
VOL. 1. PART I.
OXFORD,
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.
MDCCCXXII.

ECCLESIASTICAL MEMORIALS,

RELATING CHIEFLY TO

RELIGION,

THE REFORMATION OF IT,

THE Various emergencies

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

KING HENRY VIII.

REMARKS AND OBSERVATIONS MADE OCCASIONALLY, OF
PERSONS IN CHURCH AND STATE, OF EMINENT
NOl'E IN THAT KING'S REIGN;
AND PARTICULARLY OF
THE TWO ENGLISH CARDINALS, WOLSEY AND POLE.

MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD.
WILLIAM,
BY THE DIVINE PKOVIDENCE, LORD AHCHBISHTOP OF
CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND,
AND METROPOLITAN;
AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY's MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY
COUNCIL.
May it please your Grace ;
XHAT I, with your favour and licence, dedicate
these Ecclesiastical Memorials to your Grace, is not
with intent that you should countenance and defend
all that is contained in them, or patronize the frail
and faUible author ; nor yet this way to recommend
my work to the world, nor for any other mercenary
ends, as have been not unusual in dedications to
persons of great figure and eminence : but indeed,
to speak the truth, that both the author and his
book may receive an honour and ornament from so
great and venerable a name as your Grace's is.
Your Grace will not regard so much the private
writer, as the gravity and importance of the subjects
treated of, being matters historical of this noble
kingdom ; and chiefly, and most designedly, the ec
clesiastical affairs and transactions throughout the
reigns of three princes successively : wherein reli-
aS

vi DEDICATION.
gion met with so many remarkable changes and
struggles ; till at last, by the good providence of God
overruling the counsels and contrivances of men,
the Church of England was purged from many
gross errors in doctrine, and inveterate superstitions
in worship, and a happy reformation at length ef
fected. The accounts whereof are so large, that
besides what other historians have writ, many more
notices remain in the divers records and archives of
our kingdom, to amplify this illustrious part of Eng
lish history. And from faithful collections thence,
I have endeavoured to make further discoveries of
these very weighty concerns.
And perhaps it may be no improper matter of
contemplation to your Grace, in your high place and
calling, in order to your government of this Church
under his Majesty King George, to observe the
method and course taken in those times, in the
cause of religion, by holy divines and bishops, and
especially your incomparable predecessor Archbishop
Cranmer ; who by his wisdom, learning, and pains,
was so active and successful in reforming and re
storing religion in the two former princes' reigns,
and which cost him his blood in the third. But we
that live in these times (uncessant thanks be to God)
enjoy the benefit of their labours and sufferings.
And now nothing seems to be wanting to perfect
this our Reformation, but (which I am sure is one of
your Grace's chief cares) a sweet union and concord
among us, who still have this mighty blessing of
pom.xy.6. the reformed religion : that with one mind and one
mouth we may glorify God; according to the Apo-
jcor. i. lo.stle's advice to one of his Churches : .and, that there

DEDICATION. vii
may he no divisions among us, but that we may he
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in
the same judgment; as he exhorted another too
sadly divided Church. And whatever endeavours
have been made to bring this desirable thing to pass
by disputations and argumentations, or otherwise,
methinks the reading and pondering well these eccle
siastical histories might be of considerable influence
towards the effecting it ; wherein is related, by what
measures the Reformation was carried on, and what
able and exceUent men were employed therein,
and with what thanksgiving and gladness it was
universally received. For the godly reformers, the
great transactors of this heavenly work, were wise,
learned, and holy men, sufferers many of them, and
martyrs for the cause : who set themselves impar
tially to purge this Church of all its former super
stition, idolatry, corruption, and false doctrine ; and
who made the word of God, revealed in the sacred
Scripture, the only rule they made use of in this
great undertaking ; and consulted also with the most
eminent reformers of the Churches abroad. And
how infinitely joyful were all good men then in the
restoration of the gospel, and the freedom to profess
it ! And how unanimously did they join together in
the public service of God then established !
These things, I say, which are largely told in
some parts of these volumgs, might serve to recon
cile, in all peaceable spirits, an esteem for this
Church of England, and for the worship and ser
vice performed in it ; being nothing but what we
see was exercised in the first and happy establish
ment of it under King Edward the Vlth ; and whicli
a 4

viii DEDICATION.
cost so many years, and so much pains and blood.
And I pray God, these and such like Writings may
produce such good effect.
But, my Lord, I dare not detain your Grace any
longer, afiter I have recommended this my labour to
the charitable censure of your Grace, and all other
pious and judicious readers : being,
May it please your Grace,
Your Grace's most humble servant,
JOHN STRYPE.

THE
PREFACE.

J- HESE Memorials, respecting chiefly religion, and the
reformation of it in this kingdom in former times, the author
had composed and fitted for the press divers years ago ; but
thought fit to lay them aside for a time, and to begin rather
with what he had writ of the Lives and Acts of the four first
Protestant Archbishops of Canterbury; as shewing therein
the beginning, progress, opposition, and establishment of
the said happy Reformation, in a continued history, under
the influence of those most worthy confessors and prelates.
Nor did he think it convenient to burden those books,
which were large enough of themselves, by inserting those
memorials into them, which would have rendered them too
bulky, and less saleable : but rather chose to compile them
into other volumes by themselves, in due time to follow the
rest, in order to the rendering more complete the former
published histories. This gave occasion to their being sup
pressed hitherto.
But they being a faithful collection of many important
matters which went before, accompanied, or immediately
relating to that great work carrying on in the State, and well
worthy to be known, the author was willing and desirous
that they may now be recommended to the world ; and that
all that value our Church and religion reformed, and that
are studious of this sort of antiquities, may enjoy them ;
and that they may be the more correctly set forth by him
self, and have his review before his death, which his great
age suggested! cannot be far off. And he dares promise,
that those learned and' reverend persons, who have approved

X THE PREFACE.
and encouraged his former pains and studies, will not be
disappointed in these now offered : and presumes, that the
further knowledge of this part oft English history will not
be disagreeable to them, as well as -it may be useful and
beneficial to those of this Church and kingdom, and enter
taining also to all persons inquisitive into the transactions
about religion in those critical times, (so memorable, when
the corruptions of the Church and churchmen began to be
looked into,) and the progress made therein in those three
reigns. But I must let my reader know, that I did not intend,
when I took this work in hand, to write a complete Eccle
siastical History under those three supreme governors of
this land, and of all the occurrences and events of religion
and the Church in their reigns ; for that hath been done, or
endeavoured by some historiographers already. Mine are
only Ecclesiastical Memorials ; and intended but to supply
what hath been omitted by them, or to rectify some mis
takes or misrepresentations of persons and things; or to
fill up and enlarge matters, more briefly or imperfectly re
lated in our published histories. Nor do I pretend to com
plete those writings: what I do is only to communicate to
the world what I have of this sort of history, out of my
store, and to digest these notices in their proper places,
chronologically from year to year as they occurred. My
design being chiefly to bring to light such further particu
lars as I have found in state-papers, and letters, and re
cords, and many other original MSS. of the best sort, after
long and .diligent converse with them.
And that the readers may be the better satisfied with
what I have done in this undertaking, and give the more
credit thereunto, I shall first shew them with what mate
rials I have been furnished, and what assistances I have
had : and then, what diligence, care, and faithfulness I have
used in the digesting of them into some volumes.
These Memorials then are compiled from transcripts by
me taken out of divers libraries of MSS. the choicest in the
kingdom, to which I obtained access : whereof one was the

THE PREFACE. xl
Cotton library. Several volumes whereof I had the free
perusal of, and liberty to transcribe from, by the favour of
Sir John Cotton, hart, then the possessor thereof, at his
own house. Such another library, consisting of MSS. is
that belonging to Bene't college in Cambridge, being the
collections of that famous antiquarian, Matthew Parker,
sometime archbishop of Canterbury : to which I had ac
cess by the favour of Dr. Spenser, sometime master of that
house. Dr. John More, sometime bishop of Norwich, and
after of Ely, by his great industry and charge, made a very
large and noble collection of such original writings : from
them also I had his leave and encouragement to take copies,
as I thought good ; and the rather, for our ancient friend
ship and acquaintance, and equal standing in the University.
In the Paper-house at Westminster are reposited a great
number of papers of state: to this house I was also ad
mitted by the favour of Sir Joseph Williamson, knt. some
time keeper of that office ; a friend having first procured
me a licence from the Council-table directed to him, to
admit me. The honourable Mr. Harley, now the right
honourable the Earl of Oxford and Mortymer, erected a
library, stored with great numbers of papers of this sort, at
his house in York Buildings, while he lived a private life
there : I had his favour then of free access thereunto, and
liberty to transcribe : from whence also I made considerable
collections. Such a treasurer up of choice papers of state,
and such like originals, was William Petyt, esq. late keeper
of the Tower records, deceased : he also favoured me with
free access to them, remaining then in his chambers in the
Inner Temple; but now removed to a library erected in
the same Temple, for the repositing and preserving them.
The office of Heralds hath a treasury of most valuable
papers; whence also, by their continued favour, I have
taken not a few copies for my tum. I have had also the
use of numerous MSS. of ecclesiastical affairs, sometime
belonging to the famous martyrologist, John Fox ; and
that by the kindness of a gentleman that was executor to
the said Fox's last descendant, deceased. I have had the

xii THE PREFACE.
perusal of divers notable state letters, or of more private cor
respondence between persons of the highest rank and quality
in Church and Court, preserved in the house of a gentleman
of quality, descended from a secretary of the Lord Trea
surer Burghley, under Queen Elizabeth.
Besides all which, I have had the benefit of correspondence
with some learned and accurate men in the Universities : who
furnished me with many useful transcripts from some of the
college libraries, or from theiV own private stores : and of one
also from Canterbury, viz. the Reverend N. Battely, vicar of
Bekesborn, deceased, (whom I must never forget to mention
with gratitude and respect,) from whom I received not a few
curious things, taken from the records and antiquities of
that cathedral church, as well as elsewhere, as from the
Council-books in those reigns. But besides these, other
worthy persons have communicated choice papers of this
nature, to encourage and enable my studies in such histo
rical notices concerning our Church and churchmen in that
age of reformation, in order to the publishing of what I
have, or might hereafter do ; as namely, the right reverend
Francis Lord Bishop of Rochester lent me a volume of ex
tracts from the registers of our convocations. Also, Mr.
Thoresby of Leeds, Dr. Sampson, sometime a physician in
London, and Mr. Roger Morice, a minister, deceased, gave
the like assistances.
And besides this treasure of collections from libraries and
friends, I made use of many books anciently set forth; which
are now so much out of knowledge, that they may be held
near equivalent to ancient MSS. whence many remarks may
be taken to illustrate and improve the history of those times,
both as to public and private transactions : and to recover
the knowledge of many men of figure, whether of the laity
or clergy, of the city or court ; in the times wherein these
Memorials are concerned.
My diligence also will in part appear, in that I have made
no use of transcribers and amanuenses : or, that I saw not
the originals myself, but left it to the care of others to take
out thence : who oftentimes make mistakes, omissions, and

THE PREFACE. xiii
false writing of letters and words, to the spoiling and cor
rupting of the true sense, sometimes by negligence or too
much haste, and sometimes for want of skill, and not know
ing well the manner of old writing in the shape of the
letters, or the abbreviations commonly used in times past.
For the prevention of which inconveniencies, I writ all from
the MSS. with mine own pen, and with as much care as I
could, that whatsoever I transcribed might be exactly taken,
both as to the letter and spelhng.
I have been very careful not to repeat what I found al
ready published, and appearing in print, unless for the
causes above mentioned : and therefore, if any such records,
letters, or other papers shall be found in these volumes,
they are for some good reason inserted. Yet perhaps some
very few may have slipped in without my knowledge that
they were elsewhere shewn : as I find there are one or two
in Bishop Burnet's third volume of his History of the Re
formation. I have avoided partiality, or relating, matters occurring,
with a favour to one side, or prejudice to another : and have
made it my course to set down things as I met with them,
on which side, party, religion, or persuasion soever the per
sons concerned were : and generally, in the very words of
the papers and writings where I found them.
I have noted the various books that came forth from year
to year, as I had seen or met with them, of what sort so
ever they were ; but chiefly such as concerned religion. Of
these, for the better instruction what they were, I have
briefly told the contents, purposes, and subjects treated of;
gathered from the epistles dedicatory, or from the prefaces,
and sometimes the heads of the books themselves. Of which
books some were Popish, some Protestant, some Puritan,
some schismatical, or heretical.
Remarks and observations also are here made of divers
persons, whether of the court or clergy, whose names occur
in the current ofthe history, scarce yet taken notice of by our
historians, and they of note in those days, whose memory
by this time is in effect lost and perished. And commonly

XIV

THE PREFACE.

received opinions of others are occasionally rectified, and
more truly represented ; and their words and actions set in
a truer hght.
Many considerable notices are given, particularly of the
two English cardinals in King Henry's reign, with whom
he had so much to do ; which are scarcely met with else
where, so particularly and largely as will be found in these
commentaries. I need not mention the profit and use that may be made
of them ; but in short, the best use of all is, that we of this
kingdom may gather hence abundant cause to thank God,
that hath cast our lot in these days, when, after so many
years' pains and struggles, so much blood and opposition,
gross ignorance of religion, superstition and idolatry is re
moved, and the saving knowledge of God and his word, and
the free profession of the gospel in the truth and purity of
it, is brought unto us. And wherein we may observe, how
providentially things fell out by little and little, by unseen
causes, and sometimes unmeet men, to bring to pass our
Reformation. I end this my preface with the same good counsel to my
readers, that J. Clement, a preacher in King Edward's days,
and a sufferer under Queen Mary, gave his, in the begin
ning of a little book of his, called A Confessimi qf his
Faith, viz.
Put away contention, and read with discretion :
Try only by the'touchstone : judge without afFection.
Excellent rules for readers, as well of books of history as of
religion. Written from Low Ley ton in Essex,
August ihe first, 1721.

CHAPTERS AND CONTENTS
OF THE
MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL,
UNDER THE REIGN OF
KING HENRY VIII.

1 HE INTRODUCTION. Page 3.
CHAP. L
Wolsey's counsel and influence in the King's affairs. Goes Ann. 1.5 is.
over into France with the King. Present at the conquest of "'"*
Tournay. Nominated Bishop of that city by the King. Had
the abbey of St. Martin's there. The care and affairs of
Tournay coramitted to him. Letters of the Council there
to him. His spies in France. Intelligences from them. Dis
covery of a conspiracy in France to invade England. The
Chapter of Tournay's letter to Cardinal Wolsey, their bishop.
Another Elect pretends to that bishopric. The Pope's breve in
Wolsey's behalf. The cause referred by the Pope to two Car
dinals. Richard Sampson, the Cardinal's chaplain, his Chan
cellor and chief officer there. The French King's letter to
King Henry. Transactions for peace. The Cardinal's mana-
gery thereof. His letters to the King's ambassadors at the
French Court. Tournay restored upon terms : and the bi
shopric. P. 5.
CHAP. IL
An interview proposed between the two Kings. The obstruct- Ann. isso.
ing thereof endeavoured by some foreign ambassadors. The
Cardinal's answer to their jealousies, arising thence. The
King suspicious of France's amity. The Cardinal the King's
Lieutenant at Calais, sends his advice to the King about it :
and for the English merchants' ships trading thither. His letters

xvi CHAPTERS
to the King. TheKing's book against Luther : printed at Lon
don by Pynson. The Pope gives the King the title of Defender
ofthe Faith, for writing this book. The King becomes zea
lous for the Pope. The Cardinal instrumental therein. T e
English Court noted abroad for learning. A commission from
the Cardinal to all Bishops, to have Luther's books delivered
up. Luther's errors condemned by the Pope ; ordered by the
Cardinal to be fixed upon the doors of all cathedrals and other
churches. P. 38.
CHAP. IIL
Ann. 1523. Bishop Fisher's book against Luther. The King grants his pri
vilege for printing it ; with his commendation of it. A note
of the change of the King's mind afterwards ; looked upon as
a wonder. He shews his zeal for the Pope, in an embassy to
Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria. Sends him the Garter. The
ceremonies thereof. The Cardinal's instructions to the King's
ambassadors there. He appointeth a reformation of the
Clergy in both provinces. Fox, Bishop of Winton, his ex
cellent letter to the Cai'dinal thereupon. Stafford reads lec
tures out of the holy Scriptures, and St. Paul's Epistles, in
Cambridge. Paynel and Thixtel, learned divines there. The
Cardinal removeth the Convocation from St. Paul's to West
minster. The dispute thereupon arising. He summons a new
Convocation throughout England. P. 62.
CHAP. IV.
The King assisteth the Emperor against France. He consulteth
with the Cardinal about forces to be sent to him to Italy.
Six thousand archers. The Cardinal's book drawn up for set
tling the same : and his letter thereupon to the King. The
King's arabassadors at Rome. The Cardinal's letters of in
struction to them, concerning the affairs then in hand. To
Clark, Bishop of Bath ; to Pace ; and to Dr. Knight, ambas
sador with the Lady Margaret, Governess of the Low Coun
tries. His instructions to him concerning the King of Den
mark ; beaten out of his kingdom. P. 78.
CHAP. V.
Ann. 1525. The King's letter to Luther upon his book ; and Luther's for
mer letter to the King, occasioning that letter. Thc French

AND CONTENTS. xvii
King taken prisoner by tjie Emperor. By tl^e Caiidiiial's po
licy. King Henry enters into league -yvith fljfit King. Dr.
Knight, and Sir Thomas Cheney, and Dr. Taylor, ambassa
dors in France. Their ipstructipn^ fisom the Cardinal. Form
of the peace drawn up by the Cardjnal between the two Kings.
The letter to tbe Emperor drawn up by the Cardinal. P. PI
CK Af. VL
The Pope imprispnejd by the Emperor. The Cardipal draws up Anno 1527.
a requisition to him in favour of the Pope. Gpes Ambassa
dor to Prance. Made Vicar General by the Pope. An instance
of hi^ exercise of it. The Cardinal's Legaptine Counts. His
Courts for wills and testaments. The Archbishop of Canter-
bfJry's contest with the Cardinal about his Courts. Complajns
to the King. The Ki)i^ rebujtps, hip^. P. 105.
CHAP. VIL
Prosecution of divers persons in the diocese of London for
religion. Visitation of London diocese. Divers detected of
heresy in Essex^ London, &c. Their confessions; and pe
nances. P. 1 13.
CHAP. VIIL
A continuation of the visitation and prosecution of the profess
ors of the Gospel in the diocese of London. Further pro
ceeding? of the Bishop and his Chancellor the next year. His
Vicar Genereil goes down into Essex to visit. Many detected
in Colchester^ aijd other parts thereabouts. P. 124.
CHAP. IX.
The Cardinal acting in the King's matrimonial cause. Ambas
sadors sent to the Popp for dissolving the marriage. The
King's own book against it. Brought to the Pope. The Pope
reads the King's book, and commends it. P. 134.
CHAP. X.
Divers conferences with the Pope about the King's cause. The Anno 1528.
Pope declares his mind to the Ambassador in this matter. At
length yields to the King's deraand. P. 142.
CIJAP. XL
The Pope declines the Kigg's ni^tter, as rauph as Ije poul^, for
VOL. I. b

xviii CHAPTERS
fear of the Emperor. Notable speeches of Dr. Gardiner, am
bassador with the Pope. P. 149.
CHAP. XII.
A secret commission propounded by the ambassadors. But
trifled with. But the commission at last sealed. P. 155.
CHAP. XIIL
Fox, one of the King's ambassadors with the Pope, returns
home. Delivers his letters from the Pope to the King. Brings
with him a dispensation and the said commission. The King
glad thereof. The Cardinal's care of his conscience. The King
begins to be offended with the Pope. His sharp speech against
him. P. 159.
CHAP. XIV.
Cardinal Campeius comes into England from the Pope. Other
business and concerns with the Pope. The Cardinal's col
leges founded by him. The monasteries dissolved, and par
sonages -impropriated, for their endowments. The Pope's ap
probation thereof. P. 165.
CHAP. XV.
Ann. 1529. The Cardinal of York's declination and fall. Tyndal's Book
of Obedience falls into the Cardinal's hand. The strange
event thereof. The Cardinal exceedingly dejected. Labours
by his servants, Crumwel and Gardiner, the recovery of the
King's favour. His letter to Gardiner. Is pardoned by the
King. His need, and miserable circumstances. His concern
for his college. His rules for his school at Ipswich. P. 171.
CHAP. XVL
Some observations upon this Cardinal. Addressed to by the title
of Your Highness. Proud; yet courteous. Liberal and muni
ficent. Advances many. Would obtain his own ends. His
court-craft. His Legantine Court. Instrumental to much
public good. Erasmus's commendation of him. A patron to
Erasmus. P. 182.
CHAP. XVIL
A Convocation. The condition of the Clergy at this time. Their
laws and constitutions complained of. The Convocation sub-

AND CONTENTS. xix
mits to tjie King. The synod's defence. The Clergy own the
King's supremacy. Matters to be proposed in Convocation.
Deliberation about retrenching the Church's power. P. 198.
CHAP. XVIII.
New-year's-gifts of the clergy, and nobility, and gentry, to the Ann. 1531.
King. The festival. The church-book: printed for the use of
Priests and Curates. What it contained. The beads. P. 210.
CHAP. XIX.
King Henry's matrimonial cause. Books writ of this argument.
He requires the judgments of Universities and learned men in
other countries. An agent sent abroad for that purpose. A
fish of a monstrous bigness taken at Tin mouth. Act against
Annates. An address from the Convocation to the King against
them. The Carthusians flatter the King in the dedication of a
book to him. P. 2l6.
CHAP. XX.
The Princess Mary ; the King's message to her ; no more to be Anno 1533.
called Princess. The Pope rejects the King's appeal. A book ,
writ thereupon. Books writ against the Pope's usurpations.
The King's book against him. P. 224.
CHAP. XXI.
Deliberation at the Council Board about casting off the Pope's
authority. Resolutions taken. Doctor Sampson, Dean of the
King's chapel, his book in Latin for the King's supremacy
against the Pope. The contents thereof. P. 230.
CHAP. XXII.
Struggling for the Pope by some of the Clergy. Divers of these
emissaries about the nation. A letter of Latymer to one of
them. A priest's complaint of him. A ballad made of him.
His apology for hiraself. A Papist writes, who Antichrist
is. P. 244.
CHAP. XXIIL
The general sentence, or curse. Books prohibited. Dispersers of Anno 1534.
thera. Acts of Parliament against the Pope. Friars preach
for the Pope still ; and for Queen Katharine : specially the
Friars of Greenwich. The Bishops take the oath of supre-
b 2

XX CHAPTERS
macy. Instructions to them, and to all the high sheriffs, to
urge the King's title. Order for preaching, and the beads.
Latymer made the King's Chaplain. Accused to the King.
His vindication of himself. P. 253.
CHAP. XXIV.
Books and discourses about this time, viz, De vera Dfferentia
Regim Potestatis, Sic. De Potestate Regis. De vera Obedientia ;
made by Dr. Gardiner. Bishop Fisher's troubles. His letter
fo the Secretary. P. 263.
CHAP. XXV.
Matters of Sir Thomas More. The Nun of Canterbury; called
Tlie holy Maid of Kent. Some account of her. More's con
cern with her. Gives occasion of the King's displeasure
against him. P. 271-
CHAP. XXVL
Anno 1535. The authority of the Kings of England in spirituals. Various
heads of common places with respect thereto. The Bishops
preach the supremacy, and enjoin it. The orders in the pro
vince of York, by that Archbishop. The Clergy of York.
The integrity of this Archbishop suspected. He satisfieth cer
tain Priors. His judgment of Bishop Fisher's death. Several
Bishops, their letters to the Secretary ; concerning their
preaching the King's supremacy ; and orders for it in their
dioceses. P. 283
CHAP. XXVII.
The northern Clergy backward in their obedience to the King.
Some of them taken up for seditious preaching. Letters sent
thither from the King. A book of the King's supremacy, to
be read by the Curates, revised and augmented. P. 296.
CHAP. XXVIII.
Some executed for refusing to swear to the King's supremacy.
The Friars of the Charter House consult at a Chapter. Three
of them sent to the Tower. Condemned for treason. Their
speeches. Their characters. Three more of them executed. The
King would have reclaimed them. The condition of this house.
An order for the Charter House. Bishop Fisher and Sir Tho
mas More executed. He a great persecutor : some instances
of it. Bilney, Petit, Tewkesbury, Baynham, Frith. P. 299.

AND CONTENTS. xxi
CHAP. XXIX.
Crumwel now the King's great instrument. The Benedictine or
der visited. Royal visitations of the religious houses and dio
ceses throughout the kingdora ; and the Universities. Lec
tures appointed by the visitors. P. 316.
CHAP. XXX.
The valuation of the benefices to be taken. Letters from the
Commissioners sent abroad for that purpose. Their instruc
tions. The King offended with the Bishop of Winchester.
His letter to the King. The Bishops, how affected to the Re
formation. Shaxton Bishop of Sarum's case. P. 325.
Chap. xxxi.
The King's Primer, set forth for the better instruction of the
people in their prayers and devotions. A particular account
of this book. Seditious books called in by proclamation. Sir
Thomas Eliot's letter on this occasion. Some account of this
learned Knight, His books. P. 335.
CHAP. XXXIL
The King's embassy to Scotland, France, and Germany : to
draw other princes from dependance on the Pope : and to re
sume their own right and supreme power. Dr. Fox sent into
Germany. Petitions of the German Protestant princes to the
King. His answer to them. Some account of the King's
ambassadors sent to Germany. Conference with the Witten-
burgh divines. The princes are in a demur. Dr. Barnes sent
to Germany before : and Haynes and Mount into France se
cretly. Endeavour to bring Melancthon into England. The
King invites him hither by an obliging letter and mes
sage. P. 346.
CHAP. XXXIII.
Reginald Pole dealt withal to acknowledge the supremacy, and
the lawfulness of the King's divorce. Starky, a learned man,
commanded to write to him. His argument with Pole about
¦the King's divorce. Pole's answer. Starky again to hira. His
vindication of the execution of the Carthusian monks. Papal
indulgences granted to St. Lazar in North Wales. King
b 3

xxii CHAPTERS
Henry flattered by old prophecies. Princess Katharine Dow
ager dies. Her last will : and some remarks of her. P. 36l.
CHAP. XXXIV.
Anno 1536. Embassy of the German Princes to the King. Their instruc
tions for making a league with the King. A Convocation.
The King, and Council, and Clergy, protest against the Coun
cil at Mantua. A new Convocation. A protestation of the
Convocation against errors and abuses. Popish bulls, dispen
sations, &c. annulled by Parliament. The Convocation of the
northern province ; stiff in their old principles. Their answer
upon ten articles sent them. A royal visitation for York,
moved. Dr. Layton's letter to Crumwel thereupon. Layton
and others appointed visitors of all religious houses. The
cause of their dissolution. P. 376.
CHAP. XXXV.
A visitation of the religious houses. Visitors appointed by the
Lord Crumwel. Their instructions and commissions. Many
surrender their houses. The visitors' divers letters, giving ac
counts of the monasteries ; viz. of Reading, of Glastenbury,
Maiden Bradley, Brutan, Ferley; relics in those places. Lei
cester. Wolstrope, a pious monastery. Nunneries of Catesby,
Stixwold. Monasteries in the diocese of Litchfield ; in Kent,
Folkestone, &c. Pensions allowed the Monks, &c. Suitors
for some religious houses. Sir Richard Gresham, Lord Mayor,
for the Spitals. Ramsey abbey. Fountains and Rivax. Pa
pers preparatory to a suppression. Value taken of all mo
nasteries and benefices ecclesiastical. P. 388.
CHAP. XXXVI.
The Monks of the Charter House, their dissimulation. The dis
solution of it. Queen Anne's death. A favourer of religion,
and such as suffered for it. Her pious letter to Crumwel.
Her discourses with the Constable in the Tower. The con
dition of the Lady Elizabeth her daughter. The Lady Mary
now sues to be reconciled to the King, with her submission.
Several articles sent to her to subscribe. Pole's sayings to the
King in a letter upon Queen Anne's execution. Divers Pro
testants now persecuted. Their tenets. Articles against Bar-

AND CONTENTS. xxiii
low. Bishop of St. David's. Seditious books brought in. The
Bishop of Durham writes to the Secretary about them. Con
test between the Bishop of Lincoln and his Archdeacon. P. 427.
CHAP. XXXVIL
Letters to and from Reginald Pole. Hopes conceived of Pole.
Two questions propounded to him by the King, in a letter
from Starky. His book, De Unione Ecclesiasticd, writ to the
King. Latymer's judgment of the book, in a sermon before
King Edward. A long and earnest letter of Starky to him
about it. The King displeased with Starky. His letter to
the Lord Privy Seal, to favour him to the King; with his
protestation on his own behalf. P. 445.
CHAP. XXXVIII.
The King sends for Pole. He excuses his coming ; and why.
Bishop Tonstal reads Pole's book by the King's command.
The Bishop is much moved at the reading it. His letter to
Pole, shewing his dislike of it. Pole again in answer to
tbe Bishop. The Pope sends for Pole to Rome. Which occa
sions another letter to him from Starky : upon the ruraour
of his being talked of to be a Cardinal. Tonstal and Stokesly
to him, upon his being made a Cardinal. The Pope sends
him to France. Thence he writes to Crumwel. Departs out
of France. Declares his merits towards the King. P. 455.
CHAP. XXXIX.
Regulation of preaching. The letters of instruction to the Bi
shops. Crumwel's letter to the Bishops, with the King's letter.
What was done in York diocese upon these letters. One
in Worcestershire sent for up for his preaching. Rebels in
the north. The King goes to Canterbury. Entertained at St.
Augustin's. Notes out of a journal of that monastery. The
whole Bible in English first printed, with marginal notes.
P. 466.
CHAP. XL.
Cardinal Pole declared the King's rebel. Recalled to Rome. Anno 1537.
His legacy from the Pope to France, Discoveries made con
cerning Pole, by Throgmorton and Legh, to Crumwel by
their letters. P. 476.

xxiv CHAPTERS
CHAP. XLL
Letters congratulatory of the Universities to the King, for his
proceedings in reforming religion. The Institution of a Chris
tian Man now comes forth. The judgments of a great many
Bishops and other learned men concerning confirmation. Ro-
dolph Bradford, a learned man. Some account of him. Hum
phrey Monmouth, an eminent citizen of London, dies. For
merly committed for heresy. Articles ministered against him
by Sir Thomas More. His petition to Cardinal Wolsey and
the Council. His last pious will. P. 484.
CHAP. XLIL
Anno 1538. Injunctions for religion, set forth by Crumwel, the King's
Vicegerent. His letter to Archbishop Cranmer for these In
junctions. The proceeding of the Archbishop upon that let
ter; and of the Bishop of Chichester. This Bishop's message
to Rye, upon dissensions there. Crumwel offended with him.
His vindication of himself, in a letter to Crumwel. He is
committed to the Tower. He confesseth a combination of
himself and some other Bishops, to do their endeavours to
preserve the old religion. His letter to Crumwel, confirming
what he had said of the Bishops of Durham, London, and
Winchester. The Church of Norwich turned into a dean and
canons. The King's patents for the same. But void for want
ofthe Bishop's consent. P. 493.
CHAP. XLIII.
Treaty with the German Princes, confederates. Melancthon
writes to the King. A conference about religion, between
the German ambassadors and the English divines. The
heads argued of by them. The Bishops disagree. Archbishop
Cranraer's endeavours to bring them to a compliance. The
ambassadors depart. The King's obliging farewell to them.
Writings ofthe Bishops concerning divers abuses in religion.
The King's writings of purgatory and priests' marriage. An
other letter of Melancthon to tbe King, exciting him to fur
ther the cause of religion, and a consent in pious doctrine.
The Council at Vincenza. The King protests against it. The
Pope excommunicates him; and absolves his subjects from
their obedience, p. 506.

AND CONTENTS. xxv
CHAP. XLIV.
Books set forth against the Pope's supremacy in England.
Some contents of them. Bishop of Durham's sermon against
the Pope before the King. Therein he reflected upon Car
dinal Pole, acted by the Pope against his natural prince and
country. P. 512.
CHAP. XLV.
Affairs between the King and the German Protestant Princes. Anno 1589.
They send their agents hither : as the King had his agents
with them. The King receives another excellent letter from
Melancthon, brought by one of the agents. The report of the
King's agents. Mount and Paynel, from the Princes. Me-
lancthon's letter to Crumwel. Sarcerius, Prince of Nassau's
chaplain, meets the King's agents at Frankfort. His letter
to the King. Principles of the German Protestants, shewed
by their agents here. These good endeavours of concord suc
ceeded not : and why. P. 522.
CHAP. XLVI.
Injunctions concerning books and sects. The greater mo
nasteries suppressed. The good promised thereby not per
formed. The Monks' ill behaviour and dissolute lives. The
Monks of Sawtry. Mr. Loud murdered by them. New ca
thedrals founded out of them. Religious houses dissolved. P. 530.
CHAP. XL VIL
Tbe King wavers in religion. Six articles propounded in Con
vocation, enacted in Parliament, with difficulty : sadly re
sented. Dr. Heins's letter to a courtier, concerning the bill
of six articles. Shaxton and Latymer upon this leave their
bishoprics. Many burnt upon this act. Others fly beyond
seas. A book of ceremonies now framed by a Convocation.
Letters patents for the English Bible. A proclamation for
reading it. The German agents see the King married to Anne
of Cleves : return. The King's discourse with them at part
ing. The confederates expostulate with him by their letters
for tbe six articles. P. 542.

xxvi CHAPTERS
CHAP. XLVIII.
Anno 1540. A commission to certain Bishops and Divines, to examine the
doctrine and ceremonies. The Lord Vicegerent's speech to
the Lords. What was performed by them. Their judgments of
several points penned by themselves. Errors and anabaptis-
tical opinions spring up. The King dissatisfied about the Lady
Anne of Cleves's marriage. The case committed to the Con
vocation. The King's commission to them. Referred to a
committee. The depositions taken concerning the marriage.
The decree of the Clergy of both provinces, that the King
was not obliged by that marriage ; but was free to marry
elsewhere. Their letters thereof to the King. P. 550.
CHAP. XLIX.
The Lord Crumwel's end. His honours. His character. Bar-
naby, a merchant, Crumwel's servant : employed abroad in
France by him. His advice about Newhaven. Naraes of the
Privy Counsellors, and their order of sitting. Commissions
granted out upon the act of six articles. Prisoners upon that
act, priests and others in London. Dr. Barnes burnt. Gos
pellers in Cambridge and Oxford. A commission for Oxford.
Robert Wisdom, a learned divine of London, taken up. His
doctrines ; which from Lollard's Tower he declareth his sense
of. Huntington a priest and poet. The supremacy gone
through and acknowledged in Ireland. P. 561.
CHAP. L.
Ann. 1541. A new Convocation. Bible in folio printed. The Bishop of
—1543. Winton, Chancellor of Cambridge, interposeth in a contro
versy arisen there about the pronouncing of Greek. Makes a
decree about it, in opposition to Cheke, that read the Greek
lecture. He argues with the Chancellor in certain letters.
Vindicates himself from rashness. Notwithstanding, Cheke's
new and true way prevails in the University. The Chancel
lor's letter upon this to his Vice-Chancellor. Dr. London, a
great champion of the Pope, dies. Three learned men ad
mitted to the Privy Council. The Convocation meets again.
The Necessary Erudition ofa Christian Man. The King's pre-

AND CONTENTS. xxvii
face to that book. The right Pathway. Procession to be said
in English. P. 573.
CHAP. LI.
Leland's new-year's-gift to the King; being an account of his Anno 1545.
commission to search the libraries of the monasteries and col
leges throughout the whole realm. John Loud, a learned and
pious man. William Morice another. Some account of them.
Persecution at Court. A few notes of Mrs. Ascue, martyr. P, 594.
CHAP. LIL
King Henry's death. Prevented in some good designs by death. Anno 1546.
viz. a reformation of religion. So the Duke of Somerset to
the Lady Mary. This King beloved of his people. A bene
volence to the King, anno 1544, A further character of him.
Hated in Italy. The condition of the laity and of the clergy
in this reign. Divers sorts of priests. P. 600.
CHAP. LIII.
A notable book came forth, called A Supplication of the poor
Commons to the King ; shewing the late state of his kingdom.
The King's care for the education of his children in learning.
A Latin letter of the King of Portugal's daughter to the
Lady Mary. Sir Richard Moryson's praise of the King : and
Sir Thomas Chaloner in his poems. The leagues, conven
tions, and treaties with foreign princes throughout this King's
reign. P. 608.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL,

RELATING CHIEFLY TO

THE REFORMATION OF RELIGION,

EMERGENCIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

KING HENRY VIII.

VOL. I.

THE INTRODUCTION.

1 PURPOSE in this work (God assisting) to digest irt
order certain historical remarks of important matters, that
occurred in the age of the Reformation ; such, especially,
as relate to the ecclesiastical state of this kingdom : taking
them as they lie in course of time, through the reigns of
King Henry VIII. and of his son and daughter. King
Edward and Queen Mary, successively. To the end that
many memorable matters that I have met with, after long
converse with ancient and authentic writings, either omitted
whoUy or but imperfectly touched at by our historiogra
phers, may not be for ever lost, and irrecoverably perish.
There are but very few who have made it their task to write
of the transEictions of this Church, and the events of reli
gion in those busy times. And since those that have, there
is a good after-harvest to be gathered. And these my
gleanings, whatsoever they are, I was loath should be stifled,
and lie concealed within rough papers, (as a candle under
a bushel,) but serving, as I conjectured, for future use and
benefit, 1 was willing they should see the light. Wishing
that others, who have been perusers of such monuments and
originals, might be excited by ray example to contribute
also their collections to the compiling of a true and perfect
history of our Church in that age : for the better knowledge 3
of the Reformation in its first dawnings, and of the provi
dential occasions, accidents, and successes of it.
In the province I undertake, I mean to follow the course Qui ¦xxgii.-
that St. John took in writing his history of Jesus Christ, ^^rfbereT
after the other Evangelists; who gathered up the Taca- ""n'M"^"'
, . ., _- 11- -- ^'"S dicta,
AsiTTo/Asva, %. e. remainders ot that sacred history, omitting nisi siquid
what had been said by the other writers before him ; un- ™ntextus
•> - _ ^ histonas de-
less where the contexture of the story required it. siderabat.
The most material original papers, out of which I have ^^^_ ^^
collected these my Memorials, (besides those that fall in, in Matt. xxviii.
B 2

4 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
the current of the history,) shall be added in an Appendix
by themselves, both for the reader's better satisfaction, and
for the safer preservation of them to posterity. So that
this book shall serve for two purposes, viz. to be a supply
of the defects and omissions of our Church's story, and also
ai treasury of divers valuable manuscripts relating thereunto.
The King's affairs, for a great many years successively,
being chiefliy, and almost solely, conducted by the great
Cardinal Wolsey, of him therefore necessarily much will
be said. Whose counsels and intrigues, tending mainly to
the King's -satisfactions, and his own grandeur, and that of
the Papacy, the supreme providence turned to clean dif
ferent ends to what he drove at, and sometimes quite con
trary thereunto. So his projects for the aggrandizing the
Pope ended in the expulsion of him out of this kingdom ; and
his endeavours for the establishment of the superstitions of
religion concluded in a reformation of it. And however
fine his politics were in forwarding the match between the
King and the Lady Anne, when he little thought of reli
gion all the while, they produced the greatest alterations
therein, that had been in many hundred years before.
So. that in the current of the history many remarkable
passages concerning the Cardinal will fall in^ which will
give us a view of him, both in his highest prosperity and
elation, and in his lowest ebb ; while he lay under the pres
sures of the King his master's displeasure. Where we may
see as well his pride and swelling haughtiness in his pros
perity, as his pusillanimity and poorness of spirit under his
misfortunes.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL

CHAP. L 3
Wolsey's counsel and influence in the King's affairs. Gdes
over into France with the King. Present at the conquest
qf Tournay. Nominated Bishop qf that place hy the
King. And had tlie abhey qf St. Martinis there. The
care and affairs qf Tournay committed to him. Letters
qf the Council there to him. His spies in France. In
telligences from them.. Discovery qf a conspiracy in
France to invade England. The Chapter qf Tournay's
letter to the Cardinal, their Bishop. Another Elect pre
tends to the bishopric. The Pope's breve in Wolsey''s
behalf. The cause referred by the Pape to two Cardinals.
Aichard Sampson, the CardinaVs Chaplain, Ms Vicar
General and chief officer there. The French King's
letter to King Henry. Transactions for peace. The
CardinaVs managery therein. His letters to the King's
Ambassadors at the French Court. Tournay restored
upon terms : and the bishopric.
OOON after the young King Henry had received Thomas Anno isis.
Wolsey into his bosom, and made him his favourite, which King Hemy
was about the eighth year of his reign, in the year 1513,woisey to
the said King undertook a royal expedition into France,**''^*®
against King Lewis XII. out of zeal to the Pope, with against the
whom the said French King was at wars. To which un- ^^'^°'''
dertaking Wolsey, to shew himself a true Churchman, may
justly be supposed to have moved and persuaded his great
master, out of a show of the high religion and merit of
being the champion of the P3.pal see : Wolsey also hereby
serving the private ends of his own ambition ; when it should
be known to the Pope, how he was the instrument of stir
ring up the King to this chargeable piece of service to him.
And that he might shew himself the more openly in this
expedition, he attended the King's person, and went over
with him to Calais^ and had the office of victualling the
army. That it was a spark of zeal kindled in the King, as The King's
B 3

6 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
BOOK well as bravery, which put him on this action, may be col-
^- lected from a letter of his to Sir David Owen ; commanding
Anno 1.513. him to prepare himself to attend him into France, with
zeal to the threescore archers, and forty bills on foot : prefacing his let-
Church . ' -' . ^ cc rfl, <¦ V
excites him ter with the reason of his resolution, namely, ihat it was
p'^edition.''" " according to his duty to God and his Church, at the re-
" quest and desire of the Pope's Hohness, and other Chris-
" tian princes ; and that it was for the defence of the Church,
" being by the French King oppressed ; and for extinguish-
" ing the detestable schism raised by certain perverse Car-
" dinals, and maintained by the same King. And that for
" God's quarrel, as well as for recovering his own right, he
" would pursue and continue the said war, and personally
4 " proceed himself into France with a royal army. And
" in conclusion, advised Sir David to accomplish his com-
" mand, as he tendered his honour, and the advancement of
" that meritorious voyage." All which may make one con
clude, that the King in this matter was acted by some
Churchman ; and that must be he that was most inward
with him, viz. Wolsey ; being also his Almoner. A tran-
Numb. I. script of this letter is reposited in the Appendix, from an
original.
The King's Wolsey,, though he knew how to indulge the King in his
trade! pleasures, yet he reminded him sometimes of business too ;
and particularly made him sensible, what an advantage trade
was to his realm. Which he therefore, even in these his
youthful days, encouraged, giving out letters of safe con
duct to his merchants and their ships, taking care of them ;
and when they sustained any damages by foreign princes
or states, requiring satisfaction by his ambassadors. Of this
I find an instance or two.
His safe The King had granted a very large, and somewhat ex-
Barnaby, a traordinary, safe conduct and licence to Thomas Barnaby,
merchant, ^f Londou, an eminent merchant, for himself, servants, fac-
for a gene- . «. - n
ral trade, tors, or attorneys, denizens, or strangers, to traffic in all
mariner of commodities in all places, and at all times, during
a certain term of years. And this was under the Great Seal.
One great obstruction to which safe conduct was, that Mar-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 7
guerite. Duchess of Savoy, Regent of the Low Countries, CHAP.
there being war between France and the Emperor Maximi

lian, her father, had prohibited, by proclamation, that any *""<» '^la.
bay-salt or wine of the growth of any part of France, should
be brought into Flanders, or elsewhere, under her dominions,
upon pain of forfeiture of the same. Now this proclamation
interfering with the King's licence to Barnaby, who traded
chiefly in French commodities, caused him to despatch a
letter to Dr. Knight, his Ambassador there, to solicit the
said Regent, that notwithstanding her proclamation, she
would grant to the said merchant a safe conduct, under her
Great Seal, in as large and ample manner as that of the said
King's was. Sir John Wallop was also sent upon this occa
sion, both to give further knowledge to the said Knight in
this matter, and to carry letters to the Regent touching the
same. This letter, signed by the King, is dated from his
monastery (as he calls it) of Chartesaye, the 12th day of
August, as I conjecture, in the year 1513 or 1514.
N ot long after, there was an English ship, called The Cast, The King
laden with wool, cloth, and other commodities, for Italy, by s^^gfactioa
John Allen, Hugh Clopton, Richard Fermour, and others, for an Eng-
Which, by reason of storms at sea, was forced into Zealand, detained by
Being got into a port there, the custom officers of the ^^^ <="^"
Prince of Castile, who was now Governor of the Low Coun- zeiand.
tries, had demanded a certain toll, called the toll of Grave-
lyn and Zeiand. Which the ship refusing, as being put in
there by stress of weather against their wills, they caused
the purser to be arrested in the town of Middleburgh, and
committed to prison, and by force of gun-shot caused the
ship to be boarded, and took out of her her sails ; and de
tained her from her voyage, till the owners and merchants
had put in sufficient sureties to answer according to law.
But hereby the King's subjects were put to great damage,
charge, and hinderance- And moreover, by this retarding of
her voyage, she afterwards fell into the hands of the Moors, 5
who slew divers of the mariners and gunners, and took the
ship and all her goods, and the residue of the people on ¦
board, whom they detained in captivity. This wrong the
B 4 '

8 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
BOOK King mightily resented, and, as he said in his letter, he
could not nor would suffer to pass without sufficient amends.

Anno 1513. And considering that it was contrary to all law, right, and
conscience, that any toll, or any imposition, should be ex
acted of any ship so forced and driven in by bad weather,
and where nothing was intended to be put to sale : and con
sidering also, tbat the treaties of intercourse made betwixt
them and their progenitors, Kings of England and Go
vernors of the Low Countries, were expressly contrary
thereunto, he commanded Sir Edward Poynings, and Dr.
Knight, his Ambassador there, to lay open these things at
good length to the Prince of Castile's Commissioners ; and
that they should require restitution of such money or bonds
as had been made or paid for the said toUs : and also de
mand satisfaction, as well for the said ship, goods, and mer
chandizes lost and taken, .as for all other losses, damages^
and hinderances thereby sustained. This was given under
the King's signet at Greenwich, the S,M day of July; which
must be about the year 1515.
Both these letters are signed by the King's own hand :
but I take our Wolsey to have had the great stroke in them,
, being now the main agent in the English Court and Council :
but more certainly in the latter, there being an insertion of
a clause in the superscription of this letter, which is the
same hand with that of one of his own secretaries. I have
placed both those letters, for the antiquity and remarkable-
No. II, III. ness of them, in the Appendix.
But now we shall enter upon divers matters of history, of
the King's proceeding to hostile acts against the French
King, invading his dominions, and taking some important
places from him by force of arms ; and of the amity after
wards concluded between them. Wherein much of our
Cardinal's counsels and actions will be discovered and
brought to light.
"Wolsey Tournay being conquered by the King coming thither in
shop' of" person with a great army, and the city surrendered to him,
Tournay. Wolsey, his Chaplain and Almoner in his royal retinue, was
thought -fit to be nominated by the King to that bishopric.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 9
And his preferment thereunto was with good advice, as best CHAP.
agreeing with the King's interest there, that some English '

subject might enjoy that spiritual dignity. And so the Lord Anno isis.
Mountjoy, the King's first Lord Lieutenant of that place,
thought fit to inform the King in a letter, together with
the Earl of Worcester, the King's Chamberlain, and Dr.
Young, Master of the Rolls, from Tournay, in these
words: " Sir, If this bishopric may be gottdh clear into your hands, Advice to
" it were good, this town, being under the Bishop of Tour-fo^aBi^hop
" nay and Cambrey, and all the bayliage, should have no °f Tournay,
" resort in no case to the Archbishop of Reams, but to the Abbot of
" Archbishop of Canterbury; in like wise as Calais and the ^*"'^'"^'°'**
" marches have." They wrote to the same effect concern
ing the abbey of St. Martin's there, the present Abbot being
obnoxious, and an enemy to the King, and was gone to
Denmark. They advised, " that some Englishman might
" be preferred also to that abbey by the King : adding, that 6
" when that Abbot went away, he made an interest for an-
" other in Henault. And that if any such thing should be
" sued for at Rome, and there were no let by the King,
" it might be a great displeasure. For that they there
" thought it one of the greatest stays, to have that city
'¦' continue in his obeisance, next to the Bishop, was to have
" a good Englishman Abbot. Which should be a discreet
" man, and that had the language ; or some other good
" man, English of heart. And they thought, that some
" such able person might be found in England, if he were
" inquired for. And that he [the Lord Lieutenant] doubt-
" ed not to find sufficient information against him that then
" was Abbot, by the which he might lawfully be deposed.
" And that the Lord Durrier had written unto them, that
" his brother, a Dean, might be recommended to his Grace
" to have that abbey by postulation."
Their further advice to the King was about settling of
the Court there for spiritual affairs, viz. " That as to bis

10 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
BOOK " Court of Resorte, [as it was called,] if any Doctors of
^- « Civil Law, and languaged, might be found in England,
Anno 1513. « they would be most fit to serve his Grace there. For
" hard it should be to find others there meet therefore.
" That his own subjects should serve his Grace faithfully,
" and be most indifferent to his subjects, and least to his
" charge. And so concluded their letter to him with
" these words, And thus Je.m preserve your noble Grace.
" Written at Tournay, the 19th of August.
" Your most humble subjects and servants,
" C. Worcester.
" W. Mountjoy.
" John Young."
The King upon this letter had Wolsey in his eye ; who
was ready at hand to be invested with those preferments :
and whom, no question, the King thought such a fit person
for his purpose, viz. an Englishman, and well endowed with
learning, language, and other abilities. Though he met
with opposition enough afterwards, both the former Abbot
and the Bishop pretending their rights to the same abbey
and bishopric. The Abbot, some years after, upon some
considerations, was convented to appear before the Cardi
nal's Official, (who seems to be Dr. Sampson, his Chaplain,
whom he left behind him at Tournay.) But he appealed
from him to the Pope; pretending to be subject immediately
to him, and none else.
Appiica- Wolsey's figure now began to be more resplendent at
Tomnayto Toumay. For the King left the preservation of that city
Wolsey. to his care, as we may conjecture : since the application of
the officers there was generally thenceforth made to him.
To whom also the King had given, upon the conquest of
that city, the bishopric thereof, with all the revenues he-
Godwin's longing to it. For the French Bishop, as one of our his-
oi Bisl^ps. torians writes, was banished, or rather absented himself
And he appointed, when he went away thence with the
King, Richard Sampson, his Chaplain, to be his Chancellor

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 11
there ; and to receive and return the rents and benefits to CHAP.
him, as we shall see by and by. Who was also one of the .

Commissioners in the government of that place. ^'f"" i^'"*-
Which town of Tournay the King held a good while, '
till the year 1517, when he sold it to King Francis for six sion of'theii-
hundred thousand crowns ; and for the castle which he had payment.
built, a great sum more. The General, chief Captain, and caiiguia. E.
Deputy thereof, was Sir J. Russel. The Council here were
Edmond Wiseman, Robert Seymour, Philip Denis, John
Anlaby, Richard Basford, Leonard Musgrave, Roger Beck
et, John Dimock, William Sympson, Thomas Harvey, Ri
chard Widders, Nicolas Sampson, the father or brother, I
suppose, of the abovesaid Richard, the Cardinal's Chaplain,
and chief Officiary here ; who signed letters also from hence
with the rest. Now to shew somewhat of Wolsey's first
conduct in state ; to him, being Bishop here, or rather ad
ministrator and possessor of the bishopric, addresses were
made from the garrison, as occasion served, when any busi
ness was with the King. One letter I meet with of the De
puty and Council here to the Cardinal, was on this occasion.
The King had sent his letters, dated the 22d of April, (the
year not set, but, as it seems, anno 1514,) to the Deputy and
Council, and whole garrison, " willing and commanding
" the garrison to receive their payments by the half year,
" (whereas they had received them formerly every quarter,)
" like as it was ordained in all other his garrisons in those
" parts. And willing the gentlemen, constables, and vint-
" ners, to make certificate to be so contented." But this
they were not contented with ; desiring that they might be
paid as formerly, quarterly.
And upon this they directed their letters to my Lord Their letter
Cardinal's Grace, and also to all the Lords of the King's si,ewing
most honourable Privy Council; shewing, " that the inha- *'"^"' '^*^^'
" bitants and householders of the King's other garrisons,
" as Calais, &c. were of one nation, of long continuance ;
" and many of good substance; and glad to assist, help, and
" trust each other, as good and true subjects : whereas they
" there, at Tournay, were wholly to the contrary, as far as

12 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
BOOK « they could perceive. And that among the garrison there
^' « were few or none that were of substance ; so as of himself
Anno 1514. « to victual or help his fellow. In other places of the
" King's garrison they had great helps and furtherances,
" which they had not there : as, to be trusted for their meat
" and drink, as well as for all other necessaries, from pay-
" ment to payment. Also, that if one had need of ready
The Exche- « money, he might go to the Exchequer, which was always
'^'^"' " well provided of money, and fetch and take so much as
" he had served for. Or if he or they had need aforehand,
" if he brought surety for the Treasurer's discharge, he
" should have his whole wages aforehand. Which provision
" they had not there, notwithstanding they had more need
" than they."
That the money here (as they signified further) was not
so good nor profitable as it was in other the King's garri
sons. And that caused victuals and other necessaries to
be far the dearer ; " whereof a great cause was, the course
" that the money had there. Which also annihiled and
" minished their wages. For six pence now [added they]
" goeth not so far, ne not so good ne profitable, as five
" pence was wont to be, &c.
8 " And that it was to be considered, that the King's ser-
" vice there should be regarded before other garrisons, in-
" asmuch as it was so far out of his realm, in a strange
" country ; and among some that peradventure would de-
" §ire the King's dishonour : which might well happen, by
" the reason of such long payment, as by the half year, &c."
The said gentlemen, therefore, " humbly beseeched the
" Lord Cardinal's Grace, to have them in his gracious
" remembrance and furtherance in this behalf, concerning
" the foresaid particulars and premises before alleged.
" Wherein (as they wrote) his Grace should do a great
" meritorious deed : considering that it touched a common-
" weal ; and the King having no loss, ne further charge
" thereby. And the most part of the said gentlemen had
" little or noting of themselves but their bare wages, with-
" out fee, annuity, office, or other profit by the King : also.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 13
" having there few friends or none. And where that some CHAP.
" of them had friends in England, they had now lost them, .

by reason of their long absence ; as well as other advance- Anno i.^u.
" ments, which might have happened unto them.
" Wherefore, please it his Grace tenderly of his charity
" to have consideration herein. So that by his gracious
" favour and instance to the King's Highness, the said gen- '
" tlemen may obtain the grant of payments quarterly, with
" the good course of money. And so shall they be bound,
" with all the whole retinue and garrison, to pray for the
" maintenance and prosperity of his good and gracious
" estate." Signed by those mentioned above, and others
whose names are scarcely to be read, being in number
fifteen. From this original letter we see the interest the Cardinal
had at Court, and the honour now done him ; and withal,
what good offices we may presume he did sometimes for
subjects under pressures and hard conditions put upon
them from the Court.
And to shew further how uneasy this order was (of post- The con-
poning these payments) to. the inferior sort of officers and Lo^enrf
soldiers of the garrison, when the Deputy and Council there the garrison
shewed them the King's pleasure, or perhaps the Cardinal's dinai, com-
rather, who acted now all under the King, I have the letter piainmg.
before me, of the constables of Tournay, (who were the
yeomen of the King's guard there,) to the Cardinal, con
taining their piercing complaint, and what miseries and ne
cessities they must groan under, if it should take place;
and certifying the present condition of that place. The
superscription of their letter was. To the Lord CardinaVs
Grace, and to all the Lords qf the King's most honourable
Council. It began, " How that it had pleased his Grace to
" direct his gracious letters uiito the King's Deputy, and
" the Council there, of that his city of Toumay, and the
" marches of the same, bearing date at Westminster, the
" 22d day of April. In which his gracious letter they un-
" derstood, that it was thought by the King's Highness,
" and by his most honourable Council, that it was not

14

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " requisite or necessary to content and pay the King's gar-
^- " rison of Tournay their wages by the three months, as
Anno 1514. " heretofore time hath been used, but that it was conve-
" nient and sufficient to content and pay to the same gar-
9 " rison accordingly, as by his gracious letters did appear,
" that is to understand, from the third day of April to the
" third day of October; and so. from the said day of Octo-
" ber unto the said day of April : and so to continue to be
" paid half yearly. And thus the said garrison to be con-
" tented with the said days of payment. And further, that
" the said garrison should certify his Grace of the same,
" with their letters assigned and subscribed with their
" hands, according to the tenor of his Grace's letter."
But so far were these men frora giving under their hands
their contentraent herewith, that they took this opportunity
of declaring their great discontent, and shewing at large
the distresses they were in, even then ; and in many parti
culars, to what harder circurastances they must be driven,
unless their payments were quarterly, as before. How
they proceeded in this their address to the Cardinal, and
what they now certified of themselves at this juncture, the
continuance of their letter shew ; which being somewhat
long, I have put, as a valuable original piece, in the Ap-
Numb. IV. pendix ; especially contributing soraething unto the history
of those times, and that great Cardinal. To which I will
subjoin another letter to the same, from Sir Richard Jarne-
gan, and the Council, expressing the garrison's necessities :
all shewing how little benefit, besides the vainglory, the
taking of Tournay was to the King, and some share of it
perhaps to the Cardinal, for the keeping of it.
There happened about this tirae a mutiny in the gar
rison, and a treasonous conspiracy among the Tournois,
who were uneasy under their new King. Which being
pretty well suppressed, and the better to quiet the people's
minds, the King ordered the Lord Mountjoy, who was now
his Lieutenant there, to declare a general pardon to them
that had been active in those insurrections and treasons ;
and withal, to discharge some of the garrison that might be

Numb. V.

Anotlier address to
Woisey from the
garrison.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 15
spared. But the Lieutenant had some doubts and scru- CHAP.
pies in his discharge of these comraands. And this caused  '_

another address to the Cardinal from Tournay; import- Anno is u.
" That, whereas in the King's last letters sent to the
" Lord Chamberlain, dated at Oking, it pleased his Higli-
" ness to write, that his pleasure was concerning the pardons,
" as well for the Englishmen there for their riots and un-
" faithful assemblies, as for the townsmen, for their treasons
" and conspiracies, he (the Lord Lieutenant) should make
" unto them pardons, according to the tenor of such copies
" as he had lately sent over ; he advised, that if these par-
" dons should be of any value to the parties, it should be
" necessary, that he should have commission sent unto him
" from the King's Grace. And then when time convenient
" was, they might be granted. He also found it necessary
" to advertise the Cardinal, that of the English and Welsh-
" men there, many were thieves and murderers, hunters,
" and such others, as he feared, that if they had not their
" pardons in like wise, they would either raake business, or
" they would avoid : and when they were avoided, would
" make sorae captain araong themselves, and go as well to
" the King's enemies as otherwise."
He proceeded in his communication of this business with
the Cardinal in these words : " Also, my Lord, when the
" garrison shall be minished, in ray poor mind it shall not
" be good to minlsh them but by little and little : for and 10
" if they be strong enough, there be many of light minds
" which reckon little to make their hands at their departing.
" Also, for any surety the town could put the King's Grace
" in, though the honest men and the heads be reckoned
" good, yet in the comraon people there he had but small
" trust ; if the French King might have it (keeping his
" amity) by surprising : wherein should lack no colour.
" That if the heads, which then were governors, raight have
" a convenient garrison for a season, they might make all
" things in more surety. That the Lord Chamberlain, and
" Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, (who both were then there,) did

16 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
BOOK " the best they raight to bring all things to pass to the
. " King's pleasure ; and as for himself, he added, that what

Anno i5i4.«( lay in him should not be slacked."
He then acquainted the Cardinal with the news brought
there, viz. that the Queen's Grace [Queen Katharine] was
with child " And that if it were so, no subject under the
" King would more rejoice at it : and required his Grace
" that he might know the certainty ; to the intent, that on
" the King's behalf he might comraand, throughout all the
" land, her Grace to be specially prayed for ; and a sermon
" and procession to be, to the laud and praising of God : in
" like wise as the French King had wrote thither for to have
" done for his Queen." And so, after some private matter
concerning the bestowing of a prebend in that church, he
concluded with these words, " And thus Jesu send you
" good life, and long. In haste, at the King's city of
" Tournay, the Sth day of September.
" Yours to his power,
" W. Mountjoy."
About this last inquiry of the Queen's being with child,
none could better inform that Lord than the Cardinal :
who, not long before, had the honour to receive a secret
letter frora the King's own hand thereof. Which being a
curious piece, and shewing how highly that King now fa
voured and loved the Cardinal, I shall insert it here from
the original.
The King " My Lord Cardinal ; I recommend me unto you as
dinai'^n- " ^^^'^^^J ** ^ ^an. And I am right glad to hear of your
cerning the « good health, which I pray God may long continue. So
ing with ' " it is that I have received your letters. To the which,
n»^!f; Tt " because they ask long writing, I have made an answer
by my Secretary. Two things there be, which be so se-
" cret, that they cause me at this time to write to you my
" self The one is, that I trust the Queen, ray wife, be with
" chUd. The other is, the chief cause why I am so loth to
" repair to London, were, because about this time is partly

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 17
" of her daungerous .times. And because of that, I would CHAP.
" remeve here as little as I may now. My Lord, I write .

" this unto you, not as an insured thing, but as a thing Anno i5i4.
" wherein I have great hope and lyklyode : and because I
" do well know, that this thing will be comfortable to you
" to understand. Therefore I do write it unto you at this
" time : no more unto you at this time : nisi quod Deus
" velit incceptum opus bene fmh-i. Written with the hand
" of your loving Prince, " Henry R."
I set down these things the more at large, that it may be 1 1
observed, how all the great affairs of state were managed
mainly by Wolsey ; the King's servants abroad taking their
instructions from him, with his diligent and constant letters
to thera, upon their accounts given him of the raanagement
of their offices : naming him first in their addresses to the
Court, and then naraing the Privy Council after him, thus ;
To my Lord Cardinal's Grace, and the Privy Council.
Where likewise may be seen the intimate esteem he had
with his King.
The Lord Lieutenant and Council at Tournay apply The Cardi-
to him again, upon a letter of the Cardinal's to them, j^ xoumay,
dated at Durham Place, the 21st of August; the tenor ofof ari intent
which was, " That the King's Highness was advertised, as that place.
" well frora Master Deputy of Calais, and Sir Thoraas Spi-
" nel, as by two sundry spies out of France, that the
" French men were about an enterprise against Tournay :
" and for that intent they were in a readiness ; intending
" in brief tirae to proceed to the accoraplishment of their
" purpose. Wherefore that the King's pleasure was, that
" they [of that place] should have a special regard to
" see that town well and substantially furnished ; and such
" things to be foreseen and put in a readiness, as should be
" requisite for the surety and defence thereof, &c. But
" also to have vigilant and dihgent espials, for the attain-
" ing the very truth and surety of their intent and purpose
" in this behalf. And of the same to advertise his Grace
VOL. I. r

18 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " with all celerity in post. He added, that he thought
'¦ _ " that this assembly that was bruited to be, or if any such

Anno 1514. « attempts should be made there against the garrison, it
" was not without the comfort and stii-ring of the inhabit-
" ants : and that therefore they should by all means dis-
" arm them." This was the sum of Wolsey's letter, being
now one of the chief managers of state affairs, and particu
larly of this conquered place. To whora it is worth impart
ing, what answer, and with what deference, the Council
there returned. Wherein raay also be seen in what state
and condition the place then was : but it being somewhat
Numb. VI. large, I recommend it to be read in the Appendix.
Payments There was some discontent here among the English, for
dueatTour- . i - i ¦ i - i i
nay noted backwardness in their pay ; which might create the raore
mnai' ^*'^' jealousy of hatching sorae tumults. For in a letter of the
said Lord Mountjoy to the said Cardinal of York, dated
November the Sth, he signified what payments would soon
be due : viz. the 10th day of that month was the payment
of the labourers ; which amounted unto the sum of lOOOZ.
The 15th day was the payment of the footmen and horse
men, amounting to the sum of 1760Z. And within seven
days after, another payment to the labourers, that amounted
to the sum of lOOOZ. more.
Intelligence This place the King had but Uttle comfort of, being al-
broughtto ¦ (¦ /< -1 • ' o
the Cardi- ways m fear of a surprise. The Cardinal had again another
Friar'^ * time, in the month of May, (whether in the year 1514 or
1515, 1 know not,) intelligence brought him by a Friar Au
gustin, whom he had employed as a spy, of a sudden at>
tempt intended to be made upon the place : of which the
Cardinal and the Council, from the palace at Hampton
Court, wrote to Sir Richard Jernegan, now the King's
Lieutenant there, as certain news. This was writ May the
12 9th. And such speed was made with it, that on the 11th
day at night, the said Lieutenant received it. And it was
but a few days before, the Deputy of Calais wrote to the
said Sir Richard, that a Friar was passed thence into Eng
land with news: and that the said Friar warned him to
will the Lord Lieutenant of Tournay, to have a good

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 19
guard upon the King's place. The morning after the Car- CHAP.
dinal's letter came to them, and they were sitting in Coun-  [.

cil upon it, another Friar from a Frenchman, one Lord Anno i sis.
Ligne, (who was that Lord's Confessor,) comes also with
letters to the said Lieutenant, requiring eftsoones to have
credence to his said Confessor : the which Confessor had
shewn him of the enterprise in such manner as were the
Cardinal's letters. But the Council there conjectured
strongly, that all this came only from the Lord Ligne, to
shew himself officious ; and that the King might value him
and trust him. And Sir Richard did think, that if the re
ligious that came to the Cardinal with this news were
well examined, peradventure it might be so found. Never
theless they resolved to provide for the worst.
Now a word more concerning spies. The King in April, information
the month before, sent to the Lord Lieutenant and Coun- sent^nto
cil, that thev should send forth espies, to be advertised of *°™^ P*'''*
1- i 1 T, -w, 1- -1 -, of France.
the intent ot the French. For the city was m danger with
out, as well as within. Accordingly, Sir Richard Jernegan
answered, that he had two spies at Paris, in the French
King's Court : and that one of them he looked for hourly.
That he had sent his spies into Normandy, and those parts,
(because the noise and bruit was, that the chief assembly
was there,) surely to be advertised of all appearances and
occurrences there. That one of these spies informed him,
that there were 2000 men enrolled in France, to be in a
readiness in all times in the dominions of the French King,
with captains appointed for the same. And that the bruit
was, that they were enrolled to come to Tournay : but that
(as he told the King) it was the manner of the Frenchmen,
to make bruit one way, and intend another way. Where
fore it would be necessary all the King's other garrisons
should be looked to. And further, the Council there as
sured the King's Grace, that all the garrisons there, and
other Englishmen, were of as good courage as any men
might be; desirous and wishing the Frenchmen would
corae, to the end his Grace might know what service they
intended and would do his Highness. And lastly, that
c 2

29

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. I.
Anno 1515.

Some ma
gistrates of
Tournay come into
England.

13

Accountthereofwritten to
the Cardi
nal.

they had victualled and fortified the town; so that in a
short tirae there should be no lack. This was dated April
the 13th, and signed by Jernegan, the Lieutenant, and
next to him by Sampson, the Cardinal's Chancellor, and
then by Sir Richard Whettehill, Sir Philip Treraayle, and
others of the Council there.
Thus though this place was now in the King's posses
sion, yet he had little assurance of quiet possession, and had
reason to suspect the faithfulness, of the inhabitants, what
ever oath of fealty they had given. This notice was given
the Cardinal, who was now in England ; and from West
minster directed the Governor there, to persuade the chief
officers in the town to come into this kingdora, there to wait
upon the King hiraself, and the Privy Council, to satisfy
thera of their faithful and true obedience. And they, so
coraing, were to have all the fairest usages and promises
given thera that could be. Jernegan, according to the Car
dinal's instruction, required the chief raagistrates of the
town to pass over into England : of which raore particu
larly thus he wrote to the Cardinal. " Pleaseth your Grace
' to understand, that according to your last letters, dated
' at Westrainster, the 29th day of January, I have exhorted
' with comfortable words the Provost and Council of the
' town, to send certain Coraraissioners to the King's High-
' ness, your Grace, and his niost honourable Council.
' Whereupon they have at this time sent J.Ir. Nicholas De-
' preys, this year last past High Provost, Mr. John De
' Puys, Great Counsellor, and Eloy de la Rice, High Pro-
' curer of this city, with certain articles ; whereof 1 send
' your Grace the copy : desiring to write unto your Grace
' in their favour ; as I trust, before their departing from
' your Grace they will so demean themselves, accomplish-
' ing the King's pleasure, that they shall deserve his gra-
' cious thanks. Nevertheless, Sir, because that it is the
' King's pleasure, and your Grace's, that we should devise
' with them ; and endeavour ourselves to induce them to
' the King's pleasure in certain things, as, entertaining
' certain numbers of raen and others, if they be not so

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 21
"handled at this time, that they shall accomplish the CHAP.
" King's pleasure in some part touching the same things, .

"wherein we have devised with them; hereafter, if smj Aomiiis.
" such charge shall be committed unto us, they shall little
" regard our comraunication, or devising with thera in any
" manner of behalf. And that your Grace raay have raore
" clear knowledge of their charge and said articles by this
" bearer, Robert Kirk, the King's servant, we send certain
" instructions to your Grace of our poor opinions touching
" the sarae : to whom it may please your Grace to give
" confidence and credence."
A secret and dangerous conspiracy against the kingdom A conspi-
was now in hand by sorae foreign powers ; and discovered French &c.
by one Crossene, a spy of the Cardinal's : in which were f<"^ invading
engaged the French, the Dane, the Scot, with some Eng- and Tour-
lish. Intending to invade England on the side of Scot- "'ry
land, and iri some other place of this realm. And another
party were to attack Tournay. And this to be done all
at once. One party to be headed by the Duke of Albany,
a Scot, and another by one of the Poles. But this coming
to the Lord Lieutenant of Tournay, Jernegan, the King's
faithful officer, by the said Crossene's secret information, he
hastened a particular account of it to the Cardinal, the last
day of May, by letter. The full tenor whereof ensueth.
" That it might please his Grace to understand, that Discovered
" that same day came one Henry Crossene, unto one of the ^ ^ ^'^^'
" gates there at Tournay ; and desired one of the warders
" to cause him [the said Jernegan] to corae and speak
" with him secretly without the town. The which he did
" according to the other's desire. That at his coraing, Cros-
" sene shewed hira, that his Grace [the Cardinal] knew him
" well; and then shewed him a writing that he had from
" his Grace, for to pass and repass into England at his plea-
" sure. That therefore he [the Lieutenant] gave the more
" credence iinto his sayings. And that the Governor of
" the English fellowship, Mr. Hewester, brought hira unto
" the Cardinal's presence. [Offering then, as it seeras, his
" service to him.] Where at that time, as Crossene went
c 3

22 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP- " on, his Grace gave, as he thought, but little credence to
^- «« him. That his Grace should moreover understand, that

Annoisis. « the same Henry Crossene was come straight from the
14 "French King's Court; and had shewed him this news
" following, to advertise his Grace with diligence."
First, he saith, that the French King, the King of Den
mark, the Duke of Albany, for the realm of Scotland, and
Richard de la Pole, be all in one confederation and ap
pointment; and concluded upon these enterprises follow
ing. And that for the sure conclusion of the same, there
was already departed into Scotland, and from thence to
Denmark, Monsieur de Pursel, chief Counsellor of Roan,
and David Cokron, King of Heralds. The which David,
Herald of Denmark, Jernegan said, was the same that he
took going to France now lately. Of whom (as he added)
he wrote to his Grace with speed : and therein he thought
he had done acceptable service.
And then follows the whole relation of the intended en
terprise, as it was discovered to him by the said Crossene :
which being somewhat long, I rather refer the reading
Numb. VII. thereof to the Appendix.
Something now concerning the Cardinal's more private
affairs with respect to his bishopric there.
The re- He had obliged the Chapter and members of. that
ter of'the^ ' church, by obtaining of the King to continue their church
Chapter of liberties and privileges, and their governors, as before. And
Tournay to , . . ^ ^ ' n , j.
the Cardi. his requesting some favour irora them tor a son ot the
"*'• King's chirurgeon, occasioned a letter full of profound duty
and observance ; importing, how exceeding glad they were
of a letter from his Grace. And so much the more, that
hereby they had an opportunity, which they had long
sought for and desired, of professing their high respects to
his dignity : not that they could repay any thing answer
able to his benefits towards them : only (as it was fit) to
declare their great good-will towards his fatherhood ; but
chiefly to acknowledge the extraordinary honour and singu
lar observance they had to the sarae. That they all unani
mously consented to his request, and yielded to him most

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 23
joyfully whatsoever he desired: professing, that there was CHAP.
nothing, little or great, that they would not cheerfully and '
readily do for his sake. Anno isis.
And then upon occasion of some money that the Canons
had received, which Dr. Sampson had required, or some
share thereof, for the Archbishop's use, being his receiver,
and was denied; they gave the Cardinal this account
.thereof: that they had shewn that learned Doctor, his Vi
car, that that money, though paid into their receipts, be
longed not to them ; but was peculiarly set apart for the
fabric of the church, and for the procuring of their trea
surer's cope ; and which had been granted to that Church ¦
by the apostolical authority and decree. They promised
whatsoever could be expected from them, his most faith
ful beadsmen, and whose name and dignity was most dear
to them ; and to whom they were, for so many and great
reasons, bound. And mentioned, how from his care their
church's liberty was by the King's gift preserved and de
fended ; and that they had such Governors and Rectors hi
therto, as guarded thera and their privileges. And in con
clusion, begged and beseeched him to take upon him the
patronage and defence of their church. And so prayed Al- 1 5
mighty God for their most victorious King, and all prosper
ous success to his fatherhood. Dating their letter from their
chapter at Tournay. But the whole letter, (whereof these
be some short contents,), writ in Latin, I have thought
worthy transcribing, and placing in the Appendix. N". viii.
But it cost our great Prelate no small trouble and oppo- Another
sition before he could obtain the possession of this bishopric : ^'^^?^
which indeed he seemed to come into more violently than tends to the
justly, as may appear by the sequel. For there was an- j^^ "p"^"^,
other Bishop Elect, a Frenchman, whom the French King tion to
had presented. And when Dr. Sampson came, in Wolsey's
name and authority, unto certain towns in Gaunt and Bru
ges, in Flanders, which were within the compass of the
bishopric of Tournay, to administer his jurisdiction there,
as Wolsey's Vicar General, he found no reception among
that people ; the other pretended Bishop having all the fa-.
c 4

24 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. vour. Of this he writ an account at large to his Lord;
^- i,iz, " That after he came to Bruges, as he had before in
Anno ISIS. " Gaunt, by his letters patents he desired the favour and
" aid of the Lords of the town : but he found them nothing
" favourable. That a few days after, he called the Bishop's
" officers together, and shewed them the Pope's breve, and
" letters patents of the Lady Margaret, [then governess of
" the Low Countries] written in Wolsey's favour. Which
" notwithstanding when they had heard, because the matter
" was of great weight, they desired a day's respite to con-
" suit what they should think best to do ; being the 18th
" day of September."
Advised And therefore he shewed how he suspected the integrity
SM^p^on.^ of the French King in this matter; thus continuing his let
ter : " My Lord, the French King, as I think, hath not
" kept all promises with your Grace : for the Bishop Elect
" had made for all Flanders, both another Vicar General,
" and also a Receiver, and all the profits without fail of the
" year past be received, and all paid and delivered to the
" Elect in France. Moreover, he had . ordained his officers
" strongly to resist, when I should corae. They had readily
" their appellations raade, with other reraedies, as strong
" as by the law possibly raight be raade : which this day,
" when they assembled, they shewed expressly. And if
" with rigor I should have made process against thera,
" without fail I should have raade a commotion among the
" people, whom they had before provoked."
And here inserting his advice, what was convenient to be
done in this difficulty, he added, " that if his Lordship
" should quietly have this administration, there were no
" mo remedies, but the French King must by his letters
" charge the Bishop Elect to be content, and suffer this ad-
" ministration, nor to resist : or else if these officers saw
" the French King's letters favourable to his [Wolsey's] ad-
" ministration, all they would iramediately obey."
His advice And this he thought the best course to prevent further
raed by law inconvenience in law to his Lordship; thus continuing his
EkT ^^^ ^^''^^^ ' " ^^^^'^ ^^ ^^^ ^'''^^^ ^^^°^^^ ^°^'°^^ ^''^ process of the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 25
" law, and the Bishop Elect defend his possession with CHAP.
" marvellous great trouble, his Grace should never have '
" profit. Wherefore they had instantly desired to, have a Annoisis.
" day of respite, to counsel with the Bishop Elect. And
" accordingly, that he had granted them till St. Mar- lo
" tin's day ; except that in the mean time it raight appear
" the Bishop Elect should not return personally to defend
" his possession : always provided, that such profits,, as in
" the mean time should fortune, should be reserved. That
" he granted them this time so boldly : for that if it so were,
" that the French King favoured his Grace at this time, as
" he thought he did, shortly it raight be known, that the
" Bishop should not return ; and his Grace hastily, or they
" came to him, might cause by his letters, that the French
" King might charge him to have patience."
And then telling his Lordship, " that without this means,
" by the French King, it should not be possible quietly to
" have this administration : fbr that he was dispensed with
" de non residendo studii causa.''''
But the officers of the party of the Elect objected against
passages in the Pope's breve, shewing the reasons why he
adraitted Wolsey to the administration of that bishopric;
namely, his absence and desertion of the bishopric : which
indeed seemed to be done by hira at that tirae of necessity,
for his own safety. This matter Dr. Sampson shewed to
the Cardinal, in this manner: "That as they heard the The Pope's
" tenor of the breve, one of them with a quick mind sus- ^^-^^j '"^
" pected the breve in three places. First, because it saith, behalf a-
" Et ecclesiam Tornacens. deseruissef. Et postea, dubi- |iect.
" tandum sit, quod idem Episcopus ad ecclesiam ipsam re-
" dire contemnit, quando per procuratorem accepit posses-
" sionem. Neque hactenusfuit unquam hie prmsens. Verba
" denique prsescripti sunt haec prope finem : de residuis
" illis fructibus, et proventibus, tam quos hactenus perce-
" pisti, et qui post dicti Electi decessum proveniunt. De-
" cessit, inquit ille, nunquam, ut qui nunquam adhuc af-
'¦'¦fuity Dr. Sampson added, Sed Mis pro tempore, ut po~
tui respondebam, &c. " That is, that these exceptions he

26 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "answered presently, as well as he could: concluding,
^- « that this was in the end the only method whereby this
Anno 1515. « administration might be had most quietly, if it might ap-
" pear by any means that the King of France stood well af-
" fected towards this matter. And till he had further intel-
" ligence frora his Grace, he would abide at Bruges. And
" so beseeched Almighty Jesu to preserve his Grace.
" Dated at Bruges, the 18th day of September, 1514.
" Subscribing, Your Chaplain, and daily headman,
" Richard Sampson, Priest."
This letter was superscribed.
To the most reverend Father in God, and his -
special good Lord, my Lord qf York.
Whence it appears he was not yet Cardinal.
The Elect But to pursue this controversy a little further. The
towns of ^ French Bishop would not desist, nor let go so wealthy a
the diocese, preferraent : and for the better qualifying himself for the
sessi^on.^"* Same, he was advised to come in person into those parts
very shortly : and so Sampson had informed the Cardinal's
17 good Grace ; [for Wolsey was now advanced to that title ;]
in order to his entrance . into the towns of the diocese, as
the raanner was, for to take possession. And by another
letter of his, written August the 4th, he tells the Cardinal,
that now he was corae ; intending to enter into the towns,
for his possession taking. And then adding, in this exi-
Inhihition gence, his judgraent in these words : " Wherefore, Sir, if
Rome. " that it shall be your gracious pleasure, further to pursue
" the title of this bishopric, and not intending the contrary,
" it shall be very necessary with speed and diligence to
" have one inhibition from Rorae, that he shall proceed
"¦ no further. Moreover containing, Quod in poenam et sen-
" tentiam inhibitionis ob contumaciam inciderit, cum pen-
" dente adhuc lite (ut existimatur) inhibitioni et pontificis
" decreto, non sit nihil inobediens ; imd vere contemptor.
" And if it shall be your gracious pleasure, in the mean
" time, by the eyde [aid] of your gracious letters, directed
" in the said behalf unto ray Lady Margaret, and other

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 27
" cheffys [chiefs] ofthe Council in these parties, that I ob- CHAP.
tain a defence and prohibition by the said Council, and  [^

" their letters, that the said Elect, during the process, shall Anno isis.
" take no further possession ; most humbly I beseech your
" Grace to know your pleasure : the which I shall with di-
" ligence accomplish, by the help of Almighty God : who
" preserve your Grace in most prosperous health and ho-
" nour." Dated at Tournay, the 4th day of August.
This suit between the Cardinal and the Bishop Elect The process
was committed not long after to two Cardinals by the Pope, to'two Car-
as it seems. But the said Elect, in pursuit of his title, had'''°*is by
caused certain writings to be set up openly in divers places.
Which Sampson acquainted the Cardinal also with, called
by him, certain qffixions : which, as he said, the French
Elect had caused to be made out ; notwithstanding the pro
cess committed to two Cardinals by the Pope's Holiness
to his Grace, and a copy of the same. And that the said
copies were affixed in all the places of Flanders, and in vil
lages also within the baUiages, whereas were the Bishop's
farmers, and the temporal lordships belonging to the Bi
shop. The which copies Sampson shewed the Cardinal, he
caused to be taken down ; and copies of the inhibition, de
creed by the said reverend Cardinals, affixed in the same
place, with this subscription ; that it appeared evidently,
both the French Elect pretenced, and other his officers, by
virtue of the same inhibition, against the which, in contempt
of the Cardinals, they presumed to continue their old pro
cess, suspended causa litis pendentis coram prcefatis reve-
rendissimis dominis, to have fallen into the sentence of ex
communication. He had further (as he proceeded in his
relation of this contest) appealed ad cauielam, inherendo
prioribus ab hiyusmodi novo gravamine. And then be
speaking the Cardinal, in respect of something more to be
done in this his cause ; " Nevertheless, Sir, saving your gra-
" cious pleasure, it were very necessary, both for danger of
" the sentence, qua semper timenda est, and slander of
" the world, that by the said most reverend Cardinals your
" Grace should have a commission to some men in these

28 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " parties to decern \i. e. decree] the same one excep-
^- « tion and process now made by the French, were of no
Anno 1515. " strength ; and your Grace's officers to be in no danger of
18 "the said process or sentence, Et si opus fuerit, etiam
" eos omnes ad cautelam. absolvere. This thing, Sir, is so
" necessary, that no raan shall dare to serve your Grace
" here in any office, if they be not declared by this means,
" liberi ab omni excommunicationis metu!''' And then
Sampson named a person to the Cardinal fit for this pur
pose ; continuing thus : " The Abbot of St. Amands, in
" pabulo Tornac. diocesios, propositus divce Pharaeldis
" Gaudensis, et Abbas Sancti Nicolai in pratis Juxta Tor-
" nacium ejusdem dice, shall be a very convenient person
" to be in the said commission. The more speedily that it
" be done, the more shall it be to your Grace's honour.
Sampson And after all this pains taken, counsel given, and service
to the Car- ^one to the Cardinal, he thought it seasonable now to put
dinal for in a word for hiraself: entreating hira to raake some provi-
and why. ' siou by preferment, for his better and raore creditable sub
sistence, whose circurastances at present were but mean.
Therefore, in the conclusion of the sarae letter, thus he ad
dressed hiraself to his great patron : " Most hurably. Sir, I
" beseech your Grace, to be a good and gracious Lord
" unto rae ; that I raay have your most gracious succours
" and further aid. For else, I am or shall be nothing able
" to do your Grace service here to your honour. Al-
" mighty God be my judge, I desire it for none other
" cause, but the doing your Grace service in these parties ;
" it may be to your honour. Whereunto, .with the help
" of Almighty God, enduring my hfe, most faithfully I
" endeavour myself: and rather than I should otherwise
" do your Grace service, refusing clearly the world, I
" would suffer as poor a living as any creature might do.
" Extrerae necessity. Sir, causeth rae to use this boldness
" of words to your Grace ; unless that for poverty I should
" be little able to do your Grace other any good service in
" these parties, profitable or honourable. For in doing
" your Grace service here, I must raeddle with some great

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 29
" personages, and daily with such, as if I were not in your CHAP.
" Grace's service, passeth my poor degree. Wherefore if _

" that I be not like in other things as your Grace's servant Anno isis.
" in that room, it should not be to your Grace's honour.
" And little shall they accept or regard my doings with
" them, cum in hac nostra atate, inopia, egestate, humili-
" tate, nihil contemptius. So long as I may think to do
" such service to your Grace, that may be to your Grace's
" honour, there be no labours of body or mind that I shall
" esteem, or avoid reasonable danger or peril. But by po-
" verty, when I shall be otherwise enforced, rather I shall
" suffer to myself a wilful poverty, enduring my life, than
" by a necessary poverty do any such thing as should not
" be to your Grace's honour. Wherefore, Sir, in my most
" humble wise, I submit my wealth or misery only to your
" raost gracious goodness. The which I beseech Almighty
" God preserve to his pleasure, and your increase of ho-
" nour and virtue. At Tournay, the 21st day of August.
" Subscribing, Your most humble servant
" and chaplain,
" Richard Sampson."
Nor was this moving argument of Sampson unsuccessful ; i n
namely, of advancing the Cardinal's greater honour by his Sampson
Chaplain's preferraent and titles. For he soon procured „{ gt. Ste-
him to be the King's Chaplain, and Dean of St. Stephen's : ph^n's.
and which was a foundation laid for many other dignities
and places, as well as a bishopric ; which he obtained after
wards, as our Church histories shew : and araong the rest,
he was one of King Henry's Privy Council- More perhaps
will be said, of him in the current of these Memorials.
Further; I find this Chaplain of the Cardinal endea- Sampson
vouring, besides his services, to ingratiate himself with him c^rdlnai^a
by curious presents sent him from those parts : one was a piece of ta-
choice piece of tapestry, made in those countries, famous ^*^'^'
for that manufacture : in which was woven an exquisite
figure and resemblance of St. George, the English saint.
And it proved very acceptable to the Cardinal ; as one To-

80 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, neis (who seeraed to be the bringer of the present) had sig
nified to him : at which the Chaplain shewed himself highly

Anno is 15. pleased. And on this occasion he thus expressed his glad
ness and satisfaction in one of his letters to his great pa
tron ; whom he styled, The father qfhis country.
Retulit item mihi suis Uteris idem Tonesius peristroma,
et quod nuper ad tuam amplissimam dignitatem, non inele-
gans meo judicio tapetum illud divi Georgii, velut statua,
perornatum, tradidi, non iryocundum esse tuaz magnificen-
tice. Quo certe nuntio potuit mihi nuntiare, vel Icetius vel
falicius, nihil. Quippe qui prater omnia, nihil prorsus tam
cupiam, quam id aliquando aut reperire, aut effcere possem,
quo valeam aliqua. re grata eximiam tuam benignitatem
afficere. Cum igitur intelligam tua reverendissimce pater-
nitati hujuscemodi tapetum non vulgare, neque plebeium
7iunc videris, quam humillime tuam excellentissimam bo-
nitatem rogo atque obtestor, a me tui et deditissimo et ob-
sequiosissimo hanc rem dono acceptare, ut velis. Id cert^
quod prius cmte omnia solicitassem, sifldens meomet judicio
tuam adeousque sublimitatem delectatum iri existimassem.
Hoc si a tud quidem optima bonitate impetraverim, me inter
felicissimos, Tion quidem trepid^, sed audacia quadam latis-
sima, connumerare arbitrabor. Cum nihil mihi tam ex
animo accidere possit, quam si hanc rem tua magnificentia
non injocundam ab animo erga tuam prastantissimam dig
nitatem, benevolentissimo accipere haud spreveris. Vale, pa
ter patria colendissime. Tornaci, 19. die Aprilis.
theTshop- ^^^ ^^^ account I find given in by Sampson to the Car
rie of dinal, of the receipts of the incomes of that bishopric, was
''"™*>'- as follows, in his letter writ anno 1517. whence raay be
guessed at the value of it ; viz. that he had received the
rents of De Sellier, father and son, (who were farmers of
the revenues thereof under his Grace,) in the years 1514,
1515, 1516, whereof he paid by the Cardinal's command
ment to Mr. Toneis, (a servant of the Cardinal's,) 50Z.
and the rest, to the sum of 100 mark, received by the said
Toneis, and of such little money more as should have come
into his hands.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 31
" Moreover, Sire, there was paid by the said De Sellier, CHAP.
" to him of whom your Grace had tapestry here in Tour-,

" nay, 50 mark, and more money. And now by these ac-Anno 1517.
" counts, withiii these three or four days, they have pro-
" vided the payment of the rest, to accomplish the said
" three years ; which shall amount to the sum of 300
" mark sterling, and raore ; as I think, fifty or three score 20
" mark. " And now beginning the payment of the year seventeen.
" Wherein, like as I have done in the other, with God's
" grace, I shall endeavour myself, to your Grace's honour
" and profit, to the best of my litde j)ower and discretion,
" as Almighty God be my judge ; who preserve your Grace
" in most prosperous estate. At Tournay, the 17th of De-
" cember. " Your most humble chaplain and servant,
" Richard Sampson."
The King and Cardinal seemed by this time to be quite
weary of Tournay, by reason of the continual trouble and
expense of keeping it: so that in the year 1518. motions
were made on both sides, by King Henry, and Francis, the
French King, for an accommodation, and for the restoring
of that place, upon certain terms and satisfaction to be
raade on the English side. Which the French King shewed
the greatest forwardness to perform : which the Lord Cham
berlain, and others of the King's Ambassadors at that
Court, shewed the Cardinal. And King Francis sent a The French
gentleman of his chamber, when these matters were to be ^^^."j^^jj '
transacted, with a letter of his own hand to the King, full Henry.
of obliging expressions. Which being short, I will here
transcribe it word for word from the original.
Le long tans, mon myeulx eme \ayme\frere, et plus per-
fet amy, que jay demeure a vous fere [faire'\ savoir de mes
novelles, sera syl vous plest escuse sur les ray sons que jay
commande a Langes Vung de gentilhommes de ma chambre,
vous aller declerer, etfere entendre de par moy : de quelles

S2

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP, ensemble de tout ce quyl vous dira de ma part, je vous prye
'¦ . le vouloyr tout aynsy croyre, que vous f 'eries moymesmes :

Anno nn.et au demeurant, estre seur, que sy ce quyl vous presenter a,
et que je vous envoye pour sovenance, vous est aussy agre-
able, comme de bcm cueur yl vous est envoye, ce sera play-
syr, et contantement grant [grand~\ a
Vre'' ban frere, cousyn, compere,
et perpetuel allye, Francoys.

And what good success the English Ambassadors had
by their prudent and discreet management of their commis
sion at the French Court, their letters to the Cardinal ex
pressed : with which he was well pleased, coraraending and
approving them in his own letter in answer, with further
directions to thera. Which will deserve to be here inserted,
in order to the shewing the Cardinal's conduct, and the
terms proceeded upon, with a design of an interview of
both Kings.
" My Lords, I comraend me unto you in right harty
' manner. And by the contents of your letters to me ad-
' dressed, bearing date the 28th of December, I not only
' understand the good diligence and effectual devoir that
' ye have done, and put you in, for the substantial soli-
' citing, and fruitful expedition of the King's cause and
' matter to you coramitted ; but also the great conformity
' and towardness of the French King, in the furtherance of
' the same. Who, as it appeareth by the writing, is right
' appliable to the accomplishment, as well of the conven-
' tions whereunto he is bound by the treaties, as also to
' amoving of all impediments that raowght impede or let the
' perfecting thereof: manifestly declaring thereof, not only
' by the answer given to the Lord Ligny, but also by
' making his subraission and oaths benevolently, as a vir-
' tuous Prince ; and accounting and accepting upon him ,
' the restitution to be made to the King's subjects for
' despoUes done upon the sea, and taking the charge
' upon him for recovering of Mortaign. Wherein he hath

The Cardi
nal to the
Ambassa.
dors in
France. 21

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 33
partly declared his mind in his loving letters to the chAP.
King's Highness addressed ; but not so amply as your .

" letters purport. Anno isia.
" Whereupon the King's Highness, as well for the great
" honours and comfortable cheer, to you shewed and made
" since your arrival to that reame, as for the towardness the
" said King sheweth himself to be of, not only in the en-
" tertainment of firm love and amity between the King and
" him, but also to do unto his Grace such honour and plea-
" sure as he can ; his Highness hath now at this time, by
" his righl kind and loving letters, given unto him right
" special and cordial thanks ; like as by a copy of his said
" letters here enclosed you shall perceive more at length.
" And well assured you may be, the King's Highness upon
" sight of these your said letters, not only much com-
" mended your great diligence and provident dexterity, in
" the wise conducing of these his weighty matters, whereby
" ye have deserved his singular favour and thanks, but also
" took great rejoicing, consolation, and comfort, in this
" honourable, princely, and loving demeanour of the said
" French King : having good hope and confidence, that by
" this his constant dealing at the beginning, the amity and
" alliance, to the great comfort of their friends, and dis-
" comfort of their enemies, honourably and kindly com-
" menced and begun betwixt them, shall not only proceed
" from good to better, but also finally attain the desired
" end, to the restfulness and universal weal of all Christen-
" dom. " And as touching the King's mind and pleasure in the
" difficulties touched in your former letters, concerning the
" qualities of the hostages, I doubt not, but ye have per-
" feet knowledge thereof by the King's letters, to you
" lately sent ; containing ample instructions how to order
" yourselves in so great a matter as that is ; not doubting,
" but that after your accustomed wise and provident man-
" ner, you woU so circumspectly order your selves therein,
" that the best hostages as may be possibly gotten, shall be
" had : or at the least, the final resolution of the King's
VOL. I. D

34 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « said letters shall be attained. Wherein as hartily as I
^' « can, I require, and instantly desire you to apply your
Anno 1518. « gglves with all effect. For to this point aU other princes
" take special regard ; whereupon, and only, dependeth the
" surety of the conventions, but also the stopping of disho-
" nourable bruits, which by acceptation of insufficient hos-
" tages might be spread over all ; which is more to be pon-
" dered than the importance of Toumay, or any other thing
" thereupon depending.
22 " And as unto the personal meeting of both Princes, the
" viewing of the place, and appointment of thejnumber to
" come with the said Princes, in mine opinion ye have taken
" a right substantial and discrete way ; praying you ef-
" fectually to follow the same, always foreseeing that the
" number be not too great, in advoiding sundry incommodes
" and inconveniencies that raight follow thereof; as I doubt
" not ye can right well consider.
" Finally, as touching the monthly wages appointed to
" the soldiers of Tournay, after their discharge, to be paid
" at their arrival in Dover; forasmuch as ye, my Lord
" Charaberlain, for sundry causes and considerations, and
" especially for payraent of such debts as be owing by
" raany of the said soldiers in Tournay"  Here the letter
breaks off abruptly.
Summary of For the delivery up of Tournay, the French King was
Chron. ^^ pg^y ^^^ ^^^ ^f ^^j. historians writes) 600,000 crowns, and
for the citadel that the King had buUt there, another great
sura. And the Cardinal also, for his resignation of that
bishopric, was to have a good consideration.
The Cardi- Tournay then being to be surrendered, the Cardinal now
"tractions to (^* he had done always in every step before) gave his in-
the King's structions to the King's officers there, that they should
Tournay, play the good husbands for the King, by turning, as much as
upon the j^bev could, all the provisions and materials there for his build-
surrender, , -' , '¦
ings into money, and to make sale of them. For which pur
pose he, with the Council, gave letters to the King's Deputy,
Jernegan, brought from England to him by Sir Richard
WhettiU, Knt. the King's Marshal there : importing, " that

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 35
it was the King's pleasure that he not only should, by CHAP.
politic manner, use the means that all such provision of  '_

" victuals that had been provided for the storing and vie- Anno isis.
" tualling of that his citadel; but also, that all such timber,
" lime, stone, and other lumber, ordained for the building
" of the citadel, should be uttered and sold to the best pro-
" fit and advantage. And also to put all such things in so
" good and substantial a readiness and order there, that at
" the return of the ambassadors from the French King,
" the city and citadel might be delivered peaceably, with-
" out any difficult rumour ; according to the league, con-
" sideration, and amity, taken and concluded between him
" and France : and also, to avoid all vagabonds and others
" forth of the town, that might be spared : and to see that
" every man paid his debts. To the end, that at the Lord
" Chamberlain's coming, there might be no rumour or let,
" as little as might be."
And as the city, so also the bishopric, consequently, was to The Cardi-
be parted withal. Therefore the Cardinal's great Official, the bishop-
Sampson, was to use all his diligence to gather up the reve- "*•
nues and arrearages thereof for his Grace ; and particularly
what sum was to be paid by the succeeding Bishop for quiet
possession. For I find the said Sampson now informing
the Cardinal, his Lord, about these money matters. As, how
he had paid, or was ready to pay, the money by him re
ceived, unto the King's Treasurer at Tournay, for the King's
use there ; the Cardinal to receive the like value in England.
And for the doing of which he gave his reason ; viz. " That
" it might please his Grace, saving his Grace's pleasure 23
" otherwise, that in his poor opinion it should not be only
" more profit, that the said money be spent in the King's
" use by his Deputy and Treasurer, but also that such other
" money, that hereafter he should receive for his Grace,
" might be in like manner delivered to them, to be em-
" ployed in the same use. And at the return of the sarae
" Deputy into England, it should appear such money be-
" longing to his Grace, to have been received and employed
D 2

36 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "to the King's use: wherefore his Grace might receive
^" " again good raoney in England. For by the money there
Anno 1518. " [in Toumay] received, to be brought into England, with-
" out fail should be very great loss : shewing him, that there
" was there none other payraent but in pence ; whereof the
" one half was not current in England : and that if he should
" change it into gold, it was of such price, that in every piece
" there should be also great diminution of the sum."
And then he proceeded to give the Cardinal inteUigence
of monies payable from the farmers of the Bishop's lands
and revenues, and likewise from the new Bishop, by an ar
bitration : viz. " That he should not fail to endeavour him-
" self, with all diligence, to the receiving of so much money
" as he might have. Notwithstanding, Sir, (added he,) by
" convention express, the farmers there were bound to no
" payment before the Purification: and that yet after the
" term, they were as slack and dull in their payment as
" might be. Yet he promised the Cardinal, that he would
" use all the means that he might to his Grace's raost ho-
" nour and profit.
Agreement " That as for the French Bishop, he had lately written
wKh the " uiito him, that he intended to come to Tournay with the
French Bi- « King's ambassadors ; and then he promised his faith to
" accomplish the arbement of the King's arabassadors, in
" all things concerning his Grace. But that in the mean
" time (as he adds) he should gather and receive as much
" as he might ; which he feared should be right little."
Then he concludes his letter in some Latin lines; im
porting, " how inclinable they would be to make them-
" selves acceptable to the present Bishop ; since they had
" before so httle kindness towards them of the Enghsh
" nation : nor that he could compel them to pay before the
The ill cha- « day of payment. That there was a coadjutor to the Ab-
\he French " hot of St. Martin's ; which Abbot was a man void of all
Martin"! ^*' " ^°°^ manners and honesty ; and was worthy to be expelled
" the monastery, rather than to be continued in with a coad-
" jutor, &c." But take the words themselves :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 37
Modd percupiunt omnes, ut im rerum mutatione fieri so- CHAP.
let, eidem futuro gratos qffore Episcopo. Haud igitur  1

dubium est, sese difflciUores nunc reddituros, in quibus an-^'^^° '5^^*
tea inerat minimum benevolentia. Neque ante solutionis
diem, prcescripta justitia nervos, ut cogaritur, in eos inten-
dere possumus. Qui futurus est coadjutor Divi Martini
Tornac. Abbati, (viro plan^ a bonis moribus et ab honestate
alienissimo, ut qui radicibus a monasterio extirpetur, quam
dignissimus est, magis quam cui detur coadjutor^ hue suum
procuratorem brevi missurus est : qui ejus nomine posses
sionem nasciscatur : nunc tam Regia Majestati quam re-
verendissima tua paternitati, ut fertur, gratissimus. Id
quod utriusque Uteris ampliter signiflcabit. Vale, (quod de24
eximia tua prudentia verissime dici potest,) optime pater,
tum pacis optatissima, tum ipsius patria, qua talem sibi
alumnum educavit, falicissima. Tornaci, viii. idus De-
cembris. Tua reverendiss. patemitaiis quam deditissimus,
Richardus Sampson.
In which last clause of the letter we may observe the
high veneration and esteem was then had of the Cardinal ;
and what a great instrument he was of the peace now made
between the two Kings : where the writer takes his leave of
him in the style of, The best father, (as he might most truly
be called for his excellent prudence,) as well qf the most
wished for peace, as also qf the cowitry itself, most happy
which had brought up such a child for itself.
This letter was superscribed.
To my Lord CardinaVs Grace, Legate
qf England.
What I have writ in the pages before, concerning Tour
nay, is somewhat long. But since there is so little appear
ing in our historians concerning the King's possession and
rule of that great city, and divers meraorable matters in
those five or six years, while it remained in the English
hands, it may not be amiss to have recorded the memory of
d3

38 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, some of them ; especially wherein that great Counsellor and
^- Churchman was concerned: in order to the adding some
Anno 1518. further knowledge of this King's reign; and reviving the
memory of some persons of quality and eminence then, not
unacceptable doubtless to some of their surviving posterity.

25 CHAP. IL
An interview proposed between the two Kings. The ob
structing thereqf endeavoured by some foreign ambas
sadors. The CardinaVs answer to their jealousies. The
King suspicious qf Frances amity. The Cardinal ihe
Kin^s Lieutenant at Calais, sends his advice to the King
about if: and for the English merchants' ships trading
thither. His letters to the King. The King's boolc
against Luther: printed in London by Pynson. The
Pope gives the King the title qf Defender of the Faith,
for writing this book. The King becomes zealous fbr
the Pope. The Cardinal instrumental therein. The
English Court noted abroad for learning. A commis
sion from the Cardinal to aM Bishops, to have Luther'' s
books delivered up. Luther''s errors condemned by the
Pope ,• ordered by the Cardinal to be fixed upon the doors
qfall cathedrals and other churches.
Anno 1520. W E have the Cardinal again, in the year 1520, over-
An inter- ruling a great cause concerning an interview, purposed be-
two Kings tween King Henry and the French King Francis. For as
purposed, peace had been made lately between them, so now an in-
gives um- ^ , "1 ,
brage to a terview somewhere near Calais was concluded to be made,
third. £qj. j.jjg mQjg confirmation of mutual friendship. But this
gave umbrage to the King of Castile : and certain ambas
sadors of Flanders, lately at Calais, now in England, en
deavoured mightUy to obstruct it ; suggesting divers reasons
of state against it: and like as it might create a jealousy in
the French King, should the King of England give an in
terview to the King of Castile. This, Sir Richard Wyng-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 39
field, Deputy of Calais, signified to the Cardinal; who was CHAP.
much for the interview, as tending to beget and confirm a.

good friendship and understanding, lately begun between Anno 1520.
them. And those ambassadors did labour to impeach and
disappoint this purpose with many dalliances, and sundry
opinions about the same. Which made such an irapression
upon the King's Admiral then at Calais, that he thought fit
to send the contents thereof to Court ; which caused the
Cardinal to answer him roundly, in order to the amoving of
such suspicions and jealousies. And in his letter to him,
declared the entire and whole truth, as well of this business
and practice, as had been made and set forth in England
also by the said ambassadors of Flanders, as also the King's
resolution and demeanour in all and singular, the same : so
that in reason and honour, the Cardinal said, they ought to
have been contented therewith. This the Cardinal also sig
nified in another letter to the said Deputy of Calais, to
whom he inclosed the copy of his letter to the Admiral :
adding in this to the Deputy, (I transcribe from the minutes
drawn up by the Cardinal's own hand,) " that thereunto, 26
" he supposed, the Admiral and some others were not only The 'j'"?'"
" sufficiently answered, but also should have cause to forbear about it to
" in giving sudden credence hereafter to semblable untrue ^j^^^j^"*'
" bruits, studied and conceived to set divisions, diffidences,
" and discourse between the King our master and his bro-
" ther of France.
" For (as he went on) it stood not with honour nor rea-
" son, that a Prince should be restrained to treat with the
" ambassadors of his ancient friends and confederates, or
" that for any such treaties, any jealousies or suspicions
" should be taken : considering by ingratitude and strange
" dealing, a Prince might soon lose and abandon his best
" friends. And to be plain unto you, if the King of Castile
" should offer to descend at Sandwich, or about those parts,
" as he hath done, to see and visit the King and the Queen, his
" unkle and aunt ; the King being in journeying toward the
" sea, and next thereunto ; it were too mervailous ingrati-
" tude to refuse the Same. For by such dealing, the King '
D 4

40 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. » mowght well judge and think, that the King our master
__iL_" neither esteemed, loved, ne favoured him. Which
Anno 1520. « mowght be the mean clearly to lose him for ever. And,
" I suppose, if the French King be so good a friend to the
« King's Grace, as I think he is, he would not advise his
" Highness so to do. Insomuch, therefore, as by refusal of
" this offer, the King mowght have lost the King of Castile
« for ever : and that by yeving loving answer thereunto,
" no prejudice ne dishonour can ensue to the French King
" thereby, (though it succede, as it is not likely to do,) there
" is no cause why the French King should take a suspicion
" or jealousy therein. Specially, when the King nundeth
" intyrely to accomphsh all conventions between them.
" And if the French King should refuse the second meet-
" ing, for that the King our master hath entertained his
" ancient friend, by giving to him comfortable answer, it
" may be counted that he more mindeth to dissolve the said
" ancient amity, than to continue or consolidate the same.
" Howbeit neither the King, ne I, ne yet any of his Coun-
" cU can believe, that the said French King mindeth any
" such thing, the firm peace, alhance, and amity, with other
" demonstrations of fraternal love and kindness betwixt
" them, groundly considered."
And accordingly the meeting of both Kings was cele
brated at a camp near Ardes, with great splendour and
triumph.
Anno 1521. But the peace between the two Kings, whatever mutual
"^^1 t c^ * 'i^^'^^sses there had appeared, was but short. The Car-
lais, to ob- dinal was now, anno 1521, at Calais, to be nearer to take his
Fr"nch * observations in France, and to do the King's business, and
King- serve his interests there ; there being now a diet held there
also, between Commissioners sent from the French King
and the Emperor. From, hence he wrote frequently to the
King pf what passed in those parts, and Hkewise the King
to him. Sir William FitzwiUiams was now Ambassador at
the French Court, who writ word how the French King
had declared to him, upon his honour, that he would ^ve
battle to the Emperor; between whom and Kin^ Henrv

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 41
was a good correspondence. This was signified to the Car- CHAP.
dinal : also how counsels were now taken for security against '

the jealousies the King had of France. The merchants of Anno 1521.
England were ready to send their ships and vessels to Bour- ^7
deaux this vintage, for wines, as they were wont to do : and
care was taken at this suspicious juncture, for the preserv
ing them from violence and damage, if the French should
attempt it by sea ; and that the King's navy might suffer
no loss. Of all this the King, by his Secretary, sent Intel- The King
ligence to the Cardinal ; requiring his advice and counsel ady^ce!'
in these and the hke points. He knew how to please the
King : and in his answer, directed to the King's Highness,
he applauds him for his good government, and his great
care of his subjects' welfare, and for his careful consultation
for the peace and safety of his kingdom. He extols his
provident foresight, and princely zeal, and substantial re
gard to his own honour and surety, in foreseeing pohticly
beforehand dangers abroad ; beheving, that none could
more providently consider the politic government of his
realm. And that therefore, though he [the King] of his
goodness had desired his poor advice, yet he was sure that
his Majesty could much better provide remedies for the
same, than he on his part could devise. All this more at
large, with his advice at length, remains in his letters (which
were two) to the King. Which highly deserve to be pre
served and read ; as both shewing the notable wisdom and
sharpness of the Cardinal, as also the great deference that
was given to his judgment. They follow, as I transcribed
them from his own minutes :
" Sir, I perceived by such writings as lately came to my The Cardi-
" hand from your Secretary, that your Grace hath received K*ng°wi«i
" three or four letters from me of sundrie datys. And far-"*pe<=* **
" asmuch as in some of them nothing was contained but King.
" only news, it is not thought requisite any special answer
" to be made thereunto, but only your gracious thanks to
" me to be given. Which I would be right glad to deserve,
" by all the industry, labour, and policy that I can use.

42 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " And, Sir, as touching those news, which at that time
"• « were written by your Ambassador, Sir William Fitz-Wil-
Anno 1521. " hams, touching the promise made by the French King, on
" his honour, that he would give battail to the Emperor's
" army within brief time ; I think verily, that as your said
" Ambassador, as a faithful gentleman, reported no less
" than the French King spake ; howbeit, by the contents,
" as well of such other letters as I have received this day
" from your said Ambassador, as by the news comen from
" the Emperor to his heir, enclosed, your Grace shall well
" perceive, that nother the French King is in such a readi-
" ness within so brief time to give battel, though he pro-
" raised on his honour so to do ; ne yet, that the news writ-
" ten on either party, be so true, that firm credence oweth
" at all times to be given unto them. Nevertheless, by pro-
" vident foresight, more credence is to be geven to writings
" of such as most commonly make true reports, than of others,
" which accustomably use to contrive news upon untrue
" grounds, for the advancement of their own affairs.
" Whereunto your Grace having good experience, as well
" in times past, as by the experience now occurrent, can
" best judge: especially when the loss and damages of the
" French King be by him causeless to your Grace arrected.
" So that I suppose, neither this cruel battle is so neer
28 " hand, ne yet such reports, though they be spoken upon
" Ms honour, be always to be believed.
" Over this. Sir, whereas your Grace, foreseeing the daun-
" gers, damages, losses, and prejudice, that might ensue to
" your navy, and the subjects of your realm, if, in this sus-
" pect and casual time, they should resort to Burdeaux for
" this vintage, like as they have been accustomably used to
" do heretofore ; desired and comraanded me to declare
" unto you my poor advice and opinion, what was raost ex-
" pedient to be done therein ; I calling unto me the whole
" number of such your Counsillors as be here with me,
" after long reasoning and debating ofthe said matter, finally
" concluded by one assent, that such remedies as were ex-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 43
" pressed in my letter then to your Grace sent, were most CHAP.
" covenable provisions, to remedy the said daunger, loss, and '
" damage. And surely, Sir, if by our wits and intend- Anno 1521.
" ments better remedies could have been foreseen, the same
" should have been notified and intimated unto you. But
" inasmuch as your Grace so much ponder eth the daunger
" and casualties that may ensue, by reparing of your navy
" and subjects to Burdeaux, that you count none assurance
" by treaties, plakards, proclamations, or articles, to be con-
" firmed by the Princes on all parties, to suffice for that in-
" dempnity, and presuppose such writings and promises to
" be fraudulent and evasive aUectives, to bring your said
" navy and subjects in daunger. Thinking also, that the
" sending of a convenient number of your small ships to
" Burdeaux, or Livorna, to be given for bringing Gascoin
" wines into your realms, should raise a murmur among
" your subjects," &c. The minutes of this letter break off
here. The Cardinal's other letter to the King, concerning the
ships of the merchants, and his own, going into France, was
more full, having conferred with the French King's Chan
ceUor, then at Calais, about these matters: prefacing his
letter with great observance towards his Majesty : and thus
he addressed :
" Sir, Whereas your Grace, most prudently and provi- Another
" dently considering the imminent dangers that may issue, cardinal to
" as well by taking of your navy and subjects, with such the King,
" goods and substance as they have, and shaU bring with danger of
" them to Burdeux, if they should thither repair this year *"' *'P*"
" for vintage, as they have been heretofore accustomably
" used to do ; as also pondering the suspicion that might
" be imprest in the French King's mind, by the abstaining
" of your said navy and subjects from thence : which jea-
" lousy might percase cause him to restrain and stop your
" pension, payable unto you within brief time ; yee not only
" desire me maturely to debate and consider what is best to
" be done therein, but also to advertise your Grace with
" dihgence of my poor advice and opinion upon the same.

44 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " Hke as in your Secretary's letters by your commandments
^^' " unto me addressed, it is contained more at length.
Anno 1521. « Sir, when I groundly considered your provident fore-
" cast, as weU for the conservation of your navy from da-
" mage, as the princely zele that yee bear to preserve your
" subjects and their goods, with the substantial regard that
" yee take to your honour and surety, in foreseeing poHtickly
29 " before hand the daunger and damages that in this suspect
" time may ensue to your Highness, your realm, and sub-
" jects ; it is unto me one of the singular consolations and
" coraforts that ever I had : whereby I evidentiy perceive,
" that no man can more groundly consider the politick go-
" vernance of your said realm, ne more assuredly look to
" the preservation thereof, than yee your self. And there-
" fore, though your Grace of your goodness require my
" poor advice, yet well assured I am, ye can better provide
" reraedy for the same, than I can imagine or devise.
" Nevertheless, to accomplish your noble pleasure and
" commandment, I shaU declare my poor opinion, though
" remitting always the same to your reformation and cor-
" rection. " And first. Sir, albeit I suppose and think, that the
" French King, troubled and infested with so many [enemies]
" and armies on every side, as weU within his own realm, as
" in the duchy of Milain, and upon the [borders] of Na-
" varr, will be well ware how he attempt any thing, either
" by land or sea, whereby he should give occasion to pro-
" voke you to break with him, and join with any of his
" enemies : by means whereof he might faU to many daun-
" gers: yet upon that ground will I not take my foundation:
" though this day the ChanceUor of France, after he had
" dined with me alone, without any of his coUegues, de-
" clared expressly, that not only the King his master hath
" in you his most alliance, before all other princes, but also
" plainly shewed, that though such advice and counsel, as
" I in your name, and as your Lieutenant, should shew unto
" him, for the firm entertainment of the good amity be-
" tween your Grace and him, he had commandment to be

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 45
"conformable; and that both his said master and he CHAP.
. . . n
" was as good EngUsh as any of your subjects ; like as it .

" should be well known, by his favourable entertaining of-*^""" 's^^*
" your subjects, repairing to any of the dominions under
" the obeisance of his said master. Whereby it appear-
" eth, that as yet, for any bruits, they have no maner
" suspicion. " Nevertheless, for the assured remedying of the doubt-
" ful daungers by your Grace foreseen and remembred, I
" thought not most surety to lean only to words, unless the
" same were corroborate by available bands and writings.
" Wherefore, besides other remedies, which I shall here-
" after particularly declare in this my letter, I have taken
" this order with the said ChanceUor of France.
" First, Forasmuch as complaints be here daUy made by
" your subjects, of such depredations as be committed upon
" them by the French men, which is manifestly proved be-
" fore the said ChanceUor, and not only no redress made to
" some of your subjects upon tiie same, but also divers
" ships have been rescued from them ; whereof one, with
" certain French men apprized thereof, arrived here in your
" haven this day ; I have therefore upon those grounds,
" without speaking of the matter of Burdeux, caused the
" said Chancellor to determine, that proclamations be made
" throughout the realm of France and Britain, upon the
" sea-coasts, that no man, under pain of death, shall enter-
" prize to take any English ships, or English mens goods ;
" but that aU English, both by land, sea, and fresh water,
" shall have as free course in surety to pass, remain, and
" return at their liberty, as ever they had heretofore in the 30
" dominions of the said French King.
" I have also moved the said ChanceUor to write to the
" King his master, that over and beside the said proclama-
" tions, an open placard, signed and sealed by the said
" French King, shaU be made, and delivered to your Grace;
" making assurance to all and singular your subjects, repair-
" ing to Burdeux, or any other his dominions under his
" obeisance by sea or land, that they, and every of them.

46 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " shall not only be favourably entertained, but also suffered
^^- « safely to return with their ships, goods, and merchandizes.
Anno 1521." according to the treaties, without any trouble or vexation
" to any your said subjects. To the granting and expedi-
" tion of which open placard, I find the said ChanceUor
" right agreeable. And albeit the French King be bound
" hereunto by treaty, yet, if contrary to the same treaty,
" proclamations, and placards, they shall atterapt any thing
" against your subjects, it may be more grievously arrected
" unto the said French King's charge, when ye shaU make
" your declaration against him.
" And, Sir, during our abode at this diet, having the
" Chancellor of France here, they shall not dare to enter-
" prize any thing at Burdeux against the goods or ships of
" any subject of your realm. And a treux or abstinence of
" war being taken by [the Commissioners] of this diet, as I
" trust it shaU be, then hostility shall cease on aU parts
" during the treux. Whereby your navy and ships shaU
" be in surety.
Ways de- " And yet. Sir, for an habundaunt cautele for the safe-
Cardinai " " guard of your ships and navy, repairing this year to Bur-
for safety of « deux, I have devised three ways. Whereof the first is,
ships in " that provision by your Grace should be made in your
France. « ports, that no ship above the portage of an hundred, or
" six score, should pass to Burdeaux this year, and that no
" multitude of ships should consort there together, and at
" once; but such a convenient nuraber as ye shall think
" good ; suffering them first to return, for knowledge, how
" they have sped, before any mo shipsbe sent forth. By which
" means, not only the great ships of your realm shall be in
" safety, but also the most part of your navy conserved
" from danger.
" The second remedy is this, that in case it may like
" your Grace, not only to licence your subjects to bring
" their wines upon strangers bottoras, but also give liberty
" to the French men and Britons to bring Gascoin wines to
" your realms upon their proper ships ; ye should not only
" have right great plenty of wines at better prizes than it

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 47
hath been accustomed to be sold heretofore, with the aug- CHAP.
mentation of your customs, but also reheve Flanders and .

cc

' the Emperor's countries with wines ; whereby during the Anno 1521.
wars they shall be destitute, if they be not relieved by
your means. And besides that. Sir, there shaU so many
" French and Britons ships resort to your realm, under co-
" lour of your said hcence and liberty, that ye shall always
" have a good country security and paine, to take their
" ships, if they wol any thing enterprize against you.
" Finally, Sir, among other devices and capitulations
" that we be now in making for the [safety] and surety of
" the fishers, as weU of Flanders as of France, during this
" herring time, [I do intend,] beside the foresaid provisions 3 1
" for the safeguard of the navy, to devise the articles to be
" concluded by the mutual consent of both parties ; that not
" only your subjects, with their ships, goods, and mer-
" chandizes, shall surely and safly pass and repass through
" aU harbours under the dominion of the Emperor and
" French King; but also, that no maner ships, strangers,
" or others, shaU be taken within their streamys. By which
" articles, the liberty of your strearays and territories of the
" sea shall be more largely extended and amplified, as weU
" by the Emperor's as the French King's express consents,
" by special articles, than ever it was before. Which ar-
" tides also shall be a high remedy for the preservation
" of your navy, and free liberty to be given thereby unto
" them, freely to pass and repass to all coasts and countries
" under the dominions and obeisances of the said Princes,
" without damage."
But soon after this letter of the Cardinal's to the King, Some Eng-
wherein he laid down such a politic scheme to be had with 'H** ^^'P'
. . ^ taken by
the Commissioners of the other King, to preserve the King's the French.
and merchants' ships, and the trade to Bourdeaux ; there
were letters sent from Court to him, of great spoil notwith
standing done by the French to some EngHsh ships : which
occasioned another letter from the Cardinal to the King, who
now much required and depended upon his judgment.
Therein also he gave his Majesty his thoughts about the

fiion.

48 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, seizing these ships; and also about entering into another
"• truce with the French King, when as yet no open rupture
Anno 1521. of the amity was made, though there appeared too much
tending thereto ; and the King's ambassadors at the French
Court were not weU used. And whereas advice was taken,
about deferring the sending of ships to Bourdeaux for some
time longer, tiJl the latter vintage, when there might be a
hkelihood of safer sailing, the Cardinal shewed his reason
why he was against it. Because, in all probability, there
would more jealousies arise upon the Emperor's coming
into England, which was intended to be about that time.
Of aU these matters, thus the Cardinal shewed his mind in
his next letter ; after some Hnes, thus proceeding :
The Cardi- <c And whereas your Grace doubteth not, but that I,
K^ng^on^ "with your CouncU here [at Calais] had had so large
«S!n°""'' " knowledge of the damage of your subjects, being daily
" despoiled bn sea, as ye have advertised me, since both I
*' and they would have agreed with your Grace in one
" opinion ; Sir, truth it is, that I had certain knowledge of
" sundry despoils done upon the sea by French men, be-
" fore I advertised your Grace of my said poor answer and
" opinion for this Burdeux voiage. Which, upon their
" complaints, had good redress and restitution : whereby I
" was moved to have the better trust. And since that time,
" I received another letter from your Secretary ; wherein
" he writeth, that two hulks, wherein certain goods apper-
" taining to English men, were lately taken by French
" men ; the one being conveyed to Boleyn, and the other
" to Frith in Scotiand.
" And as touching the hulk conveyed to Boleyn, sur-
" raised to appertain to Birch, wherein one Roch of London
" pretendeth to have goods ; I have caused some of your
" CouncU here, to hear the complaints of the said Roch.
" And albeit the said Roch neither can ne wiU justify the
" said hulk to appertain to Birch, yet he chalengeth certain
32 " goods in her, whereof I doubt not he shall have restitu-
" tion, if he can duely prove them to be his. And as unto
" the other hulk carried into Scotland, I see no remedy,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 49
" but letters to be devised and sped by your Grace, to be CHAP.
"" sent to the Council of Scotland, by the parties dampnified "

" there, to pursue for restitution. And if they be French Anno 1521.
" men that have taken the goods, then a certificate to me
" made of their names and dwelHng places, with a specialty
" of the goods taken, I shall endeavour my self, with the
" Chancellor of France, for restitution to be made accord-
" ing to justice. And this, in effect, be all the despoils that
" I know newly done. Howbeit some other pursuits have
" been made here, for redress of depredations done upon the
" sea about Midsummer, and before : which shall be also
" remedied in the countries where the offendors dwell. For
" which purpose, letters be delivered by the Chancellor to
" the parties complainants.
" This, Sir, hke as we heretofore conformed our opinions
" and mind touching the voiage of Burdeux, to your high
" plesure, so we eftsones remit the same to your great
" wisdora. " And, Sir, to enquire of the French men, why they take
" the Easterlings hulks, it appertaineth not to me as your
" Lieutenant. For if they will pretend inimity to be be-
" twixt the merchants of Danske and them, your Grace
" raay not conveniently let the sarae : howbeit to restore
" your subjects goods being in them, I have and woU speak
" accordingly. " And whereas your Secretary further writeth, that this
" first vintage may be further respited and deferred, upon
" good grounds, without distrust or jealousy, by declara-
" tion of this manifold despoylys and cruel intreaty of your
" subjects upon the sea, as well by French men as Span-
" iards ; by reason whereof it may be said, they abstain
" from the said venture ; like as to good policy it apper-
" tfdneth, for the servation of theraselves, and surety of their
" goods ; I think the same full good and reasonable consi-
" derations, if they take it well : howbeit to defer that voy-
" age till the latter vintage at Candlemas, so that by vertue
" of a treux to be taken here, they raay then resort thidder
" in surety.; Sir, under your favour and correction, your
VOL. I. 1;

50 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " said subjects shall be in more danger, going, than now:
"• " for if some suspicion and distrust be taken now by the
Anno 1521. cc French King, as your Grace judgeth by the strange en-
" treaty of your Ambassador, it is to be supposed, that by that
" time it shall be further spread and encreased. And so I
" say, that if the treaty, not yet declared broken, the pla-
" card, safe conduct, and all the other remedies before
" touched, cannot now stand in stead ; then the abstention
" of war, which raay be as soon broken, if there be no truse,
" as all the other assurance, cannot then prevail ; especially
" considering this amity standing yet unbroken betwixt you
" and the French King, no treux can be taken betwixt you
" and him. For taking of a treux presupposeth rupture
" of amity. And therefore this treux must be only taken
" betwixt the Emperor and the French King, for the in-
" demnity of their subjects : which cannot help your sub-
" jects. In consideration whereof, these remedies now pro-
33 " vided may better serve at this tirae, than the abstinence
" of war then, and especiaUy the safe conduct, coraprized
" in the placard for all your subjects resorting to France.
" Which is an aboundant cautele ; tho' the sarae, standing
" the amity, needed not.
" Sir, if Princes accustomably observed their safe con-
" ducts to their enemies in time of open war, it is to be
" supposed they will not break it, standing the colour of
" peace and amity.
" And on the other side, the second vintage is commonly
" in February, about the Purification of our Lady: in which
" month it is included by treaty, that the Emperor shall be
" with you in England : and then the distrust and jealousy
" shall be more largly imprest in the French mens minds
" than it is now. And albeit your subjects might then go
" surely without impeachment, yet it were not possible to
" bring wine of the second vintage to serve the Emperor at
" his coming into your realms.
" And whereas it is further written, that by this treaty
" taken with the Emperor, it is sufficiently provided for the
" indempnity in the pension of France to be paid by the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 51
" Emperor, if the French King refuse to pay the same: CHAP.
" Sir, the matter dependeth upon your declaration. And .

*' therefore, good it were to save the next payment to be-'^"'"' '*^'-
" made by the French King, if it might conveniently be.
" And whereas it is alledged, that my doubt is solved
" by mine own writing; whereas, I suppose, the French
" King shall not provoke your enemity, but conserve your
" amity : Sir, if my letter be well regarded, I writ that only
" conditionally, unless he be driven thereunto by distrust
" and diffidence ; and so that doubt remaineth not un-
« absolved." About the year 1521. did King Henry shew himself a The King's
raan of letters as well as arms, by a book which he owned Luther pre-
himself the author of: wherein both his learning, and his ?f "'?,** '"
° , the Pope :
zeal for the Pope's cause and religion, appeared: being
written in confutation of Martin Luther's late books against
Indulgences, granted by Popes, and other errors of the
Church of Rome. This book the King, by the Cardinal's
advice, thought fit to have presented to Pope Leo : which
was done by Dr. Clark, then the King's Ambassador at
Rome ;• and was delivered by him into his own hands, in a
solemn assembly of Cardinals; and at the same time he
made a speech to the Pope. To whom the Pope presently
made an answer, shewing his most grateful acceptance of it.
And in testimony thereof, he gave him the title oi Defender
ofthe Faith; and so always to be styled whensoever he was
named. And the book thus presented, richly bound, was
laid up in the Vatican, as a rarity : where the Lord Herbert
of Cherbury saith he afterwards saw it.
This was brought about by the means of Cardinal Wol- Chiefly by
sey ; w'ho procured some copies of the book to be written in of Woisey.
a very fair and beautiful character ; and one of them to be
bound up splendidly, namely, that that was to be sent to
the Pope : and the said Cardinal sent that especially to the
King, for his liking of it, before it went.
This book was soon printed here in England, by Pynson, Matters
for the honour of the King. For it stood in the title page, i^nthilbooii,
Printed 1521. Londini in jEdibus Pynsoidanis. Which I "h^n P"'rt-
E 2

52 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, once saw in that exquisite library of ancient books, belong-
"¦ ing soraetirae to Dr. Moore, when Bishop of Norwich. In

Anno 1521. tiiig book were these several things contained. I. The
^'^ Oration of John Clark, Dean of Windsor, to the Pope,
upon his exhibiting the King's work to him. II- The An
swer of the Pope to the sarae, extempore. III. The Pope's
Bull to the King's Majesty, for the confirmation of his work.
IV. Then the book itself. Contra Martinum Lutherum
Haresiarchon. V. The King's Epistle, Ad Illustrissimos,
&c. viz. the Duke of Saxony, and other German princes ;
pie admonitoria, piously admonishing them to beware of
Luther and his heresies. VI. The Pope's Bull of Indul
gences, to encourage the reading of the King's book; which
was thus prefaced : Librum hunc Henrici VIII. Anglia ei
Francia Regis Pontentiss. contra Martinum Lutherum,
legentibus, 10 annorum, et totidem quadragenarum Indul
gentia apostolica authoritate concessa est.
The clause of the bull, (which bore date in October,)
conferring that glorious title upon hira, was, Habitd super
his, cum eisdem fratribus nostris [viz. Cardinalibus et
Pralatis'\ matura deliberatione, de earum una7iimi consilio
et assensu, Majestati tua titulum hunc, viz. Fidei Defen
sor era, donare decrevimus,  mandantes omnibus
Christi Fidelibus, ut Majestatem tuam hoc titulo nominent :
et cum ad eum scribent, post dictionem Regi, adjungant
Fidei Defensori.
England This royal piece of learning gives occasion to relate, for
abroad for ^^ honour of this nation, how it was noted abroad for the
learning learning and learned men it was replenished with ; nay, and
jnen. the Court also, and the King too, renowned, not only for
that accomplishraent, but for his sharp wit and parts like
wise: which must be attributed chiefly to the Cardinal's
influence and encouragement, and furtherance of good stu
dies. This the great learned man, Erasmus, that lived in
those tiraes, and held a correspondence here in England,
well knew, and often applauded this land for. Thus, in
an epistle of his to one Banisius, dated anno 1519, from
Brussels. " Learning would triumph, had we such a Prince

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 53
" at home as England hath. That King not unlearned, chaP.
" as well as of a very sharp wit. He openly shews hiraself ^^'
" a patron of good letters. He silenceth all brawling con- Anno 1521.
" tenders. All studies are restored for the better by the
" Cardinal of York ; and by his kindness to many, inviteth
" every body to the love of studies, &c. And even the
" King's Court abounds with greater numbers of the learn-
" ed, than any University*."
And in another epistle of his to a learned Englishman,
Sir Henry Guildeford, Master of the King's Horse, writ the
same year, he hath these words : " What school, what
" monastery any where is there, that hath so many per-
" sons endowed with probity and learning, as your Court
" hathb?" And again in another epistle he particularly noted the 3 5
excellent abilities of one particularly, of the English nation;
namely, Pace<=, then the King's Ambassador in Germany ;
and bade Banisius (to whom he wrote) to get acquainted
with hira, giving this character of him : " That nothing
" was finer than his wit, and one most accomplished in both
" parts of literature ; and for his virtues, to the King, the
" Cardinals, and even to the Roman Pontiff himself, most
" acceptable (•."
To all which let me subjoin the lamentation the same
great scholar made, how learning and sobriety was then
gone from religious houses, where formerly they most flou
rished, and was removed to the courts of princes, now
there rather to be found. O! mir as rerum humanarum

" Triumpharent bonae literae, si Principem haberemus domi qualem habet
Anglia. Rex ipse non indoctus, tum ingenio acerrimo. Palam tuetur bonas
literas : rabulis omnibus sUentium indixit. Cardinalis Eboracensis omnia stu
dia in melius restituit, suaque benignitate passim omnes invitat ad amorem
studiorum, &c. Aula Regis plus habet hominum eruditione praestantium, quam
ulla Academia. JSrasm. Epist. ad Banisium.
¦• Quae schola, quod monasterium usquam tam multos habet insigni probi-
tate doctrinaque praeditos, qukm vestra habet aula? Erasm. Ep.p.36S.
"^ Erasmus's character of Pace.
>l Nihil ejus ingenio candidius ; utriusque literaturce peritissimus ; pro suis
virlutibus Regi, Cardinalibusque, atque adeo Romano Pontifici, gratissimus est.
e3

54 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, vicissitudines, &c. " 0! the strange vicissitudes of human
"- " affairs ! heretofore the heat of learning was among such
Anno 1521. " as professed religion; now, whUe they, for the most part,
" give up themselves ventri, luxui, pecuniaque, i. e. to the
" belly, luxury, and money, the love of learning is gone
" from them to secular princes, the court, and the nobUity.
" May we not justly be asham'ed of ourselves ? The
" feasts of Priests and Divines are drowned in too much
" wine, are filled with scurrilous jests, sound with intem-
" perate noise and tumult, flow with spiteful slanders
" and defamations of others : while, in the mean time, at
" princes' tables, modest disputations are had concerning
" such things as make for learning and piety ^."
And then he goes on to prophesy of the rise of good
learning and religion, after the fatal decay of it for divers
ages past, in his address to the abovesaid Sir Henry Guyld-
ford. " Indeed I see a certain golden age ready to arise :
" which perhaps will not be my lot to partake of, [being
" now drawing near to the end of his life,] yet I congratu-
" late the world, and the younger sort I congratulate, in
" whose minds, howsoever Erasmus shaU live and remain,
" by reason of the remembrance of the good offices he hath
"donef." I go not out of my way in relating these passages, being
historical of these times we are now in : wherein learning
began in this part of the world to shew itself; and the
Monks and Friars here noted for their degeneracy into ig
norance and vice ; whUe the King, and his Court, at least
many of them, and his servants and ministers of state,
were brightened with learning and knowledge; and the
Cardinal none of the least.
The King seemed to boast rauch of this titulary honour
bestowed upon him so solemnly by the Pope and Cardinals,
and the high praises accompanying the same, in such words
" Madent vinolentia, scurrilibus opplentur jocis, tumultu parum sobrio per-
strepunt, virulentis obtrectationibus scatent,
f Equidem aureum quoddam saculum exoriri video : quo mihi fortassis non
continget frui, &c.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 55
as these: "That he [the Pope] had diligently and ac- CHAP.
" curately looked into the doctrine of that book, naming it, .

*' A certain admirable doctrine, sprinkled with the dexv 0/"^"°° '^^*'
»¦" ecclesiastical grace : and he gave thanks to the omnipo- hi^hw^ex-
" tent God, from whom every the best and perfect gifts do t"'* the
" corae; who had vouchsafed to inspire the King's excel- learning
" lent mind, inclined to every good thing, to write such ""^ P'**y"
" things for the defence of the holy faith, against the new
" stirrers up of damnable heresies ; and whereby he might
" invite other kings and Christian princes, by his example,
" to give all their aid and favour to the orthodox faith
" and evangelical truth, then brought into great danger
" and hazard. And therefore he thought it meet and just,
" that they, who undertook such pious labour, in defence
" of the faith of Christ, deserved all praise and honour.
" And accordingly, he [the Pope] not only extoUed and
" magnified with deserved praise, what his Majesty had
" wrote against the said Martin Luther, with most absolute
" learning, nor less eloquence, but did approve and confirm
" it by his authority, and would adorn and grace his Majesty
" with such honour and title, that all the faithful people of
" Christ in that, and in perpetual time to come, might un-
" derstand how grateful this gift, presented to him, was,
" especially at this time. And therefore he, the true suc-
" cessor of St. Peter, in that holy see, whence all dignities
" and titles flowed, and consulting with the rest of his bre-
" thren, after mature deliberation, had decreed to give to
" your Majesty this title," &c.
This matter was contrived by the Cardinal, to engage
the King the more against Lutheranism, which now began
to spread in the kingdom, and such books and writings to
be brought over. And being backed with the title granted
to the King, the Cardinal used his diligence effectually to
suppress the same, by a strict pommission from himself, in
vested with the legantine power, to all the Bishops in Eng
land, by a general visitation, to take ordet) that any books,
written or printed, of Martin Luther's errors and heresies,
E 4

56 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, should be brought in to the Bishop of each respective dio-
n.  ^^^ jj^g^j. gygry sucli Bishop receiving such books

Anno 1521. and writings, should send them up to him. And in order
A commis- j.^ ^.j^jg notice was to be ffiven in every church at mass—
sion from ° , i j i
the Cardi- time, before the people present, that whosoever had such
"„*'j,JJ'l".°° books in their houses or possessions, should forthwith de-
ther's Hver thera up to the Bishop, or his Commissary, or other
officer, within fifteen days. And this upon pain of incur
ring the greater excomraunication ; and being esteemed
concealers and favourers of heretical pravity ; and so re
puted and judged as heretics, and liable to be punished as
such. And that all Abbots, Priors, and Governors of religi
ous houses, all Deans, Presidents, &c. of cathedral churches,
all Rectors, Vicars, Curates, &c. of parochial churches, be
by the Bishop admonished and enjoined to bring in and
deliver up to him any such books, coraposed or set forth
by the said Martin, under his narae. And to do the same
under the penalties abovesaid. It was dated from his house
near Westminster, the 14th of May, 1521.
It began with a pompous enumeration of all his titles;
and was directed first to the King, and then to the univer
sal kingdora of England, and all and singular provinces,
cities, places, &c. of the said kingdora. And therein he
required, that the Bishops should do their parts, " be-
" fore those damnable and pestiferous errors and heresies
37 " broached by Luther took place in this kingdom, lest
" they should take root as a noxious briar here ; and that
" by the express will and coramand of the most potent and
" iUustrious Prince, (whora the most Holy Father, namely,
" The Defender ofthe Faith, caUed the Catholic faith,) re-
" required hira [the Cardinal] with aU possible endeavour
" to root out and aboHsh this heresy frora this his noble
" kingdom: which resolution was accompanied with a dUi-
" gent treaty, and exact deliberation with WUliam, Arch-
" bishop of Canterbury, and other his reverend brethren,
" Prelates of the kingdora : and by his [the said Cardinal's]
" apostolical authority, commanded aU Bishops, &c." But

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 57
this remarkable commission I recommend to be read at CHAP.
large in the Appendix.

In the foresaid commission, the Cardinal enjoined every Anno 1521.
Bishop to set up, upon the folding doors of their cathedral Numb. IX.
churches, (as likewise they were to order it to be done
upon the doors of the churches of the regulars and parish
churches,) a list of some of Luther's pestiferous errors, for
all persons to read and avoid, according as they were ex
pressed in a bull of the Pope's, (set out in the year 1520,
damning , Luther and his writings,) being forty-two in
nuraber. And they are these that follow, taken exactly
as they stand in the end of the Cardinal's said coraraission ;
only 1 put them into our EngHsh language out of the La
tin. But whether the Pope, and the Cardinal from hira,
have represented all Luther's doctrines aright, or strained
or perverted the sense of any of them, I leave to those that
have read his books.
1. It is an heretical opinion, but common, that the sacra- Luther's
ments of the new law give justifying grace to them who do^^^*^° ^
not ponere obicem. damned by
2. To deny sin reraaining in a chUd after baptism, is to Reg. Ep."
trample upon Paul and Christ. Heref.
3. Fom.es peccati, i. e. the fuel of sin, although no actual
sin be present, moratur exeuntem ^ corpore animam ab in-
gressu cceli ; i e. stayeth the soul going out of the body
from entrance into heaven.
4. The imperfect love of him that is dying, carrieth ne
cessarily with it great fear, (qui, se solo, satis est facere
poenam purgatorii ; i. e. which alone is sufficient to make
the pain of purgatory,) and hindereth entrance into the
kingdom. 5. That there be three parts of repentance, contrition,
confession, and satisfaction, is not founded in the sacred
Scripture, nor in the ancient holy Christian Doctors.
6. Contrition ; which is begotten by discussion, collec
tion, and detestation of sins : whereby one looks back upon
the year [past] in the bitterness of his soul, by weighing

58 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the weight of his sins, the foulness of them, the loss of eter^
"• nal happiness, and the procuring of eternal damnation : this
Anno 1521. contrition makes a hypocrite, yea rather a sinner.
7. It is a most true proverb, and better than all the doc
trines of contrition hitherto given, De catero non facere ;
i. e. To do so no more.
38 8. Summa pcenitentia, optima panitentia, nova vita;
i. e. The chiefest penance, the best penance, is a new Hfe.
9- By no means presurae to confess venial sins, neither all
your mortal ones. Because it is irapossible you should
know all your raortal sins. Whence in the primitive
Church they only confessed their raanifest mortal sins.
10. While we confess all purely, we do nought else but
leave nothing to the mercy of God to pardon.
11. Sins are not pardoned to any, unless, the Priest re
mitting thera, he believe they are remitted to him. Yea,
sin would remain, unless he believed it remitted. For the
remission of sins, and the giving of grace, is not sufficient ;
but it is needful also to believe they are remitted.
12. Do not by any means believe thereby to be absolved,
because of your contrition, but because of the words of
Christ, Whatsoever ye bind, &c. Here, I say, trust ; if you
obtain the Priest's absolution, and believe strongly, you are
absolved, and thou shalt be truly absolved, whatsoever be
corae of contrition.
13. If by reason of some impossibility, the contrite be
not confessed, or the Priest absolve him, not in earnest, but
in jest; yet if he beheve that he is absolved, he is most
truly absolved.
14. In the sacrament oi penance, and the remission ofa
fault, the Pope or Bishop doth not more than the lowest
Priest ; yea, where there is not a Priest, then any Christian
as well ; yea, if it were a woman or a child.
15. None ought to answer the Priest, that he is contrite ;
nor the Priest to ask it.
16. It is a great error of them who come to the sacra
ment of the Eucharist ; trusting on it, because they have

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 59
confessed, that they are not conscious _to themselves of any CHAP.
mortal sin, because they have premised their prayers and

preparations. They all eat and drink ad judicium siSi, Anno i52i.
i. e. judgment to themselves. But if they believe and trust
that they shall obtain grace there, this faith alone makes
them pure and worthy.
17. Consultum videtur ; i. e. It seemeth adviseable, that
the Church in a common council should decree the laics to-
be communicated under both kinds. Nor are the Bohemi
ans, that communicate under both kinds, heretics, but schis
matics. 18. The treasures of the Church, whence the Pope
giveth indulgences, are not the merits of Christ and the
saints. 19- Indulgences are the pious frauds of the faithful, and
the remissions of good works. And are of the number of
those things which are lawful, but not of the number of
those things which are expedient.
20. Indulgences to them, who do indeed obtain them, are
of no avaU for the remission of punishment due for actual
sins from divine justice.
21 . They are seduced, that believe indulgences are saki-
tares ; i. e. saving and profitable to the fruit of the Spirit.
22. Indulgences are necessary only for pubhc criraes,
and are properly granted only duris et impenitentibus, i. e.
to the hard and impenitent.
23. To six kinds of men indulgences are neither neces- 30
sary nor profitable ; viz. to the dead, or those that are dy
ing ; the sick ; legitime impeditis, i. e. those that are law
fully hindered ; those that have not coftimitted crimes ; those
that have committed crimes, but not public ; and them that
do better things.
24. Excommunications are of external punishment ; nor
do they deprive a man of the common spiritual prayers of
the Church.
25. Christians are to be taught rather to love excommu
nication than to fear it.

60 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. 26. The Pope, the successor of Peter, is not Christ's Vi-
IF ' car above all the Churches of the whole world ; so ap-
Anno 1521. pointed by Christ himself in blessed Peter.
27. The order to Peter, Whatsoever thou shalt loose
upon earth, &c. is extended only to those things that are
bound by Peter himself.
28. It is certain, it is not at aU in the hand of the Church
or the Pope, to decree articles of faith ; no, nor to decree
the laws of raanners or of good works.
29- If the Pope, with a great part of the Church, should
think so or so, and should not err ; yet it is not sin or he
resy to think the contrary ; especially in a thing not neces
sary to salvation, until it be by a general councU, the one re
jected, the other approved.
30. A way is made us enarrandi, i. e. of explaining the
authority of councils, and freely contradicting their actions,
and judging their decrees ; and confidently confessing what
soever seems true, whether it be approved or not approved
by any council.
31. Sorae articles of John Huss, that were conderaned in
the Council of Constance, are raost christian, raost true and
evangelical: which neither the universal Church can con
demn. 32. In every good work the just raan sinneth.
33. A good work, done best, is a venial sin.
34. To burn heretics is contrary to the will of the
Spirit. 35. To war against the Turks is to irapugn God's visit
ing our sins by thera.
36. None is certain that he doth not always sin mortally,
by reason of the-hidden vice of pride.
37. Free wUl, after sin, is a thing de solo titulo: and
while it doth what in it is, it sinneth mortally.
38. Purgatory cannot be proved from the sacred Scrip
ture which is in the canon : [that is, excluding the Apo
crypha.] 39. Souls in purgatory are not secure of their salvation,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 61
at least all. Nor is it proved by any, either reasons or CHAP.
Scriptures, that they are without the state of meriting or of "
increasing charity. Anno 1521
40. Souls in purgatory sin without intermission, as long
as they seek rest and abhor punishments.
41. Some souls delivered out of purgatory are less
blessed by the suffrages of the living, than if they had of
themselves satisfied.
42. The Prelates of the Church, and secular princes,
would not do ill, if they would destroy omnes saccos mendi-
citatis ; [that is, all the habits of the begging Friars.]
And then foUows, in the Cardinal's said commission, 40
Qui quidem errores, &c. " Which errors respectively,
" how infectious they are, how scandalous, how seducing of
" pious and simple minds ; how, lastly, they are against all
" charity, and the reverence due to the holy Roman mo-
" ther Church, and all the faithful and the faith, and
" against the nerve of ecclesiastical discipline, viz. obedi-
" ence : which is the fountain and source of all virtues ;
" without which every man is convinced to be an infidel ;
" there is none of a sound mind is ignorant."

62 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. IIL
Bishop Fisher''s book against Luther. The King grants his
privilege fbr printing it ; with his commendation qf if.
A note qf the change of the King's mind from the Pope
afterwards ; looked on as a wonder. He shews Ms zeal for
the Pope, in an embassy to Ferdinand, Archduke qf Aus
tria. Sends him the Garter. The ceremonies thereqf. The
CardinaVs instructions to the King's Ambassadors there.
He appointeth a reformation qf the Clergy throughout
both dioceses. Fox, Bishop qf Winton, Ms excellent tetter
to the Cardinal thereupon. Stafford reads lectures out
qf the holy Scriptures, and St. FauVs Epistles, in Cam
bridge. Paynel and Thixtel, learned Divines there. T'he
Cardinal removeth the Convocaticm from St. PauVs to
Westminster. The dispute thereupon arising. He sum
mons a new Convocation througlwut England.
Anno i523.JviNG Henry's zeal continued against Luther and his
5."*?°'! doctrine ; and so much the more frora his title, which the
iMsner s ' ^ ^
book a- Pope had lately, by the formal solemniity of his bull, con-
fher,^ pri- ferred on him : which on occasion he loved to remember
viiegedby and pubHsh. In the vear 1523, Fisher, Bishop of Ro
the King. '^ - . , r^ Tl- Al.
Chester, set forth a book against that German Fnar. As the
Cardinal, a year or two before, had called in all his books
throughout the realm, (as was shewn above,) so now it was
thought fit to confute him by a learned English Bishop's
pen. To this book, and the printer, the King gave his
countenance, by his letters patients. It was printed at Ant
werp, and entitled, Assertionis Lutherana Confutatio.
And round about this title, within a border of pictures,
was written in Latin, Vcb Prophetis insipientibus, &c.
and also the same in Greel : and Hebrew : that is. Wo
to the foolish prophets, which; follow their own spirit, and
have seen nothing. Then, on the next page, is King
Henry VIII.'s privilege to Jdhn Addison, B. D. that none
41 should print this book within three years but himself:
" That so you may not si jffer any loss in your pious

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 63
"endeavour in furthering this work;" as it ran. And in chap.
this charter, the King valueth himself for his said title in

these words : Nos igitur hujusmodi fraudibus occurrere Anno 1 523.
 in iis prcesertim promovendis operibus, qua pro ec
clesia Catholica et fide Christiana militant. Ciyus nos de-
fensibnem suscepimus, quemadmodum ex cognomento nobis
a summo pontifice pia memoria Leone decimo nuper in
dite, tenemur. Ideoque religionis et ecclesia susceptum
esse gaudemus patrocinium ab antistite Roffensi. That is,
" That he gave him his privilege to hinder the frauds of
" printing upon him, especiaUy in works that fought for the
" Cathohc Church and Christian faith : whereof he had
" taken upon him the defence, as he was bound to do by
" the narae put upon hira by Pope Leo, of pious memory.
" And that therefore he was glad, that the patronage of re-
" ligion and the Church was undertaken by that Bishop.'*
Insomuch that King Henry's altering his mind sorae The King's
years after from the Roman see was looked upon as a won- ^ "^t
•' ^ _ from the
der. Which was thus expressed by a learned writer and Roman see.
ambassador near that tirae, in these words : " Of the mi- invect""'
" racles and wonders of our times, I take the change of oui*
" Sovereign Lord's opinion, in matters concerning religion,
" to be even the greatest. There was no prince in Christ-
" endom, but he was far liker to have changed than our
" Sovereign Lord. He was their pillar, and bare them up a
" great while. They gave him fair tities for his so doing,
" and honoured his name in all their writings. Was it not
" a wonderful work of God, to get his grace from them to
" him ? To make him their overthrow, whom they had
" chosen for their defender ? I have oft bidden my coun-
" trymen to mark the proceedings of God, sithence this
" change with Henry VIII. his chosen Lieutenant in Eng-
" land, and our only lord and head under Christ and his
" Father. I stiU say, as I have said, whoso marketh how
" tenderly God preserveth his Highness ; he is either ex-
" ceedingly bhnd, or else he weU perceiveth God to be
" enemy to all them that love not his grace. Where before
" he was called King, and yet had, against aU right and

64 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " equity, a ruler above hira: which always enforced him-
"'¦ " self to keep his and all the rest of his subjects in servi-

Anno 1523." tude, error, and idolatry, God hath made him, as all his
" noble progenitors of right ought to have been, a full
" King ; that is, a ruler, and not ruled, in his own king-
" dom, as others were. God hath delivered his Highness
" from the bondage of the Bishop of Rome, his sub-
" jects from error, and his realm from the foul sin of ido-
f' latry," &c.
These are the words of Sir Richard Morison ; a raan of
note in this King's reign, and soraetime his Ambassador
to the Emperor; in a book of his, called An Invective
against Treason.
The King But we return back to the King in the time when he was
Archduke ^^^^ zealous Servant of the Pope. Another mark thereof,
Ferdinand and of his abhorrence of Luther, he shewed in an embassy
Lutheran''^ lie Sent this Same year, viz. 1523, to Ferdinand, Archduke
heresy. of Austria ; in the oration made to hira by Lee, the King's
Alraoner, and one of the four ambassadors now sent. A
42 part of which oration was "highly to commend his zeal
" against those detestable and damnable heresies of Friar
" Martin Luther ; saying, that nothing could be more ac-
" ceptable to the King, (who, as weU with his sword as
" with his pen, had always endeavoured himself to the tu-
" ition and defence of Christen faith,) than to hear and un-
" derstand, that his good cousin and nephew shaU persist
" in this his godly and meritorious purpose"; considering
" how largely, by Httle and little, the said heresies have
" puUute, grown, and infected a great part of Almayne :
" which, remaining the present discourse, divisions, and
" werris among Christen Princes, is right daungerous to
" the hoole Cathohc faith ; in case the good Princes, with
" their temporal assistance, as the heads of the Church,
" with their spiritual power do not briefly see for the cor-
" rection, suppression, and reforraation thereof Wherein,
" like as the King's Grace had, doth, and woU, for his partie,
" apply his intyre mind and study ; so he doth instantly
" desire the Archduke to do his semblable : not doubting,

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 65
" but besides the eternal peace that he shall thereby de- CHAP.
" serve of Almighty God, many notable good effects, as_

" well general as particular, shall thereof ensue, to the Anno 1523.
" quiet, tranquillity, and unity of all Christendome."
This embassy of the King to the Archduke was very
splendid, as he affected pomp and magnificence in all his
business and transactions abroad, and with foreign princes :
and withal sending now the order of the Garter to that
Prince ; that it might be done with a high veneration to
wards that EngHsh saint, St. George. Lighting upon this
original commission of the King to his Ambassadors sent to
the said Ferdinand, and his instructions to them, I think it
worthy entering; containing things of curious remark,
especially as to the ceremonies of admitting that Archduke
to the order ; and our historians taking little notice of this
embassy. It therefore foUows :
Instructions geven by the King's Highness, fo his right
trusty Counsillors, the Lord Morley, Sir William Hus
sey, Knight, and Master Edward Lee, Archdeacon qf
Colchester, and Almoner to his Highness : touching such
order, form, and maner, as they with fhe principal
King qf Armes, named Garter, shall observe, in present
ing and delivering qflhe Gar tier and habif of that noble
order, with the other ornaments thereunto belonging;
unto his dearest cousin and nephew^ Don Fernando, Arch
duke qf Ausfrice, Earl qf Tirol, &c.
" HENRY R.
"First, after most cordial and effectual recommenda- The King's
" tions, with presentation of the King's letters unto the said Jo'h^ iT'
" Archduke, the said Master Edward Lee, for and in the bassadors to
" name of his coUegys and himself, shall make a convenient Ferdinand.
" oration in as compendious maner as he can devise. *J^^- "!"''•
. ^ . . D. Epi.sc.
" Whereur, after lawds given unto the said noble order of Ely.
" the Garter, and mention of the manifold exceUent ver-
" tues and merits of the King's Highness, being head and
" sovereign of the same ; he shall say, that the King's
" Grace having in continual and fresh remembrance the
VOL. I. F

66 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, cc auncient araities, intelligences, and confederations of long
- " tirae, formerly rooted and estabhshed betwene the house

Anno 1523. £c of Englond, and the house of Spaine, Austria, and Bur-
" goyn : whereof the Archduke is lineally descended ; and
" reraerabring also, that by sondrie ways the fast conjunc-
" tion betwene the sarae houses is of late days more and
" raore increased and augmented with indissoluble knots of
" love, as well by proximity of bloud, affiance and alHance
" contracted on either side, as also by most necessary
" bonds, treaties, and conventions past in that behalf:
" Considering furthermore, the vertuous, princely, and
" honourable qualities, wherewith Almighty God hath en-
" dued the said Archduke, largely reported to the King's
" Highness by many ways to his great renowne, and the
" King's singular joy and gladness ;
" Hath of long tirae studied and devised, how or by
" what raeans his Grace might not only shew some mani-
" fest demonstration of gratuity and kindness, in compro-
" bation of the great love, singular and tender affection,
" which his Highness heareth to his seid dearest cousin and
" nephew, but also attribute and ^ve unto him some in-
" crease and furtherance of honour and reputation : and
" forasmuch as the ancient and noble order of the Garter,
" which of old time hath been founded and established
" within this realm, with many lawdable, vertuous, and ho-
" nourable constitutions, in the honour of Almighty God,
" our Lady St. Mary, and the blessed martyr St. George ;
" hath been and is conferred by the Sovereign and compa-
" nions of the same, to many great Emperors, Kings, and
" Princes, and also to other noble, active, and valiant per-
" sons ; whereby hath ensued unto them great increase and
" exaltation of honour and glory : the King's Highness
" could not ne can iraagine or devise a thing of higher or
" greater estimation, wherewith at this present time his
" Grace might honour his seid good cousin and nephew,
" than with the said order.
" And for that cause, by the common consent, concord,
" and agreement of the said companions, his Grace, in a

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 67
" chapitre of the said noble order, lately celebrate and CHAP.
" holden, hath elected, cho.sen, admitted, and taken the '

" said Archduke, to be oon of the companions ofthe sarae : A°°° '^^^•
" and hath at this tirae depeched towards him his said
" CounsUlors, not only to visit and salute him on his
" Grace's behalf, but also to present and deliver unto him all
" such habit and ornaments as belong unto the said order ;
" and further to ripe, inform, and instruct him in the spe-
" cialities and particularities of all such goodly and notable
" ordinances, provisions, and statutes, as be to be observed
" by the companions of the same : according to a book,
" containing the verray true copie and tenor of the said or-
" dinances. And albeit this usage and custom is, after such
" election past, first, to intimate and notify the same unto
" the Prince, or other person elect, for knowledge of his
" mind and pleasure, whether he can be content to receive
" and accept it or not : yet, nevertheless, forasmuch as
" both from the Emperor, as from the Lady Margaret, and
" otherwise, the King's Grace hath been many times ad-
" vertised, that the said Archduke hath been and is desir-
" ous to be accompanied, associate, and taken into the said
" noble order : his Highness therefore, without other inti-
" mation preceding, hath frankly, liberally, and lovingly 44
" sent unto him at oon tirae, as weU knowledge of the said
" election, as also the habits and ornaments aforesaid.
" Trusting undoubtedly, that like as this 'election hath
" proceeded of intyre, perfect, and singular love, favour,
" and special affection, which the King's Highness, and aU
" the said companions, have and do bear to the said Arch-
" duke ; so he will thankfully receive, admit, and accept
" the same. Wherein, or any other thing, the King's Grace
" may do to his honour, surety, or exaltation,, his Highness
" wol be always ready and joyous, as may be devised: of-
" fering unto him, that if in this realm, or other the King's
" dominions, there be any thing which may be to the con-
" tentation and pleasure of the said Duke, the King's
" Highness being advertised thereof, shall and wol see the
F 2

68 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " same his pleasure, to be furnished with glad and good
"'• " hert.
Anno 1523. " And in the latter end of his oration, the said Master
" Lee shaU largely and amply extend the great lawd,
" praise, and estimation, which the said Duke doth attain,
" in that he, like a good Catholick and vertuous Prince,
" doth with all effect irapugn the detestable darapnable he-
" resies of Freer Martin Luther : saying, that nothing can
" be more joyous or acceptable to the King's Highness,
" who, as well with his sword as with his pen," &c. as
before. Then the King's instructions proceeded after this man
ner : " That upon a time convenient being assigned, either
" at the same open audience or apart, the King's said Am-
" bassadors shall perceive to stond with the pleasure of the
" said Duke, for due solempnities to be observed, and he
" first made privy to the tenor, as well of the oath, as of
" the statutes of the said order, as to reason it doth apper-
" tain, there shall follow in his investiture the ceremonies
" hereafter following :
The man- " First, they shaU present their commission, causing the
investiture. " Same to be openly redd : and that don, the said Master
" Edward Lee shaU exhibit unto him the copy of the othe,
"appertaining to the corapanions of the said order; re-
" quiring hira, after the. same seen and perused, to make
" his corporal othe, for the inviolable observance of all such
" ordinances and statutes as appertain to the same ; like as
" by the tenor of the statutes every companion of that or-
" der is used to do ; in form foUowing :
Tbe^oath « Ego Femandus Dei Gra. Archidux Ausfrie, Comes Ti
" roll, ef honorificentissimi atque approbafissimi ordinis
" Garterii Miles, ef confrafer elecfus, juro ad hee sancta
" Dei Evangelia, per me corporalifer facta, quod omnia et
" singula statuta, leges et ordinationes ipsius dignissima,
" bene, sincere ef inviolabiliter observabo. Ifa me Deus ad-
"juvef, et hac sancfa Dei Evangelia.
" Th' othe taken, the Lord Moriey shall deliver the

taken.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 69
" Garter unto him, and cause the same in good and ho- CHAP.
" nourable manner to be put about his legg : the seid '
" Master Lee saying these words. Ad laudem et honorem ^.nno is2s.
" summi ac omnipotentis Dei, intemerafe Virginis, ef Ma-'^^ Garter.
" fris sue Marie, ac gloriosissimi marfyris Georgii hujus
" ordinis pafroni, cir cum cingo fibiam fuam hoc Gar ter io ;
" ut posses in justo bello firmiter stare, ac forfifer vincere, 45
" in signum ordinis, et augmentum tui honoris.
" That done, the said Lord Morley shaU deliver unto The gown.
" the said Archduke the gown of purple colour ; causing
" him to apparel himself with the same ; the said Master
" Lee saying these words following at the doing on of the
" same, Accipe vestem hanc purpuream : qua semper mu-
" nifus non verearis pro fide Christi, liberfate Ecclesia, et
" oppressorum fuifione, forfifer dimicare, ef sanguinem,
" effundere, in signum ordinis, ef augmentum fui ho-
" noris. " FoUowingly, the said Lord Morley shall cause the said The man-
" Archduke to do unto hira the raantle of blew velvet, with the' shield
" the scute of the cross of St. George, environed with a "f the cross.
" garter : the seid Master Lee saying these words, Accipe
" chlamydem celesfis coloris, clypeo crucis insignifam : cu-
'¦^ jus virfufe atque v'lgore, semper profectus hosfes supe-
" rare, et preclarissimis fuis merifis gaudia tandem ce-
" lesfia promereri valeas, in signum ordinis, et augmen-
" fum tui honoris.
" And when the said Duke shall be so appareled, the said The image
" Lord Morley shall put the image of St. George about his George.
" neck : the said Master Lee saying these words : Imagi-
" nem gloriosissimi martyr is Georgii hijus ordinis pa-
" froni, in collo fuo deferas. Cujus fulfus presidio hujus
" mundi prospera et adversa sic perfranseas, ut hosfibus
" corporis et anime devictis, non modo temporalis milifie
" gloriam, sed perhennls vlctorie palmam recipere valeas,
" in signum ordinis, ef augmentum fui honoris.
" And after solempnities done and performed, the King's
" said Ambassadors, among other devices with the said
" Dukes, shall, on the King's behalf, give unto him lawds
f3

70

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP.
III.

Anno 1528.

The pride
and obsti
nacy of the
French King.

46

and thanks for his good conformity, in sending his con
sent and coraraission for the treaty with the Venetians :
which after long tracts of tirae, thanked be God, is now
comen to good, perfet, and final effect. Whereby un
doubtedly shaU ensue grete advantage and ferdele to the
comraon affairs of the Emperor, the King's Grace, and
other their friends, confederates, and allies. Praying him
from time to time to incline, herken, and lean to such
things as raay be to the benefit of the seid coraraon
causes, and to the mitigation of the insatiable pride and
obstinacy of the French King. By whose means the con
tentious discords and werres be raised and continued in
Christendom. So as by his good assistance, and joyning
effectually, as is aforesaid, the seid French King may be
the rather enforsed and compelled to know himself; and
to come to such reasonable and honourable conditions of
peace, as may be to the pleasure of God, the reasonable
satisfaction of other Princes grieved, and the quiet of aU
the states of Christ's Church and religion.
" Finally, the King's seid Ambassadors shall omit no
good and kind demonstration, which they can make in
confirmation of the sincere love which the King's Grace
berith to the seid Archduke. And in all their communi
cations and devices, so to use themselfe, that he may
perceive what good favour, mind, and affection, the
King's Grace bereth unto hira. So as by their good dex
terity and wisdom, good love, integrity, and amity, now
much raore necessary to be advanced araong Princes,
raay the more perfectly and assuredly be increased be
tween them both. And their seid affairs and business
spedUy don and honorably executed, they shall, at a
time convenient, take their leave, and so return."
To which the Cardinal subjoined his own letter to the
said Ambassadors, being stUl the great director of aU state
affairs. " To my loving friends, the Lord Morley, Master Ed-
" wardLee, the King's Alraoner; Sir William Huse, Knight;
" and Master Garter, King at Arms.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 71
" Right well beloved, this shall be oonly to advertise, CHAP.
" that albeit the King's commission made unto you for pre

sentment of the order of the Garter unto Don Fernando, Anno 1523.
" and his investiture with the sarae, there is no special ^^j ^^ ti.g
" mention made in what articles yee shall now dispense abovesaid
" with the said Archduke: yet nevertheless, by a general jors, in case
" clause in the latter end in the seid commission, yee be*'^^"''''"
-' ception ot
" amply authorized to do as much in all things that may the Arch-
" concern that matier, as though the King's Grace were " °"
" present himself: by authority of which general words,
" the King's pleasure is, that if there shall be reasonable
" exception made by the seid Don Fernando at any of the
" articles and statutes of the said order, bicause he percase
" may think the same to be somewhat strait ; yee shall, by
" your discretion, moder and qualify, and dispense with
" the same, as by your wisdomes shall be thought conve-
" nient. Foreseeing always, that the principal and material
" points of the order be not oipitted or forborn. And the
" semblable may ye, Master Alraoner, and Sir WUliam
" Huse, do with the Duke of Ferrare, in case ye, being ad-
" vertised that he wol receive the same order, shall procede
" and pass unto him for that purpose. And fare yee hertily
" weU. At Hampton Court, the 26th day of August.
" Your loving friend,
" T. Car'is Ebor."
Complaints now abounded against the manners of theTheCardi-
Clergy, their oppressions, extortions, and vexations of the "utes"f ^'i.
Laity, as well as against their corrupt and loose lives ; the sitation for
Cardinal, to shew his resentment of these crimes, as well as of clergy
the exercise and shew of his legantine authority, did, about ^"^^ Laity.
the year 1523 or 1524, resolve upon a remedy, by a gene
ral visitation. And for that purpose summoned the Clergy Regist.
of both provinces in the kingdom, ad fracfand. de refor- ^'"''''
matione fum laicorum, tum ecclesiasficorum, 22. Apr. to
appear before him in the church of Westminster.
Fox, Bishop of Winchester, to whom Wolsey had been
V 4

72 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Chaplain, and who had preferred him at first to Court,
^^^' .took this opportunity to excite the Cardinal to this good

Anno 1523. work of reformation, so much needed ; the Cardinal having
before signified the same to him. In answer to which he
wrote the Cardinal a large letter, which coming from such
UiTre^ob ^ person, could not but bear a sway with him. It began
Fox, Bi- very endearingly, Reverendisslme Pafer, ef Domine mihi
Winchester. w"*c^ scmpcr obscrvande, saltem. plurimam et optatum vo-
Cott.Libr. torum omnlum successum. The sura of his letter to him
C. 7. ' consisted " in shewing hira the great pleasure and corafort
47 "he took in his [the Cardinal's] letter that he had sent
to'the*^'^- "bim; understanding thereby, his purpose of entering
dinal here- " upon a reformation of the whole body of the Clergy, and
"P""- cc ]jj^(j resolved upon a particular day to proceed upon it ; and
" given notice to him, and others concerned, accordingly;
" And that such a happy day, he [the Bishop] had now
" a long time as earnestiy desired to see, as Simeon in the
" Gospel looked for the Messias's coming. And that since
" he had received the Cardinal's letters, he seemed to taste
" and feel a reforraation of the whole ecclesiastical hierar-
" chy of England, more fuU and exact than he could be-
" fore in that age have divined, rauch less hoped for. That
" he [the Bishop] for his part, according to his power, had
" endeavoured to do it, in that peculiar and small jurisdic-
" tion of his, which his excellent Lordship had resolved to
" do in both provinces of the kingdom : and that for al-
" most three whole years he had diligently set himself to
" do, and placed aU his study, labour, vigUancy, and pains,
" about. Wherein he came to understand, (which he could
" not so much as have thought before,) that aU that be-
" longed to the ancient integrity of the Clergy, and espe-
" ciaUy of the Monks, were so depraved by Hcences and
" corruptions, or by the malignancy and length of time
" quite abolished, that it increased both labour and pains
" to him, now spent with age, and took away all hope ever
" of seeing a perfect and absolute reformation in that his
" private diocese.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 73
" But now, by his Lordship's letters, he was arrived to chap.
" an assured hope and expectation, shortly to see an uni-

" versal and public reformation ; since it was well known, Anno 1523.
" and evidentiy perceived, by many experiments, that what- ^^ ^ardi-''
" soever his Lordship attempted and took in hand, he did nai for his
" most prudently and constantly, without interruption or*^""
" delay, despatch and most happily finish. That there was
" in him an incomparable knowledge, both of divine and
" human things ; and was in special favour and authority,
" both with the King and his Holiness the Pope : which he
" had hitherto made use of with such circumspection, that
" he had obtained throughout the world the greatest praise
" and the most ample fame. And that now from his most
" renowned legation, wherein by his sole pains were now
" raade and confirmed the leagues between the most Christ-
" ian Princes, he determined to turn to the reforming and
" composing of the state and order ecclesiastical : whence
" he would carry away solid and immortal glory, both with
" God and aU posterity; and was so much more prefer-
" able to aU others, who, in people's memory, had been
" sent any whither, from the Pope a latere, as peace was
" more desirable than war, and the Clergy more holy and
" venerable than the Laity, &c.
" He doubted not (as he proceeded) but that he would
" make and establish many good laws, for the regulation
" and government of both Clergy and Regulars, so much
"the more easily and happUy, since the King, he believed,
" had exhorted and given him encouragement to undertake
"it; and would impart to him all that his authority and
" assistance that he should desire ; as also all the Prelates,
" the Bishops especially, (unless he were much deceived,)
" would cheerfully give their assents and endeavours there-
" to. And that for his part, his mind was most gladly for-
" ward to do the same. And by this means ofa reform- 48
" ation of the Clergy, he thought the common people would
" be pacified, that were always crying out against them ;
" and would give a lustre^ afterwards to them, and reconcile
" the King himself and all the nobihty to them : and so

74 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
chap. " being more pleasing to Almighty God than all sacrifices,
^"- « whatsoever reraained of his course of life, he would wUl-
Anno 1 523- " ingly lay it out to corapass the same." He dated this
letter frora MarweUs : which is now a fine manor belonging
to Corpus Christi college, Oxon ; of which that good Bishop
was Founder. This exceUent letter in ' Latin must be
Numb.X. preserved. This good resolution of the Cardinal, and this letter of
Bishop Fox, gives a better representation of his virtues than
is commonly received and taken up of him. And that no
more good came of this commendable purpose of his, to re
forra the ignorance and vices of the Priests and Monks, may
probably be attributed to their craft in diverting this re
formation from themselves, towards those that favoured
Luther and his doctrines.
Stafford Something at this tirae looked towards reformation of cor-
tures out'of "^"P*^ reHgion. For the holy Scriptures came into some re
the holy quest by occasion of the readings of Stavord, or Stafford, a
in cLu-*^ learned raan of Pembroke hall in Cambridge : who read
bridge. public lectures in divinity out of the sacred books of Scrip-
De Custod. ture. A thing so much taken notice of, that in a MS. kept
Pembr'o! ^" ^^^^ College, Concerning vthe Masters and Fellows of that
chian. house, George Stavert, alias Stafford, of Durham, B. A.
B. D. ' anno 1515, and chosen Fellow of Perabroke hall ; and made
Deacon at Ely, anno 1517, is noted to be the first who pub
licly read lectures out of the Scriptures, when before they
read only the Sentences. He was Reader of Divinity, 1524,
for four years ; and about the same time B. D. And anno
1530. his books were brought into their library, as it seems,
being his gift ; and had this epigraph written on them, in
memory of him and his lectures :
Augustini opera ola', Testamentum ef ufrumque
Hebraice et Grace, hue confulif ille Staverf.
Confulif ille Sf avert, nostris sfudlls promovendis;
Qui Paulum explicult rife, et Evangelium.
The false quantities in the verses must be excused to that
age, or to some young versifier ; but thc sense of them is,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 75
that this Stafford, or Staverd, bestowed on them all St. CHAP.
III.
Augustin's works, and the whole Old and New Testament .

in Hebrew and Greek : and as he gave them these books, Anno 1524.
so, for the furthering their studies, he explained and gave
the right sense of St. Paul and the Gospel.
He was Proctor of that University, 1523 ; and University
Preacher. A reverend and worthy member of St. John's '^^^^ '^•
college, added in the margin a passage of great remark,
shewing one of his auditors to have been afterwards a Bi
shop and martyr, viz. Latymer. Who, in his seventh ser
mon upon the Lord's Prayer, thus speaks : " When I was
" at Cambridge, Mr. George Stafford read a lecture there.
" I heard him. And in expounding the Epistle to the Ro-
" mans, where he came to that place where St. Paul saith,
" that we shall overcome our enemy with well doing, &c. it 49
" was even at that time, when Dean Colet was in trouble,
" and should have been burnt, if God had not turned the
" King's heart to the contrary."
Contemporary with Stafford were also two of the same Paynel and
. . . Thixtel
college, great Scripture-men, viz. Nic. Paynel, of Yorkshire, his contem.
elected FeUow 1515, Pubhc Mathematic Lecturer. One of P»""^^-
this surname set forth a little book in the year 1550; con
taining only remarkable sentences taken out of the holy
Scriptures, suitable to the Christian on all occasions ; and
dedicated it to the Lady Mary's Grace. The other was John
Thixtel, of the diocese of Norwich, University Preacher,
1522. This man was reported to be of authority in di
vinity ; and that the disputants used publicly (and he pre
sent) to say, Thixtel dixit. And Caius said, Thixtel homo
singularis.eruditionis nostra memoria.
A Parliament now sat, anno 1524 ; and a Convocation The Convo-
also was summoned at the same tirae by the Archbishop of ^j paui's :
Canterbury : and the Clergy of the province, as custoraary, "^^^'^'J ^y.
sat at St. Paul's. The chief business the King had with nai to
his Parliament now was money : which he was in such need ^ '
of, that a very extraordinary subsidy was required ; greater
than had been ever kpown to be laid upon the subject at
once. This occasioned mighty opposition in the House ;

Westmin ster.

76 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, such only as depended upon the Court favouring this biU.
'"¦ .But at last, by means of the Court party, it passed. And

Anno 1524. (.jie King's necessities requiring ready raoney, the Cardinal
took it upon him, and swore to get a loan soon ; and that
with the good-wUl and thanks too, from certain, by such
methods as he should take.
The Convocation also, that he might probably shew his
superior power to the Archbishop, but chiefly to have the
Clergy nearer to him, to compass his ends upon them, he
cited the very next day after their first session, from Paul's to
Westminster, to sit and transact business there. In obedi
ence to him they did so. But a few days after, better con
sidering what they had done, or were to do, some of the
Priests shewed at that Convocation, that that removal was
irregular ; and that all that they should do there would be
of no force. So that the Cardinal was fain to institute and
call anew another Convocation of all the Clergy universally.
But to take a larger and a more particular view of this re
markable occurrence, both in Parliaraent and Convocation,
take it in a secret letter, written by some raeraber of Parlia
ment, without narae, to the Earl of Surrey, then the King's
chief Lieutenant of his array in the north parts.
Opposition « Pleasith your good Lordship to understand, that si-
bii! in Par- " thence the beginning of the Parharaent, there hath been
Titas°B I " ^^^ greatest and sorest hold in the Lower House for the
" payraent of two shiUings of the pound that ever was seen, I
" think, in any Parliament. This matter hath been debated
" and beaten fifteen or sixteen days together. The highest
" necessity alledged on the King's behalf to us that ever
" was heard of : and, on the contrary, the highest poverty
" confessed, as well by knights, esquires, and gentlemen, of
" every quarter ; as by the commoners, citizens, and bur-
50 " gesses, there hath been such hold, that the House was like
" to have been dissevered. That is to say, the knights being
" of the King's Council, the King's servants and gentiemen
" of the one party ; which in so long time were spoken with,
" and made to see, yea, it may fortune, contrary to their heart,
" wiU, and conscience. Thus hanging this matter yester-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 77
" day, the more part being the King's servants, gentlemen, CHAP.
" were there assembled : and so they, being the more part,

" willed and gave to the King two shillings of the pound Anno 1524.
" of goods or lands, the best, to be taken for the King. All
" lands to pay two shiUings of the pound, fro the laity to
" the highest. The goods to pay two shillings of the pound,
" fro twenty pound upward : and from forty shiUings of
" goods to twenty pound, to [pay] sixteen pence of the pound.
" And under forty shUlings, any person to pay eight pence.
" This to be paid in two years. I have heard no raan in
" my life that can remember, that ever there was given to
" any one of the King's auncestors half so much at one
" graunt. Nor, I think, there was never such a president
" seen before this tirae. I beseeke Alraighty God, it may
" be weU and peaceably levied ; and surely passed unto the
" King's grace without grudge; and especially, without
" loosing the good-will and true hearts of his subjects :
" which I reckon as far greater treasure for the King than
" gold and silver. And the gentlemen that must take pains
*' to levy this money among the King's subjects, I think,
" shall have no little business about the same."
This gentleman's conjecture proved true in the parts of Summary
Suffolk; where there was an insurrection of four thousandfoi 318. j,.
people against the Duke and other Commissioners, upon
their collection of this tax ; but appeased by the Duke of
Norfolk : as there was a murmuring about it in other places
of the realm. But to go on with the letter.
" My Lord Cardinal hath promised on his faith, that the
" two shillings of the pound of loan money shall be paid
" with a good-will and with thanks. But no day is ap-
" pointed thereof, &c.
" Also, the Convocation among the Priests, the day of Tiie cardi-
" their appearance, as soon as Mass of the Holy Ghost at vocation at
" Paul's was done, my Lord Cardinal acited also them to^.'^'*-
1 /» . . . . minster.
" appear before his Convocation at Westminster : which so
" did ; and there was another Mass of the Holy Ghost.
" And within six or seven days the Priests proved, that all
" that my Lord Cardinal's Convocation should do, it should

78 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " be void; because that their summons was to appear be-
" fore my Lord of Canterbury. Which thing so espied.

Anno 1 S24. 'c jjjy Lord Cardinal hath addressed a new citation into
" every country, coraraaunding the Priests to appear before
" hira eight days after the Ascension. And then I think
" they shall have the third Mass of the Holy Ghost. I pray
" God, the Holy Ghost be among thera and us both.
" I do trerable to reraember the end of all these high
" and new enterprizes. For oftentimes it hath been seen,
" that to a new enterprize, there followeth a new maner
" and strange sequel. God of his mercy send his grace
" unto such fashion, that it raay be for the best. Written
" on Ascension-day, by him that, during his life, shall he
" glad to be at your commaundraent with his service."
No name subscribed.

m

51 CHAP. IV.
The King assisteth the Emperor against France. He con-
sulfefh with the Cardinal about forces to be sent fo him
to Italy. Six thousand archers. The CardinaVs book
drawn up for that purpose : and Ms letters thereupon to
the King. The King's Ambassadors at Rome. The
CardinaVs letters qf instruction fo fhem, concerning ihe
affairs then in hand. To Clark, Bishop qf Bath : to
Pace, Ambassador fo the Venetians : and to Dr. Knight,
Ambassador with fhe Lady Margaret, Governess of the
Low Countries. His insfrucfions fo him concerning the
King qf Denmark, beaten out qfhis kingdom.
The Cardi- In this year 1524, King Henry the VI Ilth, and the Em-
nai^o^hged ^^^^^^ ^^^^ -^ league against Francis, the French King :
Pope and who was now with a very potent army in Italy, laying siege
side. And to Pavia ; and had before attempted the taking Milan and
'"^y- Naples. This awakened all Italy, and put both Pope and
Eraperor under great apprehensions. Now it was certain

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 79
the vigorous interposing of the King of England in these ^^^''*
affairs would tend much to the stopping of Francis's suc

cesses. From the Emperor, Wolsey was in expectation of^"""'^^*-
his interest for the papacy, when it should become void.
By several Popes he had been greatly obliged before : hav
ing been raade a Cardinal by Leo in the year 1515; in
vested by the next Pope, Adrian, in the legantine power,
from five years to five years. Pope Cleraent, anno 1524,
upon the application of Secretary Pace unto him in that
behalf, confirmed the said power to him during his life, (a
thing never done before,) and besides, gave him a bull to sup
press the monastery of St. Frideswide, Oxon, in order to
the building of a college of learning there. He therefore for
these causes, partly out of gratitude, and partly out of fur
ther expectation, was very industrious in aiding the Em
peror and Pope against the French King, and in keeping
King Henry warm in the quarrel.
The King was now hastening his preparation of forces The King
for the assistance of the Emperor, being in league with^sist^he
hira ; and the French King having lost his friendship by di- Emperor :
. . „, ° . , %^ , . All! consults the
vers tractions ot the peace with England. And here the cardinal.
Cardinal (being now, as it seems, in Calais) was again by the
King required to give his advice in divers respects ; as what
supplies were fit to be sent, and under what coraraanders,
and for the raising them. For all which purposes he sent
the King a book by him devised. And therein he had con
cluded upon providing six thousand archers : (in which war
like skiU the EngHsh nation were renowned :) sending the
names of such captains as should have the comraand over
them: and that he had appointed Sir WUHam Sandes
their chief. The King liked all the Cardinal had done :
only making some inquiries and scruples in some particulars.
In all which he gave the King his reasons and considera- 5 2
tions in matter of policy and foresight ; but with great
deference ever to the King's wisdom and pleasure. All
which wUl appear at large by the Cardinal's own letter to
the King, which I set down from his own minutes.

80 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " That by letters from his Secretary, bearing date at
" Windsor, the 4th day of that instant month, he perceived

Anno 1524." that his Grace had thoroughly viewed, perused, and seen
dinlur' " *-^^ ^°°^ ^y ^^^ [t^^ Cardinal] devised, for putting the
the King, " number of six thousand archers in a readiness. And
for"erto1fe " that albeit his Highness allowed the raost part of the said
sent to the cc j^q^j^ . yg(-, as touching the deputing of Sir WUHam Sandes
"to be chieftain, he [the King] thought it not expedient,
" as well for such cause and considerations as in other let-
" ters heretofore sent to him by his commandment were
" expressed ; as also for the sure keeping of his town of
" Calais. Shewing furthermore, that in the lieu and place
" of the said Sir WUliam Sandes, he had named the Earl
" of Essex, for his hardiness to be right meet for that pur-
" pose, having sad counsellors adjoining to him."
Concerning which he thus bespake the King : " Sir,
" when I devised the said book, though I had littie leisure
" in journeying by the way, to permit a matter of so mighty
" importance ; yet after my best intendment, I applied my
" self in such wise to direct and order the same, as should
" be to the contentation of your pleasure. And albeit,
" some business was in foreseeing and devising where the
" said archers mowght be found, yet I fear rae it shall be
" raore difficulty to corapleat the number, when certificates
" shall be raade. And inasrauch as in my last letters I have
" declared unto your Grace the cause and reasons moving
" me to name said Sir WUHam Sandes to be chieftain,
" rather then any of the other Lords by your Grace before
" named, therefore I can no raore say, but conforra my mind
" to your gracious pleasure ; and, like as your Grace think-
" eth the Earl of Essex to be covenable and proper for
" that room, so am I of semblable opinion. Though the de-
" gree of the person considered, he should be more costly
" to your Grace than the other. And as to any danger
" that should ensue to this your town of Calais, [over which
" Sandes was the King's Deputy,] by the absence of the said
" Sir William Sandes, I s^e no such imminent peril by siege

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 81
" or otherwise. For when your archers shall be joined with CHAP.
" the Emperor's puissaunce, the army of France shall be in .

such wise occupied, that they shall have little leisure, either Anno 1 524.
" to mind or accept the siege of Calais, but rather enforced
" to look to the defence of themselves, their own towns and
" holds. And for that cause, the knights of Kent being
" neer hand, and soonest in a readiness, were thought right
" meet, when they, ^vith the Emperor's puissance, proceed--
" ing in war against France, should not need to be sent to
'^ Calais, as above.
"Yet nevertheless, (as the Cardinal proceeded submis-
" sively to the King,) as it should stand with his pleasure,
" so he must and would be contented : thinking Sir Ran-
" dalph Brereton, with the other knights by his Grace ap-
" pointed, to be convenient in the lieu and places of the
" knights of Kent.
" And that whereas his Grace supposed, that after the
" aid of six thousand archers were sent to the Emperor, he
" [the King] should soon after be driven to pay another 53
" army to be sent after ; Sir, (said he,) I consider the time
" of the year so far gone, that after the expiring of two or
" three months, the war for this year must of necessity cease.
" And therefore, if more speedy provision be not raade for
" putting the archers in a readiness, I suppose that two
" months shall expire before yee may send them to the
" sea-side ; and so their coming thither to give assistance
" wol be too late. And thus, finally, the time of the year
" would be then passed, to prepare any other army to be
" sent after.
" And whereas his Grace thought that so few halbardiers,
" with so many archers, did not well agree ; he rephed. Sir,
" if the halbardiers had been by me appointed to back your
" archers, verily, it had been a proportion full unmeet, and
" not equal. But in as much as your archers shaU be
" backed and defended with the horsemen of the Emperor's
" army, this small number of halbardiers were appointed,
" not only to establish every captain of your archers, but
VOL. I. G

82 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " also to conduct and keep the carriage and baggages. And
^^' . " therefore the cause, why the same halbardiers were ap-

Anno 1524. cc poijjtgj^ ^as Well Considered to the proportion ofthe
" number [of archers,] and is convenient.
" And whereas his Grace [the King], knowing, by expe-
" rience of his last wareys, that so many archers could not
" shoot together, unless one should slee another, thought
" therefore the number to be very large, though hee was
" minded fuUy to furnish the same, (which was another
" scruple of the King's to the Cardinal.)" Hereupon he
again gave this reply : " Sir, as to that, I confess your
" opinion to be true. Howbeit, taking respect to the sundry
" and many wards and arraies that the Emperor intendeth
" to set forth, your archers shaU be lotted and appointed in
" good number to every part. So that they shall have room
" inow to bestow their shot, without such damage to kiU
" each another. And, Sir, sory I am, that your Grace
" doth defer sending forth of your letters, for putting your
" archers in a readiness, tiU the receipt of this my answer.
" For albeit yee mowght have respited the directing of your
" letters to such as yee mind shall not pass this voyage, yet
" to all others it had been expedient to address the said let-
" ters with all dUigence. For the tirae so passeth away,
" that your said archers can scant be ready to pass the sea
" within the space of these two raonths. And then percase
" it wol be too late to send them. For reraerabring the.
" time of sending forth your letters, with the season that
" the parties must have to elect and put the archers in order,
" considering the respit that they must have to make their
" certificate, and the tract of tirae that is requisite to con-
" ceive and send forth your other letters unto them, and
" every of them, for declaration of your pleasure, sending
" up such number of archers as they have prepared ; the
" time of two months wol be soon spent, and pass. Where-
" fore. Sir, dUigence would be used therein.
" And though more number than six thousand were put
" in a readiness, it were none inconvenient. For percase

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 83
" every man to whom your letters be addressed shall not CHAP.
" completely furnish their numbers ; and though they do .

" so, yet, when musters shall be taken of them, they may Anno 1524.
" be found insufficient, and not able to be sent forth. Be- 54
" sides other casualties by death, or otherwise, whereby
" they should lack of the six thousand. And therefore it
" were right expedient to provide above your number, to
" serve for any purpose by sea or land, when the case shall
" require. " Finally, whereas his Grace had reserved Sir Richard
" Sacheverill for such a consideration as was touched in his
" Secretaries letters : to this he answered in these words :
" I signify unto your Grace, that one cause moving me to
" set him in the book, was, for his discrete wisdom to be
" treasurer of your warrys ; and the other, for that betwixt
" the Lord Hastings and him a good number of archers
" might be provided. The order whereof I now commit
" to your high wisdom and pleasure."
There were now at Rome, in quality of ambassadors His letters
from the King of England, Clark, Bishop of Bath ; Richard King's am-
Pace, the King's Secretary ; and Thomas Annibal, Master of l'^^'^^""''
the Rolls. I have inserted in the Appendix a letter of viz.
Pace to the King, from the Emperor's camp, concerning^"™'''
the state of his army in Italy. In this juncture, to the two
former the Cardinal wrote his letters. Wherein may ap
pear his great dexterity in the managery of public affairs,
the fineness of his politics, and what a great overruling
hand he had in the English state. And by all these we
may collect, what a great figure he made in the Christian
world at that time.
To the Bishop of Bath he wrote, how, considering the To the Bi-
great intricacy of the matters of Italy, and the fear of the Bate." The
French's overpowering the Emperor, and of his gaining c"**^"**of his letter
those two important places of Naples and MUan, the best to him.
means that the King ahd he could invent for the re
medy of the same consisted in these three devices. One,
the giving the French King battle ; and to suffer the Duke
e 2

84 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, of Albany to pass into Naples, whither he was sent by the
_JXl_ French King, but had been under difficulty of arriving
Anno 1524. there,- by the adverse army lying in the way thither. Se
condly, that an enterprise should be made upon the Duke
of Albany, and his company, in his passage toward Naples.
Thirdly, a compromission to be made on such parties, as
either the Emperor or the French King have in the duchy
of MUan, into the Pope's hand per viam depositi These
EngHsh counsels were by the said Bishop of Bath to be
communicated to the Pope. And withal he was to be
told, that Pace should be despatched to the Venetian, to
solicit the speedy setting forth their army to join the Em
peror.
AndtoPace. By tile same post he writ also to Pace, signifying how the
untsThis King was inforraed by sundry ways, and particularly after-
letter to TffstrA by letters sent frora the Duke of MUan unto his am-
^im^anno ^^^^gg^^^. resident in England, dated December the 22d,
how affairs stood between the French and Emperor, and
what methods and stratagems were in hand by each. The
French for the gaining of Milan and Naples, and the
other for the preventing of hira. Then he writ of what
great importance this matter was : upon the success where
of, as he said, depended raany things in Christendom, and
particularly in the King of England's affairs. That if the
French should conquer Naples and Milan, it would exces
sively elate hira, and reraove hira further from inclination to
peace, than ever he was before. That on the other hand, if
55 the Emperor and the allies in Italy were successful, and that
the allies were not neglectful in doing their endeavours, ac
cording to the pact and league between them made, it might
bring the French to great extremity. But that if the Im
perialists (as he seemed to fear) should not be strong enough
to withstand the French, and that those in alliance with him
should, by their remissness and negligence in putting their
hand to the remedy, be instrumental to further the French
designs, then it were convenient some politic means should
be taken and entered into in time, rather than to put those

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 85
two places to extrerae hazard. And for these raeasures he CHAP.
referred himself to the King's letters, and his to the Bishop .

of Bath. Anno 1524.
And then, as to that point of his being appointed by the And parti-
King to resort to Venice, to oblige that state not to aid and cardinal
.assist the French King, as it seeras they had done before, S'^^^ '^"'*'=-
° . •' tions to
against the imperial array in Italy ; but, on the contrary, Pace, con-
to declare themselves enemies to him, according to certain ^™'"|_ "*'
articles of treaty between the King and that state at London ; ment of his
the Cardinal advised him to take pains in the bringing this venkef
to a good effect. And the rather, because he knew the Ve
netian now had no great stomach to assist the Emperor, as
having suspicion of him ; as the Lord Herbert mentioneth
in his history.
Then he went on to furnish him with arguments, to use
to the Venetian : as, the great and imminent danger that
would ensue unto all Christendom, and particularly unto
their own state, if it should so happen the French should
become masters of Naples and Milan ; that they might be
sure he would be no good neighbour unto them. And as
an evidence thereof, that the ambassador should mind them,
how the late French King brought about a very forraidable
league against them, of the Pope, the Emperor, himself,
and the King of Spain, and other great Princes. And then,
to take off that, which the Cardinal knew was the great
matter, which would make them cold in this affair ; namely,
their jealousy that the Emperor would take MUan to him
self, and deprive the Duke thereof; and that they, knowing
how inhumanly the Spaniards had carried themselves in
Italy, they might therefore be more willing to suffer the
French men there, they not being so cruel : therefore the
ambassador was to say secretiy to the Duke and the Coun
cU, that if the present matter well proceeded, that King
trusted to deal so with the Emperor, that he should give
the investiture of the duchy of Milan unto the Duke there
of Whereby Italy should be dehvered both from French
and Spaniard. Lastly, that if, by their breaking their pacts
and conventions with the Emperor, they should hereby give
g3

86 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the French King advantage to obtain Naples, the King of
' ¦ . England must be forced to esteem them the Emperor's ene-

Anno 1524. mies, and not his friends. Whereby might ensue cause of
enmity between the King and them. That he should be
tender how he mentioned this, treating them in dulce and
gentle manner : mentioning the good intelligence that had
long continued between the realm and that seignory : but
not to mention at aU a breach with them, unless the ambas
sador should see a despair of prevailing on them by any
other means. And, lastly, that at some convenient time he
should, as from hiraself, persuade the Duke of Venice how
expedient it would be, that the state should have an ambas-
SOsador in the English Court, as well for the continuance of
a good understanding between the King and them, as for the
forwarding of important matters concerning the seignory.
This letter was dated January the 16th, from his place
besides Westminster : which, together with the King's in
structions to the said ambassador, may be met with in the
xiLXiii. Appendix.
His letter Near the sarae time, viz. in March foUowing, the Cardinal
Kn? ht the ^^°*^^ ^ letter to Dr. Knight, who was afterward Bishop of
ambassador Bath and Wells, the King's ambassador with the Lady
Lady*Mar- Margaret, Governess of the Low Countries. The contents
garet. of whicH letter were, first, to give resolution to the Burgh-
tents there- masters of Antwerp, who had complained to that ambas-
of. Con- sador of gunpowder, which the EngHsh merchants had pro-
eerrnng the i <• i tt-- i i
King's gun- cured lor the King, and laid up in the EngHsh house.
Anutero" The dangers that were apprehended thence unto the whole
town made them unwiUing it should any longer continue
there. They offered also to bear the charges of removing
thereof; and to assign a sufficient strong tower for the safety
of the same. To which the ambassador had advised the
said merchants to condescend and agree. The Cardinal
writ, " That his advice the King was.weU pleased with, and
" was willing that the said powder should be removed unto
" the said tower ; so that good regard were had to the surety
" thereof, and a watch assigned at the King's charges. That
" he, the ambassador, should write unto the Burghmasters,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 87
" and acquaint the Lady Margaret, that were it not to have CHAPr
" the powder in more readiness, whensoever the common .

" enterprizes should require it, it should have been brought ¦*°"'' **®*-
" unto Calais before that time. And that it was done, as
" weU for the advancement of the Emperor's affairs as the
" King's. And that the said Burghmasters would take care,
" that the powder be not in danger by any suspect person.
" That whereas some of the officers in those parts had Concerning
" propounded to the ambassador, that certain EngHsh men ^°| to be
" should be sent over to lye in garrison on those frontiers, ^f nt over to
" he advised, that that should be passed over in silence by son there.
" him. Because it were only to. draw a charge and expence
" on the King, for the conservation of those countries ;
" thinking, by such ways and inventions, to burthen the
" King, and spare themselves.
" That the Provost of Utrecht was a man always inclined To dismiss
" to the French faction, and therefore not safe that he ^f utrecht
" should be participant of the secret affairs and counsels »»* °f .'•^'^
" of the King's Grace and the Emperor's. That therefore being of
" it was dangerous to delay the tirae of outing hira out of *^^ .^*°'''
, . •' ° faction.
" the CouncU, until such season as the Lady Margaret
" might send information to the Emperor against him, and
" receive his answer thereunto. That therefore it was the
" King's plesure the ambassador should reherse unto the
" Lady Margaret the great danger wherein the common
" affairs may be, in case a person so vehemently suspected
" should either be present in the counsils there, or have
" commodity, by such familiarity as he had with any of the
" Council, to hear and understand the secrets of the said
" common causes. That therefore she should be urged,
" speedily to expel and remove him out of the said Council.
" And that she should admonish or compel him to retreat 57
" to some place where he might have no opportunity of
" coming to the knowledge of any of those affairs. That
" if he [the ambassador] perceived, this man might be so
" favoured by any, as that they would not be minded to do
" this, that then he should assure them, that thenceforth the
" King would forbear to make them privy to any part of
G 4

88 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "his mind, touching the said common causes: nor would
^^" " communicate his affairs with the said Lady Margaret and

Anno 1524. cc ^gj. Council, till such time as the said Provost were re-
" moved. And that the Emperor's Ambassador, resident in
" England, had wrote to the Lady Margaret effectually to
" the same intent.
Concerning " That whereas he had informed him, that the King was
greatfhtp ". about sending William Gonson, to treat with the King
of Hie Kingcc of Denmark's ChanceUor, for the buying of a great ship
mark. " belonging to the said King ; the King being since in-
" formed, that the ship was very old and naught, he had
" changed his raind, and would not intermeddle with it.
" That therefore he should, by some good policy and de-
" vice, put oft" that matter ; giving the ChanceUor notice
" thereof, that he might dispose of the ship where he
" pleased."
The Cardi- The Lord Hoghstrate, one of the Lady Margaret's
"v message Court or Couucil, and herself, had spoken some reflecting
to the Lady words upou the Cardinal, and upon the King, on his ac-
upon some count. Which coming to the Cardinal's ears, he had sto-
reflecting mached. The Lady understanding this, probably from Dr.
words she _^ . , . . .
had spoke Knight, intreated to have the Cardinal hiraself rehearse
hlm"^™"^ what words it was reported she and the said Lord should
,have spoken against hira. This, Dr. Knight having, accord
ing to her desire, mentioned to the Cardinal, he (according
to his smooth and courtly temper, namely, to be outwardly
very complaisant, whatsoever grudge lay secretly within)
instructed the Ambassador to make this reply to the Lady
Margaret : " That he was not minded to renew or report
" things of displeasure, nor to have any more rehersal of
" those words, spoken lately at plesure by the said Lady
" and Lord : but that he, the Ambassador, should say,
" that howsoever they were spoken in one way or the other,
" she and the said Hoghstrate made other interpretation
" then needed, or "that they had cause to do. And that the
" King and he, for the singular affection which they bore
" to her, knew her of such vertue and wisdom, that what-
" soever they might speak in passion or otherwise, there

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 89
" was no lack of her cordial mind towards his Grace, nor CHAP.
" of her good will toward hira ; and so could well pass .

" over. And that whatsoever had been spoken, that she Anno 1524.
" would assuredly persuade herself, that she should find
" of the King's Highness a fast, constant, and perfect
" friend; and him to be her kind, faithful, and loving son,
" glad to do her honour and service. And so leaving such
" rehersals of words, it should be expedient to think, and
" attend, and speak of things that concerned the benefit of
" the coramon causes. Wherein he should employ his la-
" bour, travail, and study, to the best of his power, as he
" had always done hitherto."
Another instruction he gave the Ambassador was con- 5 8
cerning two ships coming out of France toward England, T**^* *'"'
1 . , , , ° . . p T-i 1 Ambassador
which were taken by certain men of war 01 Flanders, should so-
There being now wars between the Emperor (to '"'hom j,'^"*;^""'^^
Flanders belonged) and the French King. But these ships English
had the safe conduct of the King, the Emperor, and the by Fiem-™
French King. They were taken before Calais haven, and '"?'' l'^*^"''^
Calais ha-
carried into Zealand, or some parts thereabouts. In one of ven.
these ships were wines for the Cardinal's provision, and for
divers other noblemen. He instructed him " to make en-
" quiry into this matter ; and if he found they were ships
" coming hither, and had such safe conduit, it was then
" far disagreable, he said, to right order and reason, that
" they should be thus taken for prizes ; or that Flemings
" should lay wait for prizes before Calais haven. That he^
" should diligently solicite, that such ships should be rede-
" livered incontinently, and the goods intyrely preserved ;
" and to suffer them to repair hither, according to the safe
" conduit ; as the King's Highness daUy did permit ships
" quietly to pass to and from Flanders, by Hke safe con-
" duit : and that recompence be made for the damage
" sustained." And to this purpose the said Cardinal had
wrote his letters, as he said, to the Lady Margaret.
The last matter of this letter concerned the King of Den-Hisinstruc-
mark, who had been beaten out of his kingdom by his *^°"^^'"j^'''
people. The King had married the Emperor Charles's the King of

90 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, sister, and had a son by her. A diet was appointed at
¦ . Hamburgh, to treat about the reduction of the said King ;

Anno 1524. to be kept the tenth day of April, anno 1525. The matter
b'elt^*out between this King and the realm of Denmark was to be laid
of his king- before the Emperor, and the King of England, and some
other Princes, as honourable umpires. The Lady Mar
garet judged it expedient, that the ambassadors of those
Princes, arbitrators, should resort to her Court first, for
knowledge of the certainty of all things that might be re
quisite for them to be instructed in concerning this affair.
Accordingly, the Cardinal gave the Ambassador inteUi
gence, " that the King had appointed his ambassadors
" for this matter, the Bishop of S. Asse, whose name was
" Henry Standish, and Sir John Baker, to be present at
" the said diet on his behalf: and that they were ready,
" only desiring to be enformed who were the Emperor's
" ambassadors, and those of the other Princes ; and in what
" place they should meet with them ; in what manner and
" form they should order themselves in their journey :
" whether the Emperor's ambassadors should treat with
" any estates or commissioners to be deputed from the
" realm of Denmark : whether the Emperor's ambassadors,
" if need be, should pass into Denmark or not. Because,
" as he said, the determination of the King of England
" was and is, that his ambassadors should be sent into the
" said realm, to procure, labour, and solicit such things
" as might concern the said King's reduction. Wherein
" the specialties would be known, with the articles and
" points neces.sary for them to treat upon. And so praying
" him to advertise him of all these things, he concluded
" from his place besides Westminster ; dated March 2."
59 But this embassy had no success ; the Danes utterly re
fusing either to readmit the King, or his son to succeed his
father. Such a prejudice had they conceived against the
father for his former cruelties ; and such a jealousy of the
son, lest he might either imitate his father or revenge him.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 91
CHAP. V.
The King's letter to Lufher upon his book ; and Luther''s
former letter fo ihe King. The French King taken pri
soner by the Emperor. By the CardinaVs policy. King
Henry enters into a league with that King. Dr. Knight,
and Sir Thomas Cheney, and Dr. Taylor, Ambassadors
to France. Their instructions from ihe Cardinal. Form
qf the peace drawn up by the Cardinal between fhe two
Kings. TTie King's letter to fJie Emperor drawn up by
the Cardinal.
In the year 1525. came forth a royal book, being a second Anno 152s.
letter of King Henry against Luther. Luther had taken J^tt^ei^to^ '
notice of the King's work with too much freedom, and not Luther, in
with that respect that was due to his crown : so that the his. mss.
King held himself bound in point of honour, as weU as in?!'."'- ^P-
vindication of the Catholic religion, to answer it : and that
he thought fit to do by way of letter again to Luther. And
to which was added Luther's former letter to the King.
This book, being in Latin, bore this titie: Literarum,
quibus invicfissimus Princeps Henricus Ocfavus, Rex An-
gUa et Francia, ef Dominus Hibernia, Fidei Defensor,
respondif ad quandam Eplstolam Martini Lutheri ad se
missam ; et ipsius Lutherana quoque Eplstolce, Exemplum.
Upon this book (which I once saw in the late Bishop of
Ely's exquisite Hbrary) was written. Rex Anglorum regi
hareticorum scriblt. It hath a preface pio lectori. Therein
is given the occasion of this letter of the King to Luther ;
viz. " That when Luther began so foolishly to get himself
" into the King's favour, [by his letter to him,] whereby he
" might abuse his name, the better to commend his fao-
*' tion ; the King thought it necessary to signify to all men. See L.
" that he was not so light to be ensnared by the flatteries „_ 237.
of a \Jaful fraferculil foolish Friar ; nor so inconstant,
" to be driven away by any means from that which he
" knew to be right, and what had been writ by him. And
" thenfefore he had answered to all the parts of Luther's

cc

92 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " letter; that he might shew Luther, not only to Luther
^' " himself, but to every one else."

Anno 1325. And then the King's letter began; Quas fu, Lufher e,
prima Septemb. A. D. 1525, ad nos miftendas curasfi, eas
nescio ubinam terrarum Mu peregrinafas, tandem ali
quando accepimus, &c.
oO Luther's said letter to the King began,
Luther's Gratiam et pacem in Christo Jesu, Domino et Salva-
letter to the -^
King. tore nosfro. Amen.
Quanquam vererl merito debuerim, serenlssime Rex, II-
lusfrissimeque Princeps, Uteris Majestatem fuam fentare;
ut qui mihi conscius maxime sum, gravlsslme qffensam esse
Majestatem fuam libello meo, quem non meo genlo, sed In-
clfanflbus iis, qui Majestati tua parum favebant, sfultus et
praceps edldl: tamen, &c.
Then he goes on to excuse his writing against the King's
book; and that for this reason: " Because from good wit-
" nesses. he had learnt, that that book, set forth against
" him under the King's name, was not indeed the King of
" England's book, as cunning sophisters would pretend,
" abusing the name of his Majesty. But he now was
" asharaed, he said, to lift up his eyes to his Majesty;
" who had suffered himself by that credulity to be moved
" against so great a King, by means of those evil workers ;
"especiaUy since he himself was hut fax et vermis, i. e.
"dregs and a worra, in comparison to so great a King," &c.
It was dated frora Wittenbergh, the first of September,
1525. But however this his exaltation of the King, and hum
bling himself to him, might tend to the appeasing of the
King towards him ; yet his attempt to deprive him of the
glory of that book could not but provoke him : and espe
cially, that he had reflected with ill words upon the King's
great favourite, the Cardinal : calling him in this his letter,
monstrum, et publicum odium Dei et hominum ; and again,
pesfis ilia regni tui ; i. e. a monster, and the pubhc hate of
God and men ; and, that plague of your kingdom.
,But we turn to the King's great transactions with his

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 93
neighbour potentates, and the Cardinal's considerable influ- CHAP.
ence and pains taken therein. '

This year there happened a mighty change, in the scene Anno 1525.
of public affairs, when the prosperous Francis was taken ^'^^^'j"^
prisoner at Pavia by the Emperor. The King of England, estranged
how zealous soever he had been, but a little before, against E^eror
him, joining with the Emperor to pull down Francis, yet by the Car-
now grew cold with the Emperor ; and even whilst Francis means.
was a captive, entered into a treaty with Louize his mother,
the Regent of France, in the year after. Such a sudden al
teration in the King's mind seemed strange: but it was
done by the instigation of the Cardinal ; who had lately
conceived a secret displeasure against the Eraperor, because
he found him not so cordial for his advancement to the
popedom, and bare him not so great favour as he ex
pected. There was a secret overture made by the Cardinal to the
French King, that he would procure King Henry to. break
with the Emperor, and make peace with him. This the
Cardinal did : and so both revenged himself upon the Em
peror, and got 400,000 crowns from France for his pains.
This was ordinarily spoke of in France in those times.
The Cardinal suppressed his private malice, and insisted, Qi
before the King, upon those more specious causes, of the
growing greatness of the Emperor, and the danger of the
union of two such great Princes. Especially, since the cap
tive King had lately at Madril, by a treaty betwixt him
and the Emperor, commoiily caUed fhe concord qf Madril,
agreed to divers things very advantageous to the Emperor's
affairs. It was thought advisable therefore by King Henry
and his great minister, first, to break that concord; and,
secondly, to enter into a strict league with King Francis ;
though the King were moved by some reasons, and the Car
dinal by others. And this was the more vigorously at
tempted by our King, because his jealousy grew high, that
the Emperor Charles was driving at the universal monar
chy ; he saw the Princes of Italy had entered into a mutual
league against him, into which they agreed, that the Kiiig-

94 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, of Ehgland might, if he pleased, come in. And lastly, the
^' articles between the Emperor and Francis, made at Ma-

AnnoiS25. drU, whereupon that King was to enjoy his liberty, were
reckoned very hard and unreasonable in the judgment of
the neighbouring princes.
The Cardi- Herein therefore our Cardinal shewed all his skUl and
his policy the fineness of his policy. The first step, which he advised
in setting iq jjg taken, was, that our King should use aU the obliging-
onfoota .' ' » 1 T^ 1 -i^- -1
league with ness and civility possible, to possess the k rench King with
King Fran- g^ opinion of the King's hearty friendship and love. And
CIS, and dis- i^ & j sr
solving that for that purpose, first, order was sent to Dr. Taylor, Arch-
between* ^ deacou of Buckingham, and the King's ambassador then in
that King France, to hasten to the place where the French King
Emperor, should first enter into his own realm, after his deliverance,
to congratulate his liberty in the most obhging manner
possible.
His instruc- Soon after. Sir Thomas Cheney, one of the six gentle-
Ambassa- ^^^ "f the King's Privy Chamber, was despatched in em-
^»'"' bassy into France, there to join with Dr. Taylor, already
resident there. Here Sir Thomas was instructed to sweeten
Francis after this manner. " That he should mention first
" the mutual interview that was between the two Kings in
" the year 1520 ; and that he should tell him, that the
" hearty kindness established then between them took
" such impression upon the King, that no storms or clouds
" since happening could quench the sparks or dry the
" roots. That the King did often revolve that fast-rooted
" friendship ; and could not be satisfied, after he had heard
" of his delivery, until he had sent to see him. That his
" Ambassador could not visit him before, because of his
" straiter keeping. That as he [the King] lamented widi
" him a great time, so now he rejoiced. And that he, the
" Ambassador, with his colleague Taylor, had in command
" to offer him any stead, pleasure, honour."
And he was moreover instructed by the Cardinal, " that
" this, or the Hke in effect, would be weU couched, not as
" an oration, but as a famUiar, friendly, and kind message :
" with addition of such other Ipving and kind words as

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 95
" should be then thought meet and accommodate for the CHAP.
" company present, and for that purpose."

And this was to serve for the first audience; being the Anno 1 52s.
whole of the first part of the charge committed to him.
The second and main part, which was to tend to the 62
breaking of the peace betwixt the Emperor and King Fran
cis, was next to be managed. And this, they both were in
structed, should be handled and done with great dexterity,
policy, and wisdom.
And, first, " The estate of the affairs in France must
" by them, as far as they could attain to, be weU and
" throughly inquired into, searched out, and understood.
" What were the conditions of the peace. Whether they
" were such matters, for the most part, as had been bruited
" and divulged, or not. How they found the King, the
" Regent, the CouncU, Nobles, and Commons, affected and
" contented with them. Whether any grudge or contradic-
" tion were risen about the performance, or difficulty. Whe-
" ther they thought or devised any thing, how the same
" might be infringed or qualified. Or whether they were
" totally and with effect inchned, disposed, determined, in-
" violably to observe the conditions passed and promised."
Then they were instructed to search, " what apparence
" there was of sincere proceeding and faithful deaUng be-
" tween the Emperor and the King : and whether the
" inteUigence between them were suspected, doubtful,
" strange, uncertain."
Next ; " After they had well pondered, foreseen, and
" ensearched into these things ; that they, by mutual con-
" sultation and conference, should facily perceive how they
" might best order themselves ; and proceed in the second
" article and point of their charge. And that they should
" so deal herein, that their speech might rather be thought
" to be occasioned by something said by the King and the
" Regent, than of themselves ; and might serve as an in-
" troduction into the matter. That as they found the King,
" and found commodity, they should always fall into de-
" vises, as secretly as might be, as time and place offered

96 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " convenience, touching the things that sounded to the dis-
^- " herison of the crown of France, its rights and patrimo-
Anno 1525. " nies, and the renunciation of his title to the realm of
" Naples, or any thing else, whereupon any good ground
" or foundation raight be taken. In which devises they
" should, as of theraselves, soberly, and in raanner with
" stupefaction and raervaU, say, that these be great and
" high conditions, the like whereof had not been heard
" of; and, as wise raen had thought, were either not agreed
" upon, or were not raeant to be performed. And that by
" such words, the ambassadors might perceive easily, whe-
" ther the King, the Regent, and the CouncU, should open
" themselves against them ; making any reasons for the
" justification of them : which should be a convenient lead-
" ing to thera, [the ambassadors,] how they should proceed
" or stay, for that time, till a more fit season.
" That they should extend, and speak at large, what
" great honour, profit, and high renown the Emperor should
" attain thereby, if in all parts it were observed. That this
" would be the ready way to bring him to the monarchy of
" Christendom, or at least to the possession of the greatest
" part thereof.
" That they should always so order their speech, that it
" might seem rather a demonstration of their opinion and
" reason, falling out by chance in discourse and conference,
" than spoken of purpose ; until they should assuredly per-
63 " ceive the King or his raother, [the Regent,] and other
" Lords' minds adverse, and studying how the same might
" be avoided.
" And so proceeding, they [the ambassadors] might re-
" count what great regions and countries and dominions
" the Emperor then had in Europe, and should have by the
" performance of this treaty, beside those he had without.
" And so they should begin with the realm of Naples, the
" realm of Sicily, the duchy of MUan, the seignory of
" Jeames, the county of Ast, and other possessions in Italy.
" Which, united to the crown imperial, would not be unlike
" to bring to him the whole monarchy of Italy : whereunto

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 97
' joineth the whole country of Germany, being the greatest CHAP.
• part of Christendome. Which was either totally in his _

"possession, or would easily be at his commandment; Anno 1525.
" having on the lower part, Artois, Flanders, Zealand,
"HoUand, Brabant, Hainalt, and other provinces. From
" the which is direct passage to the dutchy and county of
" Burgoign, bounding upon Bourbonois, and so to Averne:
" which, by means of the Duke of Burbon, could not but
" be at the Emperor's commandment.
" On the other side are the realms of Castile, Aragon,
" Granat, GalHcia, Asturia, and other parts of Spain. So
" that the realm of France should be environed in three
" parts ; and situate, as it were, in the midst of the Empe-
" ror's countries, power, and dominions. So that when the
" Emperor should make war upon France, the King must
" defend three parts ; and so Hkewise the sea on the fourth
" part. So they were instructed to say, that, in their opi-
" nion, a realm so situated seemed rather to be in servi-
" tude and perpetual captivity, with the prince thereof pri-
" soner at continual commandment, and in danger always
" to be oppressed. All which, as the instructions ran, might
- " be so spoken, as nothing should sound to the derogation
" of the Emperor, but breed miscontentment of the French
" party. " But then, as the Cardinal's instructions proceed ; that,
" if after all this, they should find the French King's mind
" doubtful, and not perceive an express determination to
" approve and observe the conditions, and the minds of the
" King's CouncU remaining in suspense, and incertain ; then
" they should, by way of demand or question, ask the King
" or the Regent, whether they were minded duely and
" throughly to fulfil their conditions .J' or whether they
" thought themselves in conscience, honour, law, and rea-
" son, bound and astringed so to do ? Whereunto they
" should suffer them to make answer. And then Mr.
" Cheney was to ask Dr. Taylor what he thought therein,
" by such learning as he had in the law ? Whereto he
" might ansM^er, of what small effect a promise, bond, or
VOL. I. II

98 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " convention, made in captivity, is ; which he should extend
" [that is, enlarge upon] for that purpose. Inforcing ther-
Annoi626. " by the hearers to shew their opinions the raore openly
" and frankly."
This, I confess, is but an exscript from the original in
structions, taken thence by Sir Michael Hicks, Secretary
to the Lord Treasurer Burghley. But it is easy to see who
drew thera up. They are the very style and subtilty of
Wolsey ; laying a train to bring the French King to vio
late the terms and conditions of his deliverance from cap
tivity, to which he had soleranly sworn.
64 After the King's Arabassadors had, by Wolsey's policy,
T'd '''t "^ succeeded well thus far, the next step was to enter into a
lor, to the league reciprocal with France : which was left to the ma-
po™! ^"' nageraent of Dr. Taylor. For which purpose, the Cardinal,
in the year 1526, and not long after the former instructions,
shewed all his skUl and diligence in a large letter ; giving
directions to the said Taylor for his proceeding in the
King's business at this juncture. He was, it seems, a very
able person ; and had hitherto dexterously acquitted his of
fice. Which the Cardinal took notice of, and so had the
King: teUinghim, " that he had shewn his letters from
" time to time to the King's Highness ; and that he was
" right glad, that he did so discreetly and substantially
" please and content the King's Grace, and him also ;
" which, no doubt, would be to his weal and furtherance
" hereafter." And thus having whet his future diligence by commen
dation and promise, he proceeded to tell hira, " that the
" King's Highness and he took great consolation to hear
" the good success of the French King's affairs, and to per-
" ceive; daily evident deraonstrations of his hearty and un-
" feigned affection and kindness he bore to hira," [the Car
dinal.] For the French King knew, that was the way to come to
the better terms with the King of England ; he being his
chief favourite : and weU knowing also, that the said King's
ahenation from the Emperor was owing chiefly to the Em-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 99
peror's neglect <rf the Cardinal. This was the cause the CHAP.
French King had told Taylor, the EngHsh Ambassador,.

and which he accordingly had signified to the Cardinal, Anno isss.
what a sincere affection and kindness he bore to him ; and
likewise of the great confidence he reposed in our King.
" For both which, as the Cardinal wrote to Taylor, he The Cardi-
" should not fail to have like correspondence. That no°t*shi^^"sei^f
" Prince did more desire his honour and weal ; and meant '"*" the
" to pretermit nothing that might sound to the advance- King.
" ment of his causes ; but, like a fast and stedfast friend, to
" join and concur with him, knit in an assured perfect love
" and sincere amity. And bad the Ambassador shew this to
" the French King, with the King his master's most cor-
" dial and affectionate recommendations. That he [the
" Cardinal] also meant to bend himself to the nourishing of
" amitie established."
Then he proceeded to discourse of matters tending to a Acquaints
mutual peace, and to the corroboration of it. The Cardinal sador what
advised the Ambassador, that he had made an overture to P™^"**
the Chancellor (who was some person, as it seems, sent from made in
Louize or the French King, as their Ambassador) of the '''°'^'''''?^
o' 'a, peace be-
conventions and pacts, passed, (already, I suppose, at a for- tween both
mer treaty,) and to be passed by virtue of the said treaty : '"^*'
which, he said, was but a porch unto a succeeding peace
and friendship. Upon this motion of the Cardinal before See L.
the French King's Ambassadors, and the King of Eng-H.viu.
land's Commissioners, appointed to treat with them, heP '^^'
started, that an obligation reciprocous, between both Kings,
should highly answer to the advancement of both their af
fairs. And the rest were of semblable opinion with him in
that matter.
Then he descended to the consideration of the treaty at 65
Madril, made between the Emperor and the captive King ^"* '""l^',
there; of which, he wrote, " that it was very hard that it captive
" should be thought to stand good, notwithstanding any treafy^uh
" former treaties: and tbat it bound the French King, and the Empe-
" left the Emperor at large. To be sure, when the Empe^
" ror bad Francis his prisoner, he would raake the terms as
H 2

100 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " advantageous to himself as might be. There had been a
^' " foi-ra of articles drawn up, and now laying before the
Anno 1526. " French King's Ambassadors and the King of England's
" Coraraissioners." Therein were some terms that seemed
hard ; as, not to treat or conclude any thing without the
King's knowledge or consent. For the removing of which
imparity, the Cardinal acquainted Taylor, " that he had
" devised to raake the band reciprocous and legal : and
" that there should be inserted a special article to promise
" not to take any advantage : that this clause -added was
" thought sufficient, both by the Chancellor (that is, the
" Chancellor of France) and him. But that this being sent
" into France, out of design to have particular resolution of
" their liking or disliking, no fruitful answer to the same
" was sent, but letters of instruction and coraraission, au-
" thorizing the French Ambassador to conclude an obliga^
" tion reciprocous, after such force as the instructions piir-
" ported : which was of another sort and nature then he
" [the Cardinal] had proponed. Yet however, that upon the
" receipt thereof, he [the Cardinal] had raade overture to
" the Lords, and moved the King : and so had conduced
" the matter with hira." The effect of which (such was the
Cardinal's great interest with the King) was, " that to re-
" move all scruples and doubts, and to do the French King
" honour and pleasure, the King of England was contented
" to allow the mutual obligation to go according to the in-
" structions sent to the French Ambassador, though of an-
" other nature than the Cardinal had propounded. Which
" were as large and ample, and as beneficial to the King
" and his affairs in every point, though it were under other
" terms and words. That the King of England articled to
" make war upon the Eraperor for recovery of his hostages;
" (namely, Francis's two sons, that were delivered to the
" Emperor when Francis was dismissed into France.) That
" this should be upon reasonable recompense of money.
" That he should resist his army coming into Italy, with a
" power and puissance formidable, and to expulse his army
" out." Some other matters propounded, by the form

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 101
brought by the French Commissioners for our King to CHAP.
yield to, as to be bound to others out of the contract, the.

Cardinal disproved, saying, "that if the articles had so^"°°^^''^'
" passed, it had been a great disparity, and contrary to all
" reason. " That after such debating of this matter, there were two Sends the
" forms devised, the copies whereof he sent unto Dr. Tay-th^c^Xs"'^
" lor. These forms were drawn up by the Cardinal, and^* two
" dehvered unto the French King's Ambassador, who was peace,
" Seigneur De Vaulx, Maitre d'Hostel to Louize, the Re- 7''!<=J' ''^
" ' . ' had drawn
" gent, and mother of Francis ; who had been one of her up, and de-
" Commissioners, despatched into England for concluding ^^P^^^^^j^
" of the treaty between King Henry and the French King. Ambassa-
" These forms being delivered to him, he desired to send
" them into France, and promised, within eight days, to 66
" return an answer concerning them to the King's Com-
" missioners. Although he in his own judgment did know,
" perceive, and would not deny, but that these forms, be-
" ing so conveyed and devised, were as effectual and bene-
" ficial to the French King, for his content and purpose, as
" that which had been sent out of France to the Ambassa-
" dor here. Yet he dared not, nor would conclude, until
" the French King were first advertised, and his pleasure
" known. Affirming expressly, that that his refusal pro-
" ceeded of no manner of compass or intent, to protract
" time for any sinister purpose : but only for fear to trans-
" gress the limits by him in his instructions assigned. And
" that, as the Cardinal wrote, our Ambassador raight be
" fully riped in the specialities thereof, he sent him copies :
" upon the substantial perusal and reading whereof he
" might make himself fully master of the contents thereof.
" That the French King and his CouncU should find, and
" that he, the Ambassador, should affirm, that whichsoever
" forra he should consent unto should be found as bene-
" ficial. And that concerning this, he, the Ambassadorj
" should desire to be speedily advertised of the King's plea^
" sure, to the intent the same might be with aU diligence
" notified hither."
h3

1-02 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Then he proceeded to another matter, namely, concern-
.. ing the Eraperor's restoring back the French King's sons,
Anno 1 526. tben hostages for the King their father. About this, the
Wmo/iet- Cardinal advised Dr. Tayler to shew, "that the King's
ters des- cc Highness rainded and intended to have sent an honour-
the King's " able personage on arabassiate to the Emperor, for requi-
Ambassador cc gition first to be made unto him, for delivery of them
with the .
Emperor, " upon reasonable recompense of money, without demand-
French " ^^& lands or towns." Next, for speedy contentation of the
King's be- money the Emperor owed to the King of England. The
Herbert's occasiou of this debt was thus ; the Eraperor Charles, for the
Hen. viir. better drawing of King Henry to his party, against Fran
cis, had promised to pay unto the said Henry the sum of
three hundred thirty-three thousand, three hundred and
five crowns yearly, in lieu of those pensions and rents
which the said Francis was bound to pay to Henry. " That
" it was thought expedient for the accelerating the matter,''
(that is, to force the Emperor to return the hostages, and
to demand some reasonable sum of money for the restor
ing of them, or to make war upon him : for which pur
pose the array in Italy was now in good readiness,) " to
" send letters with substantial instructions to the King's
" Ambassador resident there, in the Eraperor's Court.
" Which were appointed to be carried in post by a gentle-
" man of his house, [viz. of the English Ambassador
" with the Emperor,] named Osborn Ichingham, who had
" knowledge of the country, and good language to pass.
" And who was ordered in his way, to call upon him, the
" Ambassador in France.
Sends him " And because the French King might perceive after
the letter " what good manner and fashion the King's Grace had
Ki'n-T the " ™ ^ *®"^"' exhorted the Emperor, allecting him first by
Emperor. " doulce and pleasant introductions, adding afterward mat-
" ter sounding perfectly to sharpness and commination, to
" descend to the King's desire ; the Cardinal had sent him
" therewith a copy of the said letter to the Emperor: and that
" in declaration thereof, he [the Ambassador] might vary
.6/ " and digress in no point from the King's meaning. That

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 103
" he should substantially consider and digest the said letter CHAP.
" addrest to the Emperor. That he [the Cardinal] hoped ^'
" the Emperor would have that respect and regard, as to Anno 1 526.
" beware how he did rashly refuse or deny the same.
" That the words being weU marked, in many points were
" no less then a summonition and warning, that if the Em-
" peror condescended not to the King's request, he would
" enter the league with Italy." (Which could not but have
an impression upon the Eraperor, it being a strong league,
not only of the French King, but the Pope, the Venetian,
the Florentines, and Sforza, against the Emperor.) " That And in-
" he should shew this letter to the King and Council, but to™hew it" '
"in no wise to leave the copy with thera, or suffer any*"*'^''
" doubt thereof. That, if they should desire it, he should King.
" say, as of himself, that it was not convenient to give a
" copy of the King's letters sent to another Prince, nor
" that he had any such commission, but that as to the
" sufl'ering them to read it in his presence, in that he should
" let them take their pleasure. And that this might suffice
" for their knowledge, how and in what good sort the
" King did proceed in that behalf. That if they should
" demand, if the King had written any other matter be-
" sides, more then was in that letter, he should say, that
" over and beside the effect thereof, his Highness had given
" other secret charge to his Ambassador, how to use him-
" self for the conducing of every thing to the desired pur-
" pose. Which was matter not to be communicated abroad.
" That the King had hopes to train the Emperor to rea-
" son by doulce methods : which faUing, he would go on to
" more angry courses."
Moreover the Cardinal instructed him, " that after he Directs him
" had made these declarations aforesaid, and finding the the despatch
" French King fully determined to accept one of the two "f i^hing-
" forms for conclusion of the league between hira and the gpain.
" King of England, Dr. Tayler should, with all diligence,
" dispatch Ichingham, in his way to the Emperor. But
" that, if the French King should say, he would shortly
" send order to his Ambassador here, to conclude, then he
H 4

104 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « should accelerate the expedition thereof as much as cott-
^- « veniently he could : taking order with Ichingham, that
Anno 1526. " he depart to some place on his way by soft journeys, un-
" til such time as it may be thought the French King's
" commandment were brought to England. For it were
" not convenient, he said, if he should arrive in Spain with
" letters and intimations to be made by the King's Ambas-
" sador to the Emperor, iintil the obligation reciprocous
" were concluded here. That therefore he should take spe-
" cial regard by his wisdom, to order Ichinghara's depar-
" ture from him, as he might well think the obligation past,
" or in good likelihood to be past, a good season before his
" arrival in Spain." [And indeed this league was finished
soon after this letter, which was writ July the 15th, and
the league was concluded August the Sth foUowing.]
Sends him The Cardinal gave him moreover to understand, " that
m'^LorcTof " ^Y ^°^^ °^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ instructions and other mat-
Bath was « ters in readiness, and had taken his leave of the King,
^t forth for" intending within two days to depart, and set on his voy-
France. cc ^ge toward the French King. He advertised him also,
" that forasmuch as divers errors were deprehended in the
68 " treaty, prejudicial to, and something also omitted, which
" might concern the King, in case he should hereafter en-
" ter [the Italian confederacy against the Emperor,] that
" therefore it was thought convenient, that commissions
" should be sent hither, as well frora thie French King, as
" the Pope's Holiness, and the Venetians, to their orators
Sends him «« g-ud agents Here resident. And that he had devised a
commis- " form of such a commission, which he had sent unto him,
sion, to be cc r^jjg Ambassador,] which he should shew unto the French
sent by *- , ^ -• ^
Francis, the" King and his Council. So as if they should caU upon
Venetians " ^^^ ?i°g to enter the league, [of Italy,] the same might
to their « be qualified in such points as was necessary. Letting
agen s lere. ^^ j^.^ ^^ ^^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^ forms were likewise sent to the
" Pope and Venetians, and the point sufficientiy declared
" to the French King's Ambassador here resident : and a
" copy delivered to the Bishop of Bath. And that there^
" fore, if they should caU upon entering the league, he

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 105
" should accelerate the sending the commission. So dating CHAP.
" his letter frora his place beside Westminster, he sub- .

" scribed himself. Anno 1526.
" Your loving friend,
« T. Carl's Ebor."
This is a brief and epitomized extract, taken by Sir Mi
chael Hickes, before mentioned, out of the original letter of
the Cardinal. Wherein, if some things be met with, not so
fuU and inteUigible as might be wished, it must be attri
buted to that cause. The Lord Herbert tells us, that the Hen. vm.
contents in short of this league reciprocous, which the Car- ^'
dinal gave aU these instructions about to Doctor Tayler,
were, " that both Kings did oblige themselves not to treat
" or agree apart, or separately, with the Emperor, concern-
" ing the restitution of the two children of France, nor
" concerning the money due from the Emperor, biit jointly
" and together. And for all other businesses they should
" pass without derogation or prejudice to their former
" treaties, which were understood to remain entire. And
" that neither of the said Kings should in any kind assist
" the Emperor whensoever he were invaded by the other."
Which brief relation of the historian the former letter doth
more expatiate upon and explain.

CHAP. VI. 69
The Pope imprisoned by fhe Emperor. The Cardinal
draws up a requisition fo him in favour qf fhe Pope.
Goes himself Jlmbassador to France. Made Vicar Gene
ral by the Pope. The CardinaVs Legantine Courts. His
Court for wills and testaments. The Archbishop'' s con
tests with the Cardinal about his Courts. Complains to
fhe King.
IN the year 1527, the Emperor had entered into Rome, Anno 1527.
and seized the Pope, and made him his prisoner. This, as^*^^'*^^'

106 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, it made a great noise in the world, so it served as a good
^'" pretence for sorae further revenges to be taken by the Car-

Anno 1 527. dinal upon him. This, by the Cardinal's blowing the coals,
quisition in begat uew counsels between the two Kings. For this pur-
thePope, pose, the Cardinal had devised an instrument, called a
then a pn- requisition, that was to be offered to the Emperor, by
soner. . .
the English and French Arabassadors in the Court of
Spain. It related to the injuries he had done to the Pope
and the see of Rome. This requisition was made on pur
pose, the better to justify that war that they were bringing
upon him in Italy. A copy of this requisition being framed
by the Cardinal, was sent by hira to Louize, the Lady Re
gent, who Hked it weU ; and added words to this effect, to
the Bishop of Bath and Sir Anthony Brown, our Ambas
sadors, " that Christian Princes could not in honour suffer
" their head, Christ's Vicar, to be kept a captive : and,
" that no Prince of his own authority could keep a Pope
" in prison, or demand a ransom for hira ; and, that Princes
" should no longer obey a Pope detained contrary to his
" will." Which propositions were left to the Cardinal, to
iraprove and dress for their purpose.
He goes There were several strict treaties raade of late betwixt
Ambassador , . . /.it-, ¦ i • , i
into France, the two Kings, in prejudice ot the Eraperor, in which the
Cardinal still had the great hand, covering over his malice
against him by his specious shew of devotion to the papal
see : and now to establish all, he hiraself resolved upon a
journey into France, in the quality of an extraordinary Am
bassador from the King. His coming he signified unto the
Lady Regent and King Francis, and that he would meet
him at Amiens, or further, if she, and the King her son,
thought good ; and if a journey so far raight not be preju
dicial to the King, having lately been iU of a fever. But
she heartily thanking the Cardinal, signified to him there
would be no danger, and appointed the time and place for
the congress. So he entering on his journey about the be
ginning of July 1527, in very extraordinary state and splen
dor, and accompanied with a mighty train, (the account
L'^^'o" the^^^^®^"^°^ I leave to Cavendish, the writer of his Life, to re-
Cardinal.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 107
late,) he arrived at Calais, and at the time appointed met CHAP.
Francis at Amiens, Where he tarried with that King four- ^''

teen days, feasting, and being feasted, and concertmg mat- Anno 1 527.
ters for a firmer league between the two Kings, and for a 70
more vigorous opposition of the Emperor. I have put into
the Appendix the letter of the English Ambassador's, n». xiv.
wrote the day before his departure from the Court, which
relates to these affairs.
In this year he was at the top of aU his earthly glory. The Cardi-
His dignities may be understood by the style and title that v*^j[!^*e^,
was then ordinarily ascribed him, viz. The most re»ere«d n«fai by the
Father in God, Lord Thomas, qf the title qf Sf. Ciclle, °^^'
Priest Cardinal, Archbishop qf York, Primate qf England,
Chancellor qffhe same, qf the See AposloUc Legaf de La
tere. To all these titles he received one more from Pope
Clement this year, namely, that of Vicar General. Where
by he was empowered to perform all that the Pope raight
have done himself. For when he was now under restraint,
after the sacking of Rome by the Spaniard, the Cardinal,
by a bull sent him by the Pope, was made Vicar General
throughout all the King's dominions during the Pope's
captivity. So that whatsoever was determined concerning
the administration of ecclesiastical affairs by the Cardinal,
assisted by the Prelates of England, who should be assem
bled by the King's authority, that should be decreed and
observed, the consent of the said King being first had : and
so it was in France. This was brought about by the Car
dinal : who in a conference with certain other Cardinals at
Compeign, 1527, being then Ambassador Extraordinary
from King Henry to the French King, resolved, that the
foresaid order of the government of the Church was at this
time requisite. And so he took on him the supreme charge
of the ecclesiastical affairs of the realm. Where, as the
historian makes the observation, began the taste the KingL. Her-
took of governing the Clergy in chief; and I may add, of p ggg
constituting a Vicar General iramediately next under the
King, over all matters of the Church, throughout the na
tion. And the King having much to do in the Church, and

108 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, among churchmen, sorae years after, substituted Cromwel
" under him with that title.

Anno 1527. gy virtue of this overtopping legantine authority, he
tine Courts drew into his own Courts aU raatters whatsoever cognizable
in the ecclesiastical Courts, belonging either to Archbishop
or Bishops. So that even the Bishops were his Commis
saries in their own dioceses. An instance of this, I find, feU
out this year. For one Forster, of the diocese of London,
appeared for heretical pravity at Westminster Abbey, be
fore the Cardinal's Coraraissaries sitting there; whereof
Int. Foxii, Tonstal, the Bishop of London, was one. The copy of the
abjuration from the original I wiU here set down, to shew
the manner of the Cardinal's Courts, who were his Com
missaries, and what a strict hand the Cardinal held over
poor men, that there might be no starting in the least from
the old superstitions.
Forster's " In the name of God, Amen. I Richard Forster, of the
in^the Cai- " diocese and jurisdiction of London, before yow, reverend
dinal's « Father in God, Lord Cuthbert, Bishop of London, my
" Ordinary and Diocesan, and Commissary to the most
" reverend Father in God, Lord Thomas, of the titie of
" Saynct CecUe, Priest, Cardinal, &c. together with yow,
" reverend Fathers in God, Lords Nicholas, Bishop of Ely,
" Henry, Bishop of Saynct Asse, John, Bishop of Lincoln,
" and John, Bishop of Bathe and WeUys, likewise Com-
71 " missaryes lawfully deputed, opynly confesse and know-
" ledge, that I dampnably have erred in the holy Sacra-
" ment of the Aulter, sayng, belevyng, and affirmyng, that
" a priest could not consecrate the body of Crist. Also, that
" I, accompanyed with certayn of the raaner of ly vying of
" Martyn Luther, and his sect, dyd eate flesh on the Sa-
" turday. The which myn heresy, error, and dampnable
" opinyon, in especyal with all other heresies agenst the
" faith of Crist, and our holy moder the Churche in gene-
" ral, here before Almighty God, and you myne Ordinary
" in this honorable audience, I voluntary and gladly, as a
" true penytent person, utterly renounce, forsake, and ab.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 109
"jure. Promytting, and I promyse faithfully unto Al- CHAP.
" mighty God, our foresaid mother, the holy Church, and ^^'
" to you my foresaid Ordinary, and swere by these holy Anno is27.
" Evangehes, and contents of thies book, here by me bo-
" dyly touched, that from henceforth I shall never retorn
" agen to the said heresies and dampnable opinions, or
" any other heresies and dampnable opinions : and never
" more reherse, believe, or affirme the contrary, to the de-
" termination of our holy mother, the Churche : nor hide,
" conceyl, or kepe close, any such heresies and dampnable
" opinions, nor their auctors, or fawtors in tyilie to corae :
" nor be conversant, or famyliar wytyngly with any person
" or persons suspect of heresy. But as soon as I shall
" know any such persons, or their fautors, I shall truly and
" faithfully detect thera and their opinions to their Ordi-
" nary, for the tyme being, without any delay. Submyf^
" tyng my self mekely, lowly, and penytently, to our holy
" mother, the Church, and your correction ; beyng contrite
" and sorry, and desiryng penance for my said offences and
" trespasses in this behalf, which I promyse, by the vertue
" of myne othe surely to do, observe, and fuUfyl. In wit-
" ness whereof, to this my present abjuration, I have sub-
" scribed my name with my hand, and set to the signe of
" the cross under the same.
" per me Ricardum Forster, supradict^
" Lecfa per dictum Richa/rdum Forster, quinfo die De-
" cembris, anno Dom. 1527, in domo capifuli monast.
" Wesfmonasfer. coram reverendo in Chrisfo Pafre
" Cuthberfo London. Episcopo', ac aliis presentibus, uf
" in actis, in presenfia mei, " Mathei Graffonr
And as the Cardinal had this Court at Westminster, to The Cardi-
make inquisition about heresy, so, by virtue of his legantine "*j. \f^^^^_
power, he had another Court in his own house at York-
place, for matters testamentary, and peculiar officers de
puted thereunto. This was a new encroachment upon the

no MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Bishops of Canterbury, before whom, or their officers, wUlS
and testaments were constantly used to be proved. During

Anno 1 527. this innovation, one Jane Roper, executrix to her late bus
^aSsr^** band, John Roper, was called before the Commissaries of
the Prerogative Court. And soon after, the Cardinal's Com
missaries cited her before them, in the chapel at York-
place, to prove the will, or else to be repelled as no execu-
73 trice, and the wUl of the said John Roper to be reputed as
no will. Hereupon she, and some other of her counsel,
wrote to Bishop Warham, complaining hereof. Others also
spake to hira, and other writ what the issue of this would
be : and that the jurisdiction of his Courts was like to be
extinguished, and that all testamentary causes would come
to that pass, to be made depend upon the Cardinal's mere
Prejudicial wUl and pleasure. This raade a great clamour against the
rogattve'^^' Cardinal all Kent and London over. The Archbishop's of-
Court. ficers also seeing their office and benefit so invaded, plied
the Bishop with their complaints. He likewise was sensible
how this new Court was like to be prejudicial to his other
Courts. These complaints and considerations made him
resolve to stir, as much as he might, to put a stop here
unto.
A composi- For it is here to be noted, that before this, the Archbi-
tween the shop had made a composition with the Cardinal, to which
^^d'th"' ^^^^ ^^ mutually set their hands and seals, being an
Archbishop, agreement upon certain articles, that their respective Courts
might not interfere with one another, and for the people's
peace and quietness that should have any causes depending.
And by this composition the prerogative was to remain en
tire to the Archbishop, only the Cardinal was to have his
Coraraissaries in this Court to be joined with those of the
Archbishop. Which was condescension enough. Insomuch
that some of the Archbishop's friends charged it upon him
as an oversight.
The Archbishop was now at his house at Charing.
Whence he wrote of this matter to the Cardinal. " Taking
",God to judge, that he wrote no otherwise then it had
" been shewed to his face, or written to him by letters.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. Ill
" Beseeching hira, that this business might have a stop tiU CHAP.
" after Easter : at which time he would wait upon him.

" Assuring himself, that his Grace would do nothing con-^""'"*27.
" trary to the composition sealed with his Grace's seal, and
" subscribed with his Grace's hand, concerning the prero-
" gative which his Church of Canterbury, time out of mind,
" had been possessed of." This was dated February the
24th. But it doth not appear in what year : but, as I sup
pose, about this time, or not much before.
But the Cardinal, notwithstanding the Archbishop's let- The Arch-
ters, gave no orders to his Commissioners to cease any fur- JfHef to
ther dealing in this office of the probate of wUls. For, but tbe Cardi-
in the month after, the Archbishop from Croydon sent an- his Court.
other letter to the Cardinal, complaining to him of the same
abuse, of interrupting him in the use of the prerogative.
He urged, " that hereby his officers of the Courts of the
" Arches and the Audience, and his Commissaries of the
" diocese of Kent, and he hiraself in raatters of suit of in-
" stance of parties, and in all cases of correction depending
" before him and them, if they should be thus continuaUy
" inhibited by the Cardinal's officers, they should have no-
" thing left to do ; but that he should be as a shadow and
" image of an Archbishop and Legate. Which would be to
" his perpetual reproach, and to his Church a perpetual
" prejudice. He prayed the Cardinal therefore to defer
" this matter a little, till he raight have some communica-
" tion with him therein ; and that he would give credence
" to his Chaplain, whom he had sent, the bearer of his pre- 73
" sent letter." Both these letters of Archbishop Warham
are in the Appendix most deservedly preserved. Numb. xv.
But it seems, after all, Warham found little redress at ^^^ '^
Wolsey's hand. When therefore the matter could not be no redress,
otherwise remedied, and the Cardinal had been guilty of to^g King.
unjust encroachments upon all ecclesiastical affairs, the
Archbishop repaired unto the King, acquainting him, and
complaining of these things. The King took his coming in
good part, and bade him go to the Cardinal, and as he saw
him doing things araiss, not to spare to tell him thereof. He

112 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, did so, gravely admonishing him concerning several mat-
^^' ters, and particularly his meddhng with wills and testa-
Anno 1527. ments, wherein he clairaed a power, not so much as claimed
by the Pope himself: and in disposing of benefices in the
gift of the nobihty, or others, he told hira he usurped too
much upon them. The Cardinal hated the Archbishop
before, because he would not truckle to him, but would
upon occasion opposehira ; but this last reproof made him
hate him more. It ended thus at last : the King finding aU
that Warham said to be true, and that Alan, Judge of the
Cardinal's Court, had appeared to be a very corrupt, ill
man, by the accusation of John London, (a man made use
of in these times,) he very severely reproved the Cardinal.
Which had sorae good effect upon him, to make him more
wary, if not more just.
TheLord I do suppose the Cardinal assumed such power in the
followed Prerogative office, by virtue of his commission from the
the Cardi- Pope, as afterwards Cromwel had there the like, by virtue
nal m this. '^ / . . i tt- «-i i j- t tt-
Hist. Re- of his commission to be Vicar General, from the King.
*"™"^' Whereby all wills, where the estate was two hundred
pounds and upwards, were not to be proved in the Bi
shops' Courts, but in the Court of the Vicar General. And
the Vicar General accordingly deputed Dr. Petre his officerj
for receiving these probates of wiUs. Which thing seems to
be but copied from the Cardinal's practice, as the original.
The exces- Thus between the Archbishop's officers, and those of the
sive di&rccs
of proving Cardinal, besides the delays, and dancing attendance, he-
wiiis. fQj.g matters could be despatched, the fees and expenses
were excessive. In the year 1528, Sir William Compton
died of the sweating sickness. By whose last wUl Sir Henry
Guilford, Knight of the Garter, and Comptroller of the
King's house, and certain others, were constituted his exe
cutors. But before they could obtain a probate from the
Cardinal, and Archbishop of Canterbury, it cost them a
thousand marks ; the Cardinal, by his legantine power, had
so disordered wiUs and testaments.
Complained So that these matters became pubhc grievances. For the
Bie'nt. burdens upon the laity, whensoever they had occasion to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 113
prove any wiUs, were so heavy, and so intolerably expensive, CHAP.
that the thing was brought before the Parliament in the .

year 1529 or 1530. when six grievances were complained^'""' *^^^-
of, wherein the clergy oppressed the laity : and this of wiUs
was the first. Then Sir Henry Guilford, aforesaid, pro
tested, in open Parliament, on his fidelity, that he and the
other executors were fain to pay that great sum, before
they could prove Sir William Compton's will.

CHAP. VIL 74
Persecution in fhe diocese qf London for religion. Visita
tion qffhe diocese qf London. Divers defected for heresy
in Essex, London, 8{c. Their confessions ; and penances.
-tSUT by occasion of the abjuration above mentioned, let The Popish
us a little interrupt the continuation of the Cardinal's story, claimed by
and look into the state of religion in these days. ™='"y'
Heresy, as it was then called, that is, the Gospel, had al
ready spread considerably in this diocese of London, and
especially about Colchester, and other parts of Essex, as well
as in the City. The New Testament in English, translated
by Hotchyn, (that is, Tindal,) was in many hands, and read
with great application and joy : the doctrines of the corporal
presence, of worshipping images, and going on pilgriraages
to saints, would not down. And they had secret meetings,
wherein they instructed one another out of God's word.
Now the Cardinal earnestly bestirred himself to put a stop
to these things, and to reduce aU declining persons to the
old way again. And for the diocese of London, a strict vi- A visitation
sitation was commenced this sumraer, by Jeffrey AVharton, diocese.
Doctor of Decrees, Bishop Tonstall's Vicar General: the
Bishop himself being then in embassy in foreign parts, in
company, as it seems, with the Cardinal, who was this sum
mer in France.
Some account of which visitation I shall now give, having
VOL. I. I

114 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the original papers thereof before me; and the rather, be-
. cause John Fox, in his Martyrology, hath omitted it, and

Anno i527.}ja,th recorded Httie more than the names of them that were
prosecuted ; and these extant in the first edition only.
Abraham Abraham Water, of St. Botolph's in Colchester, Dutch-
secoted. man, was cited before the said Vicar General, for saying, /
MSS. Fox- ^^^ make qf a piece qf bread the body qf Almighty God, as
well as fhe best Priest qf them all. For which he was fain
to abjure, the 15th day of July, 1527 ; setting the sign of
the holy cross to his abjuration with his own hand. Which
abjuration ran in the sarae form mostly with that of Forster
mentioned before.
Haciter: Qne Hacker, or Ebbe, who was a great reader and teacher
who detects, . i • i
about SIX years past in London, and now m the parts of
Essex about Colchester, Wittham, and Branktree, bteing
discovered and taken up, was at this visitation, held in Ja
nuary and February, so hard set upon, that he made a dis
covery, by interrogatories put to him to answer upon oath,
of a great many of his friends and followers, both in Essex
and London. Some of them were these that ensue.
Ravens. Christopher Ravens, of Wittham, tailor, (who had been
abjured anno 1511, before Bishop Fitz-James,) was detected
75 by the said Hacker, that he had communication with him
about a quarter of a year last past, at his own house in
Wittham : and also that once or twice a year, by the space
of four years, he had resorted to his house, and; taught him
the Comraandraents ; and that in the Sacrament of the Altar
was not the very body of God, but a reraerabrance of God
that was in heaven: and that worshipping of iraages, and
offering and going on pilgriraages, was naught : and that
the one taught the other in such learnings.
Hills. He detected also Thoraas HUls, servant to the said Ra
vens ; that he was of the sarae sect, and could read weU,
and had a book of the New Testament in English printed,
which he bought at London ; and was a great reader among
them.
Chapman. Farthermore, that the SEud Christopher had two servants,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 115
born in Colchester, called John and Richard Chapman, bre- CHAP.
thren, which followed the reading and doctrine of them, and .

learned many of their opinions. Anno 1527.
To go on, as I am led by the register : the said Hacker,
being interrogated upon oath to make true answer, reveal
ed Goter, Stere, and Knight, of St. Margaret Lothbury, Goter.
founders, to be of his learning and sort. And that their Knigiit.
conversations, teachings, and readings were kept at one Rus-
sel's house, at the gate of Bird's-alley, against St. Stephen's
church in Coleman-street : and said th9,t those three con
tinued in his company, and he with them, by the space of
six years.
Also, the said Hacker discovered one Cony, clerk of St. Cony.
Anthony's, and his wife, living beside the Friar Augustin's
gate, about six years past to be of his sect and learning ;
and that he had a book of this respondent's, called The
Bayly. Also he said, that one Thomas Vincent, which was father- Vincent.
in-law to him that was brent for heresy about fourteen years
past, [ann. 1513,] did teach this respondent all and singular
his errors and heresies with which he was infected. And
that Vincent gave him the Evangely of Matthew in EngHsh.
Also, that the sarae Vincent had a daughter, which was
married to Thomas Austie, which was much in company Austie.
with this respondent, and followed his learning and opinions.
Also, that Vincent had a book of the Ten Commandments,
which he read to this respondent ; and afterwards gave him
the book ; and he gave it afterwards to one Sime of Witney,
besides Oxford.
Also he confessed, that John Pykas of Colchester had aPykas.
book, part in English and part in Latin, which began, TAe Books
most excellent and glorious Lord, &c. and another book, '^°'' *^'* '
called, Disputatio inter Fratrem et Clericum : and another
of this respondent's, called, The Prick qf Conscience.
Also he said, that John Stacy, of Coleman-street, brick- stacy.
layer, kept a man in his house, whose name was John, to
write the Apocalypse in Enghsh : and that one John Sercot, sercot.
I 2

116 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, grocer, then dweUing in Coleman-street, bare the costs of
^'^" the said writer. And the said Sercot had a book of this

Anno 1527. respondent's, called The Bayly.
Newman. Also, that one Elizabeth Newman, being then a maid dwell
ing in St. Thoraas Apostle, about six years past caused this
respondent to change his name, and call himself Richardson.
76 Besides all these detected by Hacker, the register makes
Rawlyn. mention also of Thomas Rawlyn, taUowchandler, dweUing
in Aldermanbury, who was of the sarae sect, and taught by
Hacker in his own house divers and sundry times.
Tewksbury. Also, John Tewksbury, haberdasher, dwelling nigh to
St. Martin's Gate, was another of Hacker's disciples, and of
the same sect. This man was afterwards burnt ; if he be
the sarae with that John Tewksbury, leatherseller, men
tioned in Fox's Martyrology, under the year 1529-
Long. Dorothy Long, of the parish of St. Giles in Colchester.
was also of his conversation and learning.
Westden. Also of the sarae sect was Marion Westden, wife to Tho
mas Matthew, of Colchester.
Russel. Also Williara Russel, tailor, of Coleraan-street.
Philip. Also. Thomas Philip, pointmaker, dwelling against the
little conduit in Cheap, was of Hacker's sect, and a chief
reader and teacher of his opinions.
The said Hacker confessed, that he and the said PhiHp,
by the space of five or six years, raet oftentiraes at Russel's
house, and once a quarter in his own house, and there had
communications of such opinions as he used : and that
Philip did sometime read in a book of Paul, and sometime
Maxwei. in a book of the Epistles. And that he, Russel, and Max-
wel, of St. Olave's in Silver-street, bricklayer, were much
Swaffer. conversant at Lawrence Swaffer's, in Shoreditch, tailor.
Besides all these, there were divers others now detected
by Hacker, as his followers about six years past : as, Thomas
Geffray. Geffray, of Coleman-street, tailor ; and the wife of BuUey,
St" Ir ^ Sadler, dwelling at the Red Cross and Bull-head in Cheap-
Tyiies- side: Mrs. Styes, at the BaU in Friday-street: Thomas
AUce!' Tyllesworth, tailor, in Budge-row : Alice, now married,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 117
then dwelling at the White Hart, against the Savoy : Ro- CHAP.
bert TyUesworth, tailor, in Abchurch-lane : Mother Bris-. ^ '

tow, at the Castle in Wood-street. Anno 1827.
She had a book of Hacker's, of the Evangelist St Luke, '^^J^^^'
in English : which book he had, as he confessed, of Thomas Bristow.
Blissed, in Swan-aUey in Coleman-street. Which Mother ^"'^*^'
Bristow did hear his doctrines and teachings, and had de
lectation in the same ; and was of his sect and learning, and-
well learned in the same opinions.
Moreover, he detected Stephen Carde, of Ware, weaver, Carde.
and Henry Tuck, being well learned in his opinions. Like- Tuck.
wise William Mason, tailor, dwelling in Bishopsgate-street, Mason.
since at the Bell in New Fish-street. John Houshold, of the Houshold.
parish of Alhallows the Less, was of his sect and learning ;
but not since he was abjured, as far as he knew
WiUiam Raylond, of Colchester, tailor, was also ofRayioud.
Hacker's sect, and a reader and teacher of his opinions ;
and had a book of the Apocalypse in English. Robert Best, Best.
of St. Botolph, Colchester, weaver, or a maker of cloth, was
also of Hacker's opinions, and a reader and teacher of'
them. Those in Branktree, by the said Hacker detected, were,
WUliam, Anthony, Robert Beckwyth, and Mother Beck- Beckwyth.
wyth. The three former were brothers, and husbandmen.
He said, they were of his sect and opinions ; and that they 77
were learned before he eompanied with thera. And that
by the space of two years he came to Branktree to them,
twice or thrice a year, and had communication with them
of his learning and opinions ; which they learned and fol
lowed. And besides these, many others were discovered by this
one man. By which we may conclude, what numbers there
were already in this land that dissented from the Papal er
rors and superstitions.
This detection created work for the Bishop and his Vicar
General, as we shaU see.
But to proceed with this visitation. February the 24th,
i3

118 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Dr. Geffrey Wharton, aforesaid, sat judicially in the long
^"- chapel of St. Paul's church, London, near the north gate.
Anno 1527. And then appeared before him Sir Sebastian Herns, Curate
Herris, of the parish church of Kensington, who confessed that he had
absolved; two books, vlz. the New Testament in the vulgar tongue,
belii"fx translated by WiUiam Hotchyn, Priest, and Friar Roy; and
communi- Unio Dlssldentlum, containing in it the Lutheran heresy.
heretical ^^^ Herris being by the said Wharton, Vicar General, ab-,
books. solved from the sentence of excommunication that had been
by the canon passed against him, he enjoined him, by oath
upon the holy Gospels, that he should not for the future
keep any of the said books, or any other containing heresy
in it ; nor knowingly read, sell, pawn, or any other way dis
pose of such books ; nor knowingly converse, or hold fami
liarity with any person suspected of heresy, nor favour them.
And moreover, he enjoined the said Sir Sebastian, under
pain of excomraunication, that after he had obtained Hcence
to depart, he should not tarry or abide within the city of
London [being so dangerous a place to be infected with he
resy] above a day and a night ; but go thence elsewhere, and
not approach near the City any where four railes in circuit,
for the space of two years following. This was done in the
presence of Matthew Grefton, Public Notary and Scribe of
the Acts ; and of John Darrel, Bachelor of Decrees, the Arch
deacon of London's Official ; and of Henry Bonsfel, Notary
Public, and one of the general Proctors of the Court of Can
terbury; being desired to be witnesses to the premises.
March the 2d, appeared before the abovesaid Vicar-
General, Thomas Matthew, John Pykas, and Henry Ray
lond, men of Colchester, being cited to answer to certain
articles concerning the mere health and correction of their
souls: whom he assigned to appear before the reverend
Father the Bishop of London, in his palace, at one of
Kayiond ex- the clock afternoon the same day. Then the same Vicar
cate"for' General caused WiUiam Raylond to be called, to appear
non-appear- at the same day and place as above was specified : but be-
' ing often and publicly caUed, and not appearing, he pro-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 119
nounced him contumacious ; and of his special grace, and *-'™^"
by certificatory continued, he thought fit he should be stayed  ! —
for in and unto an hour assigned the next day. Which day'^°"° '^^''•
and hour being come, the said Vicar General sat judicially,
and the said Raylond being called, and not appearing, he
pronounced him contumacious ; and for the punishment of
his contumacy excommunicated him in writing.
The 12th day of March the said Vicar General, in the And ab-
palace of the Bishop of London, did absolve Raylond from
the sentence of excommunifcation ; giving caution de pa-
rendo Juri, &c. And enjoined him to say for three days
together five Pater-nosters and five Ave Marias.
March the 3d, the reverend Father in Christ, Cuthbert, 78
Bishop of London, sitting iudicially in the chapel within '''7''^ , ,
, . - T . . . charged by
his palace at London, ministered in word against John the Bishop
Pykas the articles which were ministered to John Hacker, ^^^ New°^
and aU things contained in the sarae ; adding, that he had, Testament.
and retained in his keeping, the New Testaraent in the
vulgar tongue, translated by WUliam Hotchyn and Friar
Roy, notwithstanding the conderanation, publication, and
monition made thereupon ; and other books, containing in
thera heresy and reprobate reading. Upon the ministering
of which, and other things, the same reverend Father took,
ex officio suo, for witnesses, John Bowghton, of Colchester,
and John Hacker ; whom my Lord, setting aside hatred,
love, and envy, burdened with an oath, in the presence of
the said John Pykas.
March the 4th, Raylond appeared before the Bishop, Raylond
sitting judicially in a certain chamber within his palace, g^ted, and
Whom the Bishop interrogated, whether the true bodu of '''siuissedby
y~,i • • ^ r, P 1 Al ., 1 IT the Bishop.
Christ was in the Sacraraent of the Altar ? he answered, It
was so. He interrogated hira further ; whether he beHeved
pilgriraages were profitable ? he answered. Yea. He asked
him again, whether he had not formerly said, that the holy
Virgin Mary of Ipswich was an idol ? he answered. No.
Then my Lord, for reasons moving him, dismissed him ;
and admonished him to appear before him, whensoever he
i4

120 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, should have notice thereof by his Commissary, and the day
.and place assigned hira.

Anno 1527. Present, Geffrey Wharton, Vicar General.
Robert Ridley, Th. P.
Richard Sparchford, M. A.
And, Matthew Grefton, Notary Pubhc.
Matthew March the 5th, the said reverend Father, sitting judi-
witness cially In his chapel within his palace at London, took for a
against witness THoraas Matthew, of Colchester, upon certain arti
cles rainistered to John Pykas, burdening hira with an oath
in the presence of the said Pykas, to answer truly, all kind
of corruptions being laid aside.
The same day and place, before the said reverend Father
sitting judicially, appeared Thomas Matthew aforesaid.
Against whom the said reverend Father ministered articles;
to which he answered distinctly, as in the answers subscribed
by his own hand. And then the answers to the articles be
ing raade, the said Thomas abjured, as in the abjuration by
the same publicly read, and reached to my Lord, and by
his hand subscribed, and signed with the sign of the cross ;
Absolved and submitted himself to correction. And then my Lord,
Bishop. touching first the sacred Gospels of God, and kissing them,
absolved him in form of law. Being then present, Robert
Ridley, John Royston, Professors of Divinity ; Richard
Sparchford, M. A.; John Tunstal, Chaplain; Nic. Tun-
stal, T. Dowman, Tho. Pilkington, and James Multon;
all learned men.
And then ray Lord enjoined him, that every week, for
the five weeks of that instant Lent, he should distribute
in alras six shillings and eight pence : viz. sixteen pence to
79 the prisoners in the castle of the town of Colchester ; and
eight pence to other prisoners in the prison of the same town.
And the reraainder of the money to the poor of the town,
in bread and herrings. And that he break the loaves be
fore they be delivered to the poor. And he enjoined him
to certify him of the premises the next week after Dominica

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 121
in Albis, [that is. Low Sunday,] and to receive the remainder CHAP.
of his punishment the same time.

March the 7th, John Pykas raade answer to the articles A""" 1^27.
ministered to him before the said Bishop, sitting judicially ^^'^sttred
in the chapel of his palace in London ; there being present, to Pykas.
Matthew Grefton, Scribe of the Acts ; Tho. Forman, S. T. P. ;
Richard Sparchford, John Tunstal, and Tho. Chambre,
Chaplains, and many others. Which answer was to this
tenor :
" That about a five yeres last past, at a certayn tyme, his His confes-
" mother, then dwellyng in Bury, sent for hym; and movyd jj"gg' p^^^,
" hym that he shuld not beleve in the Sacraments of the ian.
" Church, for that was not the ryght way. And then she
" delyvered to this respondent one book of Powle's Epi-
" stoles in English ; and byd hym lyve after the maner and
" way of the said Epistoles and Gospels, and not after the
" way that the Church doth teche. Also, about a two yeres
" last past, he bowght in Colchestre, of a Lurabard of Lon-
" don, a New Testaraent in EngHsh, and payd for it foure
" shiUinges. Which New Testament he kept, and read it
" thorowghly many tyraes. And afterward, when he herd
" that the said N. Testaments were forbaden, that no man
" shuld keep them, he delyvered it and the book of Powle's
" Epistoles to his mother ayen. And so in contynuance of
" tyme, by the instruction of his mother, and by reading of
" the said books, he feU into these errors and heresies ayenst
" the Sacrament of the Altar ; that he thowght that in the
" Sacrament of the Altar, after the words of consecration,
" was not the very body of Christ, but only bred and wyne.
" Which heresie he hath divers tyme spoken and tawght ;
" not only in the house of Thomas Matthew, in the pre-
" sence of the said Matthew's wife, William Pykas, and
" Maryon Westden, dawghter to Matthew's wife ; but also
" in the houses and presences of John Thompson, flecher ;
" Dorothy Lane, Robert Best, Mestress Swayn, John Gyr-
" lyng ; John Bradley, blacksraith, and his wife ; Thomas
" Parker, wever ; Margaret Bowgas, the wife of Thomas
" BoWgas; Mestress Cambridge, wydow, of the town pf

122 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. vn.

Anno 1527.

80

Bylney preaches at
Ipswich.

Colchestre : and also in the house and presence of John
Hubbert, of Est Donylond ; Robert Bate, of the same ;
Richard CoUins, ahas Jonson, wever de Boxstede ; John
Wyley, of Horkesley, wever. Which all and singular
persons, often and many tymes have had communication
of the said articles with hym, and stedfastiy belevyd
them: and did affirm them to be of truth, as this re
spondent hath herd thera say.
" Also he saith, that he hath tawght, rehersed, and af
firmed, before all the said persons, and in their houses at
sondry tymes, ayenst the sacrament of Baptism, saying,
that ther shuld be no such thyngs : for there is no bap-
tysm, but of the Holy Ghost ; and that he learned in the
New Testament in English : whereas John saith, / baptize
you buf in wafer, in token qf repentance ; but he that shall
come qfier me is stronger flian I, he shall baptize you in
the Holy Ghosf. Also he saith, that he hath in the places
and presence aforesaid, spoken agenst the sacrament of
confession, saying, that it was sufficient for a man that
had offended to shew his synnes pryvyly to God, without
confession made to a pryst. Yet notwithstondyng this
respondent hath yerely byn confessed, and housled, but
for no other cause, but that people shuld not wondre
uppon hym.
" Also he saith, that he hath herd dyvers prechers
preche, and specially Mr. Bylney preche at Ipiswiche,
that it was but folly for a man to go on pUgrimages to
saints ; for they be but stocks and stones ; for they can
not speke to a raan, nor do him any good. And also,
that men should pray only to God, and to no saints.
For saints can here no man's prayer, for they are but ser
vants. Which after this respondent herd preched, he did
publish and declare it to divers persons, and set it forward
as much as in hym was. Moreover he saith, that Mr. Byl-
ney's sermon was most goostly, and made best for his pur
pose and opinions, as any that ever he herd in his lyef
" Also he saith, that he hath oftentimes spoken ayenst
" fastyng in places and presence aforesaid, that God never

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 123
" made no fastyng, and the Church hath no authoritie to CHAP.
" make it. Wherefore there shuld be none kept. And ^^^'

" he saith, he kept no manner of fastyng, except the imbren Anno 1527.
" days. Also ayenst holy days, in the presence and places
" afore rehersed, and many moo, this respondent hath said,
" that God never made holy days, but the Sunday, and no
" man else can make other.
" Also he confesseth, that he hath spoken, rehersed, and
" affirmed, in the presence and places aforesaid, and dyvers
" other moo, ayenst pardons, saying and affirmyng, that
" pardons graunted by the Pope, or other men of the
" Church, are of no effect. For they have no authoritie to
" grant them. Also he saith, that all the foresaid persons
" divers and many tymes hath resorted to this respondent's
" company, to many sondray places, whereas they gladly
" and wyllingly hath herde thies articles red, tawght, and
" disputed. And he knowith certaynly, that though sorae
" of the foresaid persons be not so well lerned as he, yet
" ther is never an one of them, but that hath spoken and
" affirmed the said articles to be true, and be infected with
" the same.
" Farther, he saith, that he hath iiow in his custody a Books in
" book, called The Pryck qf Conscyence, and another of the g;'^J^°^^"_"
" Seven Wise Masters qfRome ; which he had of a fryer fessed.
" of Colchestre : also a book which begynneth, O thou most
"glorious and excellent Lord, &c. which he had of old
" Father Hacker, alias Ebbe. Also he had the copy of a
" book of communication, infer Fratrem et Clericum, of
" his brother William Pykas, which he lost by negligence
" about a twelve months past.
" Be me John Pekas, of Colchestre."
After this, Pykas and Hacker, before spoken of, the chief
leaders and teachers of the rest, were thus sifted, and by
imprisonment, severities, and threatenings, brought to con
fess all the known men and women, as they were then called, 8 1
even their friends, their brethren, their nearest relations,
and those that themselves had brought into these opinions ;

124 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, they were enjoined penances, and abjured, and sworn to be
¦ . witnesses against others, and to betray all ; as we have seen

Anno 1527. in part, and shall further see.

CHAP. VIIL
A continuance qffhe vlsifafion and prosecution of the pro-.
fessors ofthe Gospel In fhe diocese qf London. Many de-,
tected In Colchester, and fhe parts thereabouts.
Dr.Forman,(j]V[ Thursday the 19th of March, Cuthbert aforesaid,
lane, sus- Bishop of London, sitting judicially in a certain inner cham-
f^?o'i ber within his palace in London, Robert Forraan, S. T. P.
MSS. Fox- '^ , 11 .
ian. Rector of the parish church of All Saints, Honey-lane, ap
peared before hira. Who, forasrauch as he had despised
the condemnation of Martin Luther, and of his books and
works, together with the publication, declaration, and moni
tion thereof, and had kept in his possession the books and
works of the said Martin, by which he was involved and
entangled in the sentence of the greater excoraraunication,
by the authority of Pope Leo X. of happy raemory, and for
other just and lawful causes, the said reverend Father inhi
bited and interdicted the said Forraan, that hereafter he
should not celebrate Mass, nor preach publicly before the
people, untU he should otherwise be dispensed with, under
the pain of law.
Thompson, The same day, in a certain great chamber in the said Bi-
o/coichTs- shop's palace, appeared before hira John Thompson, Wil-
ter, appear Ham Pykas, Robert Best, John Tyrlyng, John Bradley, and
Bishop. Alice Gardner of Colchester, and John Hubberd of East
Donylond, being cited at that day, and detected of heretical
pravity. To whora the reverend Father, by word of raouth,
recited and declared the articles and errors detected against
them, and every of thera, and admonished and exhorted
thera, that they should acknowledge and reveal their here-
And com- sies and errors : and then caused them, and each of them, to
^'s"ody ° b^ separated from one another, and committed unto custody

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 125
to divers prisons. And afterwards he examined them singly : CHAP.
who being so examined, refused to acknowledge and reveal .

their heresies and errors, and did expressly deny to do so. A°°°^527.
Whereupon my Lord admonished and counselled them to
consider with themselves tUl to morrow.
On Friday the 20th of March, the Bishop rainistered ar- John
tides against John Thompson of Colchester; concerning and wmMu
which, he laid an oath upon him, touching the holy Gospels, ^y^^ "P-
to answer truly. And then the said reverend Father, ex
officio, took for witnesses John Pykas, and John Hacker,
alias Ebb, and William Raylond ; on whom he laid an oath
to depose faithfully, &c. without any kind of corruptions, in
the presence of the said John Thompson. And then ap
peared WUliam Pykas, whom my Lord coramanded to take
an oath to answer truly; but he refused. Being asked,
¦yi^hether it were lawful to swear, he answered, he could not
tell. And being often commanded to swear, and still re- 8 2
fusing, the Bishop comraanded him to be committed to Lol-,^'"'*™^!^"
, ^ . ' . . kas com-
lard's tower, and to be thrust into the stocks, for his manifest mitted to
and manifold contumacy. And then before his departure,
the Bishop took the witnesses before-named against him,
and gave their oath, as above, in the presence of the same
WiUiam. The same day and place, John Bradley appeared before John Brad-
the Bishop sitting judicially : but refused to take an oath to
answer truly. And being thereupon admonished and ex
horted by the said reverend Father, he was sworn. Which
thing being so done, the Bishop took for witnesses against
the sarae John Bradley those that were brought for wit
nesses against Thompson; whom my Lord caused to be
sworn, according to the form of law, in the presence of the
said Bradley. March the 23d, in the place aforesaid, the Bi
shop took for witnesses William Pykas and John Thompson,
whora he swore as above, in the presence of the said Bradley.
In Hke raanner John Hubberd, pf East Donilond, John Hubberd,
Girlyng, and Robert Best, and Ahce Gardiner, of Celebes- Best^'&c.
ter, appeared the same day and place before the Bishop, appear
and an oath according to the form being tendered thera, to

Lollard'stower.

126 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, make true answer to such articles as should be propounded
^^^^- to thera, [that is, to accuse themselves,] they at first refused;
Anno 1527. Best Said he would wiUingly swear, if his Lordship would
first declare what those articles were ; which the Bishop did,
and ^ving some exhortation to the rest, he and they took
their oaths. And then were sworn against them in their
presence, John Pykas, John Ebb, alias Hacker, and Wil
liam Raylond. Some days after, viz. April the 26th, Henry
Raylond was sworn also a witness against the said Alice.
And March the 23d, WUliam Pykas, that had been put in
the stocks in Lollard's tower for refusing to swear, sub
mitted, and was sworn. And the said WUHam Pykas and
John Thompson were also then sworn witnesses against
Best and Hubberd. And thus brothers and friends were
by oath bound, most unnaturally, to accuse one another.
Now to shew how these that were sworn against their
fellows were searched and pumped, to do all the mischief
possible to them, and that nothing might be concealed that
might rise up in judgment against these poor men, I shall
next set down John Pykas's examination ; who having un
dergone abjuration and penance, that was not all, but this
unworthy forced detection of his relations and friends was
the worst penance of all ; which follows :
John Py- John Pykas, of the parish of St. Nicholas in Colchester,
amination baker, where he Hved from his birth, being born there, of
against thirty-three years of age, or thereabouts, of free condition,
being a witness taken, admitted, sworn, and secretly and
singly exarained, of and upon articles ministered against
Robert Best ; and first upon his knowledge of him, he said
he had known him weU five or six years. He said more
over, that about a twelvemonth agone, he had communica
tion with the said Robert Best, in his own house, two times,
as he now remembereth, of the Epistle of James, so begin
ning, James, fhe true servant ofGod. Also he saith, that
the said Robert Best had knowledge of the Epistle of James,
83 and could say it by heart, or this deponent did company
with him. Moreover he saith, that the said Robert Best
hath been taken continuaUy, by the space of a twelvemonth

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 127
last past, as a know7i man, and a broder in Christ, amongst CHAP.
them that be called brethren in Christ, and known m,en.

By the which it is understood, that the said Robert is of the Anno IS27.
same sect and learning as this deponent was. Also this
deponent saith, that the said Best, about a twelvemonth
past, borrowed of this deponent a New Testament in Eng
lish, which he had in his custody, by the space of a month
together. Being examined against John Girlyng, he saith, that Against
about a two or three years last past, this deponent and ''^"^'
John Girlyng did commune together one time, in the house
of the said John Girlyng, upon the xxivth chapter of Mat
thew, where Christ spake of Jerusalem, and said to it. If
thou knewest, thau wouldest weep: for there shall not a
stone qf thee be left upon a stone ; for thou shall ie de
stroyed: meaning thereby, that Priests, and men of the
Church, which have strong hearts, (because they do punish
heretics, and be stubborn of heart,) should reign a while,
and in conclusion God would strike them, and they should
be destroyed for the punishment of heretics. Also, that
about an half year agone, he had communication with the
said Girlyng in his house, or his shop, of a chapter of
James, where it appeared that God is father of light, and
overshadowed all sin. And therefore we should pray
only to him. For we be the beginning of his creatures, and
he begat us mllingly, by the words of truth : with which
words the said John Girlyng was content, and did consent
to them, and allow and approve the same. Item, he saith,
that the said John Girlyng is taken and reputed among
all such as be known men, and called brothers in Christ,
that is to say, heretics, to be one of them, and of their sect
and learning, and a favourer of the same : and for such a
person, by the space of three years last past, he hath been
reputed and taken, by the sure knowledge of this depo
nent. And being examined as to the wife of John Gir'lyng, he And hU
saith, that one Robert Bishop, the natural son of the said" ^'
Girl)mg's wife, by another husband, about sixteen years

128 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, past, told this deponent, that his mother did penance, but
VIII. where, or for what cause, now he remembereth not.

Anno 1527. Being exarained against WiUiam Raylond, of the parish
Against of the Holy Trinity in Colchester, he saith, that he knew
Raylond; him for a year, or thereabout, and communed with him
concerning the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed, in
English, and of the Epistles of James and John often, in
the house of the said W. R. in the presence of Henry his
son; also of the eight beatitudes contained in the fifth
chapter of Matthew. Also he saith, that the said WU
liam Raylond, and Henry Raylond his son, and this depo
nent, have divers and many times within these twelvemonths
communed in the said W. R.'s house, against pUgrimages
and other articles : and there they concluded amongst them,
that pilgrimages were not profitable for a man's soul, and
that no honour nor worship should be given to the images
in churches, but only to saints that were in heaven. Also,
that it was not lawful to set up any light before iraages in
the church. And so none of the known men did ever set
84 up light before any images, as far as he knoweth. Also, as
concerning baptism in water, W. R. said, that baptism in
water was but a token of repentance ; and when a man com
eth to years of discretion, and keepeth himself clean, after
the promise that his godfathers made for him, then he shall
receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. After the which
communication so had and done, Henry Raylond being pre
sent at divers times in his said father's house, did hear the
sarae, and did consent to the sarae, and said, that it was
very good learning.
And Marion Also being examined against Marion Matthew, ahas
Matthew ; -Westdon, saith, that he hath heard her speak of the Epistles
and Gospels, (and had thera well by heart,) in her own
house, divers and many times : and had heard her say to
hira divers tiraes within these three years, in her house, that
men should not go on pUgrimages, for they were nought,
and should not be used: and that she should say to hira,
that she had set up as few candles to images as any woman
had, for it was not leful. And he said further, that she

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 129
had been taken and reputed as a known woman, and of the CHAP.
brotherhood, that is to say, as a woman suspect of heresy, .

by the space of these three years of his sure knowledge, ¦'^"°°'^'^"
and also by the space of twelve years, as he hath heard say.
Being exarained as to Dorothy Long, he saith, that heAndDoro-
had known her for six years ; and moreover said, that she '^ °°^ '
was of the same sect, and infected with the same opinions
and heresies with which this deponent and others above
named were infected : and that he often communed with the
said Dorothy concerning the said errors in her house.
And being examined as to Katharine Swain, he saith, that And Katha-
he is ignorant : yet he saith that she is reputed for a known '
woman.
Also, being examined concerning Alice Gardiner, he saith, And Alice
that he hath known her for twenty years, and communed '
with her of the Lord's Prayer, and the Angel's Salutation,
and the Apostles' Creed, and certain Epistles in the vulgar
tongue. To which communication in the said AHce's house
she assented, and freely gave her hearing, as he said, and
further he knoweth not.
Being examined as to Mother Denby, he saith, he know- And Mo-
, ® J^' ' ther Denby;
eth not.
Also, being examined concerning Thomas Parker, he And Tho-
saith, that he hath known him sixteen years, and that the
said Thomas Parker and this deponent hath communed to
gether by the space of these two years, sometime in the
house of the said Thomas Parker, and oftentimes in this
deponent's house, and in the presence of John Thompson,
fletcher, son-in-law to the said Thoraas. And in their com
munication so had betwixt them, the said Parker hath said
and affirnied openly divers and many times, in places afore
said, against pilgrimages, pardons, and other articles fol
lowing, that pilgriraages were not profitable, and should
not be used, and that we should worship God only, and no
saints, &c. These, and many more, did Pykas discover.
Then WiUiam Raylond, formerly of Trinity parish inwiiuam
Colchester, and afterwards of St. Botolph's there, now oi^^^°^^.
Ardely, was brought under exaraination, and by oath forced 84
VOL. I. K

130

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP,
VIII.
Anno 1S27.
Against John Pykas

Against HenryRaylond ;

Against
John Gir
lyng ;

And his
wife.

to betray his friends and relations. And being firSt ex
arained about John Pykas, he saith, that within this twelve-
raonth last past, John Pykas, in this deponent's house, four
tiraes in the year, in the presence of this deponent and his
wife, Henry his son and his wife, had said and affirraed,
that in the Host was but bread, and that the body of Christ
was in the Word, and not in the bread : and that God is in
the Word, and the Word is in God, and God and the Word
cannot be departed. And that that bread was but in re
raerabrance of his passion. "The which heresy, he saith,
that he and Henry his son did gladly hear taught and read,
and was content with the sarae, and believed it to be true.
Being exarained as to Henry Raylond, his son, he saith,
that he hath heard the said John Pykas, and Henry Raylond
his son, oftentiraes say in this deponent's house, that it is
raissavory to go on pilgriraage to Walsinghara, Ipswich, or
any other place. For they be but idols ; and it is idolatry
for to go to them in pilgrimage ; and that they cannot help
themselves : therefore they cannot help another man. Also,
that he hath heard John Pykas and Henry Raylond say, by
the space aforesaid, in this deponent's house, and in pre
sence aforesaid, that we should pray only to God, and to no
saints. For saints in heaven have their reward. Also, that
he hath oftentiraes rebuked his son for the said opinions.
To whora his son would say. Yea, father, set your heart
at rest, and apply yourself to learn the true laws of God,
as I do.
Being exarained about John Girlyng, he saith, that he
hath known hira six years; and saith raoreover, that he hath
heard the said J. G. rehearse a certain Epistle of Paul, in
this deponent's house, about four years agone, as he now
reraembereth, no man then being present, but the said J. G.
and this deponent. Also, that the said J. G. by reason
that he used the corapany of W. Pykas, J. Pykas, J.
Thorapson, and this deponent, is taken, and hath been
taken and reputed, araongst the known men, which be those
persons that be suspected of heresy, as one of them.
Being examined further about Girlyng's wife, he saith,

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 131
that about four or five years ago, he had heard her speak of CHAP.
the Gospels and Epistles, and open the Apocalypse in her .

own house. Also, that what time she dwelled with Sir Anno 1527.
Thomas Eyers, Curate of Ikells, of the diocese of Norwich,
which was about twelve years past, she was abjured, and did
bear a fagot. And at last the said Priest was burned for
heresy, as he heard say. Also, that about five or six years
past, this deponent asked the said John Girlyng's wife, sit
ting at the table in her own house, in the presence of this
deponent's wife, this question, What is the Sacrament of the
.Altar ? to whom she answered and said. That the Sacrament
of the Altar was but an Host, and that the body of Almighty
God was joined in the Word ; and the Word of God was
all one, and might not be departed. Also, that at the same
time, place, and presence, he did hear her say, that images
of saints were but idols.
This Raylond was also examined concerning Robert
Best, Dorothy Long, Thomas Parker, Robert Bate, Tho
mas Bowgas, Mrs. Cowbridge, and many more; and de
tected them for known men and women.
To raake thorough-work, this visitation went on vigor- 86
ously in Essex the ensuing year, viz. 1528, partiy before further
the Bishop hiraself, and partly before his Vicar General. the next
Before the Bishop sitting judicially in a chapel within his''^"'^'
palace in London, AprU 28, 1528, appeared John Tybal, pmraedings
of Steeple Bumsted, a notable leader of these known men. of the Bi-
Who was so dealt with, that upon his examination he con
fessed aU of himself, and of his party, and finaUy, was ab
jured, and did penance. May the 14th, ensuing, the said
Bishop sat as Judge in the chapel within a house, caUed
the manor of the Bishop of Norwich, near Charing Cross.
Then appeared before him Thomas Bowgas, of St. Leo- Against
iiard's in Colchester. Who, after his Lordship had often ex- gas°;^"'
horted and admonished him to subrait, and confess his er
rors, did at last subrait himself, and declared, that he was
contented to abjure his errors and opinions, and to return
to the unity of the Church. And then read pubhcly his
abjuration, the holy Gospel being by him touched, and
K 2

132 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, signing his abjuration with his hand, and the sign of the
__Ii!i_ cross. Which done, the said reverend Father absolved him

Anno 1 827. from the sentence of excommunication, which he had in
curred, and enjoined him by his oath, and under pain of
relapse, that on the Lord's day next he should go before
the cross bareheaded, in procession, in his church of St.
Leonard, at Hith, near Colchester, where he was a parish
ioner, carrying a fagot on his shoulder : and procession be
ing done, he should hear high mass on his knees, before the
steps of the choir, from the beginning to the end of it, and
then depart. He enjoined hira also, that he should bear no
raahce or hatred against the witnesses produced in this be
half, or should molest or trouble them any ways ; and that
he should certify of his penance done, and that either from
himself, or else by his Curate's letters, within fifteen days.
And then being asked whether he would undergo the pe
nance enjoined, he answered, he would. Present at this
meeting, Geffrey Wharton, the Bishop's Chancellor, Wil
liam Layton, principal Register, Mr. Thomas Chambre,
Chaplain; also Mr. Skelton, Marpiaduke Tunstal, Gentlemen,
And Wil- and divers others. On another day in May did William Bo-
ham Bow- (.}jgp^ Qf Steeple Bumsted, plough wright, raake his abjuration
before the Bishop, in the chapel of the raanor of the Bishop of
And Robert Norwich. In which day and place did Robert Hempsted,
Hempsted. ^f Steeple Bumsted, husbandman, appear before the Bishop,
and confessed and read divers articles, and then abjured all.
And So also did Thomas Hempsted, his brother.
The Bi- Dr. Whartou, the Bishop's Vicar General, in June or
^¦'g^'jj^j July following, went down into Essex, the better to detect.
visits in this nest of pretended heretics. For the 15th of July he
sat in the chapel of St. Mary, within the monastery of St.
Colchester. John's, of Colchester, the venerable Father, Thomas, Abbot
of the said monastery, and Mr. Michael Everard, assisting.
His pro- To which session was cited Agnes Pykas, the wife of John
^aiu°t di- Bradley, the wife of Thomas Parker, the wife of William
rers known Raylond, the wife of Henry Raylond, the wife of John
Thompson, the wife of John Girlyng, Margaret Bowgas,
Margaret Cowbridge, and John Clark, detected of heretical

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 1$3
pravity : also Rose, the wife of Robert Bate, the wife of John chap.
Hubbert, and Katharine Swain, appeared, and other wo-.

men. Who now were sworn to answer truly: and wit- Anno 1 527.
nesses were sworn against them, namely, John Hacker, John •
Pykas, and William Raylond, The 16th of July, the said
Vicar General sat again in the same chapel : and again the
17th. Then Margaret Cowbridge brought for her com
purgators, Thomas Burton, Bartholomew Culpack, John
Sterhng, Robert Dow, Emme Harkyn, Anne Christmas,
Margery Draper, and Joan Norman. With which, procla
mation being made for contradiction in due form of law,
she purged herself, and swore that she was not guilty, or
blameworthy, upon the articles objected to her, as she be
lieved. Then the persons before named swore, that of their
belief and knowledge she was not guilty in these matters.
Which purgation the Vicar General admitted, and declared
she was lawfully purged, and restored her to her former fame.
And then did swear her, that for the time to come she
should keep the CatiioHc faith, that she should not know
ingly favour heretics, nor conceal tliem, nor contract fami-
Harity with them : and that if she knew any heretics, she
should denounce them with their heresies, as soon as she
could, to the Ordinary. In the same day and place did
Margery Bowgas also purge herself with divers ccnnpurga-
tors. July the 20th, Dr. Wharton removed from. Col
chester, and came to Waiden, where he sat in St. Mary's Waiden.
chapel, within the monastery there. Then he administered
oaths to Robert Faire, Isabel Holden, and John Wiggen,
to make true answer. And July the 21st, he received the
confession and abjuration of Edmund Tibal, husbandman.
Present, Core, Rector of Radwinter, Sir Richard, Curate of
Haydon, John Golding and Thomas Turner, learned men.
July the 22d, in the same place, he swore Joan Agnes, ahas
Smith, detected of heretical pravity, to make true answer.
The same day and place appeared John Smitii and Agnes
Smith, of Rideswel, detected and suspected of heretical
pravity: whom the said Vicar General swore to make true
answer. K 3

134 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. And these were some of the doings of Bishop Tunstal,
and his Chancellor, against such as presumed to read God's

Anno 1527. word, or vary in the least from the corrupt doctrines and
practices of the Roman Church, as they happened in the
years 1527. and 1528. And so the prosecution went on
with as much rigour, through the years 1529, and 1530,
(when good Bilney suffered,) and 1531, even tUl the dis
grace and fall of the Cardinal, and the King's marriage
with Anne Bolen. Some account of which years is set
down by Fox ; whereas the years 1527. and 1528. are by
him very sparingly spoke of. And therefore I have taken
this notice of thera, that the raeraory of these professors
and confessors might not be wholly lost : and that I might
not burden this history with the prolix examinations and
abjurations of these poor men and women before raentioned,
and yet to preserve them frora perishing, I have put some
Numb. of them into the Appendix ; as the confession of John Ty-
xviii. ^^^3 the abjurations of T. Bowgas and William Bocher, the
XIX. XX. confessions of Robert and Thomas Herasted, and of R.
XXI.
xxii. Necton : who went about the dioceses of London and Nor
wich, to disperse Tindal's New Testament, the greater and
the smaller, and other Lutheran books, buying them of the
merchants, and seUing them again. All taken verbatim
from the register of Bishop Tonstal. •

88 CHAP. IX.
The Cardinal acting in fhe King's matrimonial came.
Ambassadors senf fo fhe Pope to dissolve the marriage.
The King's own book against it. Which was brought to
the Pope.
The Car- -tlSUT to return to the Cardinal ; we wiU stay a little longer
theRfng"^' at this year 1527, the King's great matriraonial cause being
his unlawful about this time earnestly transacted ; upon which such great
marriage. g]^gj.g^^jQjjg afterwards depended ; and wherein our Cardinal
bore so considerable a part : and that, if you wiU beheve

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 135
his own protestations, because he judged the marriage, in CHAP.
which the King lived, to be unlawful : and because he . ^^'

thought the cause was very just. Anno 1527.
It is certain he was as earnest in this cause, as ever he
was in any ; as appears by his importunacy with the Pope :
" begging and beseeching hira, as he esteemed him a Chris-
" tian, a good Cardinal, worthy of that sacred college, no
" useless and unprofitable member of the apostolic see ; as
" he looked upon hira to be a lover of right and justice, his
" faithful creature, and, iii a word, one that desired eternal
" salvation ; that he would at this time have respect unto
" his counsel and intercession, and favourably grant the King
" his raost godly requests. Which, had he not known them
" to be right, holy, and just, he would rather, he said, have Hist. Ref.
" undergone all kind of punishment, than have promoted J°^^ \^°^'
" them : nay, that he would pawn his very life and soul for b. ii.
" them." But yet, according to historians, this his zeal sprang out
of a displeasure he took both against Queen Katharine and
the Eraperor, nearly related to her. The Emperor he
hated, who had opposed his election to the popedom. And
he was averse to the Queen, as it 4s said, because she had
taken the liberty to reprove his dissolute way of living.
Now, to bring his purpose to pass, the King was first to
be brought into scruples, or rather his former scruples were
to be renewed, concerning the lawfulness of that matrimony;
which the King at first seemed not disposed to annul. And
then the Pope was to be dealt withal to dissolve it.
So the Cardinal, they say, first instigated Bishop Long- An embassy
land, the King's Confessor, to shew his Majesty in what un- *"^*^^^^°P
lawful marriage he led his life. Which the Cardinal se- solving it.
conded with other reasons to the King; as, the want of
issue raale, and the danger of discontents and tumults in his
kingdom, arising thence.
When the King was resolved to send to the Pope about
this matter, the embassy, by the counsel and managery of
the Cardinal, was to consist in these points : viz.
The Ambassadors were to signify to the Pope the King's
K 4

136 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, scruples concerning his marriage; and that he had tho-
¦ .roughly studied the matter himself, and found it unlawful

Anno is^T.jy^re dlvlno. And they were to represent the dangerous
"" condition of hiraself, his issue, and kingdom hereby. And
therefore he required of the Pope a bull, that should contain,
I. A commission to two Cardinals, for hearing and deter
mining the cause in England : hereof Cardinal Wolsey to
be one.
II. A decretal, wherein the Pope should pronounce the
raarriage void, upon proof of carnal knowledge between Ar
thur, the King's brother, and Katharine.
III. A dispensation for the King to raarry another.
IV. A pollicitation, that the Pope would not revoke any
of these his acts.
And minutes of this instrument were drawn up by the
Vol. i. Coll. Cardinal, and sent withal. A copy of which may be read
b. ii. ¦ *" in the History of the Reformation.
A commis- Two of these four, by Knight and Cassalis, the King's
pensation ^' Arabassadors, their solicitations, and the earnest letters of
sent from Cardinal Wolsey, the Pope (by Gambara, his prothonotary)
sent : viz. the coraraission and the dispensation, signed by
himself, but altered front the minutes and forms drawn up
here. But the Pope's messenger told the King, at the de
livery of them, that if the said instruments were in any
point thought insufficient, or that any thing, by the advice
of learned raen, were thought convenient to be added there
to, his Holiness would be ready to perform it : and withal to
despatch all such breves, bulls, and rescripts, as might con
duce to the effectual determination of the matter. But, as
the King and Cardinal.were not pleased, that the Pope had
not drawn his commission and dispensation according to the
minutes sent, and that the two other instruments required
were not sent at aU ; so it mitigated their displeasure, that
the Pope had offered so freely to do any thing else that
should be judged convenient.
A second This caused another erabassy : and Gardiner, the Cardi-
embassy ,, , "^
sent to the "al s Secretary, and Fox, the Kings servant. Provost of.
Pope. King's coUege, Cambridge, were despatched to the Pope, to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 137
effect this, in February 1527, according to the computation CHAP.
of the Church of England. Of whom Gardiner was the .

chief, having been admitted into the King's and Cardinal's Anno isay.
Cabinet CouncU for this affau-, and styled, in the Cardinal's ^^Jf^"^^
credential letters to the Pope, Primary Secretary ofthe most racter of
secret counsels. He was grown into extraordinary request
with the Cardinal; insomuch that in his said letters he
calleth Gardiner the ha^ qf himself; than whom none was
dearer to him. He writ, that he should unlock his breast
to the Pope ; and that in hearing him speak, he might think
he heard the Cardinal himself.
The particulars of this embassy, of which I have the very int. Foxii
minutes in divers letters sent to the King and Cardinal, I
will give some account of; especially of such things as the
Lord Herbert, or the right reverend author of ' the History
of the Reformation, have made no mention of, or but briefly
and imperfectly.
These Ambassadors can-ied with them the King's poUi-
citation,obliglng himself to stand by the Pope in his present
troubles from the Eraperor; and raoney to present the Car
dinals and others the Pope's servants with, as gratuities,
when the coraraission and other matters should be des
patched. But though the King's great matrimonial cause were the The in-
chief matter of this embassy, yet they had divers other bu- ^f it_
sinesses to do at this Court. They had instructions con
cerning the Cardinal's college, and to get certain breves from
the Pope, for the better establishment of it ; and for taking
away, by a redemption, the firstfruits, for the ease of the
Clergy ; and upon some propositions made by Nix, Bishop
of Norwich, for the releasing of his diocese frora the said
fruits. Which last business they got despatched. Likewise
something was to be done by the Pope about the degrada
tion of Priests, and for the canonization of King Henry VI.
And a pardon was to be procured for Windsor college. The Ambas-
The Ambassadors went first to Francis, the French King, sudors ar-
to solicit him to use his interest with the Pope, in Kingpope-s
Henry's present cause. Thence, by post, to the I***?^? q°"^4'o*'

138 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, whom they found at Orvieto, lately (viz. December 9.)
escaped out of the castle of S. Angelo, where he was pri-

Anno 1 527. souer. There the Arabassadors arrived, March the 20th :
Sir Gregory where they raet Sir Gregory de Cassalis, one of the King's
Arabassadors sent before: who very humanely received
them, leaving them his own bed, and lodging them in his
own lodgings ; and providing thera, at his own cost and
charges, all things that were necessary for them. He kept
an honourable port here; and had great access of gen
tlemen to hira, to his great cost, and the King's great ho
nour. The Pope had hira in great reputation. And he
was able to do the King much service there ; and so much
as could be done by none other raan.
The Pope hearing of their coraing, by a raessage from
thera, sent Sauga (the Datary's servant) to thera, to welcome
thera into that city in the Pope's narae, telling thera, that
his Holiness was sorry he could not better receive thera into
that town, being hiraself destitute and unprovided of aU
things: offering them free access to his presence at their
pleasure. The said servant advertising thera also, that his
Holiness's mind was, they should, all ceremonies set apart,
repair to hira after an horaely and farailiar raanner. But
being minded first to discourse somewhat raore largely with
CassaHs, according to their instructions, they excused them
selves for a few days, for want of apparel. Which, however,
was true and evident : for journeying by post, they were
fain to leave all their clothes behind them at Calais, and had
now no other coats to wear, but those they rid in; being
rauch worn and defaced by the bad weather.
Theincom- Orviet was an old decayed town : and all things here
ness of tills were now in great scarcity and dearth, as the like was hardly
place. any where else ; not only in victuals, (which could not be
brought into the town in any quantity, by reason aU things
were conveyed by asses and raules,) but also in other neces
saries. So as cloth, camblet, or such like merchandises,
which in England raight be worth twenty shillings, were
there worth six pounds : and yet not to be had in any
quantity neither. So that had not the Arabassadors made

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 139
provision for their gowns at Lucca, they must of necessity CHAP.
have gone in Spanish cloaks ; such as they could have bor

rowed of the Pope's servants. And therein would have been Anno 1527.
difficulty; inasmuch as few of them had raore garments 91
than one. And had not Sir Gregory resided there, and, be
ing advertised of their coming, had made preparation for
their lodging, (borrowing of divers men so much as might
furnish three beds,) they had been in danger of their lives
at their coming into the town ; being a very foul day, and
they forced to pass a river on horseback within a mUe of
the town ; wherein they rid so deep, as the water came al
most to their girdlesteds, and were very wet.
This town, Orvieto, was as much as to say, urbs vefus, The Pope
an old city. And so it might well be called : for every modated '
man, at his first entrance into it, in his own tongue, would '''f^-
give it no other name. It was a fall, from the top of the
hill, to the lowest part of the mountain. And in these re
spects such was the condition of the place, that our Ara
bassadors, in their letters to Cardinal Wolsey, said, they
could not tell how the Pope could be said to be at liberty,
being there, where hunger, scarcity, ill-favoured lodging,
ill air, and raany other incommodities, kept him and all his
as straitly as he was ever captive in castle Angel : and that
it was aliqua mutatio soli, sed nulla liberfafis.
And, in effect, the Pope could not deny to Sir Gregory,
but it had been better to be in captivity at Rorae, than
there at liberty. He lay in an old palace of the Bishop's of
that city, ruinous and decayed. Where, before they came
to the Pope's bedchamber, they passed three chambers, all
naked and unhanged, the roofs fallen down, and, as was
guessed, thirty persons, riff-raff and others, standing in the
chambers for a garnishraent. And as for the Pope's bed
chamber, all the furniture in it was not worth twenty no
bles, bed and all.
March the 22d they carae into the Pope's presence, and soThe Am-
were for some tirae with hira every day, three or four hours g^^^^^,""^^
together ; soraetiraes tUl raidnight ; consulting and debating to the Pope.
of their business. This their first access was after this raan-

140 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. ner. Being admitted into his privy bedchamber, they found
^^" _him accompanied with the Cardinal De Radulphis. After

Anno 1527. due reverence, and cereraonies accustomed, they delivered
him the King's and the Cardinal's letters : which he imme
diately read over. And then repeated to the Ambassadors
the sum of them, in very compendious and well-couched
His speech words : and without suffering thera to speak a word, went
" * ''™* on, acknowledging the great benefits the King had done
him and the see apostolic ; and especiaUy in the time of
his captivity : and how much he and the apostolic see were
beholden and bound to the Cardinal ; by whose procure
ment, solicitation, and raediation, such things had been al
ways set forth, as might conduce unto the same. Adding
thereunto, of what mind and intention he ever was, as weU
before as since his preferment-to that dignity; namely, to
do all things that might be to the good satisfaction and
contentment of the King's Highness ; and especially in this
case, touching so near the quietness and tranquillity of his
conscience, with the wealth and commodity of his realm.
And many such words, spoken, as they might judge, as
proceeding sincerely from the bottom and root of his heart
92 and soul. Then he wiUed them finally, without any circum
stance of words, famUiarly to enter with him into coramuni-
cation of the essential points of their charge : wherein he
proraised to give such resolutions, without tract or delay,
as they could reasonably desire, and as might be agreeable
with law and equity, for the justification of his doings, and
maintenance of his and the King's honour hereafter.
They deli- At this point, his Holiness making a pause. Dr. Gardiner
ver their gj^^j ^j^g^j. jj. .^^^ y^^-j^ known to the King and the Cardinal,
message. ^ ¦ o ?
of the great zeal, love, and affection, that his Hohness bore
towards them both, and the wealth of the realm of Eng
land : whereof of late both had advertisement, as well by
sundry letters of Sir Gregory de CassaHs, as also the re
ports and relations of Mr. Secretary, Dr. Knight, and
more amply by the mouth of the prothonotary Gambara,
sent frora the Pope to the King. Who, he said, had exhi
bited to the King a commission and dispensation, (the one

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 141
to examine the King's matter In England, and the other to CHAP.
aUow of another marriage,) both passed by his Holiness : .

but that the sarae instruments, being altered from the mi- Anno 1527.
nutes and forras that was by the King desired, and so not
fuUy serving the King's purpose ; their message was, that
another commission and dispensation might be drawn up and
granted : especiaUy considering, that the Pope had before,
by his agent Gambara, promised to supply and reform, if
any thing might be thought wanting in the said instru
ments ; and to add other bulls and breves thereunto, if re
quired. But the Pope, out of fear of the Emperor, was wiUing to The Pope's
make delays ; and to dissemble, and keep the same secret,
tiU all things were compounded and pacified in Italy. He
pretended also, for his delay, that this, the King's matrimo
nial matter, was not raanaged, as he heard, with Cardinal
Wolsey's consent or knowledge. But this coming to the
Cardinal's ears, before these Ambassadors came away, he
ordered them to protest to the Pope, on the Cardinal's be
half, that he was sincere in the matter. And so they did
at this time ; and then delivered the Cardinal's judgment,
as to the merits of the cause, and likewise of the good qua
hties of the gentlewoman, meaning the Lady Anne, whom
the King had signified his inclinations, after his divorce
from Queen Katharine, to take for his royal consort, for
the sake of an heir to the kingdom by her. For it had
been told the Pope before by some, that the King followed
some private affection in this matter ; and that the Lady
was already with chUd ; and that she had no such quahties
as should be worthy the King's bed. Therefore, for the
taking off these false reports, the Ambassadors were thus
instructed by the Cardinal.
At this meeting they also told the Pope, that the King The King's
had writ a book of his own cause ; which they had brought ga^st^his
with them, to read to his Holiness. And herein the King's marriage.
reasons were set down, for the dissolving his present mar
riage, and of the scruples of his conscience. Of which the What the
Pope said, " that to his Majesty's opinion, mind, and sen- ^fft^ **"

142 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H AP. " tence, he would sooner lean than any other learned
^^' " man's : and that the King's reasons must needs be of

Anno 1527. " great efficacy and sufficiency, whereby this matter might
93 " be ruled and ordered ; considering his excellent wisdom,
" learning, and judgment. All which, he doubted not, had
" concurred to the setting forth of this raatter."
And then he appointed the Arabassadors the next day to
resort to hira, and to read before him the said book ; and
so, being informed of the reasons, consult with them,
and the Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor, how the coraraission
should pass.
And this was the sum of the transactions in this first
raeeting.

CHAP. X.
The Pope reads fhe King's book ; and commends if. Divers
conferences with the Pope about the King's matter. The
Pope declares his mind in it.
The Pope J. HE Ambassadors the next day, being March the 23d,
exhibiting the King's book to the Pope, he began to read
standing : and after a whUe sitting down upon a form, co
vered with a piece of an old coverlid, not worth twenty
pence. That which he read was the Epistle, being directed
by the King to the Cardinal and the Prelates, requiring
their answer thereunto in the end of it ; and that part ofthe
book that related to the law : not suffering any of them to
help hira therein. Noting the reasons, as one succeeded an
other : and raaking liis objections ; which he afterward saw
answered.
His ques- The Popc rauch coramended the book ; and said, he
the"Ambas*° "^°^^^ ^^^P ^* ^^^ ^^"^ ^°^ * ^^J' ^^ ^^^^ O'^^^'s ^ '^^^^ ^^^
sadoTs. first part, which he had not read, as the second part again,
which he had. He asked the Arabassadors for the answer
of the Cardinal and Prelates to the King's Epistie. They
told him, no answer was raade in writing ; and of what im
port their answer was by word of mouth, raight be per-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 143
ceived by the letter the Cardinal had writ to his Holiness. CHAP.
He asked also, whether the King had broken this matter to .

the Queen? They answered, yes; and that she shewed Anno 1527.
herself content to stand to the judgraent of the Church.
Then he signified sorae doubt, whether the English Car
dinal should be refused to be a judge in this raatter, as
suspected to favour one side ; having already declared his
raind hereupon ; and so in manner giving sentence before
hand. But they said, that hindered not, but that the Pope
might corarait it unto his Grace's indifferent knowledge of
the fact ; sending a coraraission decretal, in evenfum veri
tatis facti allegatl. With which the Pope seeraed satisfied.
In which coraraission it was devised, for avoiding aU lets. The com-
that the clause should be put into it, remota recusatlone et ^^t'^J"?
appellafione. Whereunto his Hohness assented. This cora- what.
raission, ready drawn up and prepared, they left at that
time with the Pope, as he desired, that he might read it 94
himself: pretending then, that he would do aU things to
the King's desire, with the greatest speed that could be.
Which, indeed, the Ambassadors did rauch excite him to ;
urging, what danger it was to the realm to have this matter
hang in suspense. His Holiness confessed the same; be
ginning to reckon what divers titles raight be pretended by
the King of Scots, and others : and granted, that without
an heir male, with provision to be raade by the consent of
the states for the succession, the realra were like to come to
dissolution. Then departing from the Pope, they went to concert theTheAmbas-
matter with the Cardinal, to whose trust and care the Pope ^^^ with""
had coramended it ; viz. the Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor. the Cardi-
Who was so just and honest, as to refuse two thousand torum Qua-
crowns that were sent from the King to him, to be pre-*"*"^-
sented him by the hands of Sir Gregory and the King's
Secretary, that came Ambassadors before. And all that
they could do was to fasten thirty crowns on his Secretary;
the Cardinal saying, that he was, and so would be reputed,
the King's true servant, to do any thing that lay in his
power, that he raight be serviceable unto him ; to whom

144 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the see apostolic and the members of the same were so
^- rauch obhged : and that he thought aU that he had done.
Anno 1528. or could do, was rauch less than his duty towards him, who
had so much merited from them, in making war for the
Church's cause, and ceasing from war at the Pope's desire ;
and especially for procuring the Pope's deliverance; and
other things done by hira, for the Church, in other Popes'
days. And for these causes, he said, he would shew him
self diligent in expediting the King's business. And so they
entered upon consideration of the commission with this Car
dinal. And at last, the Cardinal concluded, that the coraraission
should pass under lead; but so, as the Pope's Holiness
might allege, if he listed, ignorance therein, as being
passed by his officers. But the Ambassadors liked not that ;
because such a commission, by an inhibition obtained in the
like fashion, might be frustrate. In fine, they perceived,
that it was only the fear of the Spaniard's victory in Italy
that let the cause ; and lest that army might upon this mat
ter make a quarrel with the Pope, who was but newly got
out of their hands.
Cardinal Soon after they had conference with the Pope about
propounded soffle Cardinal, whom he should think raost convenient to
to be joined be sent jointly with Cardinal Wolsey, or severaUy, for
sey. corapounding a peace between the Princes. But the Pope,
at the present, refused to take upon hira the province of a
raoderator of the peace. Though the Eraperor had sent
unto the Pope letters for that purpose, as Gambara had told
the King. Which, when our Ambassador had raentioned
to the Pope, he acknowledged faintly he had such letters,
but spake Httle of that raatter. The Arabassador then pro
pounded the said Cardinal Carapegius, as a raeet person to
be sent into England, to raediate in the Pope's name : and
who, being here, might jointly with Wolsey proceed in the
King's business. The Pope replied, that it would be here
by so divulged, that, whatsoever other cause were pre
tended, it would be verily thought this were the chief
cause. They added, that no such thing would be judged

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 145
concerning Campegius, because he was noted somewhat to CHAP.
favour the Emperor's causes, and to be indifferent.

March the 26th, 1528, the Ambassadors waited again Anno 1528,
upon the Pope ; who withdrew into a little study, which he 9^
used for a sleeping chamber : there seating himself against Cardinaisj
the wall, he caused the Arabassadors, and the Cardinals ""f ¦*'".^***
sadors, in
Sanctorum Quatuor, Ursinus, Caesarinus, and De Csesis, to consuita-
sit round about him ; and then called for Jacobus Symonet, ''""'
Dean of the Rota, a man of great gravity, and substantially
learned. Next, the Cardinal Sanctorum Quatuor began to
propose the consultation and cause of the meeting. And
after him spake the Dean, approving of what the Cardinal
before had spoken ; yet with a preface, that it was a case
he had not much studied. Then the Pope willed Dr. Gar
diner to speak. Who then urged what he thought good in
defence of the commission : which proved to their good
satisfaction. And so the Pope allowed the King's desire.
For finally, the raatter was reduced to this point, that such
commission, although in old time it had passed, (for the Am
bassadors had proved before, that it was agreeable to such
as be in the decretals, and had shewed the Cardinal Sanc
torum Quatuor this, by rehearsing to him the chapter Veni-
ens, in the title De Sponsalibus,) and was not discrepant
from justice ; yet it was now a new and uncouth thing :
and the Emperor might take occasion against the Pope to
say, that to his injury he did an act against the custom and
coramon style of the Court>, observed frora the times that
the decretals were put forth. But from this the Ambassa
dors raade a shift at length to bring the Pope.
And now it rested only to know the opinions of learned The Pope
men, whether the particular cases expressed in the' commis- minj,„yiis
sion might be justified to be sufficient for a divorce or not. matter.
And thereupon Symonet was wished to consult his books,
and to have conference with the Ambassadors. This meet
ing took up four hours. Then the Pope said, that he had
so much confidence in the King's conscience, as he would
ground his thereupon; and did persuade hiraself that it
was true and just, which so appeared unto the King's con-
VOL. I. L

146 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, science, and would upon that ground privily pass any thing
he might do by his authority. But in this case, which.
Anno 1828. should come to the knowledge of the world, he said he
raust do, as the see apostolic be not slandered thereby.
Forasrauch as in hiraself, his Holiness acknowledged no
such profound learning as were sufficient to discuss this
raatter. Therefore he thought he could do no less than
consult with others that were about him thereupon: that
he raight have them to justify his doings, whatsoever should
be alleged on their parts. For upon this raatter, he doubted
not, the Eraperor would cause divers Universities to write.
And thereupon he puUed out a letter, and shewed it to Sir
Gregory, which was sent secretly frora a gentleraan in the
Eraperor's Court ; mentioning what answer was raade by
the Eraperor, to the inforraation raade unto hira, on the
King's behalf, concerning this matter of divorce. Which
added sorae fear to the Pope, who was of his own nature
timorous. Which fear was increased by the doubtful end
of the war in Naples.
g6 Symonet and the Ambassadors meeting together, from
Symonet seven of the clock in the raorning till dinner tirae, and after
Ambassa- dinner till it was night, argued raatters of law in the King's
dors argue j](jatter : he taking upon hira to raake what obiections he
matter of ^ iD r ^ ^ ^J
law. could against the causes alleged in the commission. But at
last he descended from reasoning, to persuade the Ambas
sadors rather to take a general coraraission, in as ample
form and manner as they could devise, with promise of ra
tification, than to stick upon that forra they required, being
new and out of course. And if they would be so content,
he would not doubt but they should speed to-morrow. And
so raade his reckoning, that within three months, sentence
might be given here in England, and remitted to the Pope
to be confirmed. But the Ambassadors would by no means
yield unto it.
meet^'g Sorae days after they had another raeeting with the
The com- Pope, the Cardinals Sanctorum Quatuor and De Monte,
qutred"tobe^'^d Syraonet, present, in his sleeping chamber. Now Dr.
despatched. Gardiner again urged the passing the coraraission; the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 147
question stuck at being only, whether the Pope might do it CHAP.
lawfuUy ? To which the said Ambassador said, " That he ^'

" presumed the Pope was satisfied, that he might in justice Anno 1528.
" do it, convinced by the King's book ; and also by the
" offer which the said two Cardinals and Symonet had
" raade ; who had told them, that the sentence given in
" England should be confirmed by his Holiness. Which
" promise, said Gardiner, if it were to be trusted to, was a
" plain confession that the cause was good, or else it ought
" not to be confirmed. So that between the Ambassadors'
" desire and the Cardinals' offer, there was, he said, only
" difference of time ; and that which was proraised to be
" done after the sentence, the Arabassadors required to be
" done in effect before. Which was necessary to be ob-
" tained, for avoiding such chances as raight hinder the
" obtaining of the confirmation ; as, the death of the Pope,
" or other adverse success."
He said, moreover, " that if this were not granted, the Gardiner
" King would take it very strangely, and would think his *'""**''°*'
" manifold benefits iU employed ; if raerely for raanner
" a nd form, which was the only impediment, he could not
" obtain justice ; and no respect should be had of his per-
" son, and the weight of his cause ; and if after so great
" charges, cost, and delay of tirae, he raight obtain no
" more than he might have obtained at home : and that he
" doubted not, his Majesty, understanding hereof, would
" use a domestic remedy within his own kingdora, without
" ventUating his cause, where he should perceive it was
" handled, looked on, and heard; as though there were al-
" ready rooted in men's hearts a prejudicate opinion, that
" all things were coloured and grounded on no root of jus-
" tice and truth."
Then all looking one upon another, and speaking no-TheAm-
thing, Syinohet thinking the matter touched him near ; in- ''^^*''„," g
asmuch as granting and offering confirmation of the sen- earnest.
tence, he should seem to approve the justness of the cause;
began to make and shew a difference between confirraing
the sentence after it was given, and making this decretal
I, 2

148 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, coraraission. And so entered again into reasoning of the
^' cause. In fine, the Pope said, that all that which with his
Anno i528.},ojjoui. be might do, he would do gladly, without tract or
97 difficulty. To which the Ambassadors answered, that what
was not honourable for his Holiness to grant, was not ho
nourable to be desired on the. King's behalf. So as in this
matter, if honour should be touched, it should be touched
in both : and it was not to be supposed, that the King, who
hitherto had such respect of his honour, conserved and de
fended the same above all Princes, should now do any
thing that should stain or blemish the same : or that the
Cardinal would counsel or minister any thing that should
be dishonourable to both, or either of them.
The Pope The Pope, observing that their words were plainer than
^" '¦ formerly, and that by degrees they began to speak more
earnestly, at length yielded : saying, that he was fixed and
deterrained to satisfy the King's desires, to set aside all
style and coraraon course of the Court: which, he said,
could be no law to hira, nor bind his Holiness to follow the
same in so great a cause as that was, and to such a Prince,
who had deserved so many benefits of the see apostolic :
extending his authority herein, and speaking as it were
against Sanctorum Quatuor, who was a great defender of
the style of the Roman Court. Adding, that if in the law
these causes may be ground just and sufficient to main
tain a sentence of divorce, he would make such a commis
sion, any style or use to the contrary notwithstanding:
subjoining, that if the Emperor should grudge thereat, he
cared not. And, having matter to defend the justice of the
cause, he would by brief signify to the Eraperor and the
world, that in that raanner of administering justice, he of
duty ought to shew all favour and grace to the King's
Highness. Whereupon he would hear what the Cardinal
De Monte and De Ancona said, to whom he would write ;
and having their judgraents, he would satisfy the Ambassa
dors' desires.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 149

CHAP. XI.
The Pope declined the King's matter, as much as he could,
for fear ofthe Emperor. A notable speech of Dr. Gardi
ner fo fhe Pope.
-lN case this large coraraission decretal would not be grant- Anno 1528.
ed by the Pope, the Cardinal Wolsey had considered upon The Pope
another expedient ; naraely, to have the King's raatter ex- to have
arained and prosecuted before the Pope : only he feared brouehr
the length of the process, the Court at Rorae being so di- before him.
latory. Therefore he secretly had instructed the Ambassa
dors to learn how long the process might continue, in case
it should be examined and discussed there. Now to this
the Ambassador sent answer, that without giving any
cause to thera of conjecturing that the Ambassadors would
have it brought thither, they had by all raeans possible en
deavoured to know this. And first they perceived, that
that Court had no raind, as the state of the world then
was, that it should corae there, the Cassarians being not yet
purged out of those parts. And as for all the stops, diffi
culties, and delays in this matter, they proceeded only, as
they wrote to the Cardinal, from fear. Which, they said, 98
considering their late calamities, and the uncertainty of the
war in Naples, seemed to be such as might happen to a
constant raan. They feared another captivity'^ which the
doing this raight occasion : and the news daUy carae of the
Spaniard's adversity ; yet they feared, -and were glad to re
tain, and not to abandon, the Emperor's part. The process^,
as they wrote, would probably be long there, where every
learned man should have liberty to say his mind. Nor
cared they to meddle openly against the Eraperor, espe
ciaUy in this, which he took so rauch to storaach, as they
knew he did. So that the Pope's and Cardinal's device was,
how speed raight be made in England in this cause, and
then that the sentence should be remitted to them to be
confirmed. And other answer the Ambassadors could gd;
none. l3

150 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. So that all that had hitherto been spoken by that Court,
^'' .as that the King should first marry, and such other de-

Anno 1528. vices, wcre set forth only for that intent, that whatsoever
b^sadOTs '^^^y ^^^' ^^^y """Ould "Ot be noted of counsel in the begin-
consider the ning of the matter, or to be privy to any specialty thereof
cumstances. ill the comraenceraent. For which cause the Arabassadors
were the raore earnest, as they wrote the Cardinal, in press
ing thera to grant the coraraission after the first device,
mentioning the specialties of the cause. Which set apart,
and not required, they were certain, they said, to obtain the
second degree of their instructions in the most ample wise,
and with great thanks to take it : which was a coraraission
allowing of an appeal. With which they should have a pro-
raise to confirm the sentence there, with all speed and ex
pedition possible. They wrote the Cardinal, that all things
considered, and the difficulty that at that time attended
the Pope, and the adverse party slandering the King, as
though, without extraordinary remedy, he could not obtain
his purpose; it was their judgraent, that the second in
structions should serve to very good purpose, to ground
the process upon, and to be that which should be openly
shewed or exhibited. And they verily thought, notwith
standing the Pope's words which he had spoke to them,
they should not be able to obtain that coraraission that ran
in that form aforesaid.
A secret j^j^j therefore, considering that the effect of that com-
commi.ssion , , i i • • -i i i . i
from the mission was only that it raight appear to be the judgment
?"''!//°" of the Church in those articles, for the discharge of such as
should proceed therein ; the Ambassadors desired, that be
ing without hope of obtaining the coraraission absolutely in
the first forra, they should desire the Pope to pass it se
cretly, to remain with the King's Highness for justification
of his matter, in case happily the Pope's confirmation of the
sentence that should be pronounced in England by some
chance could not afterwards be obtained. And the same
should be kept secret, and shewed to none but only the
King's counsellors. And so the Pope should give them a
general coraraission, as was proraised, for a legate, as their

pounded.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 151
instructions purported. And that by some light words ut- CHAP.
tered, they thought they might probably obtain such a se 
cret rescript of the Pope, determining the cause. ^^"° ^^^^'
The Pope, however he had no raind to send any Cardi- A Cardinal
nal into England about this business ; yet he told the Am
bassadors he would send one, such as should be agreeable
to the King's desire. The Cardinal Campegius was then at 99
Rome: of whom the Pope said, that the said Cardinal
wrote to him to give credit to the King's writings and rea
sons in this matter. So that the Arabassadors concluded,
there was no doubt of his good-wiU ; but only they feared
he might make too long halts by the way, being exceed
ingly troubled with the gout : but nevertheless it was not
yet known who should be the Cardinal to be sent.
The Pope still, to colour over his delays, pretended that The Pope
he was ignorant in the law. For which, he said, he was^iththe
both sorry and asharaed ; and therefore that he must con- Jawyers be-
sult those that were learned therein ; whether the matri- pass any
raony should be declared null, and the dispensation for it*'''"'^-
void, before he could corae to any resolution. And that
otherwise, when the coraraission should corae abroad, as it
must do, by reason a copy thereof should be given to the
Queen, and so consequently to the Emperor's hands; he
should be looked upon as rash, to the slander of the Church,
doing it without counsel; or too credulous a judge, to be
persuaded by sayings of the party only, without hearing
any thing replied on the other side. He added, that those
of the Court there, learned men in the law, whose counsel
the Popes had heretofore followed, would be sure to study
to confute that which should be done, (though the sarae were
well done,) to the passing whereof their judgment was not
required. Though of the truth of the matter, hiraself was
persuaded, he said, by the King's and the Cardinal's writ
ings. Then Dr. Gardiner replied, " That this answer of his Ho- Gardiner's
" liness was different frora what he had spoken in divers
" former communications : and that the King would con-
" elude it to be invented to cplour the denial of his pur-
l4

152 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "pose: from whence raight arise such suspicions in the
^^' " King's breast, as the Cardinal Wolsey would be loath
Anno 1528." should enter there. He advised the Pope, that he would
" have good regard unto the King's sentiments upon this
" his dealing ; and stop the occasion that was flying by,
" and endeavour to retain the King's devotion towards the
" see apostolic, and not put things in such condition as
" they should not be recoverable by any raeans hereafter.
" And that now was the tirae, in which, doing that which
" of justice and duty he ought to do, his Holiness raight
" acquire an inestiraable treasure of the King's good-will,
" for the recovery of the authority of the see apostolic,
" with raaintenance of the same."
Staphiieus's BisHop StaphUeus, the Pope's asjent, was now returned
return out r r ^ x^ o ?
of England, from England. To hira our Arabassadors resorted : who by
instructions from King Henry was to join with thera in the
business, wherein they were soliciting the Pope on his be
half: which that Bishop promised thera to do. But where
as the instructions of the Ambassadors were, that the com
mission should be directed to Wolsey alone, or to hira and
another legate ; StaphUeus said, his instructions were the
quite contrary, and that the 'King at the More, on an even
ing he was there with him and the Cardinal, said, that the
Queen might and would refuse the Cardinal ; and there
fore that it would be well done, that his Grace should not
raeddle as judge in the raatter. From which our Ambassa
dors could not a great whUe bring him, though they as-
100 sured him it was not so, being quite different frora their in
structions : till at length he said he would conforra himself
to their instructions.
The French Staphileus carae through France : whose King raade him
^drawnt ^i® Ambassador to the Pope. Of whom StaphUeus, in that
of King quality, had certain audiences. In one whereof he told the
Pope, that he thought the King of England's cause was
good. That he knew nothing of that forra of coraraission
the English Arabassadors so rauch urged : only that a le
gate should be sent with a general coraraission, and that the
King liked not of Wolsey to be judge.

Henry'scause,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 153
The Friday before Palm Sunday was appointed by the CHAP.
Pope a soleran consessus of the Cardinals De Monte and

Sanctorura Quatuor, and Staphileus, and the Dean of the Anno 1528..
Rota, an Auditor of the Rota, and Garabara, were also pre- ^g„"^^g"J^""
sent, to dispute upon the King's raatter. The Arabassadors menced
all the while were in the Pope's little chamber. StaphUeus pope there-
raade a long oration, containing his whole book, with theo^-
reasons thereof, which lasted two hours. Sanctorura Qua
tuor spake next; resuraing Staphiieus's arguraents, and
seemed to refute them. And Staphileus replied. Then
Gardiner desired leave of the Pope to speak : and it being
granted, answered the reasons of Sanctorum Quatuor, which
were but frivolous. i3ut that Cardinal remitting his rea
sons to the Dean of the Rota, some of them were sifted so
well between Gardiner and the said Dean, that the Pope
plainly perceived the weakness of them.
Then Dr. Gardiner raade a brisk speech to them : " That A notable
" the King, the nobles, and people of England, would ^^^ji^^^^
" think strangely of the Pope and that college, and would
" cry out upon them as a raost ungrateful generation, and
" raost neghgent of the King's kindness ; viz. that they,
" who ought to be simple as doves, and of an open breast,
" were full of all deceit, craft, and dissimulation ; that pro-
" raised all things in word, but perforraed nothing in deed.
" And that when they will answer nothing certain, a hard
" thought of this see would possess the rainds of the Eng-
" Hsh ; namely, that God hath taken away the key of
" knowledge from it. And that however the King had hi-
" therto exploded the sentence of some, yet now would be-
" gin not to be displeased at it, viz. that the Pope's laws
" were fit to be coraraitted to the flaraes : which were un-
" certain even to the Pope hiraself, and those that belonged
" to hira. He told them moreover, that it was a very sad
" and a very hard thing, that any should think that they
" could not resolve the knot of _ this cause, which they saw
" untied by the King's reasons. But that is raore grievous,
" if when they could they would not : when their sentence,
" whatever it were, so it were certain, would deserve the fa-

154 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " vour of that Prince, who deserved best of all from them."
¦ . But however, they would by no raeans be brought further

Anno 1528. than a general commission. Which when Gardiner
and that they ever sung that song, he said to the Pope
plainly, that by this covert deahng, and the motions made
for the general commission, he could perceive no other
thing, but that every raan should hereafter pretend igno
rance in the raatter, and would keep himself at liberty to
resolve the doubt on his part hereafter, that should have the
better hand. And if Csesar overcome, then they raay with
their honesties lean to him. But he said, hereby they would
101 shew themselves prodigal of their reputations, and unmind
ful of their salvations. And a great deal raore to this pur
pose ; which they heard patiently.
The Cardi- The Pope being risen, the Ambassadors said secretly to
answer the^ him, that Ms HoHuess raight well consider to what part
King. justice inclined : and that these raen could shew no matter
substantial to impugn that which the King had wrote. The
A remark- Pope Said, To Say truth, albeit it were a saying in the law,
of the Pope, that the Pope hath all law in fhe desk qfhis breast, yet God
never gave unto hira the key to open that desk.
The Am- But it was the resolution of the Cardinals, that the corn-
threaten, raission should not be granted in that form the Ambassa
dors desired. The next day they spoke roundly unto the
Pope, telling him, that the King's Highness would do it with-
How the out him. The Pope said, he would it were done, and sighed,
^jpe 00 ^^^ wiped his eyes. And added, that in a matter where
the right of a third was concerned, he could do nothing
without the counsel of thera ; and wished it were in his
power to give the King's Highness soraething, depending
only on his own particular hurt or damage, without touch
ing any other man's right.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 155

CHAP. XIL
A secret commission propounded to fhe Pope by the King's
Ambassadors in his great cause.

HEN this would not be obtained, the Ambassadors re- Anno 1528.

w
paired to the Pope to get a general coraraission, and for the "F^^ ^'"'
^ . \ ° ° . . bassadors
decretal commission to be passed in a secret raanner. Which pursue their
was not to be seen publicly, unless in case the Pope refused stru°t?o'°s'
to confirm the sentence that should be given ; or else to be
kept secret. Their course whereby they were to manage
this affair was, that according to the instructions. Sir Gre
gory de Cassalis should privately ask the Pope, as of hira
self, whether he should move this to the college. Which he
did, and had the leave and approbation of the Pope so to
do. When they came to move it to the Pope, he resolved
hiraself in this dilemraa ; If it may be done justly, it ought
to be done publicly. If it cannot be done justly, it would
be the greatest disgrace, and withal would touch the con
science, to do it secretly. To which Gardiner said. Because Gardiner's
it was just, it ought to be done publicly; but because the^jippope.
fear of the Emperor makes it not to be done publicly, let it
be done without fear secretly. Which if his Holiness would
do, they had sorae hope that the Cardinal, by his dexterity,
would so handle it, as the sarae should be taken of the King
in good part. But of this they could get no answer.
The minutes of the coraraission having been drawn byAnewcom-
the Arabassadors, the Cardinals raade objections against it. offered by
One said, that the sick raan shewing his disease to his phy- ^^^ Ambas-
sician, doth not hiraself proportion the physic, but takes it
after his physician's discretion. At length the Cardinals
drew up one with additions, detractions, and corrections.
Upon which, Gardiner laid to the Pope's charge his pro- 102
mise made concerning this commission, and shewed what
doubleness might be noted in this dealing : and that he,
having a mind to delude and delay them, had chosen these
men as his instruments, with as sore words as he could de
vise. The Pope answered, he must use men's counsels:

156 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, but condescended at last, that if Syraonet would say, the
.rainute, as the Arabassadors devised it, was nothing con-

Anno 1523. trary to justice, they should have it, and he would fulfil his
promise. But Syraonet being sent for, would not answer
directly, tUl he had conferred with the other Cardinals. The
Ambassadors then argued hotly with Symonet, but to no
purpose. At this meeting they tarried five hours with the
Pope, till about one o'clock at night. But the Cardinals
shamefully dallied with the Ambassadors ; and the Pope
was raore willing than they to grant the coraraission. For
these Cardinals noted several places in the commission, and
added some things, as well tending to the slander of the
honour of those that were to be judges, as to the infringing
the Arabassadors credit ; and raended things that needed
no mending at all. Soon after, when the Cardinals and
Arabassadors had read the coraraission together, and agreed
to sorae amendments, the next meeting the Cardinals had
altered even those things that had on both sides been con
sented to.
But they j^i length, after much arguing, all was agreed upon be-
but trifled tween the Arabassadors, and Symonet and Gambara, ex-
'"'*''• cept two words, in the whole commission. And when they
went by the Pope's order to the Cardinals' houses to ad
just those two words, the Cardinals sent thera word, they
were raaking collation, and on the morrow would look their
books therein. By means of these shufflings and unhand
some dealings, after so many fair promises and compli
ments of the Cardinals, at length the Arabassadors grew
stark angry, and complained that they were deluded and
scorned, and told the Pope, that this was not the way to
entertain the favour of Princes. And Gardiner said to him,
that these men, in correcting the coraraission, after all had
done nothing herein that savoured of learning, but only of
ignorance and suspicion ; thinking that under every word
lay a scorpion. And it was his judgment, that this was
done by the Pope's coramandraent ; who, he said, had eyes
and saw not.
Gardiner jjg began to expostulate with Garabara, as though he
Pope.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 157
procured this contumacy to the King and the Cardinal, by CHAP.
his good words to them when he was in England, to en- "
courage them to send Ambassadors. And when they came, Anno 1528.
to go about to intoxicate them with good words, and to en
chant them with the sweet voices of syrens, to circumvent
them by their own people. Meaning, in that they had
moved Staphileus to be content with a general coraraission,
whereas his instructions from the King and Cardinal were
for a coraraission decretal. To deal with the Ambassadors
as men do with hawks, to shew them flesh on their fists, to
raake them follow whither they would. Garabara said, he
spake no word of corafort to the King or the Cardinal, but
such as he had in coraraission from the Pope to say. Then
Gardiner turned his speech presently to the Pope, telling
him, that he handled the King as though he had been the
most ungrateful man, and one of raean sort. The Pope said
nothing, but sighed, and wiped his eyes. Gardiner signi- 103
fied, that he would raake relation, when he carae home, of
what condition men were there towards thera that best de
served at their hands : hinting the ill case they would be
in, if the favour of that Prince, who then only favoured
them, should be withdrawn and taken away : and how the
apostolic see, then tottering, would fall by the coraraon con
sent and applause of all. At which words the Pope, casting
his hands abroad, bade them put in the words they varied
for ; and therewith walked up and down the chamber, cast
ing now and then his arms abroad, the Ambassadors stand
ing in a great sUence.
After these broUs, the commissions were written andThecom-
sealed: and the Cardinals^ desired the Ambassador, that J^^^j""; *j_
these alterations might be forgotten, and things represented
fair to the King. And the Pope desired them to write the
King and Cardinal from him ; that as things then stood,
the sending this coraraission was a declaration against the
Emperor, and that he comraitted himself to the King's pro
tection. This commission, thus at last obtained, wanted the
clauses of confirmation and revocation ; but abating them.

158 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the Ambassador reckoned it as good as could be devised;
, since a commission decretal would not pass.

Anno 1528. And with this coraraission Fox left the Pope's Court, and
St" K*"'"* went away for England. But being thus served by the
land, and Pope and his servants, the Ambassadors declined giving
•'OM to^"^ *^^ Pope the King's poUicitation, which they brought with
Rome. them, and the Pope's servants the gratuity intended them ;
till they wrote to Cardinal Wolsey for his further direction
therein. And Gardiner repaired to Rorae to Cardinal Cam
pegius, where he was as the Pope's deputy in his absence,
to deal with hira to be the Pope's legate, to go into Eng-
The Pope land about judging the King's business. And the Pope in-
Friar to the tended to send a Friar to the Queen with a brief of cre-
Queen. dence ; and so by him to shew her what he thought of her
raatter.
The Pope's But the Pope soon repented what he had done in grant-
P rp exi les. j^^ ^^^ commission. For understanding how the Eraperor
took to heart the King's intiraation in relation to his mar
riage with Queen Katharine, he told the Arabassadors, that
by granting this coraraission, denial of inhibitions, which
should be required, and confirraation of the sentence, which
raust be passed by hira, he thought verily the Eraperor should
take it raore displeasantly, than if his Holiness had declared
hiraself; specially considering, the General, being adver
tised of the Ambassadors' suit, had made suit to the con
trary. And the Venetians, Florentines, and Duke of Fer
rara were reported to have entered into a new league, and
cast lots, as Gardiner expressed himself, upon his vesture :
and the French King deferred to do or proraise any thing.
And the Venetians stUl retained Ravenna from him, and
Cervia, and other places. The French King also called
upon him to declare himself, and enter into the league
against the Emperor. In these perplexities, he earnestly
desired the King to stand by him ; and the Cardinal to use
his dexterity with the French King ; appointing by capitu
lation what the Pope should do, and what he should trust
to. Especially since the confederates required the Pope to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 159
proceed to deprive the Emperor, as well of his empire, as CHAP.
of the realm of Naples. But those were things he judged

not to be done hastily: and bade the Ambassadors to write Anno 1528.
to the Cardinal, that he fled to his prudence as a sacred 1""*
altar.

CHAP. XIII.
Fox, one qf fhe Ambassadors, returned home : fhe King is
glad qfihe supposed good effect qfthis embassy.
In the mean tirae. Dr. Fox, one of the Ambassadors, came Fox relates
home in the bes:inning of May : and coming to Court, the ti'e success
00 J o ' of his em-
King gave order that he should go unto Mrs. Anne Bolen's bassy to
chamber; who at that time had moved her lodgings intOj^JJ"* "'
the Tilt Yard, because the Lady Princess, and divers
others of the Queen's maidens, were sick of the smaU pox.
Being adraitted into her presence. Fox declared to her
what progress was raade, and the coramissions obtained,
and how extraordinary diligent and dexterous Dr. Gardiner
had been in the business, and in hastening the coming of
the legate : and that he presented her with his humble and
hearty coraraendations. This she raost thankfully received,
and expressed much joy and comfort. And oftentiraes in
talk with Fox, she called him Mr. Stephens, (so rauch did
the narae of Stephen Gardiner run in her mind,) making
proraise of large recorapense for his good acquittal of this
business. Then the King carae in, and she departed.
He delivered to the King letters from the Pope, from And to the
Dr. Gardiner, and Bishop Staphile. Gardiner's letter he''^'"^-
read to himself. Fox told the King be had brought with
him a dispensation and a commission. The dispensation
passed without alteration of any sentence or word: they
having propounded unto the Pope the nature of it, that
it touched no point, nor belonged to the right of any
third person, and that if his Holiness would grant the Hke
unto all Princes christened, it might be to the great quiet
ness of Christendom, and many frivolous titles and occa
sions of debate (wont heretofore to be moved upon such

160 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, ground, as the said dispensation was laid aside) would be
^'''' taken away by such relaxation and grace of the apostolic

Anno 1528. see. But as to the commission decretal, he told the King,
that they could by no persuasions induce the Pope to it,
nor to confess that he might in justice give out his decree
without hearing the other party. He acquainted the King,
how the Cardinals said, that such a decretal coraraission
was of such a nature, that no process could be honourably
made by virtue thereof, and that it could not come to Hght
- without a great slander to the cause. How the Ambassa
dors urged on the other hand, that this commission had no
other strength or virtue but one : which was, in case the
Pope, prevented by death or captivity, would not or did
not confirm the sentence given by the delegates, that then
it raight serve for confirraation. But that the Pope right
gladly had granted another coraraission, being the same in
105 all points with the other, except two, viz. the sentence of
the Pope dejure, with the promise of confirraation, and no
revocation. And that this coraraission, all the Cardinals
and others granted, was of such sufficient honourable sort,
accustomed justice and uprightness, that nothing could be
devised raore. And to raake amends for those two things
left out in this coraraission, the Pope, as Fox proceeded,
offered to raake to the King a faithful proraise under his
seal, that the sentence, once given by the delegates, he
would without respect or delay confirm, and never revoke
nor give inhibition to the contrary.
The King At this the King took rauch delight, and called in Mrs.
bids Fox re- -^nne, and bade Fox repeat the same before her: which
sort to the he did. Then the King bade him go to the Cardinal, and
shew him what he had said ; and that he would have the
Cardinal's opinion about the revocation and appellation.
To the Cardinal he resorts; who hearing he was there,
though he was in bed, commanded him to be brought up :
and after much comraunication with hira, he left the cora
raission and other letters with hira, and departed for that
night. The next day he pondered the contents of the com
mission, calling to him Dr. Bell and Fox, to read them be-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 161
fore my Lord Rochford and himself. The Cardinal con- CHAP.
XIII
eluded, that the coraraission could not be better devised ;  1_

and much applauded Gardiner for it, and justified him. •'^"°'' '528.
And intended the next day to have Dr. Wolraan and Dr.
Bennet, Civilians, and others, with him, to consult with
them upon this commission. And then he bade Fox go to
the King, and report to him how well satisfied he was with
it : and that he had some new matter to employ Dr. Gardi
ner in with the Pope, which should perfectly consumraate
the King's desire.
The Cardinal soon after coramanded Fox to write unto The Cardi-
Gardiner, that he should let hira know, that the Cardinal"^ *™^^"
told hira much for the managery of this raatter so weU, and Gardiner.
to their full satisfaction ; that he thanked him for his great
labour therein : and that Fox should, among other, use
these words to him, O inestimable treasure, and jewel qf
this realm! But there was one thing raore the Cardinal put
Gardiner upon; which was, " that for the exoneration of
" the Cardinal's conscience, and by the consent and sentence
" of other Prelates, and for the chance of raortality, he would
" labour, by his wisdora and rhetoric, to obtain of the Pope
" the coraraission decretal in the raost secret fashion, to be
" sent unto the Cardinal. And that for these reasons : be-
" cause this decree and sentence once given by the Pope,
" and the judgraent of the Church, raight be to his con-
" science a rule and standard, to direct and instruct him
" how to proceed in this matter ; especially, in determining
" the law upon those points whose justice is not yet so ma-
" nifest. And that it might also be unto hira a sure de-
" fence against all detractors, and such as hereafter should
" maliciously attempt the violation of the said sentence and
" decree. To whora it might always be answered, his
" Grace's judgment was agreeable to that given by the
" Church : and that this would be the means to stop the
" raouths of such as favoured the contrary cause." But
especially, Gardiner was to urge to the Pope, how rauch it
would tend to the welfare and restoration of that see, that
VOL. I. M

162 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, ray Lord Cardinal should be of such authority and credit
'^"'' with the King, that whatsoever his Grace should advise

Anno 1523. and counsel the King, should by the same be presently con-
1^" descended to. And nothing would so effectually attain this,
as if the Pope, at the sole conteraplation of the Cardinal,
should grant this coraraission, to the perfect end of the same
cause ; the King being so desirous of good success therein.
Finally, that the process should not be grounded upon it,
but upon the coraraission aheady sent ; and that it should
be shewed to no person in the world but the King.
To inquire Another business comraitted by the Cardinal to him was,
yen cm^-"" because the lawyers urged, that the Queen might appeal,
cerning the and might refuse ; that he therefore should consult with the
peal. ^" lawyers there, whether she raight do so, or no : and in case
she did, of what value it was, and how much it might let
the process. And whether notwithstanding the Legate might
proceed : and what reraedy might be used in reraission of
the appeal, and confirraation of the sentence by a higher
judge. And the sentence of the learned raen in these cases
to get subscribed with their hands. .''
The King's Also the King required of Gardiner to know the judg-
Gardiner meut of the learned there upon this point; the King was told,
to get re- ^.hat the Queen would not insist upon such benefit and pri
vilege as she raight pretend to have by the dispensation of
Pope Julius, and would refuse to enter disputation of the
validity of the sarae. For so the King was inforraed she
would do, by sorae of her Council, and recur only to this
allegation, that, she was not known by Prince Arthur. Now
hence the case was, whether, if that should be proved true,
the bull would be invahd, by reason there is no mention in
the sarae de publica honesfafe; because the buU dispensed
only with any raanner of affinity, if her aUegation should be
true, naraely, nulla coltlo infercessif infer confrahentes, yet
being necessary to be dispensed with, argued the matrimony
unlawful in the King's account. The King desired the learn-'
ed men's judgraent herein, and to get a certificate raade, with
hands subscribed, to be sent to the Cardinal thereupon.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 163
The Cardinal made another doubt about the words of CHAP. xm.
the commission now sent from the Pope. Which were, that .

first the validity or invalidity of Julius's bull for the mar- ^°''° ' ^^^¦
riage of the King and Queen should be pronounced or de-narsscmpje
clared. Then the matrimony should be decreed to be legi- concerning
.,,.. iiiii 1 n,. thecommis-
timate or illegitimate. And. lastly, that the sentence of di- sion sent.
vorce should be given. The learned men in England did
not sufficiently resolve hereupon : that is, whether the Car
dinal raight not by order of law vary from this prescript of
the commission, and were bound to give three several sen
tences in these three cases, or only one sentence, of the nul
lity of the matriraony, would suffice. By which, sentence
is tacitly given of the two former. The Cardinal desired
Gardiner, that he would take the judgment of some learned
men there in this case. And in these raatters he desired
him to come home fully instructed for the Cardinal's sake,
in determining the better this cause ; wherein, he said, de
pended fhe wealth or ruin qf this realm, fhe conservation qf
his honour, or else his Immortal Ignominy and slander, fhe
damnation qfhis soul, or his everlasting merit. Therefore
he would proceed according to due order of justice, and
ground his conscience upon a perfect and infallible rule of The Cardi-
equity, that before God he raight account hiraself discharg- entiousness.
ed, nor to have done any thing reclamanfe conscientia.
Another thing therefore put to Gardiner at this tirae to 107
inquire into was, because the King knew nothing at all of pother
the obtaining of the buU for the first marriage, as both the be made by
King and Bishop of Winchester told the Cardinal, he bade Ciardiner.
hira secretly to inquire of the Cardinal of Ancona, or some
other, whether this ground was so justifiable as the Cardinal
might build his conscience thereupon without grudge or
scruple hereafter.
To the King and Cardinal at Greenwich were called A case of
Tuke, Wolman, BeU, and Fox, to consult about the afore- „£ the Car-
said matter. Then Wolraan made a question, whereof the dinars.
King and Cardinal thought convenient to have Gardiner
get resolved there. It was this, how to satisfy the Cardi
nal's conscience in the managing of this business, when, ac-
M 2

164 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, cording to the coraraission, all recusation and appeUation is
¦^^ taken away ; and yet, in the sarae coraraission, he is to do as

Anno 1523. the ratio jurls shall persuade his raind and conscience.
Which raflo juris alloweth of appeal. And that therefore
it seeraed that the Queen raight at any time recuse, and ap
peal frora whatsoever decree or sentence she wiU : and so
protract and defer the decision of the raatter, and thereby
frustrate the King's expectations. In the resolution of this
raatter it was vmi to Gardiner, that he raight boldly write
and say according to his learning, and the learning of other
lawyers. And that because the King was of perfect mind
and inclination to do nothing in this raatter contrary to the
accustoraed raanner and just process of the law. And be
ing fully persuaded, that the Queen having and using the
benefit of appellation, or other reraedy, shall rauch advance
and confer to the honour and surety of his case. To which
teraper and good conformity to justice, the Cardinal gave
out himself to have brought the King.
The Cardi. And He made this protestation to the King, before Tuke
testation in and the other three above raentioned, " That though he was
the King's a J^g much bouud to the King as any subject could be to his
cause. . !^ J J
" prince ; and by reason thereof he was of so perfect de-
" votion, faith, and loyalty towards his Majesty, that he
" could gladly spend goods, blood, and life in his just
" causes ; yet because he was raore obliged to God, and
" that he was sure he should render an account of his works
" before hira, he would in this raatter rather suffer his high
" indigiiation, yea, and have his body torn in pieces, than
" he would do any thing in this case otherwise than justice
" required. Nor that his Majesty should look after any
" other favour to be rainistered unto him in this case, than
" the justness of the cause would bear. But if the buU
" were sufficient, he would so pronounce it ; and rather the
" most extreme things, than do against his conscience."

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.

CHAP. XIV. 108
The King begins to be offended with the Pope. His sharp
speech against him. Cardinal Campegius comes info
England from fhe Pope. The CardinaVs colleges.
XT was mentioned before, that Gardiner was going to Rome Anno is28.
to Cardinal Carapegius, who was the other Legate joined in?'''': ^'°^.
commission with Cardinal Wolsey, to be judges of the highly of-
King's cause. But when Gardiner had talked with hira, he[^"'^p^ "'*
found him as the other Cardinals before raentioned, very
backward to enter hiraself in this business ; pretending great
difficulties, and contriving delays. So that there was great
uncertainty of that Cardinal's favour and inclination to fur
ther the King's purpose, and of his coming hither. This
when Gardiner had wrote into England, the King and
the Cardinal were exceedingly disturbed at it: and their
hopes were almost extinct of a sudden expedition and des
patch of this cause. And they began to conceive very ill
opinions of that Court of Rome : reckoning theraselves de
luded by them, and that the Pope did on purpose defer and
protract the coming of this Cardinal, to the intent it might
be known which army, the French or Imperial, would be
conqueror, before any thing were done or attempted in this
case. And the King now began to decline from the Pope's part. The King's
as frora a raost ungrateful and unworthy raan. And where- spe^hes
as the Pope had desired Gardiner to intercede with tho'against the
. . . Pope.
Kmg for his present aid upon the Alraayns fresh breaking
into Italy, the King said openly, " ShaU we further employ
" our study and travaU, wit or counsel ? shaU we spend our
" treasure to the impoverishing ourselves, our realm and
" subjects ? shall we yet entertain battle and hostility with
" our friends for his sake : which neither considering our
" private honour, our tranquillity of conscience, nor the
" public weal and quiet of our realm ; nor yet our manifold
" benefits done heretofore to him : and have desired only
" of him to minister unto us such part of his spiritual grace
M 3

166 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
*^HAP. " and favour, such advice and counsel, as he, being the
" coraraon father, and having care of aU Christian raen

Anno 1528. {£ coraraitted unto hira, is bound of justice to exhibit even
" to an eneray ? First, by crafty means, and under the face
" and visage of entire amity, he caused his learned men
" there to pretend ignorance and doubt in the justness of
" our cause, without determining what the law would have
" therein, or giving any counsel, by what means we might
" discharge our conscience, and corae to such an end as
" raight stand with our honour : and remitting the sarae to
" be discussed and resolved here, as though he would have
" said. It is nothing to rae, whether the King perish, and
" all his kingdom with him : Take ye him, and judge him
" according to your law. And hath denied utterly to grant
" the coraraission decretal, or any other thing that might
" conduce to the furtherance and expedition of the cause.
" And, after raarvellous iraportune suit and instance, would
" only give out such a commission as he raight revoke
" again, and inhibit at his pleasure : leaving in the same
109 " such reraedies of appellation and other delays to the ad-
" versary, as though he seeraed nothing less to intend, but
" to involve and cast us so in the briers and fetters, that we
" should hang always under his yoke and bondage; and
" not to be delivered thereof, but at his good will and plea-
" sure.. And now finally, whereas Cardinal Campegius was
" of good zeal and towardness to accomplish all our desires
" and purposes, as could be by us desired, he would not
" suffer hira to execute that coraraission which he had di-
" rected unto hira ; but by iraagined and contrived excuses,
" rather deferred and delayed his coraing, than did any
" thing which raight be to the acceleration thereof." Such
words, and the like, did now begin to be freely spoken.
Which Fox An account of these speeches did Fox write to Gardiner.
Gardiner. Whora he told raoreover, that the King and Cardinal began
to impute sorae raiscarriage unto hira, as though he used
not that dihgence that he ought to have done. And that
therefore, notwithstanding the suit of his friends for his
coraing home, the King and Cardinal resolved, that he

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 167
should tarry to accompany Campegius, untU he were on this CHAP.
side the mountains. And if he never came, neither should .

Gardiner ever return. And so Fox exhorted hira earnestly Anno 1528.
to solicit the commission decretal, and the speedy coraing
of Campegius : or, in default of him, to cause the sarae pro
vince to be coramitted unto the Cardinal of Ancona. And
here ray MS. hath an end. The continuance of this his
tory, in short, may be had in our printed books of history.
Whence we may learn, that it was not before June the Sth
that another commission was signed by P. Clement at Viter-
bium, to determine the King's business without appeal.
Which commission is set down by the Lord Herbert, which Hist, of
he transcribed out of an authentic record, then in the pos-^y^ p. agj.
session of Sir Henry Spelman. And in October foUowing ^'*''- '^^*-
Cardinal Campegius carae into England, and not before.
And it was six months longer, by studied delays, before the
two Cardinals sat upon the King's cause. Now because
the letters, out of which I have extracted this foregoing re
lation, have raany more particulars than I have set down ;
and containing much of the policies and intrigues of that
Court of Rorae ; and divers other reraarks a curious ob
server raay espy in them ; I have transferred some of them
into the Appendix. • N». xxiii.
• —XXVI.
And there is araong our records concerning this cause,
and the embassies and proceedings therein, a great number
of instruraents ; as letters, bulls, dispensations, appellations,
sentences definitive, reasons, revocations, &c. which were
formerly, and, I doubt not, still remaining in the Exche
quer, and in the custody of those that belonged to it. An
exact note whereof I give the reader in the Appendix, fol- Numb.
lowing next after those papers above mentioned. These
are fifty-seven in nuraber : besides a bundle of other letters,
cyphers, &c.
Before I conclude the narration of this embassy, I must J^^_ canon-
briefly mention a few other matters, which these Ambassa- King Hen-
dors had in commission to transact and despatch with the 'y ^^ •
Pope, both from the King and Cardinal. One was for the
canonization of King Henry VI. Which being moved by
M 4

168 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the Arabassadors, he told thera he was weU content to make
¦ . short process therein. But the matters relating to that King

Anno 1528. must, he said, be exarained there at his Court, and a number
^ ^" of. Cardinals thereat, with other cereraonies, which could not
be done in England. And that therefore, if the Bishop of
Canterbury, (Warhara,) and the Bishop of Winchester,
(Richard Fox,) who had exarained these matters, would
send the process thither, as the coraraission required, the
sentence of canonization should shortly pass there. So that
by these words it seeras to appear, that the Pope had for
merly sent a coraraission to those two Bishops, to examine
the merits and rairacles of that King. And that it was
Cardinal Wolsey's desire, that he and the other Cardinal,
that was to be sent over from the Pope as his Legate now
about the King's matter, should be furnished to despatch
that canonization.
First-fruits. Another business of the Arabassadors now was, to treat
with the Pope concerning taking away the burden of first-
fruits frora the Clergy of England. The first raoving there
of to the Pope happened seasonably upon the Pope's com
munication with them concerning the Bishops of England,
and the great age of some of them, and particularly Nor-
^vich, who then was about eighty years old. Of hira they
told the Pope, that he had raade a raotion to the King and
the Cardinal for the taking away these first-fruits in his di
ocese. Then the Pope asked, how and after what raanner
it raight be done. They answered, by redemption. And
then shewed him a device of the King and Cardinal's;
which he liked very well, and so did the Cardinals there
present. They acquainted the Pope also, that they had
express instructions to obtain a coraraission with sufficient
authority for the doing thereof His Holiness said, it were
a good deed, and he would gladly concur to the perfecting
thereof But what became further of this affair, I find not.
The Cardi- The Pope then feU into discourse with the Ambassadors
leges. about the Cardinal's coUeges, and told the Cardinals De
Monte and Sanctorum Quatuor, being at that tirae present,
what a raeritorious act the English Cardinal had begun in

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 169
that realm. He inquired of theArabassadors, how the building CHAP.
of that at Oxon proceeded, and what they thought it would .

cost before it were finished; of the nurabers of the scholars, Anno i528.
and common readers, and other particularities. Which
they then declared at large, to the great rejoice and pleasure
of his Holiness and the Cardinals. And in particular itTheAmbas-
1 1 1 ¦ 1 1 sadors' and
rejoiced the Pope, when they told him that Wolsey had Pope's dis-
taken order, that in letting the farms belonging to his col- ™n^grn;ag
lege, no man should have them but such as would dwell them.
upon them, and maintain hospitality. Of which the Pope said,
that the same was not only good and expedient, for exaraple
to be followed and observed of others, but also greatly rae
ritorious before God. And he justified and raaintained the
comrautation and alteration of those religious places, where
of only did arise the scandal of religion, as he spoke. For
the Cardinal, for the endowing of his college, had lately
obtained of the Pope a bull for the dissolving of divers mo
nasteries, wherein much vice and wickedness was harboured,
as he informed the Pope, to incline hira thereby the easier to
grant his request. Upon occasion of this comraunication,
the Arabassadors raixed such discourse as might serve to
facilitate somewhat more to be attained of that Court for
the said college : saying, that if his Holiness continued his
good mind toward the finishing and perfecting of that col- 111
lege, as he had towards the beginning and comraenceraent,
the Cardinal had so disposed aU things there, as it should
shortly be brought to the desired perfection : although the
sarae was to his Grace's inestiraable charge. Which should
be a perpetual raemory, as well for his Holiness as for his
Grace. The Pope then replied, that he would gladly do
all things that he might by his authority towards it.
The names of the religious houses which the Pope granted The monas-
his bull for the dissolving of, the revenues whereof to be laid sJiy^^ fH
to the Cardinal's college, may be seen in a volume of the^^"^_c;ardi-
Cotton library, together with the countries where they were lege at
situated, the founders and the values of thera. The Pope''™"'
granted his bull for the dissolution of two and twenty ; but
in that volume there be but twenty raentioned as actually

170 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, dissolved, as though two by intercessions raade, escaped, un-
^'^' less it were an oversight of the transcriber. The divers orders

Anno 1 528. professed in these dissolved houses are not set down in the
Cotton MS. but raay be supplied out of the Antiquities of
Page 246. Oxford, as the industrious author took thera out of the buU.
But besides these raonasteries, there was a vast nuraber of
parsonages irapropriated and converted to the use of the
said new college. Both which parsonages and raonasteries
Numb. may be found in the Appendix, as I took thera out of the
XXIX. ' aforesaid volume.
Others dis- Other conveuts also there were that now ceased, that the
h'ircoiiege Cleans thereof might serve for the subsistence of his college
at Ipswich, at Ipswich. And among the rest was the priory of Rome-
burgh, burgh in the diocese of Norwich, an appendant to the abbey
of York. On the Ilth of September, the Cardinal's officers
carae to this priory, and being fortified with letters commis-
sional frora the King, the Pope and the Cardinal read them
there, and forthwith entered and took possession ; and car
ried away the moveable goods, together with all the rauni-
raents and evidences belonging to the house. All this was
soon certified to Edraund, Abbot of York : who speedily
despatched his letters to the Cardinal, to rescue, if possible,
the priory from destruction. He shewed how Alien Niger,
Earl of Richmond, was co-founder of their house, whereof
Romeburgh was a raeraber : that araong the instruments
taken thence, raany belonged unto them, having lately sent
thera to that priory upon occasion of a suit with certain gen-
tleraen in Carabridgeshire, for sorae of their lands stiU de
pending. That their revenues were confirraed to them by
Pope Boniface IV. under censures and pains in case of alien
ation. Therefore the Abbot beseeched his Grace, that the
said priory might consist and abide as a raeraber of their
raonastery, as it had done for three hundred years. Whereby
he should free thera of many doubts and perils of losing their
lands. That the rents of the said priory were but little beU
ter than 30 Z. a year. And that he was entirely contented
to give unto his Grace 3O0 marks sterhng towards the erec
tion of his school and college, for his tendering the premises:

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 171
praying him most hurably to accept his poor raind towards CHAP.
his most noble act; yet, if it were his pleasure to have the.

priory, protesting to endeavour his accomplishing the same Anno 1528.
with his utmost study and diligence. But the letter at full
length I have reposited in the Appendix. N°. XXX.
This year the hall of York Place, the Cardinal's palace, 112
(now called Whitehall,) with other edifices, were now build- ^'^.^ Cardi-
_^ ... °al repairs
ing, the Cardinal intending most sumptuously and gor- York Place.
geously to repair and furnish the same. And in the mean
time he removed his lodgings to Durham Place.

CHAP. XV.

The CardinaVs declination and fall. Tyndal's Book qf
Obedience falls info Ms hand. The strange event there
qf. The Cardinal exceedingly dejected. Labours iy
Crumwel and Gardiner, his servants, to recover the
King's favour. Pardoned.
-t\.ND now as to the fall of this great Cardinal, there is Anno 1529.
none but knoweth the occasion thereof, naraely, his baffling sinns'of '''
the King, and declining at last to do that which before he Wolsey's
¦was too forward in, that he might please the Pope and
Court of Rome : which extremely ahenated the King's and
the Lady Anne's affections frora hira. For this raatter,
therefore, I leave the reader to consult other histories. Only
I shall lay before him a passage I have met with araong ray
papers, that raay deserve to be related, between the Cardi
nal and this lady, shewing an additional occasion of her dis
pleasure towards him, and a notable event-depending here
upon, that hastened the overthrow of abbeys, and forwarded
those beginnings of reforraation in religion that happened
under this King.
Upon the Lady Anne waited a young fair gentlewoman, Abookofthe
named Mrs. Gainsford ; and in her service was also retained ht''/^""^ '
' ^ taken away
Mr. George Zouch, father to Sir John Zouch. This gen- by the Dean
tleraan, of a comely sweet person, a Zouch indeed, was a ,

172 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, suitor in way of raarriage to the said young lady: and
¦ . araong other love-tricks, once he plucked from her a book

Anno 1529. in English, called Tyndal's Obedience, which the Lady
Anne had lent her to read. About which time the Cardinal
had given coraraandment to the Prelates, and especially to
Dr. Sampson, Dean of the King's chapel, that they should
have a vigilant eye over all people for such books, that they
carae not abroad ; that so, as rauch as raight be, they raight
not corae to the King's reading. But this which he most
Foxii MSS. feared fell out upon this occasion. " For Mr. Zouch," (I
use the words of the MS.) " was so ravished with the Spirit
" of God speaking now as well in the heart of the reader,
, " as first it did in the heart of the maker of the book, that
" he was never well but when he was reading of that book.
" Mrs. Gaynsford wept, because she could not get the book
" from her wooer, and he was as ready to weep to deliver
" it. But see the providence of God : Mr. Zouch standing
" in the chapel before Dr. Sampson, ever reading upon this
" book ; and the Dean never having his eye off the book in
" the gentleman's hand, called him to him, and then snatch-
" ed the book out of his hand, asked his narae, and whose
" raan he was. And the book he dehvered to the Cardinal.
" In the mean time the Lady Anne asketh her woman for
" the book. She on her knees told all the circurastances.
113" The Lady Anne shewed herself not sorry, nor angry with
" either of the two. But, said she, well, it shall be the
" dearest book that ever the Dean or Cardinal took away.
" The noble woraan goes to the King, and upon her knees
" she desireth the King's help for her book. Upon the
" King's token, the book was restored. And now bringing
" the book to hira, she besought his Grace raost tenderly
" to read it. The King did so, and delighted in the book.
" For, saith he, this book is for me and all kings to read.
" And in a Httle tirae the King, by the help of this virtuous
" Lady, by the means aforesaid, had his eyes opened to the
" truth, to search the truth, to advance God's reHgion and
" glory, to abhor the Pope's doctrine, his lies, his pomp and
" pride, to deliver his subjects out of the Egyptian dark-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 173
ness, the Babylonian bonds, that the Pope had brought CHAP.
him and his subjects under. And so contemning the.

" threats of all the world, the power of princes, rebeUions Anno 1529.
" of his subjects at home, and the raging of so raany and
" mighty potentates abroad ; set forward a reformation in
" religion, beginning with the triple crowned head at first,
" and so came down to the merabers. Bishops, Abbots,
" Priors, and such like."
The very having this book, entitled. The Obedience qfTminVs
a Christen Man, was enough to make a raan a heretic, and obedience*
reading of it a dangerous article against any in these days, of aChristen
Man The
But no wonder the King took a liking to it. For in it there King Ukes
is an exposition of the xiiith chapter to the Roraans. Where'*'
upon those words, for he is fhe minister qf God for thy
wealth, he thus descants ; " To defend thee from a thousand
" inconveniences ; from thieves, raurderers, and them that
" would defile thy wife, thy daughter, and take frora thee
" all that thou hast ; yea, life and all, if thou didst resist.
" Furtherraore, though he be the greatest tyrant in theworld,
" yet is he unto thee a great benefit of God, and a thing
" wherefore thou oughtest to thank God highly. For it
" is better to have soraewhat, than to be clean stript of all
" together. It is better to pay the tenth, than to lose aU.
" It is better to suffer one tyrant than raany. Yea, and it
" is better to have a tyrant unto thy king than a shadow, a
" passive king ; that doth nought himself, but suffer others
" to do with him what they wiU, and to lead hira whither
"^ they hst. For a tyrant, though he do no wrong unto the
" good, yet he punisheth the evil, and maketh all men
" obey : neither suffereth any man to rule, but himself only.
" A king that is soft as sUk, and effeminate, that is to say,
" turned into the nature of a woman, what with his own
" lusts, which are as the longing of a- woraan with child, so
" he cannot resist them ; and what with the wily tyranny
" of thera that ever rule hira, shall be much raore grievous
" to the realra than a right tyrant. Read the Chronicles,
" and thou shalt find it ever so."

174 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. And thus, at length, we have seen the Cardinal in his
. closet, and in the public station, governing the English af-

Annoi529.fairs, giving his instructions to arabassadors, and transact-
nars de- " ^^S uiattcrs between his King and other great Princes and
dination. States in the world. Which he did with a great fineness, as
weU as dUigence ; and with a courtly obligingness, though
not without a raixture of stateliness. We have seen hira do
mineering in his courts, flourishing in his buildings, and
114 managing the King's matter with the Pope. Let rae now
shew him in another, and that a quite different scene;
namely, in his declination at Court, lying under the King's
frown. And it is strange to observe, what an alteration
The great that vicissitude of fortune raade upon hira. It abjected his
had upon Spirit to that degree, that he fell dangerously sick : such an
his body influence the troubles and sorrows of his raind had upon his
body. As soon as the King, had demanded the Great Seal
from him by the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and by a letter
from himself, he coramanded hira to leave York Place, his
ordinary dwelling, now called Whitehall; and ordered him
to confine hiraself to his house at Asher, a country seat near
Harapton Court, belonging to the bishopric of Winchester,
tUl the King's further pleasure was known. Here he abode
frora the middle of October, 1529, till the middle of Fe
bruary following ; when he desired for his health to remove
Notwith- to Richmond. And it is remarkable in this eclipse of the
theVhil's King's favour towards the Cardinal, he intermixed divers
kind mes- tokens of His Itinduess to him, signifying at least that he in-
him. tended not his ruin. For he sent him a protection, and
left him his two bishoprics, naraely, of York and Winches
ter; sent hira a ring, which had been a token between
thera when any especial business was recoraraended: and
not long after that, sent him another Turquoise ring, as a
token of his care and affection. And after, when in the
month of December, this year, the House of Lords had
drawn up four and forty articles against him, and being
sent down to the Lower House, by his servant Thomas
Crumwel's defence of hira in that House, no treason could

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 175
be laid to his charge from any of them. Add to all, the C HA P.
many gracious messages sent him by the King. Yet his.

grief and fear had so overwhelmed him, that he feU, not only Anno 1529.
into a raost deep pensiveness and raelancholy, but into a
pining sickness.
In the raean time, he eraployed those few friends he had His two
to intercede with the King, and to raake as good a conclu- "^ - '
sion of his troubles as he could. He had two that stuck
close to hira, viz. the aforesaid Thomas CrUrrf^'el, and Dr.
Stephen Gardiner, Secretary of State. This latter he plied
with his letters ; the bearer whereof was Crumwel, whom
he called his trusty friend. After he had got free of the
articles drawn up against him in Parliament by the means of
Crumwel, as was mentioned before, the King appointed to
corae to sorae consideration of the Cardinal's business, and
to determine what was to be done concerning him. This
Secretary Gardiner signified to him in writing, and likewise
the tirae when he supposed it might be, namely, within a
week, or thereabouts : and likewise told him, that he would
not fail to write to him the particulars. The Cardinal, im- impatient
patient to know the issue, and not thinking the Secretary King-s^de-
swift enough in his inforraation, above a week being now *'=™"°ation
past, could take no rest till he had heard from hira the sum him.
of what had passed concerning him. And therefore in a
letter sent by Crumwel, most earnestly begs the Secretary, ^lie mean-
, -^ » . . ,11,. ,. ;" ness of his
m rauch raeanness 01 spirit, " as he tendered his poor lite, spirit.
" and at the reverence of God and that holy tirae [of Christ-
" mas,] he would send him his letter : appealing also to his
" pity, knowing in what an agony he was ; and that he would
" not only deserve towards God, but bind him thereby to
" be his continual beadsman :" and so ended, " Frora Asher.
" Written (those are his words) with his rude hand and 1 15
" sorrowful heart. Subscribing hiraself, T. Car^'^ Ebor.
" miserrimus. The most miserable Thomas, Cardinal qf
" York.'''' This was written in Christmas holydays. Soon
after, Crumwel returned from the Secretary with this mes
sage to the Cardinal : " That the King, moved with pity of Tiie King's
" the Cardinal, and cominiserating his lamentable condition, resolutions

176 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " [pressed with extreme poverty, as well as sickness of body
" and mind,] had coraraitted the ending of his troubles to

Anno 1529. " the Secretary, and sorae other of the Privy Council ; and
him,""'°^ " ^^^^ ^° be done with all the haste that might be. And
brought " that he should have a pardon drawn up in the most full
Crumwel. " ^.ud ample form that his own counsel could devise."
His letter Upou this message he soon despatched a letter to the Se
cretary cretary, importing, that this favourable order of the King
hereupon, be was the raore sensible of, and thankful for, " because it
" proceeded frora hiraself, out of a gracious reraerabrance
" of hira : for which he accounted hiraself raost bounden to
" serve and pray for the preservation of his raost royal
" Majesty : thanking God, that he, the Secretary, had occa-
" sion given him to be a solicitor and setter forth of such
" things as should conserve his end. That in the making
" and corapounding whereof, his assured trust was, that he
" would shew the love and affection which he bore towards
" him. He earnestly entreated hira, to whom he, the Car-
" dinal, had been an old lover and friend, that he would so
" declare hiraself in the managing of his business, that the
world raight perceive, that by his good raeans the King
was the better good lord unto him ; and that, now coming
" newly in a raanner into the world, there raight such re-
" spect be had unto his degree, old age, and long service, as
" raight be to the King's honour and the Secretary's praise;
" which would, as he said, undoubtedly follow, if he ob-
" tained his benevolence towards hira. And men would
*' perceive, that it was by his wisdom and dexterity that he
" was relieved, and holpen in his calamity. At the reverence
" therefore of God, he prayed him, that was his refuge, to
" set to his hand, that he might corae to a laudable end and
" repose. And that he would see, that he raight be fur-
" nished after such a sort, that he raight end his short time
" and Hfe to the honour of Christ's Church and his Prince.
" Promising withal to requite his kindness in such a man-
" ner as he should have cause to think his pains to be
" well eraployed. And so referring hira to his trusty friend
" [Crurawel] for the rest, to whora he desired him to give

a

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 177
" firm credence, he concluded, Af Asher, with the trem- CHAP.
" illng hand and heavy heart qf his assured lover and  '. —
" ieadsmanr '^"°° i^^"-
His style is all poor and servile, and so different from his Strangely
former way of writing, that it is a wonder that any outward andlow-
accident should make such an alteration in one and the same spirited m
his calami-
man. He sneaked too much beneath hiraself to the Secre- ty.
tary, that had been but his servant and creature, styling his
favouring of his business at Court, his ienevolence and his
goodness towards hira ; calling hira his own good Master
Secretary and refuge ; telling him, that he would pray for
the increase of his honour : flattering him, that what he did
for him would redound to his praise and laud, and that men
would perceive his wisdom and dexterity by his relieving of
hira : begging him at fhe reverence qf God to write to him,
and to send him his consolatory letters : and that he should 1 16
thereby bind him to be his continual beadsman. By these
and other passages in these his letters, it appears that he had
no ballast of religion nor phUosophy, no, nor human courage,
to bear up himself under afflictions ; but still meanly aggra
vating his own hard condition, complaining of a great al
teration and indisposition qf his head and body, by means
qf his daily sorrow and heaviness, and of the lamentable
state and condition he stood in : and subscribing his letters,
with the rude hand and heavy heart ; and, with fhe frem-
iling hand and sorrowful heart. As may be seen in both
his letters, which I have transcribed from the originals, and n». XXXI.
reposited in the Appendix : with two others, which I have ^JJh
made use of in what I am proceeding with. xxxiv.
Soon after,. wi^. Feb. 12, the King sealed his pardon, and Pardoned,
three days after restored him the archbishopric of York, ed to York.
and sent him raoney, plate, and furniture for his house and
chapel. Which favours pretty well recovered the Cardinal,
whUe he remained still at Asher ; and by the King's leave
removed thence to Richmond. But his enemies now thought
him too near the Court : so they prevailed to get him re
moved to his diocese of York. In the month of September,
anno 1530, he came to Cawood castle, near York : so the
VOL. I. N

178 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Lord Herbert. But before he carae hither, I find him, in
¦ . the raonths of July and August, at Southwel, a raanor of

Anno 1530. the Archbishop's ; where he raade sorae stay. Here the
His inter- Cardinal recoraraended unto the Secretary one who had the
the Provost titie of Provost of Beverly, the governor of a religious house
Beverly. situate in his diocese. His state, it seems, was in sorae hazard.
Whereupon the Cardinal, espousing his cause, and probably
to make hiraself popular upon his first coraing into his dio
cese, desired the Secretary, that he would use his interest
for hira to the King, and bring him into his presence. This
the Secretary did accordingly, receiving the Provost as com
ing from the Cardinal, humanly and lovingly, and address
ing hira into the King's Highness' presence. Whom the King
received, and shewed hira, that he was his good and gracious
Lord, and adraitted and accepted him as his orator and
scholar. For this the Cardinal, from Southwel, thanks him
much, entreating hira to continue his good favour towards
the said Provost, and to take him into- his patronage and
protection.
Sues to the The Cardinal now found a great change in his revenues
be a means ^^^ incomes, sinking very low, in coraparison of what they
to theKing bad been. So that he laboured under want. This made
to r6li6VG
his poverty, him Write, in the month of July, to his friend the Secretary,
to take the opportunity to excite the King- to some Hberahty
towards him. " That he would remember the poor state
" and condition he stood in, and to be a raeans to the King's
" Highness for his relief. Whereby he would not only, as
" he said, deserve thanks of God, but also declare, to his
" perpetual laud and praise, that he, being in authority, had
" not forgotten his old raaster and friend." And indeed he
He is sued had reason to solicit in this behalf. For there were many
that now carae upon hira for debt; sorae just, and some, it
raay be, not so: coraraencing suits against hira. So that
this once raost great and wealthy Prelate became now fuU
Particularly of care to be in a condition to support hhnself. Among
hy one i, i i
strangwish, the Tcst, there was one Strangwish, his servant, commenced
his servant. ^ gyj^. against him for seven hundred pounds, which he pre-
' tended the Cardinal owed him for the ward qfi&wes. What

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 179
that was, I leave to conjecture: ahd who this Strangwish CHAP.
was is uncertain : it raay be the sarae Stranguidge, though ' 
somewhat differently writ, that was administrator to Ruthal, A""" i^^"-
his predecessor in the diocese of Durham ; who, dying be
fore he had finished the goodly dining chamber at Aukland,
left the care thereof to this Stranguidge. At the first com
ing of Strangwish into the Cardinal's service, by consent of
both parties, an end was made of this matter, as the Car
dinal wrote the Secretary. Probably Strangwish was willing
to forgive the debt, that he might be admitted into his ser
vice, reckoning that the place raight be so gainful as fully
to recompense the debt. But he, whether upon sorae dis
gust, or injury formerly offered to him by the Cardinal, but
to be sure, taking the opportunity of his calamity, and being
destitute of friends, now deraanded that raoney ; and not
only so, but acquainted the King with it : complaining unto
him, and surmising, that he had, contrary to justice, detained
seven hundred pounds from hira : whereby he had gotten
the King's letters to the Cardinal to pay the debt. The
Cardinal, partly fearing the least raatter might rouse the
King's displeasure again, and partly to be rid of this man's
clamours, writ to his trusty friend Crumwel, to make some
reasonable offers to hira, notwithstanding his great necessity
and poverty, as he added; ordering him also to acquaint
the Secretary with such things as might be said on his part ;
desiring the Secretary, that he would, by his dexterity, make
some good end between them, as should accord with good
congruence, and as he might be able to bear, his other debts
and charges considered. This to the Secretary was from
Southwel, August 25.
But the great affair, which above all he desired to be so- chiefly con-
licited at Court by the Secretary, was his colleges. Which (jj^ colleges.
ran much in his mind, fearing, if not their utter ruin, yet
the diminishing their revenue. The Lord Herbert writes, History of
that the revenue of these his colleges were torn and divided, ^""^^
which grieved him more than any other affliction. And
that he wrote to the King most instantly in their behalf.
" And indeed, as Bishop Godwin saith of him, that it of Bishops.
N 2

180 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « -(vas great pity he finished them not. And that had they
^^' . " been perfected, he thought they would have been two of

Anno 1530. « jjjg goodliest mouuraeuts of the world. And that it was
" a wonder, that any one private man should take two such
" pieces of work in hand at one time, whereof any one raight
" seera a great matter for a Prince to finish, had not his re-
" ceipts been infinite. And withal teUing us, that he ob-
" tained of the Pope a licence for dissolving forty small
" raonasteries : the spoil whereof chiefly furnished him for
" the building of those houses."
Dr. Gardiner, the Secretary, and Thoraas Crurawel,
(when his servants,) were both greatly instruraental to him,
in aiding and counselling hira in these great works. And
this he now raade use of, while he hiraself was under a cloud,
and his own interest too little to secure thera from ruin, as
an arguraent to excite thera both to use their utraost en-
His earnest deavour to preserve thera. He prayed the Secretary, " in
to^heVe-" " the way of charity, and for the love he bore to virtue, and
cretary in « q^ bona studia, to be raeans to the King's Highness for
" his poor colleges, and especially for the college of Oxford.
118"' That he would not suffer the thing, which by his great
" learning, study, counsel, and travaU, had been erected,
" founded, and with good statutes and ordinances, to the ho-
" nour of God, increase of virtue and learning, established,
" to be dissolved or disraembered. That he knew, no raan
" better, to what use the raonasteries suppressed by the
" Pope's licence, the King's consent concurring with the
" sarae, and a pardon for the premunire, were converted."
This probably he urged, because that raight have been a
great arguraent used by his eneraies, why the King should
take the colleges and their revenues into his own hand, see
ing they, consisting of the spoil of those monasteries, did
more properly belong to the King than to any body else.
Whereupon he added, " that it was not to be doubted, but
" the King's Highness, of his high virtue and equity, being
" informed how every thing was past, and his licence and
" consent obtained likewise, would never go about to dis-
" solve the said corporations : whereof so great benefit and

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 181
"commodity should ensue unto his realm and subjects." CHAP.
And that he might the better secure the whole, he seeraed.

willing to have thera pared and stripped of sorae things be- Anno 1530.
longing to thera. For so he proceeded: " Superfluities,
" if any such should be thought and found, may be rese-
" cate : but to destroy the whole, it were great pity. And
" so concluded : beseeching hira to be good raaster and pa-
" tron to the said colleges, ef non sinas opus manuum tua-
" rum perire, auf ad nihllum redigi.'''' And he iraportuned
Crumwel in the same words, telling hira, that these colleges
were in a raanner opera manuum fuarum, as the Lord Life of
Herbert writes. So that, though his college at Ipswich was
utterly lost, yet the present flourishing state of that at Oxon The conti-
is owing to the great pains that both Gardiner and Crura- ^^l^^i°„^
wel took to incline the King to continue it. Though they at Oxon,
seemed , to raake use of one stratagem, that they knew was Gardiner
apter to succeed with the King than any of those arguments ^"'J Crum-
suggested by the Cardinal; and that was, the advice of
founding it anew in his own name, and so he might have
the glory of being called its Founder.
But because the raeraory of his school at Ipswich is al- The school
raost utterly vanished with its ruins, I wUl here put in a * ^^^'^
word or two concerning it, that the Cardinal raay not be
deprived of his due praise for so coraraendable a foundation.
His great intent in this work, though not without some raix
ture of glory, seeras to have been the good of his native
country and city, and to stand an eternal testiraonial of his
piety and love thereunto. He professed he should think
hiraself well rewarded, if he raight herein prove an instru
ment of adorning the minds of his countryraen. He con
stituted two raasters over this school, and divided it into
eight distinct classes ; taking pattern, I suppose, frora Dean
Colet's school by St. Paul's. To these masters he pro
pounded a raethod of teaching, which they were to follow,
in a book of his own drawing up. Therein directing them
what books were to be read in each classis, or form, and by
what particular ways and means they should govern them
selves in the instruction of the youth. This, with an epistle
n3

182 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, wrote unto them by himself in the year 1528, I have pre-
^^- served in the Appendix. And the rather, it being the only
Anno 1530. public piece of this faraous raan, as far as I know. You have
N». xxxv. ij^ as I transcribed it out of an old grararaar, printed at Ant-
119 werp, 1537, entitled, Rudimenta Grammatices, et docendl
Methodus, non tam Schola Gypsuychlance, per Reverendis-
simum D. Thomam Cardlnalem Ebor. felicifer Insflfutce,
quam omnibus aliis tofius Anglia Scholls prcescripta.

Elated in
prosperity,

CHAP. XVL
Some observations upon the Cardinal.
Observa- IVlY observations upon this great Cardinal shall not be
tions upon ,
him. raany. It hath been coraraonly^and truly observed of him,
as to his teraper and disposition, that he was of a very elated
and haughty mind in his prosperity; and most servilely
low and raean when he fell under his Prince's displeasure.
Which indeed raay appear to be true, by reflecting upon
this little that hath been here collected together concerning
him. It may not be improper to raention one notable in
stance of his aspiring spirit, which made the fourth article
Joins him- of his indictment. It was, that he should use this style,
King. Ego ef Rex, I and the King. This, though I do not find
in any of his letters and instructions that have corae to my
hand ; yet I see it a very usual expression with 4iira to say,
The King and I ; always joining himself with the King, as
though he were equal with him, or came very near to an
equality. So in his letter to Pace, Arabassador in Italy, he
writ, " I have received divers letters to the King's Highness
" and me directed. And, in your said letters you have full
" discreetly advertised the King's Highness and me oi the
" occurrents. — For which dihgence the King's Grace giv-
" eth unto you hearty thanks, like as I do.'''' Bidding him,
" with dihgence from time to tirae advertise hira with the
" occurrents and successes, as the King's and my special
" trust is in you." So in his despatch to Dr. Knight, Am-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 183
bassador with the Lady Margaret, " The King's Grace and CHAP.
" /, for the singular affection we bear to the Lady Marga-.

"ret," &c. And to Dr. Tayler, Ambassador with the Anno isso.
French King, " You singularly please and content the
" King's Grace and me.'''' And again, " The King''s High-
" ness and I take great consolation to hear of the good suc-
" cess of the French King's affairs." And, which further
argued his excessive haughty mind, he was addressed to Was ad-
with the titie of Celsitudo, Your Highness ; a style due only ^y the title
to kings and princes. In this phrase Erasmus used in his "'' ^"""^
Highness.
letters to accost hira. Which I find him indeed also ^ving
to two other Cardinals ; but they were also Princes, viz. the
Cardinals of Lorain and of Toledo. Though afterwards
this style became more common, and was given to Arch
bishops by their flatterers.
But especially his aspiring raind appeared in his ambi- His aspir-
tion to be Pope; which, as his ultimate end, all his de- popedom.
signs and transactions aimed at. And this was, in effect, to
make himself above all earthly kings and emperors. And
by the measures he put his master the King upon taking
in favour of the Emperor, he thought he had gained hira
to further this his ambition, as he was sure of the King.
And indeed the Emperor, whether in shew or in reality, 1 20
had often exhorted him to do his endeavour for the pope
dom, as occasion should serve : and so did the Lady Mar
garet too. As there is a letter extant to Stephen Gardiner, Fox's Mar-
the King's Ambassador at Rome, to laboui- to make him an *[y" " ' '
interest for the popedom upon the sickness of Pope Cle
ment; so before, upon the vacation by the death of P.
Adrian, I have seen in Bene't college a library another let
ter of his to the King's Ambassadors to the same intent.
Wherein may be seen, as well the fineness of his wit, as his
earnest diligence to compass that preferment. Therein he
directed the Ambassadors how to deal with the Cardinal
" It is extant, as I find, in the Collection of Records to the History of tbe Ke-
fdrmation, part ii. book 1. numb. 48. Otherwise I should have placed it in the
Appendix, as I transcribed it out of the original MS. in the library in Bene't
college ohamher.
N 4

184 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H AP. De Medices, one of the greatest interest among the Cardi
nals, and who sought the papacy, and had it ; and how with

Anno 1S30. the Other Cardinals : and how to time their deUvery of the
King's letters, which Wolsey had procured, both to the
coUege of Cardinals, and to divers of thera distinctly. That
they should raoreover signify at large to thera his abUities
for this dignity, having great experiences in the causes of
Christendora : that he had the entire favour of the Empe
ror and the King: his knowledge and deep acquaintance
with other princes: the studious raind he ever bore to
Italy, and to the quiet of Christendora : that he lacked
neither substance nor liberality to look largely upon his
friends : and the sundry great proraotions that by his elec
tion would be vacant, and that he should have in his hand
to bestow upon such Cardinals as stuck to him : that they
should find in him a loving familiarity ; and that of his na
ture he was not ungrateful, nor disposed to rigour : that he
had not any faction, or kin, or famUy, to shew any par
tiality to, in bestowing the goods and proraotions of the
Church : that by his preferraent, all differences among
Christian Princes would be in such a fair way of composi
tion, that they raight be at leisure to undertake one of the
greatest and raost notable expeditions against the Turk.
He ordered the Arabassadors also in the King's narae, that
they should not spare his authority nor his money. He
sent also two comraissions, which he had procured from the
King, under the broad seal. The one was couched in gene
ral words, without making raention of any person: the
other raade raention of Cardinal Wolsey by name. By this
latter they had ample authority to bind and promise, on
the King's behalf, as well promotions, as large sums of mo
ney, to such as they should think convenient. But not
withstanding aU his endeavours, and the gaining of some
Cardinals, De Medices was made Pope.
His habit And lastly, that outward appearance that he delighted to
nare^costiy- ^^^^ himself to the world in, bespake the intolerable lofti
ness and vanity of his raind. For beside all the state and
magnificence of his house and officers, which is related at

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 185
large by Cavendish, his habit was raost gorgeous. It was CHAP.
great ; that his upper vesture was all of scarlet, or else of ^^'"
fine crimson taffeta or crimson satin ingrained; that he Anno 1 530.
wore red gloves, as well as a red hat ; but greater still, that
he wore shoes of silver and gilt, set with pearls and pre
cious stones : having two crosses of silver, and two poll-axes, 121
and piUars of silver and gUt, and golden cushions carried
before him. Which, however the Cardinal prided himself
in, the people, it seems, had never the better opinion of hira
for. For I find one Richard Bayfield, (afterwards a raar-
tyr,) about the year 1527, using these words to one Peerson,
a Priest : " My Lord Cardinal is no perfect nor good raan ;
" for Christ never taught him to follow riches, nor to seek
" for promotion ; Christ never taught him to wear shoes of
" sUver and gilt," &c. And Dr. Barnes took the confidence, fq^,
once publicly at Cambridge, to preach against all this vain-P- '*'^^-
glory. Which coraing to the Cardinal's ears, he was pro
raoted up to Westrainster before him. Where the Cardinal The Cardi-
himself vouchsafed to talk with hira, justifying all this his ment foniis
grandeur: asking hira, whether he thought it not neces- grandeur.
sary, that he should have all that royalty, representing the
King's Majesty's person in all his high courts of the realra,
to the terror and keeping down of all rebeUions and traitors,
and all wicked and corrupt raerabers of the comraonwealth :
or whether it were more convenient to be as siraple as he
would have him, and to sell aU the aforesaid things, and
give them to the poor, that wiU soon piss them out
against the wall .'' But Barnes freely told him again, that Dr. Barnes's
he thought it necessary to have them sold, and given to the ^ ^^'
poor : and that that glory was not comely for his calling,
I nor that the King's Majesty was maintained by his porap
and plays, but by God : who saith. By me kings reign.
If one should now look upon hira in his adverse fortune. Excessively
there never was a raan of a poorer and raore pusillaniraous je^^'j ^_
mind; so disturbed and discomposed, so crouching and fortunes.
meanly subraissive to those that had been before his ser
vants : as appears by his letters, which he wrote while he
was in his misfortunes, in the years 1529 and 1530. In

186 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, which I do not raeet with one word savouring of a sense
^^^- of God or religion; either acknowledging God's justice in
Anno 1530. the afflictions that befell hira, or that his sins had deserved
thera ; or coraforting hiraself in the reflection upon his own
integrity, or his past services to God or his Church ; or be
seeching God to endue hira with a Christian patience and
resignation unto his will : or appealing to his faithful dis
charge of those raany weighty offices and trusts coramitted
to him, or any such like expressions, that raight have shewn
hira to have had sorae good thoughts in his raind. But all
that we have of him in his last letters is, that we see him
effeminately whining, and complaining of growing sick un
der the burden of his sorrows, creeping to those that had
been his creatures, excessively and indecently joyful upon a
glimpse of the King's favour. And in fine, his end was, as
it is well known, that he was so overcome with grief for the
loss of his secular glory and wealth, that it brake his heart.
So that we may conclude hira a mere worldly man, who
had little else of religion but the office and title.
Courteous, We cannot orait to observe this courtly, (shall I call it ?)
ous to" '" ^^ good quality in hira ; that he was courteous, and did
ohiige. seera to study to obhsre. Erasmus therefore commended
Ed so. Jo
1. xxix. facllltafem et ionltatem, &c. i. e. " his gentle, kind, and
" obliging behaviour ; and that his manners did not savour
" of his fortunes ; and that raen loved not less the goodness
" of his nature, than adraired the greatness of his prosper-
122 "ity." And this quality he would shew particularly, by
Apt to pro- commendation of raen's dUigence in his or the King's busi-
wards. ' ness, and by promising thera rewards ; bearing them up
likewise in the same dUigence and dependance upon him.
His words by holding them in expectation of favours. After this
lor ¦ '' obhging raanner he wrote to Dr. Taylor, the King's Am
bassador, viz. " that he was right glad, that he did so dis-
" erectly and substantially conduct and use hiraself in all
" his proceedings ; and that the King and he took good
" notice thereof, and that it would no doubt turn to his
" weal and furtherance hereafter." And so used he was to
this style of raaking proraises, that even in his calamity he

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 187
would use it, when he was less able to perform, and even chap.
when he seemed to be disabled from doing Httle more than ^^^'
barely to support himself, rauch less to confer benefits onAnnoisso.
others. When he had been entreating Secretary Gardiner And Gardi-
to stand his friend with the King, hiraself being at that"'"^'
tirae in a raiserable poor condition, and confined to his
house at Asher, he promised " to requite his kindness in
" that nature, that he should have cause to think the sarae
" to be well employed ; and so his trusty friend Crurawel
" should more amply shew him." And the year after,
when he was banished to York, and had begged the same
person to be a mediator for the preserving of his colleges,
he again backed his desires with promises ; naraely, that by
his so doing, he, raeaning hiraself, should in such wise de
serve his pains, as he should have cause to think the sarae
to be well bestowed and employed, as the bearer should
more at large shew him. I ara apt to think this matter,
which he hinted raore than once to Gardiner, and gave
Crumwel order to signify raore at large to him by word of
mouth, was the procuring him either the bishopric of Dur
ham or Winchester, which I believe he did promise to re
sign up to the King for his use, upon the condition he
should recover this fall, and reinvest hiraself in the King's
favour and his forraer honours. And it raay be this very
thing raight have opened a door to Gardiner's preferraent
to the diocese of Winchester, though he obtained it not till
three or four years after. For without sorae raore than or
dinary raeans used, he could hardly have arrived to such a
high and wealthy dignity in the Church at one step.
And indeed in his prosperity he did not only promise. The means
but perform, being of a liberal and munificent spirit. I "u/many"
leave it to be judged, whether this proceeded from a prin- being iibe-
ciple of gratitude and generosity, or vain elation of mind, nigcent.
ii looking soraewhat royal to confer dignities, and raise
to places of honour. Thus he preferred his doraestics to
the King's service at home and abroad, to be Secretaries of
State, Ambassadors, and Bishops. And in one respect he
deserved weU of the Church, being a great promoter of

188 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, learning, and preferred learned men and churchmen into
^^'' his and the King's service : entering thera first into business

Anno 1530. in his own faraily, which served as a nursery for the Court.
Thus, considering aU political matters were raanaged by
him, and went for raany years through his hands, I ara apt
to believe, that Dr. Clark, Dr. Knight, both successively
Bishops of Bath and Wells, Dr. Taylor, that was Master of
the RoUs, and others who in his tirae were greatly used by
the King in public erabassies, as well as Dr. Pace, Secre
tary of State, bred up at first under Cardinal Barabridge,
and likewise Dr. Gardiner, and Crumwel, whose naraes and
1 23 preferraents are well known, were all his servants, and pre
ferred by hira to the King's service.
Oppressive, But However obliging and kind he was, whereby he
way for his gained sorae friends and love ; yet he would raake little
own ends, scruple of oppressing any that stood in the way of his plea
sure or designs. One instance of this rose up in judgment
against his raeraory in the tenth or eleventh year of Queen
Elizabeth. And thus it was : The raanor of the More in
Hertfordshire once belonged to the Cardinal ; and being to
enlarge the park there, and to raake sorae alterations to his
His wrong raind, he wrongfully seized, and took away from one Wil-
don."^ ''^"liam Heydon of Britwel in Hertfordshire, a raessuage called
Tolpotts, and one hundred threescore and ten acres of
land pertaining to the sarae. Out of all this he expelled the
said Heydon. Whereof one hundred twenty-nine acres
he inclosed and erapaled within his park, and three acres
raore he converfed into a high way, leading frora Rickmans-
worth to Watford ; and so was coraraonly used ; and the
rest he tenanted out. But the said Heydon, after he was
put out of this estate, did surrender it into the hands of
the lord of the said raanor, to the use of Thoraas Heydon,
his younger son, and of his heirs and assigns for ever, ac
cording to the custom of the said raanor. This estate, after
Wolsey's faU, devolved to the duchy of Lancaster. But in
Queen EHzabeth's reign, the heirs of the said Heydon pe
titioned the Queen for their lands again. Who, out of her
gracious and honest disposition, issued out her letter, in the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 189
year 1568, to Sir Ambrose Cave, Chancellor of the duchy, CHAP.
and to the councU of the sarae, to exaraine the truth of this ^^^"
plea; and if they found it, to raake restitution to the said Anno 1530.
heirs of the lands, or to raake thera a reasonable recom
pense for the same. A copy of the original letter, signed
with the Queen's own hand, is to be seen in the Appendix. Numb.
To raise hiraself to that height of splendor in the Court, _, ' .
and interest in the King's affections, and to keep hiraself at nai's court-
a stay therein, great was the court-craft which he used, '^"^ '
and sorae say raore than was good. Sorae description of
which take frora the relation of a notable raan who lived in
his time.
" He cast the King's nativity, (a comraon practice thenPract. of
" araong the Popish Prelates,) whereby he saw whereunto
" the King's Grace should be inchned all his life, and what
" should be like to chance him at all times. It is spoken of
" divers, that he raade by craft of necroraancy graven
" iraagery, to bear upon him, wherewith he bewitched the
" King's raind, and raade the King dote upon him raore
" than ever he did on a lady or gentlewoman. So that now
" the King's Grace followed him, as he before followed the
" King. And what he said, that was wisdom ; what he
" praised, that was honourable. Of the King's playfellows,
" he chose and joined such to hiraself as he saw fit for his
" purpose. To thera he sware, and they to hira. He took
" an oath of thera, that the one should help the other. For
" without a secret oath he adraitted no raan to any part of
" his privity. And ever as he grew in promotions, he ga-
" thered unto hiraself the raost subtlewitted, and such as
" were drunk with the desire of honour, as like unto hira-
" self. And after they were sworn, he proraoted them,
" and with great promises raade them in falsehood faithful.
" And of thera ever presented unto the King's Grace, and 124
" put them into his service, saying. This is fhe man fif for
" your Grace. And by these spies, if ought were done, or
" spoken in Court against the Cardinal, of that he had
" word within an hour or two. And then carae the Cardi-

190

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XVI.
Anno 1 530

His craft
with the
Court la
dies.

Sends his
Chaplainsto the
Court.

Stokesly.Bishop of
Lincoln.

Towards his
latter end
morose and
severe.

" nal to Court with all his magic to persuade the con-
" trary. If any raan in the Court had spoken against the
" Cardinal, and the sarae not great in the King's favour,
" the Cardinal bade hira, walk a viUain, and thrust him
" out of the Court headlong. If he were in conceit with
" the King's Grace, then he flattered and persuaded, and
" corrupted sorae with gifts, and sent sorae arabassadors,
" and made some captains at Calais, Hammes, Gaynes,
" Jarsey, or sent thera to Ireland, and into the north ; and
" so occupied them, tiU the King had forgot them.
" In like raanner he played with the ladies and gentle-
" woraen : whosoever of thera was great, with her he was
" farailiar, and gave her gifts; if any were subtlewitted,
" and fit for his purpose, her made he sworn to betray the
" Queen, and tell him what she said or did. I know one,"
said this writer, " that departed the Court for no other
" cause, but for that she would no longer betray her mis-
" tress. " And after the same example he furnished the Court
" with Chaplains of his own sworn disciples, and chUdren
" of his own bringing up, to be always present, and to dis-
" pute ,of vanities, and to water whatsoever the Cardinal
" had planted. If araong those cormorants (Chaplains)
" any began to be much in favour with the King, and to be
" soraewhat busy in the Court, and to draw any other way,
" than as ray Lord Cardinal had appointed that the plough
" should go, anon he was sent to Italy or Spain ; or some
" quarrel was picked against him ; and so was thrust out
" of the Court, as Stokesly was. He promoted the Bi-
" shop of Lincoln, (Longland,) his most faithful friend and
" old corapanion, and made him the King's Confessor. To
" whom, of whatsoever the King's Grace shrove himself,
" think ye not that he spake so loud, that the Cardinal
"heard it?"
Towards the latter end of his life he grew more morose ;
and as his greatness and wealth increased his pride, so his
pride miade him raore froward and uneasy to others, and

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 191
apt to revenge any supposed neglect or want of respect to- cHAP.
wards him. This made him procure Dr. Richard Pace, ^^^-

mentioned before, a very ingenious raan, and dearly be-Annoisso.
loved by Erasmus, to be cast into prison. Whose afflictions. Dr. Pace's
by the Cardinal's arts, were so heavy and undeserving, j,is means.
after his great and faithful services done to him and the
King in foreign embassies, that they put him out of his
wits ; and so he most deplorably ended his days : though
he outlived his great enemy some years, and saw his faU ;
and even under the Cardinal's disgrace was restored to his
liberty and dignities : upon which his friend Erasmus wrote L. xxvi.
him a congratulatory letter. He also threatened Archbi- ,''' ^.\
o J ^ Archbishop
shop Warhara, an excellent raan, and in all probability had Warham
wrought him into sorae disgrace with the King, had he not "* '"^ '
soon after been under a cloud hiraself. Whereupon Eras
raus applied that of the Proverbs to hira. Ante ruinam ex-
altantur spiritus. In effect, he so played his game, that to
ward his latter end he seemed quite changed as to his dis
position, and brought hiraself to be the general object of 125
the nation's hatred. Which was the fatal cause of his down
fall. _^
For he disobliged not only ihe inferior sort, by his pride His Legan-
and haughty behaviour ; but by laying his hands upon the
rights, privileges, and profits of the gentry and clergy, he
made them his implacable enemies too. The Cardinal's am
bition, as well as his injustice and covetousness, appeared,
in that, as he made himself the great doer in all the tempo
ral affairs of state, so, upon pretence of his legantine power,
he assumed the managery of aU ecclesiastical matters what>-
soever. He took upon him to bestow benefices, though
the real right of patronage lay in others. He caUed all of
fending persons before him, whether of the laity or clergy,
and compelled them to compound, as his officers thought
fit. He swaUowed up all causes that were wont to be tried
in the 'Bishdps' Courts : and no privileges of exempt juris
dictions could avail against his Court. He also much en
croached Upon the prerogatives of the Archbishop of Can
terbury. He visited all the Bishops, and all the spiritual

192 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, houses in their dioceses, and all spiritual Ministers, as Com-
¦^^^- missaries. Scribes, Apparitors. He suraraoned convocations
Anno 1 630. in Canterbury province, as well as in his own of York.
Vid. Antiq. And for the better bearing out hiraself in the doing all this,
Brit.p.SlO. T ^ /. 1 • 11 1 1 r i
Hanov. ed. he erected a peculiar Court oi his own, called the LiCgate s
**"o Life' Court. The Judge whereof he constituted one John Alan,
of Wolsey, LL. D. a very bad raan, both in his morals and for his
'^'^^' ' maleadministration of his office : wherein he exercised much
rapine and extortion ; but thereby drew into the Cardinal's
coffers an excess of treasure. This Alan afterwards became
Archbishop of Dublin, by his master's interest, no doubt ;
but he came to a sad end ; being slain about the year 1535,
by Thoraas, eldest son of the earl of KUdare, in an insur
rection. This Court was kept in the Cardinal's chapel at
York house. One branch of the causes belonging to this
Court related to wills and testaments. And the Cardinal
had special Coraraissaries for these testaraentary causes;
appointing the abovesaid Dr. Alan his deputy in this office.
Prejudicial This Court extreraely prejudiced the Archbishop's Court
shop's pre- of Prerogative, and in effect raade it useless : for when the
rogative. ArcHbishop's Coraraissaries suraraoned executors into this
Court, the Cardinal's special Coraraissaries cited thera into
his ; threatening any that did not appear before them, to
annul the wiU, and to cut off the party frora being executor.
Yet an in- But to take our leave of hira under sorae raore favour-
much pub- ^ble representation. As the affairs of the nation were
lie good, chiefly under his raanageraent, which he conducted with
naiis, mag- great wisdora and adrairable dexterity, according to the
"'i^h^i^et character that Vives gave of him, so he was a great instru-
prudentis- ment of doing rauch public good, both to the state and to
in gerendis learning. And here it raay not be unworthy to relate what
pubiicis Erasraus once spake of the great and happy effects of his
ercitatis- couusels : wHich, though we allowing something for flat-
simi. Epist. tery, will discover not a few things redounding to his ho-
Lib. ii. nour. " That he was the chief bringer about of a peace
Ep. 1. cc between the chief monarchs ofthe world, when even Pope
' " Leo X. could only bring to pass a five years' truce. That
" he had proceeded a fair way by his endeavours to render

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 193
" Britain ex area auream, a more glorious nation than chap.
" ever it was before. That he had so thoroughly purged ^^''

" this land of robbers, highwaymen, and idle vagrants, that Anno isao.
" it was now not more free of poison and noxious wild 1 26
" beasts than of harmful men. That by his authority he
" cut in sunder many perplexed lawsuits, not less happUy
" than Alexander did the Gordian knots. He composed
" differences that arose among the great men ; restored the
" monasteries to their ancient discipline of religion ; re-
" claimed the Clergy to a more commendable form of liv-
" ing ; the study of the liberal arts, that were decayed and
" degenerated, he retrieved. As for politer learning, as yet
" struggUng with the patrons of the ancient ignorance, he
" upheld it by his favour, and defended by his authority, and
" adorned by his splendor, and cherished by his kindness.
" He invited aU the most learned professors by his noble sa-
" laries. In furnishing libraries with all kinds of authors of
" good learning, he contended even with Ptolomeus Phila-
" delphus hiniself, who was raore famous for this than for his
" kingdom. He recalled the three learned languages, with-
" out which, as he said, all learning was lame." Which study
of tongues, it seemed, he had furthered in Oxon, where, I
think, he was ChanceUor. Adding, " that he hoped by this
" most fair example, the minds of princes would be awak-
" ened, (to do as he had done for learning ;) since he saw a
" golden age a coraing, as he said, if sorae number of princes
" were but of the Cardinal's mind. And that the learning
" of future ages would hereafter speak aloud this new hap-
" piness imparted to the world by him. In a word, that he
" was so beneficial a person, as though he were born to suc-
" cour and help the affairs of mankind." And in another ^^.^^
Epistle, he speaks of the Cardinal's restoration of all studies Ep. 2,]
for the better, and of his invitation of all by his benignity
to the love of learning. And particularly congratulates the .
University of Oxon, which by the Cardinal's means flou- Ep. 27.
rished in all kinds of learning and languages, and in good
manners too, so well becoming the best studies. To this I
VOL, I. o

194 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, will add what Caius mentions concerning him, that he
^^^- brought Matthaeus Calphumius, a Grecian, out of Greece,
Anno 1530. to teach Greek learning in that University. And withal
Caius de bestows this character upon him, De ionls Uteris optime
pronunci- . y-i 7. 7.
atione merifus Cardmalis.
LatTn^*L- -^°*^ ^^ ^^ ^°°'^ again into his family, we shall find, that
guae. as it resembled a royal Court in regard of those raany noble-
His domes- j^gjj j^jjjj persons of quality that lived in it, so one raight
tics men of . '^ • • /¦ i t 1 1
great learn- esteem it an University for those raany accoraphshed men
'"^" in all kinds of knowledge and good learning that were his
doraestics. And it is sufficient to conclude thera persons of
no slight and trivial literature, that they were dear to Eras
raus, and Erasmus to them. The names of some of them
were as foUow : Thomas Lovel, Doctor of the Canon Law,
Dr. Francis, a physician. Dr. Samson, Richard Pace, Cuth
bert Tonstal, Robert Tonic, Francis PhiHpps, WUHam Bur-
bank, Gonellj ["probably Trigonwell,j Cleraent. After the
naraing of whom, the same Erasmus breaks out into that
ecphonesis ^ ; " O that magnificent and happy house ! 0
" truly splendid Cardinal, that hath such men to consult
" Tvith, and whose table is filled with such luminaries !"
127 And indeed he affected to be styled a patron of learning,
A patron to ^ appeared by those raost raagnificent colleges he built and
Erasmus. ^'^ ¦> .° o
endowed; and by that particular favour he bore to the
greatest scholar upon earth in his tirae, I raean Erasmus.
Which the sarae Erasmus acknowledged to Pope Clement.
Quo ego The Cardinal invited him over into England to abide here,
amantis- promising hira favours and dignities. And when in the
Bimo patro- ygg^j, 1524. he was rainded to take a ioumey into England,
no utor. •' . .... o '
and wanted nothing but an invitation at that juncture, Lu-
dovicus Vives, who was lately returned out of England to
Ep. Lud. Bruges, wrote hira, that had he known it before, that cere
raony should not have long detained him, intimating that
he would soon have procured letters to him from the Car-
^ O domum illam augustam, ac felicem ! O vere splendidum Cardinalem,
qui tales viios habet in consiliis, cujus mensa talibus luniinibus cingitur ! Ef. iii.
lib. IG.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 195
dinal, to whom he was very dear, if not from the King him- CHAP.
self; assuring him that he would have been very welcome, .

not to the Cardinal only, but the King and all the nobility. Anno i sso.
To the Cardinal he dedicated and presented several of his
books. One was concerning the right administration of go
vernraent; which was dedicated in the year 1517. Another
was sent him as a new year's ^ft, entitled, De ufilitate ca-
pienda ai inimicis : which seemed to be a translation of a
piece of Plutarch. Another he presented the Cardinal was
entitled, De discrimine adulaforis et amici. This book
was also, by the author's desire, presented by the Cardinal
to the King, to whom he had dedicated it. Whether Eras
mus by this writing intended any lesson for the Cardinal,
or the Cardinal so took it, let others inquire. There was
another, De libero arbitrio, against Luther. This was writ
by the King's and the Cardinal's incitement. The com
posing and publishing which book the author styles audax
facinus, a bold act, as the affairs in Germany then stood;
saying, that he expected to be stoned for it, and that some
had thrown some books at his head already. When he had
corapiled this book, he resolved to dedicate it either to Pope
Cleraent VII. or the Cardinal of York : and having about
the sarae tirae finished a paraphrase upon the Acts of the
Apostles, he thought fit to dedicate that to the Pope, and
that of Free WiU to the Cardinal ; reckoning it would be
more acceptable to him, both because wrote by his insti
gation, and against Luther. For the Cardinal was wiUing,
upon some politic ends, that the world might see what a
zealous patron he was for the Roman Catholic religion
against the Gospellers.
The Cardinal, to show a further token of his respect to
Erasmus, took a scholar and relation of his, named Livi-
nius, into his famUy. One whom Erasmus had brought up
in good literature, and intended to send him to study at
Lorain. The Cardinal, in favour qf Erasmus, designed him
partiy for his secretary, and partly for a corapanion and
tutor to his own kinsman ; and after sorae tirae spent in the
Cardinal's service, according to Erasmus's desire, he pro-
o2

196 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, raised to send him, with his said kinsman, to the University
^^^- of Lorain.
Anno 1530. But I shall add no more observations of him, than that
Erasmus's which the aforesaid Erasmus writ in a letter to Vergara
J;^*""*" "^concerning him, when the King had confined hira to his
Lib. xxvi. house, and allowed hira but thirty servants. Hie est for-
tuna ludus ; ex hidimagistro subvectus est ad regnum.
Nam plane regnahat verius, quam ipse Rex. Mefuebatur
ab omnibus, amabafur a panels, ne dicam a nemine. " He
" was fortune's garae, raised from a schoolmaster to a king-
1 28 " dom. For he raight be said to reign more truly than the
" King hiraself Feared by all, loved by few, or rather
" none at all."
The life of Cardinal Wolsey's life was long in MS. written by Ca
nal wrote ' vendish, his doraestic. Afterwards printed anno 1667, for
by Caven- Dorman Newraan, entitled. The Life and Death qf Thomas
servant. Wolscy, Cardinal, once Archbishop qf York, and Lord
Printed. Chancellor qf England. Containing, I. The original qf
Ms promotion, and the way he took fo obtain if. II. The
continuance in his magnificence. III. His negotiations
concerning the peace with France and fhe Netherlands^
IV. His fall, death, and burial. "Wherein are things re
markable for these times. Written iy one qf his own ser
vants, being his Gentleman Usher. An ancient MS. of
this life, which seeraed to be an original, I once bought of
Mr. Woodward : which I afterwards parted with to Secre
tary Harley, afterwards Lord High Treasurer, and Earl of
Oxford and Mortiraer. The printed book aforesaid was de
dicated to Henry Lord Marquis of Dorset. By which de
dication it seeras it was now newly reprinted. The preface
is of the author's own writing ; having these expressions :
" The Cardinal was my Lord and Master; whom in his
" lifetirae I served: and so remained. with him in his fall
" continually, during the time of all his troubles, both in
" the south and north parts, until he died. In all which
" time, I punctually observed aU his demeanors, as also his
" great triumphs and glorious estate, &c. Nevertheless,
" whatsoever any man hath conceived of hira in his life, or

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 197
" since his death, thus much I dare say, without offence of CHAP.
" any, that in my judgment I never saw this realm in bet- ^^^'

" ter obedience and quiet than it was in the time of his Anno i sso.
" authority ; nor justice better administered without par-
" tiality : as I could justiy prove, if I should not be taxed
" with too much affection."
This book is misprinted very much, as I have given a
specimen in my marginal notes in the beginning of the
book. In the edition of it, anno 1667, I did in the begin-
mng write as followeth. This book Ivas printed again, anno
1706, with another title, viz. Memoirs qf fhe Great Fa-
nourite Cardinal Wolsey.: with remarks on his rise and
fall; and ofher secret transactions qfhis ministry. Toge
ther with a memorial presented to Queen Elizabeth by Will.
Cecil Lord Burghley, fo prevent her Majesty's being en
grossed by any particular favourite. But this can be none
of the Lord Burghley's, as may be concluded by divers
phrases and manners of speech that were not used in those
times. Nor would that Lord have dared to write so plain
and bold to the Queen : nor would she have borne it. It is
plain this discourse was levelled at some of the ministry in
that time of Queen Anne, in order to make way for another
ministry. The original book is not divided into chapters as
this is, but is a continued discourse. It hath the very faults
and misprintings of the former edition: as, p. 2, forest for
feast ; and Sir James Pawlet for Sir Amyas. The preface,
which is caUed the prologue in the MS. varies and changes
words, and leaves out, to make the language more suitable
to the present age ; but indeed rather mars than mends the
style.

o3

198

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

Anno 1S30
A Convoca.
tion.
Regist. Ep.
Bath and
Wells.

The Com
mons com*
plain a-
gainst the
Clergy ;

129 CHAP. XVIL
A Convocation, The condition qf the Clergy af this tirhe.
Complaints against them in Parliament. Their justifi-
caflon qf themselves. Deliberation concerning retrench
ing fhe Churches power.
A CONVOCATION of the Clergy was this year held at
London, when, Jan. 24, was granted to the King out of the
province of Canterbury, 100,000Z. to be levied within five
years; each year 20,000 Z. When the diocese of Bath and
WeUs was taxed at 1037/. Is. 4id. q. But farther accounts
of this Convocation shall be given by and by.
And now, leaving this great Cardinal, let us proceed to
other matters. This year the King and Parliament, taking
occasion on Wolsey's fall, began to be busy in correcting
and modeUing the Clergy, which had disobliged them both :
the King, by keeping Courts, and acting by virtue of a fo
reign authority distinct frora his; and the Coraraons, by
the exactions laid upon thera. November the 6th, the Par
liament met, and Thomas Audley (afterwards Lord Chan
cellor) was chosen Speaker : when the Coraraons presently
began with coraplaints of the Clergy, and of their oppres
sions of the Laity, in the probat of wUls, raortuaries, &c.
They coraplained of them that were stewards and officers to
Bishops, that they occupied farms ; and that Abbots and
Priors traded in cloth and wool ; that Priests lived in noble
men's houses, not residing upon their livings, and so took
frora their parishioners, but spent nothing on them. So
that the poor lacked refreshing, and the parishioners lacked
preaching and instruction in God's word.
Upon these complaints, divers meetings and conferences
were held between the Coraraons and the Spiritualty:
whereat the Archbishop of Canterbury hiraself was present.
Then, besides the forraer raatters objected to them, they
laid to their charge their laws and constitutions. To which,
nevertheless, the Clergy stood tightly, urging for them long
prescription. But the gentlemen in heat said to the Arch-

Espeeiallyfor their
constitutions.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 199
bishop, that their exactions, which they justified by pre- CHAP.
scription, were but so raany robberies : however, these their .

bills reraained unsatisfied for awhile; yet not long after, Anno i sso.
acts were made about the probats of wiUs, mortuaries,
plurahties, and nonresidences : and in the year 1533. a law
was made for abridging the power of these provincial sy
nods, and their constitutions.
But because this controversy last spoken of is not, I
think, extant in any of our historians, I will here be a Uttle
more particular. The Commons in this present parliament
put up a biU against the Clergy, shewing that their provin
cial constitutions made in this his Majjesty's reign, by this
present and other Convocations, were not only against the
King's royal prerogative, but very burdensome to the Com
mons. The King also took exceptions at their presumption
in making orders to bind his subjects in the nature of laws ;
but especiaUy in executing them without his assent and au
thority. However, the Convocation of the province of Can
terbury, seeing in what ill case they were, and some rais
chiefs impending over them, thought it their best course to
apply themselves to the King iri an humble declaration. So
the Upper House prepared a paper, being a form of sub- 130
mission, to be presented to the King, and sent it down to>
the Lower House for their concurrence. In which submis
sion it was promised, for the future, to forbear any more
to make ordinances or constitutions, or to put them in exe
cution, but with the King's royal assent and licence. And it
ran in this tenor :
"First, As concerning such constitutions and ordinances The Convo-
" provincial, as be to be made hereafter by your most hum- snbm^ssjon
" ble subjects, we having our special trust and confidence to the King.
" in your most high and exceUent wisdom, your princely ™^'
" goodness, and fervent zeal to the promotion of God's
" honour and Christian religion, and especiaUy in your in-
" comparable learning, far exceeding, in our judgment, the
" learning of all other Kings and Princes that we have read
" of; and not doubting but that the same should stUl con-
" tinue and daily increase in your Majesty ; do offer and
0 4

200 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "proraise here unto the same, that from henceforth we
^^'^" " shall forbear to enact, promulge, or put in execution, any

Anno 1530. " such Constitution or ordinance, so by us to be raade
" in time coming ; unless your Highness, by your royal
" assent, shall license us to raake, promulge, and execute
" such constitution ; and the same so made shall approve
" by your Highness's authority.
" Second, Whereas your Highness's honourable Com-
" raons do pretend, that divers of the constitutions pro-
" vincial, which have been heretofore enacted, be not only
" rauch prejudicial to your Highness's prerogative royal,
" but also overrauch onerous to your said Coraraons, as is
" pretended ; we your raost hurable subjects, for the con-
" siderations aforesaid, be contented to refer and commit
" all and singular the said constitutions to the exaraination
" and judgraent of your Grace only. And whatsoever of the
" sarae shall finally be found, thought, and judged by your
" Grace's high wisdora prejudicial and overmuch oner-
" ous, as is pretended, we offer and promise your High-
" ness to moderate, or utterly to abrogate and annul the
" sarae, according to the judgraent of your Grace. Saving
" to us always, all such immunities and liberties of this
" Church of England, as hath been granted unto the same
" by the goodness and benignity of your Highness, and of
" others, your most noble progenitors, with all such consti-
" tutions provincial, as do stand with the laws of Almighty
" God, and of your realm, heretofore made. Which we
*' raost hurably beseech your Grace to ratify and approve
" by your royal assent, for the better execution of the
" sarae, to times to come, among your Grace's people."
The Lower But the Lower House was more stout, and could not go
Convoca- ^^ Currently through with the laying of their constitutions
tion demur, at the King's feet as the Upper House had framed the
writing : and were for putting in some words to restrain
the sense, and to leave theraselves a latitude, before they
would let it pass for them. For under the writing sent
down from the Upper House, the Lower House wrote these
words :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 201
" These articles above written be agreed in the Upper CHAP.
" House, and the Lower Houseis agreed to the same : so that  '_

" in the first article be added these words, viz. during the Anno i S30.
" King's natural life: and in the second article be added
" these words, and holy Church. With a proviso in the latter
" end. And so the articles, as they be agreed by the Lower 13 1
" House, be of this tenor following." And then foUoweth
all the aforesaid writing over again, with this addition in
the first article, " That from henceforth, during your High-
^' ness''s natural life, which we most heartily beseech Al-
" mighty God long to preserve, we shall forbear to in-
" diet," &c. And this addition in the second, " With the
" laws of Almighty God, and holy Church, and all your
" realm," &c. And at the end, after the words, among
your Gracis people, they added. Providing also that un
til your Highness''s pleasure herein be fwrther declared
unfa us, all manner qf Ordi/naries may execute their juris
dictions according to the said constitutions im Uke manner
and form as they have used ihe same in. time past.
The Convocation also framed another writing, by way of The Synod
defence to what the Commons had so aggravated against the ^f^^^^g'""^
Clergy. But neither was the King nor the Commons pleased
or satisfied by what they had presented to both. But the
Synod, instead of more comphance, stood stiffly to what they
had addressed before : and vindicated themselves, aud the
authority of the Church and the Prelates of it, in making
laws in faith and manners, to bind the people in spiritual
matters: boldly asserting their power immediately from
God. And to this purpose they put up a book to the
King. But their defence ran to this tenor :
" Forasmuch as the answer lately made by your Clergy
" unto your honourable Commons, for their satisfaction in
" their bill of complaint, put up unto your Highness, doth
" not please nor satisfy your Highness in some points con-
" cerning your own particular interest ; especially in that '
" point that concemeth laws, either now to be by us made,
" or else old, to be by us reformed : for your Highness's bet-
" ter contentation in that behalf, we, your said most hum-

CHAP. XVII.

Anno I SSO.

132

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
ble Chaplains, doth now more especially answer unto
those poynts, as followeth :
" First, As touching new lawes to be by us here
after raade, we say that the lawes and deterrainations of
Christ's holy Church throughout all Christian realms re
ceived and used, been clear and manifest, that the Pre
lates of the same Church have a spiritual jurisdiction,
and judicial power, to rule and govern in faith and good
manners, necessary to the souls health, their flokkys unto
their care coramitted: and that they have authority to
make and ordain rules and lawes tending to that purpose.
Which rules and lawes hath and doth take theu* effect,
in binding all Christen peopuU, as of theraself ; so that
before God there needeth not of necessity any temporal
power or consent to concurr with the same, by the way
of authority.
" Item, They say, that this power and authority in mak
ing lawes, concerning the faith and good manners, ne
cessary to the souls health, all Christen Princes hath hi
therto reckoned himself bound to suffer the Prelates to
use them in their realmys, and have not clairaed of the
said Prelates, that they should frora tyrae to tyme require
their consent or licence, by way of authority, more in
making of such lawes, then they the said Prelates should
frora tyrae to tyme require their consentis autorysabyl in
the giving of holy Orders to any of their subjects, or in
the exercising of any other spiritual act, depending upon
their spiritual jurisdiction. The authority whereof pro
ceedeth imraediately from God, and from no power or
consent autorysabyl, of any secular Prince : except it be
the consent of the Prince his own subraission to the faith
CathoHck, made not only by their noble progenitors,
when they first admitted Christ's faith, and the law of
the holy Church, within their realmys ; but also by them-
self, first, generaUy at their baptism, and after more espe
cially, and most commonly, by their corporal oaths at
their coronations.
" We say also, that this power of making lawes afore-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 203
" said, is right well fondid in many places of holy Scrip- CHAP.
" ture : now so much the less necessary to be here rehersed, ,

" forasmuch as that raatter is at large set out in a book, Anno i sso.
" now by us put Up unto your Highness. And your High-
" ness your self in your own book, raost excellently written
" against Martin Luther, for the defence of the Catholic
" faith, and Christ's Church, doth not only knowledge
" and confess, but also with raost vehement and inex-
" pugnable reasons and authorities doth defend the same.
" Which your Highness book we reckon, that of your ho-
" nour ye cannot, nor of your goodness ye wiU not, revoke.
" Yet these considerations notwithstanding, we your raost
" hurable Chaplains and Bedemen considering your high
" wisdome, great learning, and infinite goodness towards
" us and the Church, and having special trust in the same ;.
" not minding to faU in contentions or dispytions [disputa-
" tions perhaps] with your Highness in a [any] manner of
" matter what we may do ; we be contented to make pro-
" mise unto your Highness ; that in all such acts, lawes,
" and ordinances, as upon your lay subjects we by reason
" of our spiritual jurisdiction and judicial power shall
" hereafter make, we shall not publish, nor put them forth,
" except first we require your Highness to give your con-
" sent and authority unto thera : and so shall from tyme to
" tyrae suspend aU such our acts, ordinances, and lawes,
" hereafter to be made, unto such tyme as your Highness,
" by your consent and authority, shall have authorise- the
" same. Except they be such as shall concern the mainte-
" nance of the faith and good manners in Christ's Church,
" and such as shall be for the reformation and correction of
" sin, after the commandments of Almighty God, according
" unto such lawes of the Church and laudable customes,
" as hath been heretofore raade, and hitherto received, and
" used within your realmes.
" In which points our trust is, and in our raost humble
" manner we desire your Grace, that it may so be, that
" upon refusal of your consent, (which we reckon that we
" need not fear ; but yet if any such thing should fall out,)

S04 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
GHAP. '« your Highness will be then contented that we may exer-
" cise our jurisdiction as far as it shall be thought necessary

Anno 1530. cc unto US, foT the mjunteuance of Christ's faith, and for the
" reformation of sin, according unto our offices, and the vo-
" cation that God hath called us unto.
" As for the second poynt concerning lawes, which in
" tyme past hath be raade by us, or by our predecessors,
" contrary to the lawes of this your realm, and to your pre-
" rogative, as it is pretended : to this poynt we, your High-
" ness most humble Chaplaines, answer and say, that such
'.' our lawes by our predecessors within this realm made, as
" contain any raatter contrary to the lawes or prerogative,
" and be not now in use, and do not concern the faith, nor
" reforraation of sin, when we shaU be advertised of them,
133 " we shall right gladly in that part revoke them, and de-
" clare them to be voy'd, and of none effect. So that your
" said right honourable Commons shall now dare execute
" your lawes without any fear, dread, or danger of our fore-
" said lawes, if any such there be." Thus tightly did the
Clergy stand to their principles, and justify them to the
King. This defence above written is here and there cor
rected and interlined by the pen of Stephen Gardiner, if I
mistake not.
Anno 1S32. But the King made them buckle at last. It was another
^''^ ^h'^^ ^^S^ block and difficulty for the Clergy to get over, to re-
King's su- ject the Pope's power in England, and to acknowledge the
premacy. ]g;jjjg gupj-eme head and governor in all causes ecclesiastical
as well as civU. But that also at length they unwillingly
yielded unto : styHng hira in their submission by the title of
Protector and supreme ^ead of the English Church, and
paying a lusty fine: and then the King granted them a
pardon for \heix premunire, which was ratified by the Par
liament then sitting.
The Convo- Nor was the province of York, in their Convocation, less
the pro- resty to acknowledge the King supreme head, to which
vince of they were required; drawing up their reasons against it, in
York stand , -^ , • ,, . , , t., , « , « ,,- ,
out against a letter to his Majesty, dated May the oth, from York: con-
the supre- taining a long discourse of their mind and opinion concern-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 205
ing words that had passed the Clergy of the province of Can- CHAP.
terbury in their Synod, in the proem of their grant of mo-_

ney made to the King ; in it inserting words of submission Anno 1532.
of their ordinances to him, and at large to their long letter.
Which is to be seen in the Cotton library, and is printed in Cleopatra,K fi Tt 216
the Cabbala. The King told them gently, that he could
not conceive displeasure, nor be discontent with them, for
writing their mind to hira, yet, considering what they had
said unto him in time past in other matters, and what they
now confessed in their letters, noting also the effect of the
sarae, he could not, he said, but much marvel at sundry
points and articles, which he proraised to open unto them :
and indeed did, with good learning and evident reason : as
may appear by what follows, viz.
Whereas the Convocation of Canterbury had styled the J^eir ob-
King Caput Ecclesia, the Church, they said, according to with the
the notion of the word, was not circumscribed to any place, ^^"S'^ »"-
^ , •' '¦ swers.
but raeant all Christendom. And therefore, that it was ab
surd for any to give the King that title, and not fit for him
to take it. But the King answered them well, that the
Church, in the present controversy, was restrained to that
of England, and the Clergy of the same. Then they shew
ed, that Christ was Head of the Church : and he divided
his power after the distinction of temporals and spirituals.
Whereof the one he coraraitted to Princes, and the other to
Priests. But the King shewed them, that the places of
Scripture they used to prove this, served only to prove
obedience due to Princes, by all men without distinction :
whereof are Priests and Bishops, as well as Laymen, who
make together the Church. And that although they re
strained obedience to Princes in regard of temporal things
only ; yet Obey and Be subject contained no such matter in
them, whereby spiritual things should" be excluded. Then
they proved, by certain places of Scripture, that the adraiu'-
istration of spiritual things was communicated by Christ to
Priests, as to preach and adrainister the sacraraents. Which
no raan, the King said, would deny; but that it proved not, 134
their persons, acts, and deeds, not to be under the power of

206 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, their Prince. Then they alleged. Doctors extolling the
. priesthood ; and that Princes be filii Ecclesia. And where

Anno 1532. the Convocation of Canterbury, when they styled the King
head qf the Church, added, quantum per legem Christi li
ceat, the Convocation of York made that sentence to be
as superfluous as to say, Man is immortal, qiiantum per na
tura legem licet. But to that the King told them, it was
nothing like. For the law qf nature is not to immortaUfy,
as the law qf Christ is to superiority. In fine, to the ques
tion that was sent to this Synod, whether the King were
head of the Church ? they gave in no other answer but this,
that he was head of the Church in temporals, but not in
spirituals. But however, at length, this province was also
brought, as well as the other, to acknowledge the King's
supreraacy, and to yield the King a sura of money propor
tionable to that northern division of the Clergy.
Further After the King had gained this point, and gotten this his
tion upon title recognised in the Convocations of Canterbury and
the Clergy. York, Some persons there were hamraering out some further
reforraation of the Clergy, and the affairs of the Monks and
Friars; that so the Parliament, then at present sitting,
might enact them into a law. One Richard Bowyer, some
learned Counsellor, I suppose, propounded his thoughts (to
the Council, as it seems) to this purpose :
Cleopatra, « Whereas the synods provincial of Canterbury and
' ''"'^' "" York have, by their constitution in the last and yet con-
" tinued Convocation, recognised, and doth knowledge, the
" King our sovereign Lord to be singular Protector, De-
" fender, and only suprerae Head and Lord of the Church
" and Clergy of England ; that constitution raust be deeply
" perused : and then by act of this Parliaraent approved,
" accept, and established by the King, with the consent and
" assent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons
" in the same.
" And then, whereas his Grace, and not alonely his
" Grace, but also divers others of his noble progenitors,
" have raade, in Parliaraents and Council, acts and provi-
" sions for the common wealth of this his realm and Clergy

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 207
" of England, as well for the reformation of them that have CHAP.
" plurality of benefices, as others that should in time to .

cc

' come obtain to have the like plurality; and for reforma- Anno 1532.
' tion and avoiding of strangers, visitors, and reformators
' of divers orders of religion within this realm, as well ex
empts as not exempts : which do collect and gather great
" sums of money by that colour, and it convoy out of this
" realra :
" And not alonely do collect and convey such money,
" but by semblable colour of visitation do undermine,
" to know the secrets of the King and of the realm : which
" disclosed, oftentimes doth great hurt; and as well to the
" merchants of this realm, as otherwise :
" An act to be made by the King, &c. that for these
" causes and others, no stranger to be admitted within this
" realm, to visit or reform any order, exempt or not ex-
*' erapt: nor no religious man within this realm to make
" any knowledge of superiority, or paternitas, to any out-
" religious place : but alonely one house in England of every
" order exempt, to be head and mother of all the rest.
" And the Abbot of that house to be their head visitor and
" reformator : as was at his Grace's conteraplation, and is, 135
*' the order of premonstratens in England and Wales, unto
" the Abbot of Welbeck.
" An act also, that the Pope's collector shall be an
" Englishman. By whom the Pope's Holiness may be as
" well answered of all duties belonging to his chamber, as
" by an out-born man.
" And whereas aU such acts made for reformation and
" abusion, to have plurality, triality, unions, pensions, tot-
" quof portions, &c. et ad fantam summam, be smally re-
" garded :
" And forasrliucb as the Pope doth grant them upon a
" suggestion raade unto his Holiness ; and that for distance
" of place, dangers of ways, and perUs by the sea, his HoH-
" ness cannot have due exaraination of such suggestions ;
" but his grants do pass hira, si ifa sif : and so the grants
" surreptitiously and direptitiously obtained :

208 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « An act to be raade by his Grace, &c. that he intendeth
XVII. . .
. " not to infringe, annul, derogate, defray, or minish any

Anno 1 SS2. « thing of the Pope's authority : but rather to maintain,
" add to, uphold, and avaunce the sarae.
"But forasmuch as the Ordinaries, from one to another,
" have been remiss and negligent in examining of his sug-
" gestions and causes, deduct in his foresaid grants, and
" pluralities and others his gifts, as supreme Lord Protector,
" Defender, and Head, to supply such negligence of the
" Ordinaries :
" And to make by act one, two, or more Commissaries,
" Spiritual raen : and with them to associate in every diocese
" two learned men in the teraporal law, and a Clerk exa-
" rainer. And they to raake inquisition of such articles as
" in this behalf shall be requisite, without exception of any
" person. And that during the tyme of this inquisition, no
" Ordinary to meddle with like inquisition.
" If I should be demanded, I shall devise the articles.
" And this raatter justly and truly execute, his Grace
" shall find high commodity, and nothing do, but equity
" and right. " Richard Bowyer,
otherwise Stirley*"
Some in Notwithstanding the Convocation, and especially the
tion of an- Lower House, had shewn themselves so loath to comply,
other mind. ajj(j stood SO Stiffly upou their spiritual jurisdiction, there
were others araong thera of another raind, and that strove
to reduce the spiritual power under the teraporal, and that
of the Clergy under that of the King. And I find a paper
directed to sorae great Lord about the King, that he would
instruct that sort of the Clergy, that were of the King's part
in the Convocation, how far they should go in advancing
his spiritual authority. It was without any name or date.
But I think it may belong to this year, or hereabouts : and
it seeras to be the hand of Stephen Gardiner, that went
along now with the King in his purposes, and in the ful
filHng of his pleasure. It began thus :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 209
" Whether your Lordship think convenient, that we CHAP. XVII
" should endeavour our selves to prove these articles fol- -

"lowing.'' Anno 1532.
" First, That the Clergy have not authority, by the law ^*p*^p„*°j
" of God, to raake laws, ne excomraunication ; but that such ia Convoca-
" jurisdiction hath been begun, and so continued, by thccieop.E. 6.
" lenity and sufferance of temporal princes. P- ^^o.
" That the King's Majesty in his Parliaraent hath author-
" ity to determine what causes shall be determinable in the
" spiritual courts, and to limit the manner of the process,
" without any excommunication. Whereby offenders in
" the said causes shall be brought to answer in the said
" Courts. " That by reason of spiritual jurisdiction in making of
" process, the King's Majesty leaseth much profit that might
" accrue and grow to hira by the seals at the comraon law.
" That the King's Majesty hath as well the care of the
" souls of his subjects, as their bodies : and raay, by the
" law of God, by his Parliament, make laws touching and
" concerning as^well the one as the other.
" That this text. Mat. xvi. Quodcunque Ugaverifis, &c.
" gave authority to all the Apostles jointly to raake laws
" and keep councils, until such tirae as a convenient num-
" ber of the lay people were converted to the faith ; and
" then the said text ceased. And the text of Mat. xviii. did
" take that effect, which Quodcunque Ugaverifis, &c. gave
" the Apostles. And that text being spoken to all the
" Church, as well as to the Apostles, gave power to the whole
" Church to make laws, and restrained the peculiar author-
" ity of the Apostles in that behalf.
" That the successors of the Apostles have not like au-
" thority in all points as the Apostles had. That to affirm
" the Bishop of Rome to be head of the Universal Church,
" and thereby to have authority to suraraon General Coun-
" cUs, is heresy. And that the authority of calling General
" CouncUs doth belong to kings and princes.
" That the King's Ma-jesty raay dissolve holydays with-
VOL. I. P

210 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H AP. « out Parliaraent ; but that he raay raake no holydays with-
XVII. -^ ,¦
 " out Parliaraent.

Anno 1532. cc That this text of Actuum xx. Affendlte vobis ef uni
" verso gregi, in quo Spiritus Sancfus vos posulf Eplsco-
" pos, &c. was not meant of such Bishops only as be now
" of the Clergy; but was as well raeant and spoken of every
" ruler and governor of the Christian people."
I leave the reader at liberty (seeing we are left to con
jecture) to place this notable paper here, or to bring it un
der the year 1534, when an act was made, that the King
and his heirs should be reputed supreme Head qffhe Church
qf England, and enjoy the style and title annexed to the
imperial crown of this realra, and should have power to
restrain errors and heresies. About which act the King
consulted with his Council and with his Bishops; and
they, in their Convocation, discussed the point, and de
clared, that the Pope had no jurisdiction warranted by God
in this kingdora.

137 CHAP. XVIII.
New year's gifts to ihe King. The Festival. The church-
book : printed for the use qf Curates. What It contained.
The ieads.
The Clergy JtSUT the Clergy and Religious, however the King now set
kTng°with^ upon them, either that they might give the King no new
new year's provocation, or to Sweeten hira, presented him now, in the
beginning of January, with new year's gifts, and that in a
very generous and Hberal manner ; considering how their
proportions exceeded much the gifts of the lay nobUity
and gentry : some of thera giving fifty pounds, when even
the Duke of Norfolk's gift not rauch exceeded thirty pounds;
and the rich Earl of Oxford presented but ten pounds two
shiUings and sixpence. But behold the list, as I transcribed
it from the Burghleian MSS.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 211
Monies given to tfte King's Grace for new year's gifts, CHAP.
anno xxiiij. sui regni.
By the Busshop of York, - _ . -
By the Busshop of Durisrae, - - -
By the Busshop of Excestre,
By the Busshop of Hereford,
By the Busshop of Lincoln, - - -
By the Busshop of London, - - - -
By the Busshop of Landaff, - - - -
By the Busshop of Clye, . - . -
By the Busshop of Rochestre,
By the Busshop of Baithe, - - - -
By the Duke of Norfolk xx soveraynes, 22/. lOs.
and five pieces of gold, at 40*. the piece, lOZ.
By therl of Oxford ix sufferaynes.
By therl of Rutland, . - - . .
By the Lord Darcye, . - -
By the Lord Lisle, - - - -
By the Lord Mountjoye, five suffereynes.
By the Lord Husey, - _ - .
By thabbey of Westmynstre,
By thabbot of Reading, - - - .
By thabbot of Petirborough, . . _
By thabbot of Saint Albones, xxx suffereynes,
By thabbot of Ramsey, - _ . .
By thabbot of Abyngdon, _ . . .
By thabbot of Seint Mary abbey, -
By the Prioi- of Christ Church in Caunterbury,
By the Maister of the RooUes, - . -
By Petir Vanne,  10
By the Dean of the chapeU,
By the Dean of Seint Stephens,
By Doctour Lupton,
By Doctour Lawson, - - - -
By Maister Sydnour, . - -
By Doctour Woolraan, _ _ _
By Sir Williara FitzwilHara, - - -
p 2

£. s.

d. Anno 1532.

50 0

0

50 0

0

50 0

0

20 0

0

40 0

0

22 10

0

13 7

6

40 2

6

13 6

8

40 0

0

32 10

0

10 2

6

6 13

4

7 10

0

20 0

0

5 12

6

6 13

4

60 0

0

19 12

6

20 0

0

32 15

0

20 0

0

20 0

0

20 0

0

20 0

0

20 2

6

10 0

0

7 10

0

10 0

0138

10 0

0

6 13

4

13 6

8

11 5

0

7 10

0

212 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP XVIII." By Sir Henry Wiat,

Anno 1532

£.

s.

d.

. 11

5

0

. 5

12

6

7 10

0

. 10

0

0

792 10 10

By Sir John Daunce, five sufferaynes.
By Sir Richard Weston,
By Hasilwood of the Receipt, iiij portagues.
Sum total, -
^f'^ii'^f'' This year was printed, pr rather reprinted, the Festival,
tival. by the old faraous printer Wynkyn de Worde. It was a
faraous church-book, used in the churches by the Popish
Priests, and read on certain seasons to their parishioners :
being taken out of the Golden Legend, and giving an ac
count of all the festivals of the year, with a serraon upon
each festival. It seeras to have been first made in King
Henry the Vllth's tirae, as I coUect by the beads there,
where prayer is bid to be raade for the Lord Prince ; which
raust be Prince Arthur or Prince Henry. By the prologue
it appears, that it was designed to keep up a superstitious
veneration in the rainds of the people towards the saints :
" showing unto them what the holy saints suffered and did
" for God's sake, and for his love. So that they should
" have the more devotion in God's saints, and with the bet-
" ter wUl corae to the church to serve God, and pray his
" saints of their help." It was written for the assistance
of ignorant Priests, or, according to the phrase of the pro
logue writer, " for the help of such Clerks this book was
" drawn, to excuse them for default of books, and by sim-
" pleness of cunning."
other It begins with the first Sunday in Advent. Besides the
therein. treatise on the festivals, there be added divers other
tracts in the book. As that serraon for the dedication of
the church, beginning, " Good friends, such a day ye shall
" have your dedication-day, that is, your church holyday.
" Ye shall come to the church, and hear your divine ser-
" vice in the worship of God; and for three causes, the
" which the church is hallowed for ; that is, for the church
" cleansing, for devout praying, and for the dead bodies
" burying, &c."

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 213
There is next a sermon called Hamus Charitatis ; i. e. chap.
fhe Hook qf Charity. It runs upon this subject. Do to o^Aer* .

as thou wouldest ie done to. Anno 1532.
Next are quatuor sermones, wherein are shewn, what
things we should know God by ; as naraely, by these that
follow : and then follow expositions upon the Pafer noster,
upon the Creed, and upon the Ten Comraandraents, upon
the seven sacraraents, the seven deeds of mercy, the seven
deadly sins, and the nine manners of horrible pains, the
nine manners of people shall be tormented therewith.
Then follows the general sentence, that is, the curse The general
against many sorts of sinners, used to be said every quarter
of the year : and lastly, the beads ; wherein the Priest in
structed the people what and whora to pray for. Which will 139
be found in the Appendix, as I drew it out veriatlm, and Numb.'
. . . XXXVII.
according to the speUing, in the said Festival. And I add
it the rather, because it is not so correct set down in the
History of the Reforraation. And withal that we may thence xhe beads.
see in part how rauch our public prayers and devotions^"'' "'
differ frora them, and from what gross superstitions the Collect.
reformation of religion hath happily freed the people of °'
this land.
But to give you a taste after what manner the Curates Irreverence
used to entertain their audience at these times. In the ser- church.
mon of the dedication of the church were these passages
against irreverence in the church: " My house is called a
" house qf prayer, but now it is made a house of rowning,
" whispering, crying, clattering, scorning tales and simple
" speaking, moving of vanities, and many simple words and
" lewd. That St. Austin saw two women rowning (that is,
" prating) together in the Pope's chapel, and the fiend sat
" in their necks writing a great roll of what the woraen talk-
" ed. And letting it fall, Austin went and took it up. And
" asking the women, what they had said in all the mass
" time, they answered, our Pafer noster. Then Austin
" read this bill, and there was never a good word in it."
Again, in the same sermon speaking of churchyards, he church-
saith, " they were appointed by the Fathers to bury in, for '""^''^'
p3

214 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " two causes: one, to be prayed for, as our holy Church
" useth; and another, for the body, to lie there at rest.

Anno 1532. cc poj. the fiend hath no raanner of power within Christian
" burials. No burying in the church, except it be the Pa-
" tron, that defends it frora bodily enemies ; and the Parson,
" Vicar, Priest, or Clerk, that defend the church from ghostly
" enemies with their prayers. Sorae have been buried there,
" and cast out again on the raorrow, and all the cloths left
" still in the grave. An angel came on a time to a warden
" of a church, and bade him go to the Bishop, to cast out
" the body he had buried there, or else he should be dead
" within thirty days. And so he was ; for he would not do
" as he was bidden."
The walking And speaking further of burying the dead, he asserts the
walking of their ghosts : " Many walk on nights, when bu-
" ried in holy place. But that is not long of the fiend, but
" the grace of God, to get them help. And some be guilty,
" and have no rest- Four men stale an Abbot's ox to their
" larder, The Abbot did a sentence, and cursed thera. So
" three of them were shriven, and asked mercy. The fourth
" died, and was not assoUed, and had not forgiveness. So
" when he was dead, the spirit went by night, and feared
" aU the people about, that none durst walk after sun-down.
" Then as the parish Priest went on a night with God's
" body to housel a sick man, this spirit went with him,
" and told him what he was, and why he went [walked,]
" and prayed the Priest to go to his wife, that they should
" go both to the Abbot, and make hira amends for his tres-
" pass, and so to assoil him ; for he might have no rest.
" And anon the Abbot assoUed hira, and he went to rest
" and joy for everraore." These trifling tales and insipid
stories were the people detained with, (instead of preaching
to thera Christ, and the doctrine of his Gospel,) to keep them
in profound ignorance, and in a due fear and dependance
upon their Priests and their pardons.
1 40 In the quatuor sermones, where he is explaining the se-
Images.why cond Coraraaudraeut concerning iraages there forbidden,
"*'¦ thus we read : " Men should learn by iraages whom they

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 215
" should worship and follow in living:. To do God's wor- CHAP.
• . XVI TT
" ship to images every man is forboden. Therefore when .

" thou comest to the church, first, behold God's body under ^¦'"° ^^sa.
" the forra of bread upon the altar ; and thank hira, that he
" vouchsafe every day to come from the holy heaven above,
" for the health of thy soul. Look thou upon the cross,
" and thereby have mind of the passion he suffered for
" thee. Then on the images of the holy saints : not be-
" lieving on them, but that by the sight of them thou may-
" est have mind on them that be in heaven : and so to fol-
" low their life as much as thou mayest." Where we may
observe with some wonder, how no countenance is here given
to worship images, the great practice of the Popish Church :
but the clear evidence of the second Commandment struck
sorae awe on the writer's mind, that he dared not, in the
face of the Coramandraent, exhort to that which was so plain
a breach of it.
In the said^oMr sermons, speaking concerning the mo- Women's
desty of women, we may there gather what their pride and ^ *""'"'•
fashions were in those days. " Neither by countenance,"
saith he, " ne array, stere [stir] ye no man to sin. Ne have
" not your visage poraped, ne your beers [hairs] puU'd or
" crouled, ne your faces coloured, ne your head high, or
" wide, layd with costly kevercheves, ne your body too
" curious in clothing, ne nice in shape : but after the coun-
" sil of St. Paul, let your array be sharaefastness, heUing
" your heads with your heer, or with a kercher, to cover
" your shame."
Once more, concerning the benefit of hearing mass, the Hearing
people were taught to believe strange things. " That day ""^*'
" thou hearest thy mass, God granteth thee needful and
" lawful things. That day idle oaths and forgotten sins been
" forgiven. That day thou shalt not leese thine eyesight,
" ne dy no sudden death : ne in the time of the mass thou
" shalt not wax aged. Every step thitherward and home-
" ward an angel shall reckon." And then to make aU the
absurdities of the raass go down the better, the people are
told, " that leud men and women to dispute of this sacrar-
p 4

216 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " ment are utterly forboden. For it is enough for them to
¦'^^"'' " beheve as holy Church teacheth them." But enough of

Anno is32.the Festival. Which though in some parts of it, as in the
general sentence and the beads, it underwent some correc
tions, yet I think it was not laid aside wholly tiU the reign of
King Edward.

CHAP. XIX.

King Henry''s matrimonial cause. Books written qf ihis
argument. A monstrous fish. Annates. Act against
them. Address qffhe Convocation to fhe King.
Much X HIS year also there was rauch preaching in the realm
concerning by the Priests and Friars one against another, for and
the King's against the lawfulness of the King's raarriage with Queen
marriage. y . o o
Katharine.
141 The judgments of the Universities of Flanders, France^
ment"*'f' ^"'^ Italy, (that I may go a little back,) to the number of
Universities nineteen, were current, that it was unlawful for a man to
concerning jjj^rry his brother's wife, for so the case was propounded in
general ; and that the Pope could not dispense in matters
against the law of God and nature, as he had done in this
marriage. These censures of the foreign Universities were
presented by the Lord Chancellor and other Lords to the
House of Coraraons in January 15|-r. And afterwards, be
ing compiled into a book, were printed, entitled,
Gravissima atque exactlsslma illusfrissimarum totius
Italia et Gallia Academiarum Censura, efficacisslmis etiam
quorundam docfissimorum vlrorum argumentafionibus esc-
plicata, de veritate illius propositionis, videlicet. Quod
ducere relictara fratris raortui sine liberis, ita sit de jure
divino et naturali prohibitum; ut nuUus Pontifex super
hujusmodi matriraoniis contractis, sive contrahendis, dis-
pensare possit.
Then followed the judgraents of the Universities in this
order in the said book :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 217
Censura alma Universifatis AureUanensis. CHAP.
Censura FacuUatis Decretorum ahna Universifatis Pa- ^^^'

nstensis. Anno 1532.
Censura Faculfatum juris Ponfificii et Legum alma Uni
versifatis Andegarensis.
Censura Faculfafis sacra Theologia ahna Universifatis
Parisiensis. Censura alma Universifatis Bifuricensis.
Censura Faculfafis sacra Theologia alma Universifatis

Censura Faculfafis sacra Theologia Universifatis Pa-
tariensis. Censura alma Universifatis Tholosante, ^c.
Then, under each, ensue the censures of the respective
Universities at length, with the date of the day and years
(viz. 1530.) under their comraon seals, hanging to the au
thentic instruments. These censures may be read at large
in the History of the Reformation, and in HoUinshed's Voi. i. Coii.
Chronicle. p. 89, 9231.
Next after these censures of the Universities, followed in And of
this book the judgment of divers learned men. For abun- me™^''
dance of learned men had now eraployed their pens in this
arguraent, to the number of above an hundred : whereof
Dr. Cranmer was one. These, with the said censures of the Herb. Hist.
Universities, were all brought down to the House of Cora- """
raons to be perused by thera.
I met with two discourses of this sort among the Burgh- Two books
leian MSS. which may deserve to be mentioned; to shew how mentpartT-
this question was managed, and what arguments were raade <="i^'''y
mi ¦ • r\t f 1 tr- i mentioned.
use 01 therein, ihe one was writ in 21. 01 the King, about
the year 1529, and bare this title. An liceat cuiquam du
cere uxorem frafris sui defcncti absque Uieris. And in
the end it is said to be written per I. Pi. M. Who he was
I cannot teU, unless it were John Prior of Merton, whose
narae I find subscribed in the famous Convocation anno
1536. when those remarkable Articles of Religion were
set forth, mentioned in the Meraorials of Archbishop Cran- 142

218 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. raer. The other paper is a confutation of a book writ by
one Abel, a hot raan, the Lady Mary's Chaplain: and who,

Anno 1532. about the year 1534, with several others, was found guUty
of misprision of treason about the Nun of Kent ; and in the
XXXVIII y^^^ 1540. was executed for treason in denying the su-
XXXIX. premacy. Both these treatises are in the Appendix.
A third writ To whlch I wUl make raention of a third, upon the same
tian divine, argument, being a just and large discourse, and writ with
good learning, by a Venetian Doctor in Divinity. And this
is the more to be marked, because the Venetians declined
having any thing to do in this raatter, and had raenaced the
University of Padua for meddling. The book bare this
titie :
IS. XS.
Fox. MSS. Fratris Marci Genoa Veneti Minorista, Arfium et sacra
Theologia Prqfessoris, Tractafus de Matrimonio, qulnque
questlonibus partifus : cujus summa est ; An liceat Chris
tianorum cuippiam ducere relictara fratris in uxorera. In
quo quidem Tracfafu protesfafur se nihil dicfurum, quod
sancta Mafrl Ecclesia repugnat ; quinimo ejus auctoritati
ef correctlonl quicquid dixerit submlttlf.
In the end it is allowed and approved by four other Doc
tors of Divinity in Venice, together with the author's own
subscription, thus :
Tracfafum Istum de Matrimonio — ego, Fr. Marcics Ge
noa Venefus Minorista sacra Theologia Professor, manu
propria scripsi et confecl. Quod siquid in eo dlxerlm, quod
repugnef auctoritati sacra Matris Ecclesice, casso, revoco,
ef annullo : cujus correctlonl volo ef Infendo subjecfum esse.
This treatise, I suppose, was one of those procured by Dr.
Croke or Stokesly, who were sent to Venice to get the
judgments of learned raen in this case. I wUl but name
the five questions treated of in this work, and so pass to
other raatters.
I. Ufrum affinifas impedit matrimonium.
II. V'lso, quod affinifas impedit matrimonium, nunc qu<e~
ro, ufrum impediat ex lege divina, vel ex statufo Ecclesia^

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 219
III. Viso, quod affinifas in aliquibus gradibus impedit CHAP.
matrimonium ex lege divina, nunc speciallter queero, in.

quibus gradibus affinifas lege divina impediat mafrimo-^'^'^°^^^^-
nlum. IV. Utrum Christianorum cuippiam llceaf relictam fra
tris (qua: sibi primo qffinifafis gradu aftinet) quacunque
intervenienfe causa, accipere In uxorem.
V. Qulnto ef idtimo, quaro, ufrum Pontifex Maximus, i.
Papa, possif dispensare, uf Christianorum quisplam ducaf
relief am frafris in uxorem ob quamcunque causam.
For it was the King's wisdora, as the Lord Herbert ob- Hist, of
serves, not to prevaU himself of his own power among his '3,9°'^'''''
Clergy, or of the counsel the Pope had formerly given him
of taking another wife, till he, had first discovered what the 143
learnedest raen in Christendora held in that point. There
fore two or three years now past, the King eraployed divers
agents abroad, for the gaining of the opinions of foreign
Universities and Doctors of Divinity concerning his raar
riage. As at Paris, Reginald Pole his kinsraan, (who yet The King's
did hira small service that way,) Sir Francis Brian, and Ed- subscrip-'
ward Fox : at Orleans and Tholouse, WiUiam Paget : *'<"¦? °^
 forGicrii
Thoraas Cranraer, Andreas and Joannis Casalis, and Pre- doctors.
videllus, in Gerraany : at Padua, Richard Croke : at
Rorae, Hierora de Ghinucci, Bishop of Worcester, and
Gregory de Cassalis : at Venice, the foresaid Croke and
Stokesly. And besides these, raentioned by the Lord Her
bert, there were employed in Italy, to procure subscrip
tions, one Friar Thoraas, and another Friar of Florence:
Friar Ambrose, Franciscus, Dionysius, Leonicus, and
others : and sorae of these seeraed to be too raercenary.
For there was one Raphael wrote one book to prove the
unlawfulness of the King's marriage : and afterwards wrote
another book to prove the lawfulness thereof: which last
came out publicly in print. And when this fickleness was
laid to his charge, he excused himself, that what he wrote
before, he wrote ex aliorum mente, and ad ingenii exerci-
tafionem. But these matters may be seen more at large, in

220

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XIX.
Anno 1532.
Numb. XL.
A character
of Doctor
Croke.
Fox. MSS.

A mon
strous fish.

Olaus Mag.
Hist. Sep-
tent.lib.2I

a letter to the King from Croke, who was the King's chief
est agent in those quarters. Which I transcribe into the
Appendix frora the original.
This Dr. Croke, to give here a short character of a great
learned countryraan of ours, and that deserves to be re
membered to posterity, was bom in the city of London ;
admitted a student of King's college in Cambridge, 1506;
went away being scholar ; and afterward followed the study
of the Greek tongue. Wherein he so excelled, that going
beyond sea, he became public reader thereof at Leipswich
in Germany. He exceUed also in Latin oratory : and at
his return into England was in great favour with King
Henry VIIL and with most of the nobUity that were learn
ed. He was the first Greek Professor in Cambridge, (after
Erasmus,) who came hither by the persuasion of Dr. Fisher,
then Bishop of Rochester : and for the love he bare to King's
college, whence he had his beginning, in the first oration he
made, he confessed it. In short space after, the University
of Oxford, by great means of honourable friends, and fair
promises of large allowance, invited hira thither to be their
reader. Caraerarius confessed himself to be his scholar in
his narration of Hessus. He was the first Public Orator of
the University of Cambridge, and commenced Doctor of
Divinity in the year 1523. And he after lived in Oxford to
his death, and wrote there divers things against John Leland
the antiquary. For which Leland hath a copy of verses
against hira in print. But I return from this digression.
It hath been an old observation in this kingdom, that
near upon the death of kings, or some great personages of
this land, whales, and such like huge fish, have corae on our
coasts, and into our rivers. Certain it is, that in the raonth
of August, when Archbishop Warhara died, at Tinmouth
the sea cast up a fish of a raonstrous bigness : which because
our historians, I think, speak nothing of, I wUl here describe.
It was ninety feet long. Frora the belly to the back it was
about eight or nine ells. The length of the raouth six ells
and an half The jawbone seven ells and an half; the

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 221
circuit thereof one ell and an half It had thirty ribs, CHAP. If TX^
of the length of one and twenty feet; each in circuit a.

foot and an half. It had three bellies, resembling vast^nno issa.
caverns, and thirty throats, five whereof were vastly great.
Two fins, each fifteen feet in length ; one whereof ten oxen
could scarcely draw. To the palate stuck as it were plates
of horn, on one part hairy. The length of his head, to that
part where the mouth openeth, seven ells : the tongue about
seven ells. The space between the eyes six ells. The eyes
and nose altogether unequal to so great a body; being such
as belong to an ox : the tail was forked, and rugged like a
saw, seven ells long. Two great holes in his head ; through
which the great creature was thought to cast forth water,
as through pipes. No teeth : whence it was esteemed to be
no whale, (for, they say, they have huge teeth,) but instead
thereof he had things resembling plates of horn. This ac
count a gentleman of England, that saw it, wrote in a letter
to his friend ; and is set down by Olaus Magnus.
This year three personages were preferred; who proved Three great
great and happy instruments for the reforming of the abuses o/the'Rel '
of religion, and amending of many things araiss in the Eng- formation
lish Church ; viz. the Lady Ann Bolen, Marchioness of
Pembroke, advanced to be Queen; Thomas Crumwel, Mas
ter of the Jewel House, now made one of the Privy Council,
and grown in great favour with the King, and soon after
this made Secretary of State. The third was Dr. Cranmer,
norainated (while abroad in the King's service) and elected
to the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury. To which I may
add a fourth. Sir Thomas Audley, a great lawyer, now made
Lord Keeper.
Now passed the famous act against annates : whereby The act
Archbishops and Bishops were forbidden to pay the first- annates.
fruits to the see of Rome, and other payments for the ob
taining of their palls, bulls, &c. And that henceforth they
should cease, upon pain that whosoever paid them should
forfeit his lands, goods, and chattels. The act is set down
in the History of the Reformation. This proceeded regularly Vol. i.
p. 117.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, frora the Convocation first, "which sued to the King, that
. these annates raight cease : and that if the Pope raade pro-

Anno 1583. cess hereupon, the King and people might withdraw their
obedience frora him : this suit sets forth the abuses of an
nates, and was drawn by some good hand. I think it worth
N».XLI. transcribing, and placing in the Appendix, for the reader
to peruse ; to shew upon what good reasons these dealings
of the nation against the Bishop of Rorae proceeded. It
set forth, " how the- Court of Rorae had executed these
" first-fruits before the Bishops could obtain their bulls out
" of the said Court. The mischief the payment thereof
" did to the treasure of the realm ; to the decay of the land,
" and the great impoverishing of the Bishops, and of their
" friends and relations, if they should chance to die within
" two or three years next after their proraotions. And that
" the Bishops, by these exactions, were not of ability to re-
" pair their churches, houses, and manors, in a great part of
" their lives. And that is to be assigned the reason of their
" falling into such decay. And that hence it came to pass,
" that they could not bestow the goods of the church in
" hospitality and charity : which they ought to have done
" by the law, and the mind of the donors of their church's
1 45 " possessions." And many reasons more were given in this
draught. But these reasons do make against paying first-
fruits to the King, as well as to the Pope. And therefore,
I suppose, these were not thought fit to be inserted into
the act, it being intended not wholly to take away the pay
raent of them, but to divert them into another channel, to
wit, from the Pope to the King.
The Car- gy this tirae the creatures of the papacy grew very jea-
dedicate a lous of the King, and feared their superstitions and corrup-
book to the tions raight corae under a further inspection. For the King
had already done several things that that party did not at
all like of : as the sifting of the Pope's power of dispensa
tion, and disallowing it in some cases: the Clergy of England
put under a premunire, for breaking the statutes against
provisors and provisions ; and the bringing them to submit

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 223
unto and acknowledge the King as supreme head of the ^.^™^'
Church: to which we must add, the act last mentioned, of  .
stopping the annates ; and lastly, norainating Cranmer for*"°° '^^^'
Bishop of Canterbury. Therefore the Popish party used
their arts to keep the King from apostasy from them. I
find about this tirae a book of Dionysius Carthusianus, be
ing his Exposition of the Gospel of St. Matthew, dedicated
to the King by the monastery of the Carthusians of Colen.
Which I believe was the first edition of that book, printed
from some of their MSS. The epistle was composed by
Theodoric Loer, Vicar of that house, but by the order of
Peter Bloraevenna, the Prior, and the principal visitor of
his province of the Rhine, and of the whole society : chiefly
by the instigation, as it seeras, of John Batraahson, Prior
of the monastery of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin
near London; who had written to Colen, that Dionysius,
one of their fraternity, his works would be acceptable in
England. And under that pretence they chose the rather
to dedicate this work unto the King. In this epistle they
flattered him for his high learning and zeal for religion :
and " that by his writings concerning the Sacraments, he
" had displayed his glory over his people. That he had
" put on the harness of Catholic doctrine, like a giant, and
" girt his loins with the warlike arms of Scriptures in his
" battles of disputations against heretics, and defended
" Christ's camp with the sword of his learning : that he
" was like to an evangelical lion, and a mystical lion's
" whelp, sent down from heaven to hunt the heretics :
" extoUing him much for persecuting those that disturbed
" his faithful subjects by their heresies." They knew, it
seems, the King's mind, how he loved to be flattered and
admired. But these fair words would not divert the King's
purposes.

224 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
146 CHAP. XX.
The Princess Mary. The Kin^s appeal against ihe Pope.
The supremacy. Books writ against fhe Pope's usurpa
tions.
Anno 1 538. Ag after the pronouncing of the sentence of divorce, the
to tim Pnn- -^^"S comraanded Queen Katharine should no raore be
cess Mary, called Quceu, but Princess Dowager, and widow of Prince
that'tiUef "^ Arthur ; so, soon after the birth of the Lady EHzabeth,
which was, according to the Lord Herbert, Sept. 6, 1533,
the CouncU sent the Princess Mary word, by the King's
order, that she should lay aside the narae and dignity of
Princess ; and coraraanded her servants no longer to acknow
ledge her such. This raessage was carried to her to Beau-
lieu, by one Huse, a promoter, formerly employed by the
King in his matter with the Queen. He came privately
without any Privy Counsellor or person of honour accom
panying, and without any commission or other writing
from the King : which gave her occasion to refuse to obey
the message, as not giving credit thereunto; teUing the
messenger boldly, that she was the King's true and lawful
daughter and heir. Her servants also would not take notice
of this order upon the same reason. But hear the letter
of Huse to the Council concerning the delivery and success
of his journey.
Which she " Please your good Lordships to be advertised, that ac-
do^"^rox*° " cording to the King's high coraraandraent, lately shewed
MSS. " unto rae by your Lordships at Greenwich upon Sunday
" last, I have signified unto the Princess his raost gracious
" pleasure, concerning the diminishing of her high estate
" of the name and dignity of Princess. Wherein her Grace
" coulde not a little raarvaile, that I, being alone, and not
" associate with sum other the Kinges most honourable
" Counsail, ne yet sufiicientlie auctorised, nethre by com-
" raission, ne also ony othre writing from the Kinge's High-
" ness, wolde atterapte to declare suche an high interprise
" and matier of no litle weight and iraportaunce unto hir

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 225
" Grace, in depeyring and diminishing hir said astate and CHAP.
" name : hir Grace not doubting, but that she is the Kinges ^^'

" true and legitimate doughter and heyr, procreate in good Anno 1533.
" and lawful matriraonie : and ferther adding, said, that
" unless she were advertised frora his Highness by his
" writing, that his Grace was so raynded to diminishc hir
" said astate, name, and dignity, which she trusteth his
" Highness will never do, hir Grace will not believe it.
" And ferther, I have declared your said coraraandraent
" unto all the Princesse servants concernyng the premisses :
" who have made me answere, that they in most humble wise
" shal alweys obey the Kinges high coraraanderaents, in al
" things which his Highness shal comraaunde thera to do,
" saving there conscience. Notwithstanding they think,
" that this commaundraent, being so high and weighty,
" geven by me only without writing frora the Kinge's High-
" ness, and othre his Counsail associate with rae, is in there
" judgeraents not sufficient.
" Wherefore, my Lords, I comraitte this raatier unto
" your Lordships, to be fertherly wiede, as shall stand with
" your high and moost discrete wisdomes. Which I pray 147-
" God may be to his high pleasure, and to the honour of the
" King's Grace, and to the welth of his realme. And thus
" the Holy Goost have your good Lordships in his most
" merciful tuition. At Beaulieu the twenty daye of Sep-
" terabre. By me the King's subgiet, « John Huse."
And in this persuasion she stood obstinately for three
years, till the King was very angry with her. But then,
about the year 1536, she acknowledged herself a bastard.
Upon the quarrel between the King and the Pope, arisen A book
by the divorce, the Pope being almost ready now to de-upon\he
nounce his fulraination against the King and kingdom, his yopfs re-
Majesty, by his ambassador Boner, declared to the Pope, the King's
that he appealed from hira to the next lawful general coun- ^P^"^^-
cil. This appeal the Pope rejected. Upon this breach, the
Pope also being strengthened by a league both with the
vol. 1. Q.

226

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XX.

Cleopa. E,
6. p. 326.

Emperor and the French King, the King was under great
fears and apprehensions of sorae interdict of the realm soon
Anno 1533. to follow ; and upon that an invasion or insurrection of the
people, or both. Wherefore a discourse was now framed
and published, or designed to be published, in the King's
name, to justify his appeal from the Pope, and to vindicate
himself to his people, in these words :
" If raortal creatures to their heads Sovereigns and na
tural Princes be chiefly bound next unto God ; especiaUy
' where they, as careful fathers and tutors, prudently and
' rightly rule and govern the great numbers and raultitudes
' of raen by God comraitted to their obedience ; and where
' they in their royal persons often forgetting the regard of
' their princely Majesties, valiantly withstand, abide, and re-
' sist whatsoever troubles, dangers, perils, assaults, wrongs,
' injuries, or displeasures soever, at any tirae happen, chance,
' threaten, or be incident unto their people or countries:
' besides raany and innuraerable other displeasures and
' troubles, which daily and hourly, for the defence, main-
' tenance, and suppor tation of their realmes, people, and
' countries, secretly happen, and chance them, their people
' seldorae or at no tirae privy thereunto ; whereby of good
' congruence all subjects becorae raost bound to their So-
' veraigns and Princes, and thera ought most faithfuUy to
' love, honour, obey, serve, and dread, and their Majesties
' to maintain, support, and defend with all their power,
' might, strength, and ability ;
" Then let no English raan forget the most noble and
' loving Prince of this realm ; who, for the godly example
' of his people, the love and dread he hath to God, and
' observance of his most reverend lawes, hath, to the evi-
' dent knowledge of all his well beloved subjects, long en-
' dured and abidden, to his inestimable cost, charges, trou-
' ble, vexation, and inquietude, the trial of his great cause :
' and at the last, after innuraerable most faraous learned
' men's judgments, on his side therein given ; yet for all
' that most wrongfully judged by the great idol, and most
' cruel enemy to Christ's law and his religion, which caUeth

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 227
" himself Pope, and his most just and lawful provocation CHAP.
" and appeUation frora the said enemy of Christ's law to the .

" general councel made, also refused, denied, and forsaken. Anno isas.
" Wherefore, and to the intent that all raen may know 148
" the aborainable wronges which our raost noble and gra-
" cious Prince doth sustain by so unlawful entreatings ;
" therefore these few articles, hereafter foUowing, are pre-
" sented unto those that shall both desire to know the truth,
" and in truth shaU thirst and covet feithfully to assist,
" raaintain, support, defend, and stand by their Prince and
" Soveraign in his raost just, lawful, and rightwise cause.
" I. That the general councel, lawfully gathered, is and
" ought to be superiour to all jurisdictions, either usurped
" and suffered, as the papal ; or justly holden, as [that of]
" Kings, in all raatters concerning the faith and direction of
" the whole Church of Christ: and also ought to be judged
" thereby, and by the decrees of the same only, and by
" none others ; they being consonant to the law of Christ.
" II. That Princes have two wayes principally, when
" none other can prevail, to attain right. Th'one against
*' the other. That is to say, in cases concerning the soul,
" being mere spiritual, appellation to the general councel :
" in temporal causes, the sword only, (except by mediation
" of friends the matters may be compounded.) So that
" whosoever would go about to take away these natural
" defences from Princes, is to be manly withstand, both by
" the Princes and their subjects. And thereto all Christen
" men should be animate by the words of our Lord Jesus
" Christ ; which are. Obey ye Princes above all, and then
" their deputies, or ministers : not giving power to foreignes
" within their rules and dominions.
" III. That divers general councels have determined,
" that causes of strife or controversy, being once began in
" any re^on, shaU there, and in the same region, be finished
" and determined, and not elsewhere. Upon which ground
" the King's Highness, his nobles, both spiritual and tem-
" poral, and commons, by one whole consent, upon divers
" most prudent, wise, and poHtic reasons and weighty consi-
q2

228 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " derations, agreable to the sarae general councels, have
^^' " raade a law : by the which good people, living within the

Anno 1633. " Hraits of true and lawful raatrimony, shall not, by malice
" or UI will, be so long detained and interrupted from their
" right, as in tiraes past they have been : neither unjust
" matryraony shall have his unjust and incestuous deraoure
" and continuance, as by delayes to Rorae it is wont to have.
" Which now raay "evidently appear by that that our Princes
" weighty and long protracted'' cause of matriraony hath
" his final and prosperous end, according to the lawes of
" God, with brief success of issue already had, and other
" Hke to follow. Lauds be to God, the only worker of
" the sarae.
" IV. That our said Prince and Sovereigne, according
" unto the liberty and lawes of nature, and constitution of
" general councels, as afore hath been, provoked and ap-
" pealed from the mpst unjust and unlawful sentence,
" wrongfuUy given against hira by the Bushop of Rome,
" to the general councel next ensuing, and lawfuUy con-
" gregate : that is to say, frora the sentence of the usurper
" of God's lawes, and infringer of general councels, which
" calleth hiraself Pope. In the which our said Prince's
" doings, all juSt and true Christen raen, especiaUy his most
" loving subjects, I doubt not, will support and maintain
" him. Which provocations and appeUations also stand-
1 49 " ing in force, and being intiraate to the person of the said
" usurper, (as indeed they be,) and by him be denied and
" refused, sequestreth him wrongfully frora all raanner of
" processes, belonging, or in any wise appertaining to the
" said fact or raatter, other diabolick arts and statutes by
" sorae of his predecessors to the contrary notwithstahdirig.
" Wherefore what censures, interdictions, or other his
" cursed inventions soever they be, fulminate or set forth
" by the said usurper, the same ought not only to be ab-
" horred and despised, but manfuUy be withstood and de-
" fended. And whoso doen shall have fdr their buckler
" the latter and better part of this verse ensuing, and the
" maligners the first part ; which is, Quoniam qui malig-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.
nant exfermlnabunfur, sustinenfes auf em Dominum, ipsi CHAP.
harifabunt terram. ^^'

" V. That where indeed by holy Scripture, and Christ's Anno 1533.
" law, there is none authority nor jurisdiction granted raore
" to the Bushop of Rorae, then to any other Bushop extra
" provinclam ; yet because that sufferance of people, and
" blindness of Princes, with their supportation hitherto,
" hath susteined the sarae, doing theraselves thereby too
" great injury and wrong ; it is now thought therefore not
" only convenient, but also rauch more then necessary, to
" open the sarae unto the people : to the intent they should
" from henceforth no lenger be disseyved, in honoring him
" as an idol, which is but a man, usurping God's power
" and authority : and a man, neither in Hfe, learning, nor
" conversation, like Christ's minister or disciple : yea, a
" man also, though the see apostolic were never of so high
" authority, yet most unworthy, and unlawful, by their
" own decrees and laws, to occupy and enjoy that usurped
" place. For first, he is both baste, [bastard,] and also element.
" come into that dignity by symony. And now by denying ^^¦'•
" the Kings lawful provocation and appeal, and in support-
" ing the diabolick decrees of his predecessor Pius, is deter-
" mined, by a general councel, a very heretick.
" Wherefore all true Christen people, except he amend,
" ought to dispise both him and all his facts, and be no
" longer blinded by hira ; but give themselves intyrely to
" the observance of Christ's lawes, in which is all sweetness
" and truth ; and in the other nothing else but pomp,
" pride, ambition, and wayes to make himself rich, whicb is
" much contrarious to their profession. The Lord amend
" them." The Pope's authority here in England was now more Books
and raore agitated and sifted : and it was thought highly p^^ "^* "'^
necessary to vindicate the King's supremacy against the
Pope's usurpations. And the King drove it on vigorously.
State-books for this end were written about it ; and, as many
treatises were composed for the King's supreraacy, so sorae ^'le King's
against it too. The King himself this year wrote one : gainst him.
q3

230 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C HAP- which, together with his divorce, did extreraely irritate and
^^' ^provoke the Roraan Bishop: but the book raost of all. It

Anno 1 633. was a large and araple treatise of the tyranny and usur
pation of the Bishop of Rome: and bore this title, De
Potestate Christianorum Regum in suis Eccleslls, con
tra Pontificis fyrannidem ef horribllem impiefafem. This
Life of King book, mentioned in Beutherus's history, because the Lord
3i5. ^' Herbert had not seen, he supposed that author might
raistake it for another book, entitled, De vera differentia
150 regia Potesfafls ef Ecclesia. But this raust be a book
different frora that before raentioned: this being writ
by Fox, Bishop of Hereford, and came not forth tUl the
Hist. Re- year after, viz. 1534, if we raay believe the late Reverend
Append. p. ^^- Eulman, well skiUed in these antiquities; who also
418. distinguishes these books, and saith, there was such a book
entitled, De Potesfafe Christianorum Regum, &c. The
book qf fhe true difference between fhe King's power and
that qffhe Church was so well thought of in King Edward's
reign, and esteemed so seasonable in those days, that it was
Becon's then reprinted, having been turned into English by Henry
Reports. Lord Stafford, and recommended by an epistle before the
book, wrote by him.
To which let rae add another book, viz. Beckenshaw's
Commentary qf fhe sovereign and aisolufe Power qf
Kings ; cited by King Jaraes in his Triplici Nodo triples:
Cuneus.

CHAP. XXI.
Deliberation at fhe Council Board about casting off ihe
Pope's authority. Resolutions taken. Doctor SampsorCs
book for the King's supremacy.
The Coun- JJ OR the concerting of these affairs, let us see what was
debate.^''^ privately transacting within the walls of the King's Court
among the Privy Counsellors ; who were minded first to
see how the Bishops stood affected towai-ds the Pope and his

UNDER KING PIENRY VIII. 231
authority in this kingdom, and what their judgments were CHAP.
of general councils. They propounded that the common ^'"'

people of the land should be better instructed concerning Anno is83.
the Pope's power, and his encroachments upon sovereign Sovereign
Princes. They saw it needful, that all Friars and religious ''""'^'^^'
persons, belonging to the raonasteries which were addicted '
to the Pope, should be brought over. And so in like raan
ner all the inferior Clergy. They thought it convenient,
that the King's appellation from the Pope, and the reasons
of it, raight be every where publicly known. They deli
berated about securing the kingdom against any foreign
attempts, by making and keeping a good understanding
with Scotland and Germany, both the Princes and Hanse
Towns thereof. And lastly, for settling the Princess Dow
ager's household, and her daughter's, and the family of
the Lady Princess EHzabeth, who was now scarce three
months old.
All these matters were, about the very beginning of De
cember, propounded in the King's Council, under nineteen
articles ; which I shall first set down, and then shew the
resolutions taken by the said CouncU hereupon.
Propositions for fhe Kin^s Council. 131
" I. To send for all the Bishops of this realra ; and The result
" especiaUy for such' as be nearest unto the Court, and to beration'at
" exaraine thera apart, whether they by the law of God can ^^'^ Council
1 1 . 11 1 1 T. Board con-
" prove, and justly, that he that is now called the Pope of cerning the
" Rome is above the general councel, or the general coun- J!°''V ""' j
" . . thonty, and
" eel above hira : or whether he hath given unto him, by the how to deal
" law of God, any more authority within the realm than Bjshops^nd
" any other foreign Bishop. orders in
" II. Item, To devise with all the Bishops of this realm to this.
" to set forth, preach, and cause to be preached to the cieop. E. 6.
" King's people, that the said Bishop of Rorae, called the
*' Pope, is not in authority above the general councel, but
" the general councel is above him and all Bishops ; and
" that he hath not, by God's law, any more jurisdiction
" within this realm, then any other foreign Bishop, being of
Q 4

232 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " any other realra, hath. And that such authority, as he
 !__ " before this hath usurped within this realra, is both against
Anno 1533. « God's law, and also against the general councel. Which
" usurpation of authority only hath grown to him by the
" sufferance of Princes of this realm, and by none authority
" from God.
" III. Itein, Therefore that order be taken that such as
" shall preach at Paul's Cross frora henceforth, shall con-
" tinually frora Sunday to Sunday preach there, and also
" teach and declare to the people, that he that now calleth
" hiraself Pope, ne any of his predecessors, is and were but
" only the Bishops of Rorae, and hath no more authority
" and jurisdiction by God's laws within this realm, then any
" other foreign Bishop hath ; which is nothing at all : and
" that such authority as he hath clairaed heretofore hath
" been only by usurpation and sufferance of Princes of this
" realra. And that the Bishop of London raay be bound to
" suffer none others to preach at St. Paul's Cross, as he wUl
" answer, but such as will preach and set forth the same.
" IV. Item, That aU the Bishops within this realm be
" bound and ordered in the same wise ; and to cause the
" same to be preached throughout all their dioceses.
" V. Item, That a special practice be made, and a streight
" coraraandraent given to all provincials, rainisters, and
" rulers of all the four orders of Friers within this realm ;
" comraanding thera to cause the same to be preached by
" all the preachers of their religious, in and through the
" whole realm.
" VI. Item, To practise with all the Friers Observants of
" this realra ; and to command them to preach in like wise :
" or else that they may be stayed, and not suffered to preach
" in no place of the realm.
" VII. Item, That every Abbot, Prior, and other heads
" of religious houses within this realra, shall in Hke manner
" teach their convents and brethren, to teach and declare
" the sarae.
" VIII. Item, That every Bishop shall raake special com-
" raandment to every Parson, Vicar, and Curate within his^

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 233
diocese, to preach and declare to their parochians in like CHAP.
. ..,;„.. XXI.

" IX. Item, Proclamations to be made throughout the Anno 1533.
" realm, containing the whole act of appeals. And that the ^^^
" sarae act may be impressed, transsuraed, and set up on
" every church door in England : to the intent, that no
" Parson, Vicar, Curate, nor any other ofthe King's subjects,
" shall make themselves ignorant thereof.
" X. Item, The King's provocations and appellations,
" made from the Bishop of Rorae unto the general coun-
" eel, raay also be transsuraed, iraprest, published and set
" up on every church in England : to the intent, that if
" any censures should be fulrainate against the King or his
" realm, that then it raay appear to all the world, that the
" censures be of none effect : considering, that the King
" hath already, and also before any censures promulged,
" both provoked and appealed.
" XI. Item, Like transsumpts to be made, and sent into
" all other realmes and dominions, and especially into Flaun-
" ders, concerning the King's said provocations and appel-
" lations : to the intent the falshood, iniquity, raalice, and
" injustice of the Bishop of Rorae raay thereby appear to
" all the world : and also to the intent that aU the world
" raay know, that the King's Highness standing under those
" appeals, no censures can prevail ne take any effect against
" him and the realm.
" XII. Item, A letter to be conceived from all the nobles, f^°* >''*
' . done, ne
" as well spiritual as temporal, of this realme, unto the can well be
"Bishop of Rome; declaring the wrongs, injuries, and ^^^p^^j^""^*^
" usurpations, used agenst the King's Highness and this ment.]
- Margin of
" realm. the MS.
" XIII. Item, To send explorators and espies into Scot- C^""'' ''^'"
. - . . T , ters to my
" land ; and to see and perceive their practises, and what Lord Dar-
" they intend there ; and whether they will confedre them- Lorf^f
" selves with any other outward princes. Northum-
" XIV. /fem. Certain discreet and grave persons to bea,^^s"/c_
" appointed to repair into the parties of Germany: to prac- ci»ord^.]
" tise or conclude some league, or amitie, with the princes the ms. [in
the King's arbitrement.J Marg- of the MS.

234 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « and potentates of Germany; that is to say, the King of
XXI. <j -pole. King John of Hungary, the Duke of Saxony, the

AnnoiS83.« Dukes of Baviere, Duke Frederic, the Landgrave Van
" Hesse, the Bishop of Magons, (Moguntium,) the Bishop
" of Friers, the Bishop of Colen, and other the potentates
" of Gerraany. And also to ensearch of what inchnation
" the said princes and potentates be of towards the King
" and this realra.
[To know " XV. Item, Like practise to be raade and practised with
the King.] " the cities of Lubeck, Danske, Haraburgh, Bromeswick,
Marg. of « ^ ^ j}^ ^}^ stedds of the Haunse Teutonic. And to
the MS. " ensearch of what incHnations they be towards the King
" and this realme.
" XVI. Item, Like practise to be raade and practised
" with the cities of Noriraberg and Augsbourgh.
[This is al- " XVII. Item, To reraeraber the raerchant adventurers*
Marg. of*^ " haunting the dominions of Brabant, and to speak with
the MS. « them.
[The order " XVIII. Ifcm, To Set order and establishraent of the
Marg^of " Priiicess Dowager's house, with all celerity, and also of
the MS. « my Lady Mary's house.
[The orders " XIX. Item, A full conclusion and deterraination to
Marg. if " ^^ taken for ray Lady Princess [Elizabeth's] house."
jVq The resolutions that were taken by the Privy Council
upon these propositions above said were these, as I extract
them from the same MS. in the Cotton library :
Acta in Concilio Domini Regis ^do Decembr.
Theresolu- " First, That the conclusions raentioned in the first ar-
hereupon!" " ^^'^^^ °^ ^'^'^ book, with the circurastances thereof, be com-
" raitted to Mr. Dean, [Doctor Sarapson, Dean of the
" King's chapel,] and the Alraoner, [Doctor Fox,] and
" other Doctors ; to search their books, and to raake an an-
" swer again thereupon to the Lords of the Councel by
" Friday and Saturday next.
This added " The Bishops of London, Lincoln, and Bath, to be
hanT." " " warned to be here afore the Councel." [These Bishops
being nearest the Court : the Archbishop of Canterbury

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 235
is not mentioned, either because he was one of the Privy CHAP.
... xxi.
Councel, or was now down in his diocese.]

" And as to the other seven articles, depending upon the-'^""'' ^^^^'
" said first, the Councel will be advised thereof until the
" return of the said answer.
" And as to the ninth, tenth, and eleventh articles, it is
" coraraitted to my Lord Chancellor, [Sir Thoraas Aud-
" ley,] and master Cromewel, to put in execution with all
" speed, according to the effect of the sarae.
" And as to the twelfth article, it is ordered, a rainute of
" a letter shall be drawn and conceived by Mr. Almoner ac-
" cording to the purport thereof. And that first of aU there
" shall be exhibited to the Councel the copy of an old let-
" ter, sent unto the Pope by the nobles in King Edward
" the 1st his reign ; and all the letter which we last sent
" unto the Pope.
" And as touching the thirteenth article, it is committed
*' to my lord of Norfolk and Mr. Cromewel.
" And as unto the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth ar-
" tides, it is ordered that letters shall be with all speed de-
" vised and sent unto Mr. Wallop, to advertise the French
" King thereof, before any of them shall be put in execu-
" tion. " Item, For the diminishing the house and order of the
" Princess Dowager, the King's Highness hath appointed,
" that the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Sussex, Master
" Controuler, and raaster Den, [Denny, I suppose,] shaU re-
" pair thither, and to use theraselves according to such in-
" structions as shall be devised for the same.
" Item, For the diminishing of the house and ordering
" of the Lady Mary, the King's Highness hath appointed,
" that the Duke of Norfolk, the Lord Marinex, [Mamix,]
" the Earl of Oxford, and Mr. Almoner, shall repair thi-
" ther, and use themselves according to such instructions
" as shall be devised for the sarae.
" Item, The King's Highness hath appointed, that the
"Lady Princess [EHzabeth a] shall be conveyed from^^^^^;^^ quarter old.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "hence towards Hatfield *, upon Wednesday the next
^^^" " week ; and that Wednesday night to repose and lye at

Anno 1533." the house of the Earl of Rutland, in Enfield; and the
witX**"' " ^^^^ ^^y *° ^^ conveyed to Hertford, [Hatfield,] and
castle of " there to reraain with such forraerly in houshold, as the
taT«°at' " King's Highness hath assigned and estabhshed for the
was dashed « same."
Hatfield put Richard Sarapson, LL. D. Dean of the chapel, raen-
'"• tioned a little above, this year wrote and published a cer-
„ tain Latin oration, for the vindicating the King in taking
Sampson, ' o o o
Dean of the the Supremacy into his own hand, and for confuting the
^„^5^^fp,."i^g doctrine of the papal power in this kingdom. It was
King's su- printed by Thoraas Barthelet, cum privilegio. And the
King sent it abroad, and dispersed it araong foreigners for
the vindication of his doings : and araong the rest, ap
pointed it to be sent to Pole, as shall be seen hereafter.
This book I have seen in vellura, in an exquisite collec
tion of curious books; and which I exactly transcribed;
N". XLII, and have now put into our Appendix. Quo, docet, horta-
iur, admonef, &c. as it stands in the title, giving the pur
port of the said oration, I. e. " That it taught, exhorted,
" and admonished aU persons, and particularly the English
" nation, that above all they were bound to obey kingly
" dignity, because the law of God commanded it : and that
" they should not listen to the Bishop of Rome, who had
" no power by any divine right over them, after that the
" King had so comraanded to obey hira only," &c.
In this book he grounded the King's power over all per-
Rom. xii. SOUS, ecclesiastical as well as lay, upon these Scriptures ; Let
iPet. ii. every soul be subject fo the higher powers ; and, Submit
yourselves to every ordinance qf man for the Lords sake.
He asserted hence, that Kings are God's vicars, or substi
tutes; because they have their power of God hiraself. And
that the Bishop of Rorae hath nothing to do without his
province. That in England he had no raore power than
the Archbishop of Canterbury had at Rome. And that
there was no word in Scripture that attributed power to

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 237
him out of the Roman province ; nor no raore raention of C H A P.
the Bishop of Rorae in the holy Scripture than of the Arch- ^^''

bishop of Canterbury. But however it was thought neces- A""<* '^^s.
sary that this book of Sarapson's should be answered : and
so it was afterward by Cochlseus, a violent Papist.
And yet this writer, who hath shewn such loyalty to the
King by this state-book of his against any foreign power to
be superior to that of the King, we shall hear in the pro
gress of these Meraorials what a secret favourer he was of
the Pope, and of such as would not renounce his authority
in this kingdom.
This oration of Sampson's was some years after put into
English by a learned divine and writer, with a freedora of
paraphrase soraetimes; which, for the benefit of EngHsh
readers, is as followeth :
" A King is appointed of God for the punishment of evil Dr. Samp-
" doers, and for the prayse of the good : whom he re- tio^.
" gardeth, defendeth, advaunceth. And as it apperteineth becon's Re-
" unto his office to save and to defend the good and honest
" people, so is it his duty to punish the wicked and dis-
" obedient. This power hath he of God. The matter is
" playne ynough. The Scriptures are evident : for it is the
" word of God which teacheth us to obey this power. It
" excepteth no man in the world. Neither is there found
" in holy Scripture one jote or tittle that maketh free any
" disobedient and wicked person from the power of the
" King. " Marvel not thou, therefore, if thou see either Priest or 155
" Monk or Byshop punished, if he do offend, no raore than
" thou dost wonder at the punishment ofa lay person. If Rom. xWi.
" fhou do evil, saith the Apostle, then^ar fhe power qffhe
" sword. For he speaketh this to all men, and every one of
" them. What matter thankworthy is this, saith St. Peter, i Pet. ii.
" yfye do amiss, ye take if patiently, when ye are buffeted
" and ieaten. Have therefore, saith he, a good conversa-
" flcm ; that men speak not evil qf you as malefactors.
" Therefore ie yee subject to all humane ordinance for the
" Lord's sake; whether if be to fhe king, as .viprcmc

238 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " head, &c. God hiraself therefore coraraaundeth that we
¦y-vr
 ;__ " should obey the King, his power, and his laws, in all things

Anno 1533. « that belong to the princes of this world. Seeing then that
" the King hath his suprerae power of God, it is to be won-
" dred that such foolish raen are found, which cannot abyde
" (so rauch as in them is) that the King should be adorned
Supreme " with the name of supreme head. But either imprudently
" or impudently, and ambitiously, labour, also, that other
" may not agree thereunto. Is not he worth the name of
" suprerae head, to whora alone in earth the suprerae and
" most high power is given by the word of God? I would
" that they which think themselves learned, should bring
" forth out of the holy Scripture any one power which may
" be compared unto this regal power.
The King " This power therefore have the kings of God himself.
car. " " His rainisters they are. Of him are they sent, as St. Pe-
" ter saith : and his vicars are they. All therefore must
" needs obey this power that wUl be subject unto God. He
" that receiveth not him, and obeyeth not hira, whom God
" sendeth, and to whom God hath given this express and
" manifest power, doth utterly cast away God, or rather
" despiseth hira. Let the King therefore be called supreme
" head : for the sarae is he indeed ; confirmed with the
" word of God, &c.
" What other thing then is it, to conterane and despise
" the word of God, not to obey the King, which is God's
The Bishop " rainister and God's vicar "i I raean not, by this vicar of
hath no " God, that BysHop of Rome, which by his proper ryght
power but « bath nothing to do without his province. He is the By-
in his own ij.t^ii-i
province. " shop of Rome : let him play the Byshop of Rome : for in
" England he hath no more power then the Archbyshop of
" Canterbury hath at Rorae. There is not one word in the
" holy Scripture which attributeth any power unto him
" without the Roman province. Which thing I will make
" raost evident and playne unto thee. If he hath that
" power by the law of God, which he so greatly seeketh
" after, he raust prove it by the word of God. But of the
" Byshop of Rome there is no raore raention then of the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 239
" Archbyshop of Canterbury. Therefore out of this foun- CHAP.
" tain he cannot draw thys water where none at all is. ^*''

" Whereas he saith, that he is the successour of Peter, and Anno isss.
" that by this succession he hath received this power, if
" Peter himself were here present, he would utterly deny
" it, and without all doubt cry out against this lyar, and The words
" say, O impostor and deceaver ! O ambitious, proud, and concerning
" arrogant man! My raaster Christ taught me humUity, *•"« t'ope.
" the denying of my self, the dispysing of this world,
" and of all the pomp thereof. Peace, &c. But how far
" estraunged from huraUitie he is, which in my narae cha-
" lengeth unto him the primacy and highest authoritie, his 15o
" outward manners do evidently declare. The tree is known
" by the frutes. For the denying himself, he goeth about
" to do all things after his own wiU and pleasure. . For the
" conterapt and despysing of this world, he loveth nothing
" so derely as the things which belong to this world. In
" pride and pomp he passeth the princes of the heathen.
" For peace, he rayseth up battel in every place ; yea, and
" that for none other cause, then that he may live and do
" all things according to hys own wil and pleasure. These
" things, I say, and many more, would St. Peter speak of
" the Bishop of Rome, if he were here.
" But as touching the most corrupt and aborainable The man-
" manners of Rome, I say nothing. For I should alraost ^g^^e cor-
" as easily draw out all the water of the ocean sea, as re- ™pt'
" hearse those manners, and set them forth in their right
" colours. I beseech God, for Christen charity, that he
" may learn to know God ; and that when he once know
" him, he may love hira : and that he, that is to say, the
" Bishop of Rorae, may at the last begynne more studi-
" ously and diligently to practyse and follow those things
" which Christ coraraaundeth. That as he now, a great
" number of yeres, hath been the parent and father of al
" abhominations, (as I may with one word comprehend al
" evUs,) setting forth the works, not of Christ, but of the
" Devil ; so likewise now at the last he may repent and
" amend. That many Christen men, that now hate hira,

240

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XXI.

•Anno 1533.
Psalra c.\ix.

Peter had
not the su
periority.

Acts viii.

1 Tim. i.
Tit. i.

Gal. ii.

Peter's au
thority ex
tended but
to Jewry.

Gal. ii.

157

yea, and that both worthily and justly, raay rejoyce at
the conversion of one so famous a synner. I have hated,
saith the prophet, fhe wicked. And let the Byshop of
Rorae above al things learne to contain and hold hiraself
within his own bounds and Hmits. For he doth folishly to
chalenge that by that right of succession, or by the law
of inheritance, which the holy Fathers never had, nor yet
would they have. For St. Peter did nothing less then ar
rogate and chalenge unto hiraself such priraacy and su
periority. He did never exercise it, because he never had
it. For thou shalt find in no place, that he at any time
did send any of the Apostles, or that he coraraaunded
any of thera to do any thing. But we read that he was
sent of the Apostles.
" If that Peter alone had the absolute power, whereof
they so greatly boast, what shall we then say of Paul;
which without his counsU or licence did found and sta-
blyshe, with his doctrine, the Corinthians, Galathians,
yea, and the very Roraans also ? He appointed Timothy
to be Bishop in Ephesus, Titus in Creta, and that they
should appoint priests or seniours in every citie, and set
the things in order, &c. but as touching Peter, he
openly reproved hira unto hys face : nether did he confer
his Gospel with Peter alone, but with the Apostles. If we
wil ascribe and attribute the chief authority to St. Peter,
then raust we provide, that we stretch it not out beyond
Jewry, nor further then the coasts of the Jewish country:
yea, and that by the testiraony of Paul, which saith, that
he was appointed to be the preacher and teacher of the
Gentiles : and that the Gospel of uncircumcision was no
less comraitted unto hira then the Gospel of circuracision
was coraraitted unto Peter. He saith also, that neither
Peter nor any other of the Apostles did help hira any
thing at all. Neither doth he attribute to Peter any supe
riority above the other Apostles ; for he saith, James, Ce
phas, and John, which seemed fo be fhe chief pyllars, gave
to me and Barnabas the right hands, and agreed with
us. In the which place he doth not only make the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 241
" other equal with Peter, but also he giveth him not so CHAP.
" much honour as to name him first. For he first nameth  !_

" James, &C. Anno 1 533.
" Peter was the first of the Apostles, but he was not the Peter the
" first and chief in power and authority. For they were ^l ^''*'» ''""'•
" equal in power, &c.
" If St. Peter were present, without al doubt he would
" take nothing more heavUy, then that the Byshop of Rome
" doth chalenge unto him thys more then secular power
" under his title and name. For if St. Peter had receaved
" thys power of Christ,' with this eomraaundment, that he
" alone should exercise it, and that aU other should take
" their power of him, (as the Byshop of Rome doth now
" chalenge unto hym,) then should both Peter grievously
" have offended, which did not obey thys eomraaundment,
" and they also should most fowly have erred, which with-
" out his authority took upon them to rainister in the
" Church of Christ. Neither would Luke have silenced
" this matter in the Acts of the Apostles, which after Christ's
" ascension wrote the things which the Apostles did. But
" how far this is frora the Aposties dedes, we have already
" declared evidently ynough.
" Seeing then that St. Peter had not this power, by what How the
" authoritie hath the Byshop of Rome chalenged and taken ^"P^^ij"^"*
" it unto him ? Verily, by the too much sufferance of the periority.
" princes and of the people, and thorow the filthy ambition
" and pride of the Bishops of that place. Which thing I
" will make unto thee more open and clear than the very
" sunne, yea, and that in few words.
" First of al, there is nothing more certain under heaven,
" than that unto the Bishop of Rome there is no more
" either primacy or power attributed and geven by the law
" of God, than unto any other Byshop eyther in England
" or in Fraunce or in Italy ; seeing that St. Peter himself
" had it not. It must needs therefore follow, that the
" power which he chalengeth, he hath it by man's law.
" Therefore raany of the auntient Byshops of Rorae did
" neyther covet, nor yet at any tyrae went about to exer-
VOL. I. u

242 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. '< cise any such authoritie; neyther did other raen geve it
" unto thera, or to any of thera, such power.

Anno 1533. « There are certain farailiar epistles of Cyprian, Byshop
" of Carthage, unto Cornehus, Byshop of Rorae, written
" about two hundred and fifty years after Christ. How
" rauch priraacy he geveth unto him, the superscription
" of those letters declareth evidently. Cyprian, saith he,
" sendeth grefyng fo Ms brother Cornelius. Neither do the
" words of the epistle geve unto hira any raore power. The
" faith of God's word, which both the Apostles Peter and
" Paul, as well with their doctrine, as also at the last
" with their raartyrdorae, left sound and perfect, before
" other places, at Rorae, both those old Fathers had in
" great reverence ; and also the good Byshops of Rome
" kept whole and safe stil, even in the tirae of Cyprian.
" Neither doth St. Hierora attribute and gyve to Damasus,
" Bishop of Rorae, which lived about three hundred and
" sixty-eight years after Christ's ascension unto his Father,
" any other priraacy in his epistles, which he wrote unto
" hira, then that he should follow the faith of that see of
" Rorae, and advaunce that to the utterraost of his power.
" And as concerning that St. Hierora saith. Extra hanc
158 " domum qui Agnum commoder'if prqfanus est; that is to
The pri- " say. He that eafefh fhe Lamb without this house is pro-
Popewas "fane, and an unholy person, in a certain epistle which
not known " beginneth, Quoniam vefusfo, tom. ui. p. 59, he raeaneth
rom's time. " undoubtedly without this falfh: although Erasraus in
" that place chiefly do not serae so syncerely to speak, as
" he doth in raany other places, which very uncircum-
" spectly interpreteth that house the priraacy of the Church
" of Rorae. For such priraacy was not known in that
" age, &c.
The Pope " Seeing then that the Byshop of Rorae hath so greatly
canons are " degenerated frora the word of God, what is raore right
to be re- « and lawful, then to cast away, and utterly to refuse him,
" and all his arabitious canons or laws ? For they are not
" the canons and rules of Christ, but rather of this world;
" seying they teach none other thing than pomp, ambition,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 243
" pride, covetousness, &c. Hereof coraeth this noble pri- CHAP.
" raacy. Hereof springeth the dominion far passing the do-.

" minion of heathen kings. Hereof also ryseth that abo-^""" i^^^-
" minable kyssing of feet. Paul and Barnabas rann out into
" the multitude, rentyng their garraents for sorrow, when
" the people began to worship thera, crying out on this
" raanner, We also are mortal men like unto you. And when Acts .\iv.
" Cornelius fell down at Peter's feet, Peter lifted hyra up
" straightwayes, and said, Ryse, for I also am a man. How Acts x.
" then doth the Byshop of Rorae wish, that Christen raen
" should obey hym, seyng al that he teacheth or doth is so
" contrary to Christ ? Eyther must we forsake Christ or the No man
" Byshop of Rome with these raanners : for no man can ^^^'^ ciuist
" serve these two raaysters. So long as the Byshops of »"<i *''^
" Rorae followed Christ, there was no nation araong all
" the Christians so subject unto him, and so obedient, (not
" in respect of any supreme power, but eyen of their own
" free wiU,) as the English nation was.
" The comraon-weal of England, long and raany a day, K'QS Henry
" hath sustained of this see of Rorae intolerable burdens obedience
" and injuries. But after that neither raeasure nor end *° ^"^ ^°l"^'
" could be found, our raost prudent King, [Henry VIIL]
" as it "was his duty, although long first, at the last pro-
" vided for his coraraon-weal. He hath enacted, (whora all
" we are bound to obey by the word of God,) that we
" should shew no obedience to the Byshop of Rome, which
" requireth obedience at our hands without any warrant of
" God's word.
" He therefore that wUl both be counted and also be
" a true Christian, must nedes obey the word of Christ.
" Thou art bound by the word of God to obey the King,
" as we have playnly proved and taught : but so art thou
" not the Byshop of Rome. The King coraraaundeth thee
" to obey hira. The Byshop of Rorae coraraaundeth thee
" to be subject unto him. The King coraraaundeth by the
" word of God. But the Byshop of Rorae chalengeth obe-
" dience by the law of raan. If thou be a Christian, thou
" wilt obey the word of God. If fhou love me, saith Christ, John xiv.
u 2

244 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. ^^ kepe my commaundments. He fhaf loveth me not, kepefh
 '__ " not my commaundments. He that is not with me Is
Anno 1583." againsf me, saith he. That thou therefore mayest be of
" God's part, thou must nedes do that which [God com-
" maundeth. Otherwise shalt thou undoubtedly be of those
" enemies which would not have the King to reign over
Luke xix. " them, as Luke saith. Ye shall dy in your sinus, bycause
"ye do not only not love God, but ye serae also to hate
" hyra, seying ye refuse and utterly despise his word, after
159" that ye be taught it, ye conteran and set at nought al
" huraane usurped power, and obey not the word of God.
" The word of God is, that ye should obey the King, and
" not the Byshop of Rorae.
The Pope's " With a certain secret or stiU consent of raen, the By-
power justly" shop of Rorae crept into this realra. But now for many,
banished a yga and those raost iust causes, as we have tofore
out of Eng- ¦^ ^ . . ^ .
land. " partly touched, is it enacted with an open and universal
" consent, that ye should no raore be subject to this foraign
" power of the Byshop of Rome. Thys doth God com-
" maund, bycause the King, God's rainister in earth, doth
" coraraaund it, to whora, by the word of God, the supreme
" or most high power is geven. He useth his right. He will
" no longer suffer, that he, which hath too long usurped a
" power here after a thevysh sort, should thrust hym out
" of his right. Every true English hearted man is bound
" to obey this law and ordinance, that ye may specially
" love the King, supreme head: again, that ye all which
" are members of this head raay heartily love one another,
as /, saith Christ, have loved you,'" &c.

cc

CHAP. XXIL

Struggling for t'he Pope. Wilson. Hubbardin. Powel. La
timer. Antichrist.
Anno 1533- J^ jjjg jjjjjg jjjg Bishops generally, and raost of the Clergy,
Cierey's" were gr^at papalins : and seeing how the King's proceed-
practlce.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 245
ings tended, not only to the abating, but destroying the CHAP.
Pope's authority and sway here in England, it sore grieved ,

them ; and they did what they could to keep it up araong Anno iS33.
the people ; hoping, that when the King saw how tightly
the subjects every where stood for the Pope, he might be
the more tender how. he went on infringing his power. For
this purpose they now privately procured several Doctors of
the Universities, such as were the raost popular and ready
preachers, to be in the nature of the itineraries, to ride Latimer's
about the countries, and to preach up, from place to place, Morice
the Pope's power over kings; extolling the Bishop of'°^"*»
Rome, and diminishing the power of secular princes. One
of these was Dr. Wilson, of Carabridge, a north country- Dr. Wilson.
man. About this time he travelled into the countries about
Beverley in Holderness ; and from thence he went a pro
gress, by sorae private appointraent, through Yorkshire,
Lancashire, Cheshire, and so toward the west parts, to
Bristow. Another was an old Divine of Oxford, naraed Hubbardin.
Hubbardin, a great strayer about the realra in all quarters,
to deface and irapeach the springing of Christ's Gospel.
.He was eraployed in the west country, and was wholly at
the devotion of the Bishops, doing whatsoever they bade
him. He magnified the Pope above measure, to the dero
gation of the temporal princes. But his behaviour, and life,
and manner of preaching, was most indecent, and a sort of
interlude ; and so the more taking araong the vulgar sort.
He would rail in all places against Luther, Melancthon,
Zuinglius, Frith, Tyndal, Latiraer, and such like erainent
professors of the Gospel. He would, for his better recep- l6o
tion among the people, openly and ostentatiously give such
alms as he had received out of other men's purses. He
used long prayers, pretended devotion, and great fasting.
He ordinarily rode in a long gown down to the horse's
heels, all bedirted like a sloven, as though he were a man
of contemplation, little regarding the things belonging to
.the body. His serraons consisted of tales and fables, dia
logues and dreams. He would dance and hop and leap,
and use histrionical gestures in the pulpit. At which he
e3

246

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP, was once so violent, stamping so rauch, that the pulpit,
^^^' wherein he was, brake, and he fell down, and brake his
Anno 1533. legs, whereof he died. This raan once raade an oration in
the praise of thieves and thievery. Which he did at the
command of sorae highwayraen that robbed hira. And they
liking it so well, returned hira his money again, and two
shiUings raore to drink their health. The MS. whereof is
still extant, and was once sold at the auction of Mr. Sraith's
books. I have a grave monitory letter written to this man
by Latimer, advising hira to leave off his blaspheraies, and
confuting sorae passages by hira uttered in a serraon. This
N". XLIII. letter you shall have in the Appendix.
Dr. Powel. Another of these eraissaries was Dr. Powel; who once
preached before the Mayor of Bristow, extolling the Pope
with abundance of zeal ; little regarding in the raean time
the power ofthe secular sword. He preached also rauch for
pilgrimages ; proving thera frora that Scripture in the Gos
pel, Whosoever leavefh not father and mother, and houses
and lands, &c. By which may be perceived what hard
shifts they raade to raake the Scripture speak for them.
For, together with the Pope's supremacy, they were in
structed to do their utraost to defend and raaintain the su
perstitions of the Church ; and especiaUy such as were gain
ful to the priests; such as pUgrimages to saints, shrines,
and purgatory were.
There is a letter of Friar Thoraas Powel frora Paris, a
saleable letter against the King, anno 1536, which began
thus : " We behold how the King is chaunged from a
" Christian to a heretic," &c.
I find Nicolas Wylson and Edward Powel (who, I sup
pose, were the Wylson and Powel before named) attainted,
with John Bishop of Rochester, for refusing the oaths of
supreraacy and succession in the year 1534 ; and their be
nefices declared void. Wylson was Parson of St. Thomas
Apostle's, London ; and, by the Archbishop of Canterbury's
persuasion, he was at length brought to swear, and so
escaped for that time ; but it was but a dissembling the
matter.

Huntingthe Rom.
Fox, p. 4.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 247
As to the supremacy, they had the King against them, CHAP.
who had resolved now to abolish the Pope's power in Eng

land. Which he saw there was great necessity to do, in or- Anno 1533.
der to the vindication of his own regal authority. And'^'!^?^''P'f''
o J opinion of
therefore he ordered the point to be much disputed. And it the Pope.
was argued of thoroughly both in Parliaraent and Convo
cation ; and the reasons on both sides well considered. And
all this the more gently to bring off the generality of the
nation, which was bred up in an awe of the Pope, and had
a raighty inveterate opinion of the papal jurisdiction, even
to the raaking it equal with Christ's. Take the opinion of
the common people from one who lived and conversed long
among them ; I mean Hugh Latimer, afterwards Bishop of
Worcester, and lastly a martyr. He in a letter to Sir Ed- 16I
ward Bainton, tells him, " that the Pope, Christ's Vicar, Fox's Acts,
" had been lord of aU the world, as Christ is. So that if P" '*^®'
" he should have deprived the King of his crown, or you,
" saith he to the knight, of the lordship of Broraehara, it
" had been enough : for he could do no wrong. That he
" himself thought, in time past, that the Pope's dispensa-
" tions of pluralities of benefices, and of absence from the
" same, had discharged consciences before God. Foras-
" much as he had heard, Ecce vobiscum sum, et qui vos
" audit, audit me, tended to corroborate the sarae." And
there was an Italian this year in England, naraed Raphael
Marulphus, formerly a merchant of the Pope's dispensa
tions, who had such an opinion of the Pope's high dorai
nion oyer all, that Latiraer verily believed, he would dare to
die in his quarrel, and look upon hiraself, in so doing, God's
true knight and true martyr.
I have made some mention of Latiraer, whom Bishop Latimer at
Ridley called nostra gentls Anglicana verum Aposfolum,
the very Apostle qf England. He was now Parson of West
Kington, in the county of Wilts ; a great and useful
preacher in those parts, and who took frequent occasion to
declaim against the superstitions of the Church. Soraetiraes
he was procured to preach in the populous city of Bristow.
Whose sermons, as they gave great satisfaction unto raany
u 4

248

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP, good people there, so no Httle disgust to the Papists. Inso-
^^ much, that the Priests bent theraselves against him, and

Anno 1533. created hira rauch trouble. And one Richard Brown, a
Priest, wrote, as it seeras, frora Worcester, to sorae eminent
person in the Convocation at London; which I do verily
think was Peter Vannes, Archdeacon of Worcester, inform
ing him against Latiraer for a serraon preached at Bristow ;
and that he being to preach at Bristow, at Easter, might
be forbid so to do by the Dean of Bristow, by the said
Archdeacon's interest with the said Dean. The letter is as
follows ; whereby will appear what Latimer's crimes were.

A Priest
complains
of his
preachingat Bristow.
Cleop. E. 5.

'-' Right worshipful Master, ray duty unto you remem
bred: eftsones it raay like you to be advertised, that
upon the second Sunday this Lent at Bristow, there
preached one Latiraer- And, as it is reported, he hath
done rauch hurt araong the people by his said preaching,
and soweth errors. His farae is there and in raost parts
of the diocese. He said, that our Lady was a sinner, and
that she ought not to be worshipped of the people, ne
any of the saints. Exclairaeth upon pUgriraage. And also
where the Gospel, the said Sunday specifying of the wo
raan of Canaan's caUing upon Christ to help her; and
how the disciples prayed for her, saying, Dimltflfe eam,
quia clamat post nos ; the sarae Latiraer declared, in his
said preaching, that the woraan of Canaan by the desire
and prayer of the disciples to Christ for her, she rather
fared the worse then the better by the prayer of them.
And diverse other opinions vented in his preaching, fully
against the deterrainations of the Church. Whereby he
hath very sore infect the said town of Bristow, as it is re
ported. The same Latimer is assigned for to preach again
at Bristow, the Wednesday in Easter week, except by
your commandment unto the Dean there he be denied
and forbid to preach. The good Catholic people in the
said town do abhor all such his preaching. The fellow
dwelleth within the diocese of Bath ; and certain times
cometh into my Lord's diocese of Worcester. This do-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 249
" ing such hurt, I am required to certify your Mastership cHAP.
" of this wretched his abusions : and that ye would ^^^^-
" write unto the Dean of Bristow, to forbid and deny the Anno 1533.
" said Latiraer to preach there, or within any part of my lo2
" said Lord's diocese. It is reported, that he is comraanded
" not to preach within the diocese of Bath. This ye know,
" now what is to be done, as it shall be your pleasure ; and
" our Lord God send you good speed in the Convocation,
" and send you merry home to Worcester. This xviii. day
" of March. " By your true obedient servant,
" Rychard Brown, Priest."
And indeed such effect had this letter, that they pro- Their af-
cured hira to be inhibited to preach at Easter, though he abuse's of
were appointed thereto by the Mayor ; under pretence, that him.
none raight preach in the Bishop of Worcester's diocese
that had not his licence. Of these their doings and untrue
accusations, Latiraer coraplained to Mr. Morice, the Arch- Fox,
bishop of Canterbury's Secretary, a good friend of his ; *"'
who becarae a patron to the preachers of the Gospel. For,
as he related his own case, the Priests at first invited hira
to preach at Bristow, welcomed hira, and raade rauch of
hira, and allowed all that he said, while he was with thera.
But after he was gone, they perceiving how the people
favoured hira, becarae his eneraies, and procured sorae
Priests to preach against him. And some, that had a fa^
culty that way, to raake him the raore both odious and
ridiculous, were eraployed to make ballads upon him. One
of which, for a taste of the poetry of those days, and the
anger of the Priests against him, may be read in the Appen
dix. The burden of the song was,, that if was pify AeN».XLiv.
should die for cold ; meaning, that he deserved to be burnt
for an heretic. But both the balladmongers and the preach
ers belied him, as he affirmed to his friend Morice.
For as to what they laid to his charge, that he should say His apology
our Lady was a sinner, Latimer said for hiraself, that he °^^ hU^ser-
said no such thing; but reproved certain Priests, which mon.

250 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, gave so rauch to our Lady, as though she had not been
^^^^- saved by Christ : asserting, whether she were a sinner or no

Anno 1 533. sinner, she raust be saved by Christ, either by dehvering
her from or preserving her from sin. And then, as to the
second accusation, that he should say, neither she nor any
other 'saint was to be worshipped ; therein they belied him
too. For that, as he said, he distinguished between the
iraages of saints, and the saints themselves, inhabiting
heaven. The forraer, he said, were not to be worshipped;
taking worshipping thera for praying to thera : and yet that
they raight be well used, to be layraen's books, for remem
brance of heavenly things. But taking saints in the latter
sense, he denied not praying to thera, but that they raight
be worshipped, and be our raediators to God, though not
by way of rederaption, yet by way of intercession. And as
to the third accusation, his exclairaing against pilgriraages,
he said, " he never denied pUgriraages, but that rauch scurf
" raust be pared away, ere it could be well done : as super-
" stition, idolatry, false faith and trust in the iraage traveUed
" unto, unjust estiraation of the thing, setting aside God's
" ordinance for doing of the thing. For debts raust be
1 63 " paid, restitution raade, wife and children be provided for,
" duties to our poor neighbours discharged. And when it is
" at the best, before pUgriraage be vowed, it need not to be
" done. And counsel is to be taken with Curates before it be
" vowed to be done." After this wary manner did this good
Father preach in these dark times ; and so unwiUingly could
the Priests and Friars bear to have their old profitable su
perstitious practices shaken. And therefore there were
many procured to preach against him, and pubhcly to con
fute whatsoever he said : and not only so, but they dispa
raged him to the King, as an ignorant unlearned man.
Which last accusation made him wish, that the King would
coramand hira to preach before hira a whole year together
every Sunday, that he raight perceive how they behed him,
saying, that he had neither learning nor utterance.
Former Nor was this the first time he felt the rancour and UI will
Latimer." of the Priests; for about two years before, viz. 1531, he feU

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 251
into much trouble, having been informed against by such CHAP.
sort of men : so that he was cited up to London, and made _

his appearance before five or six Bishops, Archbishop War- Anno 1533.
ham and Bishop Stokesly being two of them : when he was
exarained thrice a week, for divers weeks, as he tells his own
story in one of his serraons, and raany snares and traps Sermon at
were laid to get something out of his own mouth against ' ^°^_ '
hira. At last he was brought forth to be exarained into a
charaber hung with arras, where he had before been wont
to be examined. But now at this time the chamber was al
tered. For whereas before there was wont ever to be a
fire in tiie chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an
arras hanging hanged over the chimney, and the table was
placed near the chiraney's end. So that he stood between
the table and the chimney. Which was so ordered out erf
design, as shall be seen by and by, among the Bishops that
exarained him. One of them, with whom he had been for
merly very farailiar, whora he took for his great friend, and
very aged, was the person especially, of all the rest, that was
to lay the snare for him. He that_ sat next the table's end,
araong other questions, put forth one very subtle and crafty
one : bidding hira withal speak out, because he was thick of
hearing, and there were raany that sat at a distance. Lati
raer began now to suspect, raarvelhng, that in that charaber
he was bid to speak loud ; and giving an ear to the chiraney,
he heard a pen writing there behind the hangings. Where
indeed they had appointed one to write all his answers :
thinking to raake sure work, that he should not start from
them. And had not God assisted hira in the answers he
made, he could never have escaped. Now the question was
this, " Master Latiraer, do you not think in your conscience
" that you have been suspected of heresy.''" A subtle ques
tion; to hold his peace had been to grant hiraself faulty;
and to answer was every way full of danger. But in this
extreraity, God gave him a mouth and wisdom to make so
prudent and wary a reply, that, though they were upon the
catch, they could take no advantage again.st him. And so
he was delivered that tirae out of their hands.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. The Pope was now reckoned among many as the Anti-
^'^"^ .christ, for the opposition he made by his creatures to the

Anno 1533. Gospel, and for his overthrowing the laws of it by his dis-
J^^^^J^P^jj.pensations and traditions; and for his pride and affectation
Christ. of superiority over all Princes and Bishops throughout the
164 world. And the King was the more wiUing to aUow people
to lay that severe charge upon hira, that he might the better
vindicate his own supreraacy in his own dominions. But
the favourers of the Pope were much concerned at it, and
endeavoured to lay that name of Antichrist somewhere else.
I raet with a MS. writ by sorae Papist, (about this tirae, as
I guess,) treating about Antichrist. Wherein the author un
dertakes to teU us, by diligent reading of books, as he pre
tends, that Antichrist should be born of the Jews, and of
the tribe of Dan; because in Gen. xlix. it is said, Dan
shall be a serpent in the way. That in his conception, the
Devil shaU enter into the womb of his raother ; and that he
shall hold her altogether, both inwardly and outwardly;
that that which is born raay be altogether wicked, and the
son of perdition. That he shall be born in Babylon, and
brought up in Bethsaida and Chorazin ; because the Lord
cursed those places, Luke x. That he should corae to Je
rusalera ; and that aU such Christians as wiU not tum to
hira, he shall slay by divers torraents, and place his seat in
the holy teraple, and shall call hiraself fhe Son qf God.
That there shall be sad tribulation for three years and an
half. That he shall corae at the consuraraation of Rome's
erapire ; because it is said, there shall come a departing first,
1 Thess. ii. ; that departing he makes to refer to a certain
French king, that shaU hold the Roman erapire, and at last
shall corae to Jerusalera, and there lay down his sceptre and
crown in raount Olivet. That this Antichrist shaU circum
cise hiraself, and then caU himself Christ ; and then all the
Jews shall flee unto hira. But after three years and an half,
in which tirae he shall raake all this havock and stir in the
world, God shall destroy him with the breath of his mouth.
But I refer the reader for the whole comment to the paper
N». XLV. in the Appendix. The Papists, by these fabulous and ridi-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 2$3
culous stories of Antichrist, endeavoured to cast a mist be- CHAP. XXII
fore men's eyes, that they should the less believe and under-  '__
stand the Pope to be him. Anno 1533.

CHAP. XXIIL

The general sentence. Books prohibited. Proclamations
and acts against fhe Pope. The Friars'' inclinations.
Orders senf to the Bishops. Latimer made the Kln^s
Chaplain.
AN the year 1534, when orders came forth for the regu- Anno 1534.
lating of preaching and bidding of the beads, the g-eneraZ The general
sentence, as it was called, was also forbidden to be used any to he used.
raore. This general sentence was a solemn curse, to be
denounced by the Curates to their parishes once a quarter :
wherein a great number of persons were wont to be accursed;
and a large share of these execrations were framed to fall
upon those that infringed the privileges and iraraunities of
holy Church, or that deprived it of any of its rights and
dues. This may be read in the Appendix, as I took it out N'. XLVI.
of the Festival, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1532, toge
ther with the manner of a Prelate's fulminating the sentence, 1 65
in his alb, accompanied with other Priests, the cross erect
ed, and candles burning.
Much light was let in among the common people by the English
New Testament, and other good books, in English ; which, for bidden.
the raost part, being printed beyond sea, were by stealth
brought into England, and dispersed here by weU disposed
men. For the preventing the importation and using of
these books, the King this year issued out a strict proclama-
ticMi, by the petition of the Clergy now met in Convocation,
in the month of December.
Nor was this the first time such books were prohibited to A catalogue
be brought in: for no small quantities of them were se-pjoybited;
cretly conveyed into these parts, from tirae to time, for the

254 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, discovering, in that dark age, the gross papal innovations, as
XXIII. .^^gj]^ jj.j j.jjg doctrine of the Sacraraent as in iraage-worship.

Anno 1 534. addressing to saints, purgatory, pilgriraages, and the like.
Anno 1526. In the year 1526, October 23, Cuthbert, Bishop of London,
by the instigation of Cardinal Wolsey, sent forth an order,
directed to the Archdeacons of his diocese, for the calling
in all English translations of the Scripture. Other books of
this nature were then forbid. Which, I think, raay not be
unacceptable to enuraerate by their titles ; that though the
books theraselves are alraost perished, the raemory of them
may remain with some of their authors.
The first was. The New (Economlca Christiana.
Testament, translated by Unio Dlssldentlum.
Tyndal. Pia Precafiones.
TheSuppllcaflonqf Beggars. Captivitas Babylaiilca.
The Revelation qf Antichrist, Joannis Hussi in Oseam.
written by Lufher. Zuinglius In Cafabaptlstas.
The Wicked Mammon. De Pueris Insfltuendls.
The Obedience ofa Christian Brentlus de admlranda Re-
Man, publica.
An Infroducflan to PauVs Lufherus ad Galafas.
Epistle fo ihe Romans. De Liberfate Christiana.
A Dialogue between fhe Fa- Luther'' s Exposition upon ihe
ther and the Son. Pater noster.
Anno 1629. Three years after, viz. 1529, by the Bishops' instigation,
the King issued out a proclamation against a great sort of
Latin books, in number about eighty-five. A cataltogue
whereof, containing the titles and authors. Fox, the martyr
ologist, took out of the register of the Bishop of London, and
p. 928. raay be seen in bis Acts and Monuraents. The naraes of
the writers were, Wickhff, Luther, CEcolarapadius, Zuin
ghus, Poraeranus, Pellicanus, Bucer, Melancthon, Brentius,
Fr. Larabertus, Wesselus, Gocchius, Faventinus, Carolo-
stadius, and others ; generaUy German Divines : having
this title, Libri sect a sive factlonls Lutherlana, importati
ad civifatem, London. By this proclamation a mark of
disallowance also was set upon these books foUowing :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.

255

A Book of the Old God and
New.
Godly Prayers.
The Christian Stafe qf Ma
trimony.
The Burying qf the Mass:
a book raade by Barlow.
The Sum ofthe Scripture.
Mafflns and Evensong, se
ven Psalms, and ofher hea
venly Psalms, with the
Commendations.
An Exposition on fhe seventh

chapter ofthe First Epistle CHAP.
, YYTIT
to the Corinthians.

XXIII.

The Chapters qffhe Book of Anno is34.
Moses called Genesis. ^"^
The Chapters qffhe Book qf
Deuteronomy.
The Matrimony qf Tyndal.
Davids Psalter in E/nglish.
The Practice qf Prelates.
Horfulus Anima, in English.
A. B. C.for fhe Clergy.
The Examination qf William
Thorp.

To these we may add some others that were of the same
nature with the former, and privately dispersed and greedily
read about this time :

TyndaVs Answer fo Sir
Thomas More.
The Prologue qf the Five
Books qf Moses.
A Dialogue between fhe Plow
man and fhe Gentleman:
this was composed by Bar
low.

The Primer in English.
The Process Conslsforial qf
the Martyrdom qf John
Hus.
Catalogue qf Famous Men.
A Disputation concerning
Purgatory, by John Frith.

And raany there were that ventured their lives in bring- The dis-
ing in and conveying abroad these books in London, and '"^'^^^'^''
other places of the nation. Araong these, Richard Bayfield Bayfield.
was one, once a Monk of St. Edraund's Bury ; who twice in
the year 1530, and once in the year after, iraported his books :
which he landed, for the more privacy, in different places : as
once at Colchester, the next time at St. Katharine's, London,
and the last in some port in Norfolk ; whence he brought
them to Loudon in a mail. ¦ At last he was taken at his
bookbinder's in Mark-lane ; and finally burnt at Smithfield
in November 1531. Another of these was Thomas Garret, Garret.
Curate, of Honey-lane, who in the year 1526 dispersed
books of this sort in Oxford, whereby many in that Uni-

256 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, versity were enlightened in the truth of reHgion. He also
•^^^^^' suffered raartyrdom about the year 1540. A third was

Anno 1534. George Constantine, who about the time of Bayfield passed
Constan- ^^^^ repassed the seas upon the same errand. He also was
at last taken, and put in custody. But he disingenuously
confessed to Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor, several of
his corapanions and fellows, and disclosed the shipmen who
brought over raany of these books, and the raarks of the
fardles: by the which raeans the books were afterwards
taken and burnt. By this his confession and corapHance he
escaped ; and was afterwards Register to Farrer, the Bishop
of St. David's, and one of his ungrateful accusers.
Prociama- Besides the proclaraation aforesaid, divers others this year
acts against "w^ere Issued out, and acts of Parliaraent raade against the
the Pope. Pope, and for restoring to the Crown its ancient privUeges
and prerogatives. Araong the rest, one was, that no Bishops
should be henceforth coraraended, presented, or nominated
to the Bishop of Rome, or should send for buUs or palls
from thence. But that at the vacation of any bishopric, the
Bishop elect should be presented to the Archbishop of the
province to be invested and consecrated.
167 However, great were the stragglings of the Clergy in the
A Fnar Pope's behalf; to whom they stood so raarveUously well
at Exeter, affected, especiaUy the monkish sort of them. I shaU ^ve
the*^Pope''s° °"^ instance, which I raeet with, this year, as I conjecture.
supremacy. It was a serraon preached by sorae Monk or Friar in the
cathedral church of Exeter. For sorae expressions wherein,
that looked askew upon the King's supreraacy, but clothed
in very crafty words, he was laid in hold, and demanded by
the Provincial an account of the said sermon. The passages
that gave hira his troubles were these, as he related himself
Cleopatra, " I asked, where Peter denied Christ ? and I said. In domo
•P- ' ^' princlpls. Have not we served hira well, or be not we
" Christ's friends, taking his part against Peter ? In that we
" consider that St. Peter denied Christ, therefore like lov-
" ing people we deny Peter, and take Christ's part." And
in another sermon preached at Exeter, " Masters, I fear me,
" that the mystical body of Christ is made a monster. For

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 257
" that is caUed a nionster, after the raind of the philosopher, CHAP.
" when there lacketh a part of the natural body, or else ^^"^-
" when there be too raany pai'ts, as two heads or four legs Anno 1534.
" of a man ; or else when the parts stand out of order. And
" so the mystical body of Christ is, or may be called, a
" monster. And why.'' For because thereas the eyes should
" stand, there stand the hands. And thus all the other
" parts stand out of order." But for these words he was
fain to submit himself, and writ a letter mentioning at large
what he had said, and acknowledging his fault.
But before this year went out, whatever averseness was The cbnvo-
shewn by the Clergy and the Rehgious, the King had so the Kin^
dealt with themj or so convinced them, that now at a Con- supremacy.
vocation it was declared, that the Pope had no jurisdiction
in this kingdom ; as the Parliament had enacted, that the
King should be reputed and accepted the suprerae head of
the Church of England, and to have authority to visit and
reforra all errors, heresies, &c.
But to say a little more of the Friars. They of the order The Friars
of St. Francis especially stuck to Queen Katharine, and par- K^thwine
ticulai'ly they of the monastery at Greenwich. One of them, in the
Peto by name, who was afterwards Queen Mary's Confessor, ciiapei.
and sent by the Pope to be his Legate in the room of Car
dinal Pole, had the confidence, as our historian relates, to
preach to the King's own face, in his own chapel, that raany
lying prophets had deceived him : and he denounced the
same judgment against him that God's prophet, did against
Ahab : and that it was the King's misery that he was sar
flattered. And when by the King's appointment another
was put up the next Sunday to confute Peto, another ob
servant Friar, named Elston, of the same house, interrupted
him boldly in the King's presence, and told him he was a
lying prophet.
Another of these Friars of Greenwich, as I find by an At Paul's
original letter in my custody, named Father Robinson, did
offer to dispute the Queen's cause pubhcly with an Abbot,
who had preached at Paul's Cross in favour of the King's
VOL. I. s

258 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, cause. And it seeras he did this openly to the Abbot's face,
XXIII. ^jjj]g jjg .^yas preaching. Whereupon was a report given

Anno 1534. out, that the Friars of Greenwich, if they might be suffered
to tell the truth, would put to sUence all that had or should
preach in favour of the King's raatter, and prove all false
168 that they had preached. And the said Father Robinson
did intend, with all his wit and learning, to preach on the
Queen's part the next Sunday after at Paul's Cross, that he
raight have the greater audience.
In a con- The King was soraewhat moved at this convent, so near
church. his Court, and no better affected towards hira : as he was
also at other convents, in the parts in and about London.
And therefore sorae of his learned chaplains were appointed
to preach soraetiraes araong them, to state and explain more
truly the King's cause. But while one of thera was thus
preaching in a conventual church of the Franciscans in
London, the Warden thereof stoutly stood up, and reproved
him, and that, as it seeras, in an undecent wa}-. The doing
of which was by the Vicar of the sarae convent told to some
of the Friars of Richmond with great commendation ; say
ing, " that it was not the Warden that spake, but the Holy
" Ghost spake in hira." These Friars fed themselves
with a conceit, that by these their oppositions they should
bring the King at last to acquiesce with his Queen Katha
rine. For they gave it out, they should prevail at last a-
gainst aU those that favoured the King's cause.
Some Friars Yet the King had comraonly some in these houses that
secret 111""
formers were Otherwise minded, and discovered the treachery and
against disaffectedness of the rest. Such an one was one Laurence,
the rest. ^ ^
of the same convent with the Warden and Vicar aforesaid ;
who by way of letter wrote an information of these false
practices to a certain nobleman unnamed; (the Earl of
Wiltshire, as I suppose;) and offered to discover more by
word of raouth to the King, which he dared not do either
by letter or raessenger. He that is rainded to read Friar
N°. XLVII. Laurence's letter must betake himself to the Appendix ;
where it may be found.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 259
In pursuance of thc act, wherein thc Parliament had given CHAP.
the King the supreraacy, he first took the corporal oaths, .

subscriptions, and seals of the Bishops of the realra, unto^""'"*^'''
the said supremacy. Next, he addressed letters to every [J^'j, 3^^,*°
Bishop in his respective diocese, requiring them to do these concerning
., . n 11 • thesuprem-
things loUowing : j,^„_
First, In their proper persons, every Sunday and high
festival throughout the year, to preach the sincere word of
God; and to declare that this style and title of supreme
head belonged to thc crown and dignity of this realra.
Secondly, That they should give monition to all Abbots,
Priors, Deans, Archdeacons, Provosts, Parsons^ Vicars, Cu
rates, and all other ecclesiastical persons, to teach and pub
lish the said style and title every Sunday and high festival,
in their respective houses, churcbes, and parishes.
Thirdly, To coramand all schoolmasters to instruct and
teach the same unto the children committed to them.
Fourthly, To cause all prayers, rubrics, canons of raass
books, &c. wherein the Bishop of Rorae is named, or his
presumptuous and proud pomp mentioned, to be utterly
abolished and rased out ; and his very name and memory to
be never more remembered, except fo his contumely and re
proach. For in those words the King's letter runs.
Fifthly, To leave out in the general sentence all such
articles as tend to the glory and advancement of the Bishop
of Rome. Upon which order it soon was laid wholly aside.
And lest any Bishop or ecclesiastical raan, after these 169
commandsj should not do his ofiice, or leave undone any 8,,"^^;^" "'*
part or parcel of the premises, or do it coldly, or use any Fox's Acts,
manner of sinister interpretation, the King therefore set the'"'
sheriffs of each county as monitors over thera. For by a
letter also to them, the King required them to admonish
him thereof with all speed. Threatening them with great
severity, upon their neglect, or halting and stumbling in any
part thereof This was given at Westminster, June the 9th.
And somewhat before this, a remarkable order, hinted be- Orders for
fore, was given out for preaching and bidding the beads in gnd^thL"^'
all sermons to be made within the realm. Wherein, as to beads.
s 2

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the prayers, it was commanded to pray for the King, and
¦ . Queen Anne, and the Lady EHzabeth, daughter and heir

Anno 1534. to them both : apd to add no more. As for preaching, that
the preacher was to preach once against the usurped power
of the Bishop of Rome. That there should be no open
contention in pulpits. Several doctrines not to be touched
at in sermons for a year. That preachers should preach
the word of God sincerely, without mixing it with human
inventions : and divers other injunctions. And particularly
there was to be a large declaration made, concerning the
King's great cause of matriraony. The specifical order I
Collect. orait, since it is exeraphfied in Bishop Burnet's History of
the Reformation, vol. ui.
And for vindication of the King's suprerae authority in
his own dorainions against the Pope's pretended power and
jurisdiction, were sent to the University of Carabridge two
very learned and erainent raen from the Court, viz. Dr.
Heines and Heiues and Dr. Skip ; who, both by public preaching and
to Cam- disputation, should debate the sarae. And this occasioned
bridge, to great disputes and arguings araong the scholars there.
King's su- Whereby it appeared, how earnestly they generally stood
premacy. affected to the Pope, and were prejudiced against acknow
ledging the King, in derogation to the papal see. Insomuch
as to speak or think otherwise was enough to disappoint
any preferraent hoped for there. Such a case happened at
Ascham, this tirae towards Roger Ascham, that exquisite scholar,
master" then of St. John's coUege, as he teUs us the story himself,
who being now Bachelor of Arts, stood for a feUowship of
that house. And chancing among his company to speak
against the Pope, was in all Hkelihood to be put by his
election. For this coming to the ears of Dr. Metcal^ the
Master, Ascham was called before him and the seniors.
And after grievous rebuke, yea, and some punishment, open
warning was given to all the. FeUows, none to be so hardy as
to give him his voice at that election. But notwithstanding,
he had the good fortune to be elected by the Master's means,
privately favouring hira, as it seems, for his learning and
hopefulness. Which himself relates after this manner;

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 261
" Yet for all these open threats, the good Father himself CHAP. WTTT
" privily procured that I should even then be chosen Fel-

" low. But the election being done, he made countenance Anno 1534.
" of great discontentation thereat." And then he goes on
to express his gratitude in these words ; which I must take
leave to subjoin, in memory of that useful raan and excel
lent scholar : " This good man's goodness and fatherly dis-
" cretion used towards me on that day, shall never out of
" my remembrance all the days of my life, &c. Next to
" God's providence, surely that day was, by that good Fa-
" ther's means, my dies natalis to me, for the whole foun-
" dation of the poor learning I have, and for all the fur- 1 10
" therance that hitherto elsewhere I have obtained."
About this time the King, by the means of Crumwel and Latimer
Dr. Butts, his Physician, had made Latimer his Chaplain. King's
Thus, after aU his former troubles, he became advanced to ^^^^ *'"'
honour, and brought into favour with the King; being
much employed in the Court in consultations about matters
of rehgion, wherein the King was now very busy. And
among the rest of the learned Clerks, Latimer always made
one. He was then esteemed a man of excellent elocution,
and so was often put up to preach before the King. And
being a bold man, would speak his mind with great free
dom. His practice was, in his sermons at Court, to declaim
against the vices there. And against the vices of the com
mon people, when he happened to preach before them in
London and elsewhere. And against the vices of the eccle
siastics, when he came up before them. Which honest
freedom created him much trouble.
He had lately in a sermon before the King spoke his Accused
mind very plain. Which some of his enemies thought King of
to make their advantage of, and thence to take their oppor- ««'''*>.<""
",__. , • , doctrine.
tunity to complain of him to the King ; that so they might
get him out of the way. Soon after his sermon, he and
divers others being called before the King, to say their
minds in certain matters ; whUe they were thus before him,
one kneeled down to his Majesty, and accused Latimer of
sedition before his face, and that he had preached seditious
s3

262 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, doctrine. The King turned him to Latiraer, and said. What
^^"^- sav you to that. Sir.? Latimer kneeled down, and turning
Anno 1534. hira first to his accuser, asked him thus; " What form of
" preaching would you appoint me to preach before a king ?
" Would you have me to preach nothing concerning a king
" in the King's serraon ? Have you any commission to ap-
" point rae what I shaU preach .''" He asked hira divers
other questions ; but he would answer none at all : nor had
he any thing to say. Then he turned to the King, and
subraitting hiraself to his Grace, said, " I never thought
" rayself worthy, nor ever sued to be a preacher before your
" Grace. But I was called to it : and would be wUHng, if
" you raislike me, to give place to my betters. But if your
" Grace allow rae for a preacher, I would desire your Grace,
" to discharge ray conscience, give rae leave to frame my
" discourse according to mine audience. I had been a
" very dolt to have preached so at the borders of your
Latimer's " realra as I preach before your Grace." These words
third ser- .^^gj.^ ^gjj accepted of the King, as Latiraer concluded, be-
mon before i^ o' '
the King, cause the King presently turned to another coramunication.
At that time certain of his friends carae to hira with tears in
their eyes, and told hira, they looked for nothing but that
he should have been sent to the Tower the sarae night.
Latimer The matter, I suppose, was this. Before the abbeys were
KiT7n*is dissolved, the King had charged certain of them with the
sermon. maintenance and care of some of his horses. The inconve
nience whereof was, that hospitality and feeding the poor
became hereby rauch hindered, the King's horses being
raaintained out of the revenue. For this, did Latimer, in a
sermon at the Court, take the confidence to blame the King.
" Abbeys, he said, were ordained for the comfort of the poor.
171 " Wherefore it was not decent the King's horses should
" be kept in them : as raany were at that tirae, the living
" of poor raen thereby rainished and taken away." After
ward a nobleman said to hira. What hast thou to do with
the King's horses "i He answered, he spake his conscience, as
God's word directed him. The nobleman said, horses were
the maintainers and parts of a king's honour, and of the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 263
realm also. Wherefore, in speaking against them, ye speak CHAP.
against the King's honour. Latimer replied, " God teach- .

" eth what honour is decent for a king." And said more- Anno is23.
over, " that God hath appointed a sufficient living for his J''^^* ^"^¦
" state and degree, both by lands and other customs. But Edward.
" to extort and take away the right of the poor is against
" the honour of the King."
And thus we have found out his seditious preaching. It
was indeed an ordinary charge, to charge him and other
Gospel preachers with sedition. So one said, of a serraon
he preached before King Edward, when one asked hira, how
he liked Latimer's sermon before King Edward ; Even as I
liked him always. A seditious fellow.

CHAP. XXIV.

Books and discourses about this time. Bishop Flsher''s
troubles.
X HIS year (if not before) came forth the famous book, De a book
vera Dfferentia regia Potestatis ef ecclesiasticce. The ^J°^''^^j°^^^_
-author of this book was mentioned before. It was publish- ence of
ed by the advice and consent of that memorable Convoca- eccksis^tl-
tion, .which assured the King that the authority and go-c^ipower.
vernraent in all matters and causes ecclesiastical belonged "P-'"'
unto his estate, both by the word of God and the ancient
laws of the Church. And therefore promised hira, in verbo
sacerdotii, by their priesthood, not to do any thing in their
councils without his assent. And this Clergy consisted not
only of divines, but of the wisest and raost expert and best
learned in the ' civil and canon laws, that was then, or hath
been since : as particularly. Dr. Tonstal, Bishop of Durham,
Dr. Stokesly, Bishop of London, Dr. Gardyner, Bishop of
Winton, Dr. Thirlby, afterwards Bishop of Westrainster,
and Dr. Boner, and many others. By the advice and con
sent of these, and the rest of that learned Convocation, was
that book made and published : as we are told by Dr. Horn,
s 4

264 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Bishop of Winchester, in a certain book qi his. " Neitiier
was this a new device, said that Bishqp, to please the

p. 270.

Anno 1534. a King withal, or thoT opinion only : but it was and is the
Fetienham. " judgment of the most learned civilians and canonists,.that
fol. 5S. b. '•- when the Clergy are ^ulty and negligent, it appertaiiiedi
"to the EmpeitH' to call genasl councUs for the refonnati<m
" of the Church."
Another Another book appeared this twenty-asth year of the
b-xia comes * * "^ ^
forth ofthe King, entided De Potestate Regis, as I find by the same
^^' Bishop Horn. It treated of the doings of the kings of this
L"bi supr. realm before the Conquest, in matters ecdeaastical.
" ¦ ' ".j ,."2 This year also Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchesto-,
Gaidiner's V^^ forth his book, Dc vcra Oiedientia ; Of true Obedience.
•""^."^ Which he wrote to justify the Parliament in giving the
Bej^m-j King the tide ot Supreme Head of this Church. In whidi
Reports, discourse were these words : "I think it necessary for me
" to touch the cause whidi is commonly in use and spc^en
" of at this day, almost in aU raen's hands and in all men's
" mouths; whether the whole consent of Englishraoi be
" grounded upon God's law, in that they declare and honour
'- the most victorious and most noble Prince, King Hemy
" the Vllltb, King of England and of France, Defender
" of the Faith, and LK>rd of Ireland, to be in earth the Su-
" perior Head oi the Church of England ; and is granted
" unto him by authcnrity thereof in open Court of Parlia-
" ment freely to use his lig^t, and to caU liimself Supreme
" Head af^ Church qf England, as well in name as deed-
" Whexdn there is no newly invented matt^ wrought : ody
" their wiU was to have the power pertaining to a Prince
'• by God's law to be the more clearly expressed, with a
" more fit term to erprras it bv : namely, for this purpose,
" to withdraw that counti^eit vain opinion out of the com-
" mon p«)ple"3 minds, which the &lse pretenced power cl
" the Bishop of Rome for the space of certain years had
" blinded them withal, to the great impeachment of the
" King's authority. VThich aU men are bound to wish,
" and to thor utmost power see kept safe, restored, and de-
" fended fiom wrongs."

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 265
This book was reprinted in the year 1536, and a preface chap.
added of Boner, Archdeacon of Leicester ; wherein he ae- ^^^V-
cused the Bishop of Rome of many grievous and horrible Anno 1534.
wickednesses and sins, meaning the Pope then Hying. He doner's
said, " he had made raany laws to the contumely and re- thereto.
" proach of the majesty of God, under the title oi CafhoUc ^^^^^
" Church, and the authorities of the Apostles Peter and p. 269. b,
" Paul. When notwithstanding, he is a very ravening wolf,
" drest in ^beep's clothing, caUing himself servant qf ser-
" vants, to the damage of the Christian commonwealth.
" Thus did these two Divines write and think now of the
" Pope, who afterwards became his chief champions."
That I may here bring matters of the same subject toge- Simon
ther, though belonging to another year, Simon Matthew, s„„o„,
who was a learned and good man, and Prebendary of St.
Paul's, London, and had about the year 1537. or 1538.
preached and printed a sermon at Paul's Cross upon this
text. By this cognizance, saith Christ, all the world shall
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have unity among you.
On which (to give the reader a taste of the man) he thus
descanted : " Unity, I say, of faith and spirit, fixed and
" stedfast in God, and not in any mortal creature, as many
" have thought necessary: that, if a man should be of the
" Church pf Christ, he must be of the holy Church of
" Rome, and take the holy Father thereof for the supreme
" Head, and for the Vicar of Christ, yea for Christ himself:
" and to be divided from him were even to be divided from
" Christ. Such daranable teachings have there been, which
" have caused raen to leave the coramandments of God un-
" done fpr human traditions. But whatsoever hath been 173
" done by ignorance, let us reform it, and not be ashamed
" to profess the truth : which is, that next unto God, the
" prince is to be honoured, and that the Bishop of Rorae
" hath no more power by the laws of God in this realm
" than any other foreign Bishop. And again : the Bishop
" of Rome shall never prove by Scriptures such preeminence
" to be due to bun, as he challengeth. But lie defraudeth
" temporal princes of the honour that God gave thera, and

266 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " causeth their subjects damnably to disobey the ordinance
^-'^^^' " of God. As of late you have had experience of some.
Anno IS34." whom neither friends nor kinsfolk, neither the judgment
" of both universities, Cambridge and Oxford, nor the uni-
" versal consent of all the Clergy of this realm, nor the laws
" of the Parliament, nor their raost natural and loving
" Prince, could, by any gentle ways, revoke frora their dis-
" obedience ; but would needs persist therein ; giving perni-
" cious occasion to the raultitude to raurmur and grudge at
" the King's laws."
starkey's Not far wide of this tirae also, Thoraas Starkey, a very
learned raan, the King's Chaplain, as it seeras, (who was a
great acquaintance with Pole in Italy, and afterwards wrote
divers letters to hira frora England, to reclaira him to that
King's part,) wrote a book, entitled, An Exhortation fo fhe
People, instructing fhem to Unity and Obedience ; printed
by Berthelet. It runs upon the point of the superiority of
the Pope, in confutation of it, and of dependance there
upon. Wherein, after he had shewed " how the Pope,
" for maintenance of his authority, under colour of religion,
" had brought in araong Christians rauch false superstition ;
" and for the raaintenance of his pride set great divisions
" araong Christian princes ; what insolent pride and ar-
" rogance it was in the Pope to affirra a superiority among
" Christ's disciples, making Peter chief head, and so the
" Bishop of Rorae he that raust be chief Judge over all
" Christendora, and over all princes and laws, with inter-
" diets and dispensations to rule thera at his pleasure : that
" the Pope's prerogative could not be shewn frora any
" ground of Scripture. That until the tirae of Pope Syl-
" vester, about the space of four hundred years, there was
" no mention at all raade of this head : that all the ancient
" and good interpreters of Christ's Gospel araong the
" Greeks kept sUence concerning this authority, in aU their
" books never raaking any raention of it : and that if this
" were true, then should all the Indians these thousand
" years have run headlong to daranation, who never took
" the Bishop of Rorae to be head of Christ's Chuich. The

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 267
" same might be said of the Greek nation, and of the Arrae- CHAP.
" nians ; who would never own that Bishop for their head." ^^'V-

He concluded thus ; " Wherefore, dear brethren, let us not. Anno is34.
" blinded with foolish superstition, by process of tirae cropen
" into our hearts, bind our own conscience with scrupulous
" necessity of such a thing. Which undoubtedly grew in
" araong us only as a thing of convenience, and as a thing
" of great help and succour to the maintenance of a cer-
" tain unity in Christ's Church, and not as a thing of ne-
" cessity. " Therefore, as it is in the politic life and civil nothing
" convenient to have one Emperor, by whose judgment all
" other causes, worldly and politic, in all nations, should be
" defined ; forasmuch as thereby all princely authority
" should be derogate, and be in subjection : so it is in the 1*74
" spiritual pohcy of Christ's Church, one head to be with
" such authority, as of many years hath been used, a thing
" raost inconvenient, and to all Christian nations plain in-
" jury, yea, and, plainly to say, to the doctrine of Christ
" nothing agreeable. Wherefore, dear friends, seeing that
" this superiority, given to the Bishop of Rorae, is neither
" by God's word in his Scripture granted, nor by the prac-
" tice thereof by his Apostles, inspired with his Spirit, con-
" firmed and. founded, as a thing to the salvation of man
" requisite and necessary ; I see no cause why we should
" so stiffly maintain the same, and so stubbornly repugn to
" such good and comraon policy ; whereby is plucked away
" from our nation such a cloaked tyranny, which under the
" pretext of religion hath stabled araong us rauch supersti-
" tion, to the great ruin and decay of the sincere, siraple,
" and pure doctrine of Christ."
Besides these books before mentioned, written by Divines, A book
- . , 1 /• proving the
to overthrow the Pope s authority by arguments taken irom King's su-
Scripture and ecclesiastical history, another notable state- P^'^™*'=y ''y
book came out about these times, viz. in the year 1538,
printed also by Berthelet ; written against hira by sorae
learned lawyer : entitled, A Treatise, proving by the King's
laws, that fhe Bishops qf Rome had never right to any su-

268 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, premacy within this realm. The design of which book was
^^^^- to shew, (as it is in the preface,) " that notwithstanding

Anno 1534. " the Bishops of Rorae in raany realras, and especially in
" those where the law civil is used, have of long time had
" possession of their said usurped powers, yet the same
" never could take the full and perfect effect in this realm :
" but the King and his most noble progenitors, always
" justly resisting and repugning the same, have been con-
" tinually supreme judges here under God. So that all
" laws, powers, and jurisdictions, pretended by the Bishops of
" Rome, and the Clergy within this realm, have been under
" the correction and orders of the kings and their laws :"
as appeared by divers reasons, laws, statutes, and customs
of this realm contained in the said treatise. And thereby
it was made appear to all men, " that the King's Majesty's
" being recognised to be supreme head, under God, of the
" Church of England, had thereby no new power given
" unto him : but that the selfsame power and supremacy
" had always been in his most noble progenitors, kings of
" this realm, and united and knitted to the imperial crown
" of the same, though they had not used to write the same
" in their styles."
Bp. Fisher's But now return we to our year, 1534 ; in which happened
the troubles of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and Sir
Thomas More, late Lord ChanceUor : who were put into
the Tower upon the business of EHzabeth Barton, the Nun,
and the acts of succession, lately made in Parliament;
wherein it was enacted, that the issue of Queen Katharine
should be cut off from succeeding to the crown, and that of
Queen Anne should have the right of succession invested in
thera. To which the subjects were to swear. And that
this act raight take the more effect, coraraissioners were sent
abroad to require the oath. These two, before mentioned,
refused it : yet were content to swear to the succession it
self, but not to the whole act, some by-things in it not agree
ing to their judgments. Which undoubtedly were either
because it was suggested in that act, that the marriage with
175 Queen Katharine was not dispensable by the Pope, as beii^

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 269
against the law of God; or soraewhat relating to the men- CHAP.

tion in that act made of the legal proceedings in the divorce .
by Cranmer, or some touches against the Pope's authority; Anno i5S4.
But which of these particulars offended them, they would
not discover. They had also given credit and countenance
to EHzabeth Barton, the Nun, called the holy Maid of
Kent ; who proved an impostor, and was executed with se
veral of her accoraplices.
There were great means used for tiie reducing of Fisher Endeavours
to compliance, in respect of the great reputation he bare for Jju^e Wm!
leai-ning and piety. Crumwel had been with him in the
Tower to persuade and convince him. And soon after he
sent Roland Lee, elect of Coventry and Litchfield. That
which stuck with Fisher was, that the marriage was to be
reckoned contrary to the law of God, because of a prohibi
tion in the Levitical law. About this, Lee was sent to dis
course with him. The issue was, Fisher declared that he
would take an oath to the succession, that he would swear
never to meddle raore in disputation of the matrimony, and
promised aUegiance to the King. But his conscience could
not be convinced that the marriage was against the law of
God. But the event shewed the King would make no
abatement of his act. The Bishop was now reduced in the
Tower to a very low condition, both as to body and purse.
His iody could not iear the clothes on his iack ; he was His piteous.
nigh going, and could not continue, unless fhe King were "*" ' '"""
merciful to him, as Lee wrote to Crumwelj after the visit he
had raade him.
Crumwel advised him to write unto the King, (probably,) His neces-
to declare his mind to him in sweai-ingto the succession, and^'*'''
to petition him to let that suffice, because his conscience
could not serve him to consent to the rest of' the act.
Fisher knew well the jealous temper of the King ; which
made him tell Crumwel, that he feared to write to him,
because he feared the King might take something araiss.
But because it was the Secretary's mind, he set himself to
do it. He was now reduced to a want of clothes ; those he
had being ragged, and not sufficient to defend him from the
cold in that winter. And his food also was very coarse and

270 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, scanty. He requested of the Secretary to let hira have
XXIV. necessaries in his old age, and to obtain of the King his

Anno 1534. Hberty ; and sorae other requests he raade. But take his
own words :
His letter " Furtherraore, I beseech you be good raaster unto rae in
to the .Se- . ' '' " , .
cretary. " ray necessity. For I have rieither shirt nor sute, nor yet
Cleop. E. e. « other cloaths, that are necessary for rae to wear, but that
" be ragged and rent too shamefully. Notwithstanding, I
" raight easUy suffer that, if that would keep ray body
" warra. But ray diet also God knoweth how slender it is
" at raany times. And now in ray age my storaach raay no
" away, but with a few kind of meats ; which if I want, I
" decay forthwith, and fall into erases and diseases of my
" body, and cannot keep ray self in health. And, as our
" Lord knoweth, I have nothing left unto rae, for to pro-
" vide any better, but as ray brother, of his own purse, lay-
" eth out for rae, to his great hindrance.
" Wherefore, good raaster Secretary, eftsones I beseech
" you to have some pity upon rae, and let rae have such
176 " things as are necessary for me in mine age, and especially
" for my health. And also that it raay please you, by your
" high wisdora, to move the King's Highness to take me
" unto his gracious favour again, and to restore me to
" ray liberty, out of this cold and painful iraprisonraent.
" Whereby ye shall bind rae to be your poor bedesman for
" ever unto Alraighty God. Who ever have you in his
" protection and custody.
" Other twain things I raust desire upon you. The toon
" is, it raay please you, that I may take some Priest with
" rae in the Tower, by the assignraent of Master Lieu-
" tenant, to hear my confession against this holy time. That
" other is, that I raay borrow sorae books, to say ray devo-
" tion raore effectually these holy days, for the corafort of
" my soul. This I beseech you to grant rae of your
" charity. And this our Lord God send you a raery Christ-
" raas, and a corafortable, to your heart's desire. At the
" Tower, the xxii. day of December.
" Your poor Bedesman, " John Roff."

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 271
After the Bishop's execution, the Papists' business was to CHAP.
extol him, and raake hira a saint; and a Charter House ^^"'-
Monk feigned an apparition appearing to hira, and assuring Anno 1534.
him that Fisher was a martyr ; a letter whereof was sent f^° appa"-
to Crumwel, and may be seen in ,the Cotton Library. cerning Fi
sher.
 ^_^  Cleop. E. 4.
p. 128.

CHAP. XXV.
The holy Maid ofKent. Corfessions brought in to Crupi^
wel concerning her. Matters qf Sir Thomas More,
with respect to this Nun. Gives the King occasion qf
displeasure againsf Mm.
v^RUMWEL, on whom lay the care of searching into A Friar's
the sayings and doings of the pretended holy , inspired [^^f ^„" °^
Nun and her accomplices, had at length divers confessions
brought in unto him from those that were concerned with
her. And among the rest, one, unnamed, was required to
confess and relate what he had heard one Rich, a Friar Ob
servant, tell hira of her. With which Rich he had rauch
conversation ; and frora whora he had heard raany of her
speeches and pretended converse with angels. This, man,
who hiraself was obnoxious, as it seems, freely sent in a large
account of what he had heard from the said Friar. And
because I know none of our historians have related these
things so much at large concerning her, I shall here tran
scribe the very letter sent to Crumwel frpm this person ;
taken, as I did transcribe it, from the original.
"Sir, 177
" It may please you to be advertised, that, according Rich, a
' to your commandment, I have put the articles of the ^q'^'jIIo^
' communication betwixt rae and Mr. Rich in writing, (and concerning
' as he saith you have thera in writing before,) even as Icieop.E!4.
' heard things worthy to be noted upon the raargin of ray
' book in the Dutch and French tongue, to the intent he
' should not understand ray purpose, why I did write
' thera. Yet did I not believe such tales, which he caUeth

272 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « revelations. For I have learned the Gospel, Attendite a
^' ''Jalsis prcphetis; if I had remembered anotiier comraand-

Anno 1584. « ment as weU as I did that, Non concupisces rem prapinqm
" fui, I should not have faUen into this raiser^'. I have in
" reraerabrance thirty or thirty-one of these tales : which
" are not possible so to be set forth in writings, that their
" intent should be known. And I suppose that twenty sheets
" of paper wUl not write them at length in order. Where-
" fore I have written the name of the story whereupon it
" doth treat : so tiiat then, if it be as he saith, the whole
" stoty will be in his reraerabrance.
" I. Of an angel that appeared, and bade the Nun go
" unto the King, that infidel Prince of England, and say,
" that I command him to amend his Hfe ; and that he leave
" three things which he loveth, and purposeth upon; that
" is, that he take off the Pope's right and patrimony from
" hira. The second, that he destroy aU these new folks of
" opinion, and the works of their neic learning. The third,
" that if he raarried and took Anne to wife, tiie vengeance
" of God plague hira. And, as he saith, she sliewed this
" unto tiie King, &c.
" II- Item, After this two or tiiree months, the angel
" appeared, and bade her go again unto tiie King, and say,
" that since her last being with his Grace, he hath more
" highher studied to bring his purpose to pass : and that
" she saw in spirit the King, the Queen, and the Earl of
" WUtshire, standing in a garden together ; and that they
" did devise how to bring the matter to pass. And by no
" raeans it would not be. But at last a httie devU stood
" beside the Queen, and put it in her raind to say thus:
" You shall send my father unto the Emperor, and let him
" shew your mind and conscience; and give him those
" many thousand ducats to have his good ^ni[. And that
"it wiU be brought to pass. Go, and fear not to shew the
" King this tale and privy token, and bid hun take his old
" ^vife again, or else, &c. It is so naughty a matter, that
" my hand shaketh to write it ; and something better un-
" ^v^'itten than avritten.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 273
" III. Item, That when the Kine's Highness was over at CHAP.
. - xxv
" Calais, she saw the Host taken frora the Priest, with the 

" blessed blood: and that angel brought it her for to re- Anno 1534.
" ceive, saying, &c. Two sheets wiU scant write this story.
" IV. Item, That she was charged to go unto the Cardi-
" nal, when he was raost in his prosperity, and shew him of
" three swords that he had in his hand ; one of the spiri-
" tualty, another of the temporalty, and the other of the
" King's marriage. A long raatter. The Bishop of Can-
" terbury and Bucking to be reraerabered.
" V. Item, Another season after, the angel comraanded 178
" her to go unto the said Cardinal, and shew him of his fall ;
" and that he had not done as she had commanded him, by
" the wUl of God.
" VI. Item, That since he dyed, she saw the disputations
" of the devils for his soul ; and how she was three times
" lift up, and could not see him, neither in heaven, hell,
" nor purgatory : and at the last, where she saw him ; and
" how by her penance he was brought unto heaven ; and
" what souls she saw fly through purgatory.
" VII. Item, More, the angel warned her, that she
" should go unto a Abbot, and warn him to take three of his
" brethren by narae. For they were purposed to have run
" away the night with three men's wives ; and that God
" would they should have better grace, &c.
" VIII. Item, Of another, that had beaten hiraself so with
" rods, that the starael was bloody : which he thought to
" have buried in the garden. And she by the coramand-
" ment of the angel met him, &c. A high matter for
" penance. " IX. Item, Of two other Monks, which had taken ship-
" ping to go unto TyteaUe : which by her prayer was
" turned. And the ship had no power to depart from the
" haven, &c.
" X. Item, That the angel commanded her to go to
*' another Monk, and bid him burn the New Testament
" that he had in English, and of great visions seen of the
'* same, in token of grace.
vot. I. T

274 :\IEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " XL Item, Of the warning that the angel gave her of a
^¦^^ • " woraan that came unto S. Thomas of Canterbury. A mer-

Anno 1334. " vaUous matter, and a long.
" XII. Item, The angel shewed her, that tiie arabassa-
¦• dor of the Pope should be at Canterbury : and how she
" sent by him the message of God unto the Pope.
" XIII. Item, That she spake by the coraraandment of
" God at London with one otiier ; and bade him write the
" message of God unto the Pope. To tiie which she did
" set her hand, &:c.
" XIV. Item, Of tiie old Bishop of Canterbury. How
" he had promised to marry the King ; and of his warnings
" by the angel of God, &c.
" XV. Item, That she did shew unto Dr. Bocking the
" hour of his death, Sec. That she heard the disputation be-
" tween the angels and the devUs for his soul.
" XVI. Item, She did see him when he went into hea-
" ven, with his words that he spoke. And how S. Thomas
" was there present, and accompanied him, &c.
" XVII- Item, Of the going and return of the Earl of
" WUtshire into Spain ; with the receiving of the King's
" letters there ; and the answer of the Emperor, &c.
" XVIII. Item, Of the ^¦ision which he had, if the King
" should have raarried at Calais : of the great shame that
" the Queen should have had, &c.
" XIX. Item, Of such persons as the angel of God hath
" appointed to be at her death ; when she shall receive the
" crown of martjTdora ; and the tirae, with the place.
" XX. Item, How diverse tiraes the DevU hath appeared
" unto her. One tirae he carae in the Hkeness of a good
1 79 " man, and brought with him a lady ; and before her face
" had to do with her upon her bed ; with other matters, too
" abominable. " XXI. Item, Of a certain vision that Gold's wife had
" upon Saint Katharine's day ; which the angel of God did
" shew by her prayers, &c.
" XXIL Item, How at Court-up-street, when Mr. Gold
" went unto Mass, the other Gold's wife desired her to

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 275
" raake her prayers unto God, to know the state of Princess CHAP.
" Dowager. Of two other woraen, and of two Friers, which  '_

" was Rich and Risby. Assoon as the Priest began Confi- Anno i ss4.
" feor, she fell in a transe ; and of her wonderful answer.
" XXIII. Item, Of a certain gentleraan dwelling about
" Canterbury, that had long tirae been terapted to drowne
" hiraself by the spryt of a woman, that he had kept by his
" wife's days ; which was demanded, &c. A long matter
" and a strange.
" XXIV. Item, Of the visions seen by her sister, mer-
" vaillous. And how she took the bloud of our Lord's side
" in a chalice. And how she saw the plague for the city
". of London, &c.
" XXV. Item, Of the words that the Nun spake unto
" Mr. Richards. How the angel of God asked for his
" faith ; with certain privy tokens that she shewed him that
" he had in his memento ; with divers other things in their
" house ; which causeth them all to muse, &c.
" XXVI. Item, How the angel of God hath coramanded
" her to say, that aU are but Ulusions. For the time is
" not come that God wol put forth your work.
" xxvii; Item, Of |9|919 the reign of the King, how
" long he shall reign ; as saith a prophecy. Which agreeth
" with her saying, &c.
" XXVIII- Item, Of three letters, A. F. G- by a pro-
" phecy that is in the hand of holy Richard. If you send
" to me John Godolphin, your servant, I can cause him to
" find him by enquiry at the Temple.
" XXIX. Item, More a great deal of a golden letter
" that Mary Magdalen did send. And how the angel
" comraanded her to counterfeit another- Because the
" people should have power upon her body, &c. What
" money that was hid, &c.
" XXX. Item, That six days before the said Richard
" was taken, he went to a man that hath a prophecy : and
" with him Nesywick, the Observant. Who shewed unto
" them wondrous things, pens and inkhorns: letters of pro-
" phesies, and of aU their troubles at PaiU's Cross. This
T 2

276 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " man dweUs two mUes from Bugden. His narae is Han-
^^^'- , " ford, &c."

Anno 1534. jyi tbis was the confession of one concerned with Eliza
beth Barton, the pretended holy ]Maid.
The King As for More, who underwent the same fate with Fisher,
wfth tk) re a°'l for the sarae offence, before he was comraitted, he was
for three under a cloud, the King having been offended with him
'""*' about three things, viz. the Nun of Kent ; the King's great
raatter, that is, his business of the divorce ; and the Pope's
supreraacy, which More called his primacy. Concerning
each of these, in a long letter to Crumwel frora Chelsey,
where he dwelt, he frankly and plainly set down his own
confession. For having sohcited Crumwel that he would do
what he could in bis favour to the King, Crumwel sent this
message back again to More by bis son Hooper; that he
1 80 should give him an account of himself, whereby he niight
be the better enabled to represent More's love and sincere
loyalty to the King. For which More thanked him ; and
proceeded to give an account of those three matters dis
tinctly. Excusing his letter, which he had writ to the Nun,
and his communication with her, and the Friars her com-
pHces ; and his words against tbe King's supremacy, and
what he had said of the marriage.
The holy Concerning his deahngs with the Nun, he referred him-
Kent. self to a former letter written to hira, wherein he gave a full
Vol.ii. Col- account of that. This letter is recorded in the History of
' the Reformation. In short, he confessed he had discourse
with her ; and by the great shews of holiness she made, and
the good words she spoke, he once reputed her a virtuous
More's con- woman, and one inspired ; but was now fuUy convinced she
j,„_ was an irapostor : caUing her in this letter, that housewife,
and the lewd Nun qf Canterbury. He highly commended
Crumwel for the detection he had raade of her, in bringing
to light such detestable hypocrisy, whereby other wretches
might fake warning, and be feared to set forth their own
devilish dissembled falsehood, under fhe manner and colour
qf the wonderful work qf God. He acknowledged it was an
evil spirit that inspired her. And so indeed she confessed

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 277
herself at Paul's Cross. And he sent word to her ad- CHAP.
rairers, the Prior of the Charter House, that she was un- ^^^-
doubtedly a false disserabling hypocrite. But before this. Anno is34.
he treated her in another raanner, that is, with the highest
honour and deference : and in a letter, which he wrote to
her, he gave her the title of Madam, and Your Ladiship,
and His right dearly beloved sister in our Lord God. And
being rainded to advise her not to talk with any person in
raatters relating to the Prince's affairs, or the state of the
realra, he prefaced it vnXh an apology, how God sometiraes
suffereth such as are far inferior, to give advertisement to
such as are rauch above thera ; as Moses, God's high pro
phet, was counseUed by Jethro.
At the monastery of Sion, More saw her, and spake with Meets her
her in a little chapel; where were present but they two
only. He told her, it was the report of her virtues made
him desirous both to see and hear her, that she raight re
raember hira to God in her devotions. She answered him,
that God did of his goodness far better for her, a poor
wretch, than she deserved ; and that raany, of their favour
able minds, reported of her far above the truth : and that
she had heard so much of him, that she had already prayed
for him, and ever would. At parting, he gave her a double
ducat, and begged her prayers. At this meeting she told
More what care people ought to have, that they take not
diabolical delusions for heavenly visions; and acknow
ledged that she had sometiraes the forraer, as well as the
latter : and that lately the Devil, in the shape of a bird, flew
and fluttered about her in a charaber, and suffered hiraself to
be taken ; and being in hand, suddenly changed in their sight
that were present into an ugly fashioned bird; that they
were aU afraid, and threw hira out of the window.
I wiU take leave here to give sorae further account of this Some ac-
Nun of Canterbury, professed of the priory of St. Sepul- jj^^^
chre's there. Her narae was Elizabeth Barton, coraraonly
called ihe holy Maid qf Kent. That which gave the first
occasion of this imposture was ; This maid, living in the
parish of Aldington, before she was professed, was visited
t3

278 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, with sickness; and in the violence thereof she would faU
¦ . into fits, wherein she uttered raany foohsh and idle words.

Anno 1 534. Richard Master, parson of the said parish, raade use of this
^ ° ^ for sorae ends of his own ; and thenceforth gave out, that
these fits were divine trances, and what she spake in them
she spake frora God ; and instructed her to say and affirm
so, (though she knew not what she had said when she came
to herself,) and often upon occasion to feign fits. And to
serve himself of this woraan and her fits, for his own bene
fit, he, with one Dr. Bocking, a Monk of Canterbury, di
rected her to say, in one of her pretended trances, that she
should never be well tUl she visited the iraage of our Lady in
a certain chapel in the said Master's parish, caUed the chapel
in Court-at-Street ; and that our Lady had appeared to her,
and told her so ; and that if she came on a certain day thither,
she should be restored to health by miracle. This story,
and the day of her resort unto the chapel, was studiously
given out by the said Parson and Monk ; so that at the ap
pointed day there met two thousand persoris to see this
maid, and the rairacle to be wrought on her. Thither on
the set time she came, and there, before them all, disfigured
herself, and pretended her ecstasies. AU this was the inven
tion of Master, for his own lucre, to bring the people after
wards in greater plenty to the chapel in pUgriraage. In her
trance in this chapel she gave out, that our Lady bade her
becorae a Nun, and that Dr. Bocking should be her ghostiy
father. And so she was, and hereby that Monk (whose in
vention this was) had opportunity of going to her frequent
ly. At which tiraes he and she consulted together concern
ing the tricks she should play, and the words she should use;
which generally were very sanctiraonious, inveighing rauch
against the new opinions lately sprung up, and against the
King and Queen, and the late raarriage.
Books of At length raany books were written and printed of her
tionr™'*' J'svelations, made and coraposed by the said Bocking and
Master, and one Dering, another Monk of Canterbury..
And one Thwaites, a gentleraan, wrote a great book of her
feigned rairacles, for a copy to the printer, to be printed offt

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 279
At two several times she declared her false revelations to chap.
two of the Pope's orators. One Gold took upon him to be ^^^-
the interpreter between her and one of these orators, naraed Anno i5S4.
Anthony PuUeon, at London ; and one Laurence, a Monk,
had the sarae office between her and the other called Syl
vester, at another tirae at Canterbury. She began her
pranks about eight or nine years before her execution. She
travelled about frora place to place ; and had the confidence
to corae before the King, and Cardinal Wolsey, and Arch
bishop Warham, and Bishop Fisher ; to aU whom she talked
very much of her visions, and revelations, and inspirations.
She told the Cardinal, that she had a revelation concerning
him, of three swords that God had put into his hand. The
one was the ordering of the spiritualty under the Pope, as
Legate ; another, the ordering of the temporalty under the
King, as ChanceUor ; the third was the business he was en
gaged in concerning the King's marriage. And she told
hira, that unless he used all these well, God would lay it
sore to his charge.
Archbishop Warhara having a roll of many sayings which A list of
she spake in her pretended trances, some whereof were in seattl'tbe
very rude rhymes, sent them up to the King ; which, how- King.
ever revered by others, he raade but Hght of, and shewed 132
them to More, bidding him shew his thoughts thereof.
Which after he had perused, he told the King, that in good
faith (for that oath be used) he found nothing in them that
he could either esteera or regard : for a siraple woraan, in
his raind, of her own wit raight have spoken thera.
She would rarable about the countries unto gentleraen's The Obser-
houses, and especially to houses of religion ; chiefly those of ''''."*\*'^"
' r J o ' ^ mire her.
the Observants. She would seem to be sometiraes in trances,
and then after them fall to her discourses and speeches;
whereat some of the Friars and others would seem to take
great comfort. Of these were Father Risby, an Observant
of Canterbury, and Rich, late Warden of the Friars Ob
servants there, and the Prior of the Charter House at Shene.
These had a raighty opinion of her, and talked rauch of
her to More. Some of her revelations- were no better than
T 4

280 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. siUy tales: such was a certain tale of Mary Magdalen de-
^^^- livering her a letter from heaven, that was Hmned with

Anno 1534. golden letters; which indeed was written by a Monk of St.
Augustin's, Canterbury ; and another at Calais. For being
there invisible in our Lady's church, the Host was brought to
her by an angel ; who took it away frora the Priest while he
was officiating at Mass, that so King Henry, then present,
might now see, in token of God's displeasure : and then on
a sudden was rapt away over sea into her nunnery again ;
which made More think the worse of her, and of those
Friars that believed them. She was once at a knight's
house in Kent, that was sore troubled with teraptations to
destroy hiraself: of which one Friar WiUiaras, of Shene,
told More a long tale. When sorae carae to her, it was
said, she would tell thera the causes of their coming, before
theraselves spake thereof; as though she had the gift of
knowing raen's thoughts : but this raight be done easUy by
corabination.
Heiien of At this time there was one HeUen, a maid dweUing about
0 nam. Totnam, that had visions and trances also. She came to
this holy Maid, and told her of thera. But she assured her,
(it may be, because she had a mind to have the sole glory
of such visions herself,) that hers were but delusions of the
Devil; and advised her from henceforth not to entertain
them, but to cast them out of her raind. And ever after, as
that maid of Totnam told More, giving credence unto the
Nun, she was the less visited with such things, as she was
wont to be before.
The cause As this woraan went on a great while in these her im-
death. "" * postures, SO, had she not raeddled with raatters of state, and
those which the King now was so earnestly concerned about,
she raight, for ought I know, have gone on still without
danger : but fraraing revelations against the King's matri
monial matter, and pretending to prophesy, that, if he did
proceed in his divorce frora Queen Katharine, he should not
be a King a raonth longer, this raade the King jealous
of sorae insurrection by her raeans. And hereupon he
resolved to have her exarained. And by the industry of

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 281
Archbishop Cranmer, Secretary Crumwel, and Hugh Lati- CHAP.
raer, it was found, that all her inspirations and ecstasies

ii

were raerely juggle and deceit, as she was instructed to do Anno iss4.
by certain Friars and Priests ; and so she herself voluntarily
and publicly confessed at Paul's Cross: and in the year
1533. was attainted by Parliaraent, and executed, wth six
others, (whereof the Friars Risby and Rich, before men
tioned, were two,) at Tyburn, for treason. And six raore 1 83
found guUty of raisprision of treason concerning her;
whereof Bishop Fisher was one.
A second cause, that tiirew More under the King's dis-„„ "•. .
. '-^ The I^ing s
pleasure, was his marriage with the Lady Anne, and his di- marriage.
vorce from his fornier Queen. Which More could not be '^'^"P' ,.„
. . . . p. 6. p. 149.
brought to meddle in or like of. Concerning which he
made this apology for himself to Crurawel, as I take it
frora his own letter in the Cotton library. " That when he
" carae frora beyond sea, he repaired to the King at Harap-
" ton Court : when the King suddenly in his gallery brake
with hira his great raatter : shewing hira, that it was then
perceived his mai'riage was not only against the positive
" laws of the Church, and the written law of God, but
" against the law of nature : and that so it could not be
" dispensable by the Church. Then the King hiraself laid
" open the Bible before hira, and read hira the words that
" moved his Highness and diverse others erudite persons to
" think that it was against the law of nature. And then
" asked him what he thought thereon. Whereupon More
" discovered his thoughts to the King as a man in doubt.
" Then the King bade him commune farther with Fox, his
" Grace's Almoner ; and to read a book with him that then
" was in making for that matter. This book More read,
" and gave the King his opinion tiiereupon. At another
time the King assembled a great number of learned raen
" at Harapton Court : when, though there were diverse
" opinions among them, yet, as he said, he never heard
" otiierwise, but that they all then agreed upon a certain
" form in which the said book should be raade. The book
" was afterwards, at York Place, in ray Lord Cai'dinal's

<(

282 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "charaber, read in the presence of divers Bishops and
^^^' " raany other learned raen. StUl they aU thought that

AnnoiS34.« there appeared in the book good and reasonable causes,
" that raight raove the King's Highness to conceive a
" scruple against his marriage. Which, whUe he could not
" otherwise avoid, he did well and virtuously, for the ac-
" quiescing of his conscience, to sue and procure to have
" his doubts decided by judgraent of the Church. And so
" his suit began, and the Legates sat upon the raatter.
" While this business was sat upon by the Legates, the
"King sent hira, with Tunstal, Bishop of Durham, Am-
" bassador to Cambray. Where a peace was made with the
" Emperor, and Kings of England and France. Upon his
" return, he was made Lord Chancellor : [which was in the
" year 1529, upon Wolsey's fall.] Then the King told
" him, that if he should see such things in this raarriage as
" should persuade him unto this part, he would gladly use
" him, among other his counseUors, in that raatter. And
" the King then assigned unto hira, as raost studied in the
" point, the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Dr.
" Fox, and one Dr. Nicolas, an Italian Friar. But aU
" these, with all their readings beside, could not persuade
" More. So the King raade use of hira and others in his
" other business only : and in this, such whose consciences
" his Grace perceived were well persuaded on that part."
in. But however this gave the King a secret displeasure
The Pope's against hira : concerning the third, the primacy, he con-
supremacy. " ° .
fessed, " that once he was not of that mind, that the pri-
" macy was of divine institution : but that the King's book
1 84 " against Luther convinced hira in it. And that he had
" then advised the King to leave out that point, or to touch
" it raore slenderly. Because afterwards there raight hap
" to follow questions between the Pope and the King. And
" since that tirae for ten years, he had found in the Fathers,
" frora Ignatius to our tiraes, a consent in this doctrine ;
" arid that it was confirraed by general councils too. In
" fine, be raodestly excused hiraself in these his opinions,
" that it was not out of an obstinate mind, or misaffected ap-

UNDER KING HENRY VHI.
" petite, but of a timorous conscience." The whole letter, CHAP.
though it be long, I have transcribed from the original, and .

put into the Appendix. His conscience, thus hampered with Anno 1534.
the papal power universal, brought hira to his unfortunate '^°' ^^^^'
end. Which we shall hear of the ensuing year.

^^

CHAP. XXVL
The aufJwrify qffhe Kings qf England in Spirituals.
U PON the great work now on foot, of reducing the Bi- Anno 1 sss.
shop of Rorae's power, and that of the Bishops in the
EngHsh Church, and restoring the King his authority in
his own realras and dominions, some learned divines and
lawyers were employed to search the Scriptures, and Catho
lic authors, and good histories, for the more right stating
this raatter, and proceeding the surer herein. There is, in
a volurae of the Cotton library, a very large coUection of Collections
authorities and places of Scripture, under these various "^^"^ ^^^_
heads or titles presently following ; but by whora it appears cerning
not. I should be apt to guess it to be Archbishop Cran- power.
mer, who was a great collector of writings upon such argu- ''''"• L''^'^-
raents.
Regia institutio, officium et llctis Romanorum legibus,
potestas, ex Veteri Testa- lege Dei se, ac populum
mento. Dei, regat.
In clerum regia potestas. Regis Anglia officium ef
Regia institutio, officium ef potestas.
potestas, ex N. Testa- Regis Anglia in concilium,
mento. Item ex aufho. in personas ef res ecclesi-
regia pofcsfas in Eccle- asticas potestas.
slam, seu Concilium. Regis Anglia in Gualliani,
Regia potestas in personas Hlberniam et Scofiampo-
eccleslasficas. fesfas.
Regia potestas In res eccle- Regis Anglia in summum
slasficas. Ponfificem liberaUtas.
Regi Anglia legem pefenti Regia in invesiiendis Epi-
jubef S. Pontifex, ut re- scopls potestas.

284 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. Regum Anglia in invesfi-
endis Eplscopls potestas.

Anno 1535. Fundatlo monasferii Sancti
Albani.
Episcoporum jusjurandum
duplex.
Concilll potestas ef Ponti
ficis.
Regia ef eccleslasfica po-
fesfas simul, fam quoad
personas quam res : seu
gladii duo.
Regia ef eccleslasfica po
testas simul, seu gladii
duo, in Anglia, fam quoad
personas, quam res.
Episcopate officium, ef sa-
cerdofale.
Episcopi, vel Sacerdotis po
testas.
Terrenarum, femporalium,
vel secularium rerum fu-
ga, eccleslasflcis pra-
scrlpfa.
\8b Dominium, Imperium, po-
fenfia ferrena ecclesiasfi
corum,.
Judlcia '\
Leges > ecclesiasficorum.
NegofiaJPradla, possessiones eccle
slasfica.
Bona eccleslasfica cur, ef a
quibus donata.
Bonorum ecclesiasficorum
per avarifiam, vel ambl-
fum, effranls cupido.
Bona eccleslasfica cur qua-
nmtur.

Honores et bona ecclesias-
flca, quibus acquiranfur
arfibus.
Bonorum ecclesiasficorum
usus, ef ad quos ea perti
neanf.
Aiusus ionorum ecclesias
ficorum per avaritiam,
luxum, fas fum, in victu,
vesfe, supellecfile domes-
f'lca, cedificlls, noiilifando
genere, per liildinem, per-
que otium, seu fugam la-
boris.
Luxus ef fasfus in victu,
vesfe, ac ccdlficlis.
Convlvia.
Libido.
Noiilifaflo generis, seu cog-
naforum.
Otium, fuga laboris, et pe-
riculi.
Periculum. Honor ef gloria.
Ecclesia primitiva idea.
Pontificis summi potestas et
officium.
Pontifex de sua ipsius po
testate.
Pontificis potestas in elec-
tlonlbus ef confirmatloni-
bus Episcoporum.
Excommunlcandl potestas.
Oner a ef liijurla apostolica
sedls, vel dominium Ro-
mana sedls.
Onera a Romana sede An
glis imposifa.
Annatarum origo.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.

285

Annata ex Anglia.
Anglorum de non solvendis
annatibus decretum.
Angll in comifiis, seu Par-
llamenfo, annatarum so-
lufionem damnanf.
De annafis ef slmilibus, ex
concilio Constan.
De annafis, ex concil. Basi-

eis- CHAP. XXVI.

De annafis, ex glossa prag-
mafica sancfionis.
Bulla Nicolai Papa de ap-
probaflone concil. Basi-

Romanorum mores ex
dem auihoribus. 
Metropolifani legaf i privile- Anno isss.
gium.
Ne actor reum extra dioce-
slm vocet.
Judlcia peregrlna, vel pri-
mafis jurlsdlcfio veljurls-
dlcflo provlncialis.
Judlcia peregrlna, vel ju
rlsdlcfio Primafls in An
glia.
Appellafio.Primatis, vel Patriarch a
jus.
Concilll Basiliensis narrafio. Legafijus.
Concilii Basilien. confirmor- Canfuariensls jurisdicfio.
tio ex Panormifano. Canones Patrum, quando et
Annafas Romana sedi de- quo pacto primo in An-
negare fidei Christiana glia recepfi sunt.
non repugnaf.
All these heads, and the coUections under thera, were, I
suppose, but the rough cast of sorae learned books then
written against the Pope.
As the Bishops had all subscribed to the King's supre- The Bishops
raacy the last year, so the King now required them, by his deciarrthe
letters, to pubHsh and declare as much in their oWn cathe- King's
. . style.
dral churches, and to set forth the King's title of supreme
head, under God, qffhe Church qf England ; and to see the
people in their respective dioceses effectually instructed in
this point by the Clergy in their parishes. These letters
bare date in the beginning of June this year. Which, with
a declaration to be read to the people, were sent by Crum
wel to all the Archbishops and Bishops. And they, how
willingly I know not, but outwardly, complied with these
commands, perceiving weU how bent the King was upon
this matter. Therefore they wrote their letters of answer to
Crurawel, signifying their respective receipts of the King's 1 86

286 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, and his letters in this behalf, together with their proraise of
XXVI. yielding obedience thereto, and accounts of their so doing.
Anno isss.But Cranraer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Shaxton, Bi
shop of SaHsbury, took great joy hereat, as appeared by
their letters.
Nic- Bishop The latter, in his letter to Crurawel, dated June the 4th,
of Sarum. ^^^ Mortlake, shewed, " how he rejoiced, that the King
" had writ so earnestly to his Bishops in this cause : and
" that he concluded, that God had raade use of his wisdom
" to stir up the Prince thereunto. Thanking God for it,
" and beseeching hira to go on stiU from one thing to an-
" other, tUl the usurped power of that man of Rome were
" clean abolished, and put out of the hearts of the King's
" subjects.. And that he, for his own part, would apply
" with all dUigence to this so godly a coraraandment."
Robert, Bp. Robert, Bishop of Chichester, June 13, preached at his
ter. "^ ' cathedral ; and there declared openly the King's coramand
raent concerning the uniting of the title of suprerae Head of
the Church of England unto the iraperial crown of this
realm ; and also the abolishing and secluding the enormities
and abuses of the Bishop of Rome's authority, usurped
within the same. He likewise sent forth his Suffragan to
preach and publish the same within the populous towns of
his diocese. And took effectual care, by the 28th of June,
that all Abbots, Priors, Deans, Archdeacons, Provosts, Par
sons, Vicars, and Curates in his diocese, had commandment
to publish the same in their churches every Sunday and so
lemn feast. And intended to see and cause thera to do their
duty in that behalf. And all this he signified to the Secre
tary in a letter, dated June the 28th, frora Selsey; and
prayed hira, that by reason of his great age, being now
ninety years and upwards, he would raove the King, that
his further doing in these preraises by other sufficient per
sons raight suffice for his discharge.
The Bp. of John, Bishop of Lincoln, also set forth the King's title,
inco n. ^guity^ and style of suprerae Head ; and caused the same
to be declared through his diocese ; and the declaration to
this purpose, which Crumwel had sent: copies whereof, to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 287
be dispersed to every Curate in his diocese, he caused his CHAP.
clerks to write out, as many and as fast as they could. But.

his diocese being so large, he caused two thousand to be^°°° ^*^^'
printed. And of all this he certified the Secretary from Wo-
burne, June 25 ; but praying that he raight know his plea
sure and approbation, whether he should in that manner
send them forth.
Goodrich, Bishop of Ely, had an university within his Bp. of Ely's
diocese. And for the execution of the King's letters there, "he Unlrer-
he took this course, as it seeras, enjoining every Master ands'ty-
FeUow in each college and hall, according to their seniority,
every Sunday and festival to preach in the parish church,
within whose bounds the college stood ; and there to set
forth to the people the King's style of suprerae Head, and
to renounce the Pope. As seeras to appear frora a let
ter sent frora the Bishpp of Ely, dated June 27, at Soraer-
shara, to Dr. Edraunds, Master of Peter House ; signify
ing, " that having received an honourable letter from the E Bibiioth.
" King, to charge all Parsons, Vicars, and Curates, and
" other ecclesiastical persons, abiding within the precinct of
" his diocese, to preach every Sunday and soleran feast the
" very sincere and true word of God ; and to set forth his 187
" title, dignity, and style of suprerae Head, as the truth
" thereof raay thoroughly shine and appear to the people
" and subject ; and to declare also unto the sarae his re-
" nunciation of the Bishop of Rome's usurped authority,
" and all other foreign potentates : I do therefore charge
" you, (as the letter runs,) on the King's behalf, as you
" would answer unto his Highness for the same, not only
" to preach in proper person, but also to coramand the Fel-
" lows of your house to do the sarae in order every Sunday
" and soleran feast in your parish church in Carabridge.
" So that the parishioners thereof raay |iave, every of the
" said festival daysi, the word of God, and other things
" above mentioned, either by you or by one of your Fel-
" lows, shewed unto them. Thus the Lord keep you."
The same commands were despatched to the Bishops of The Arch-
rm A 1 bishop of
the province of York by Sir Francis Bagot. The Arch- york.

288 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP- bishop of York was comraanded, in his Majesty's narae, to
^^^^' give this charge to aU the Prelates and ecclesiastical per-

Anno 1535. sons within his province. Which was but a backing and
reinforcing of what had been given the year before, when
the King by word of raouth enjoined these things upon
hira as well as the rest. And but a little whUe after his de
parture horae. Archbishop Cranraer, by the King's com
raand, sent him a book, wherein was an order for preach
ing, and a form for bidding the beads. In which the King's
title of supreme Head was contained. And therein it was
enjoined every Preacher, after Easter, once in a solemn au
dience, to declare the Pope's usurped jurisdiction within
the realm, and the King's just cause to decHne from the
sarae. And also to open and declare such things as might
avow and justify his Highness's refusal of marriage with
the Princess Dowager, and lawfully contract with Queen
Anne.
The King It was told the King, that Lee, the Archbishop of York
for his back- foresaid, was neghgent in aU this, and that he had not
wardness. done his duty in teaching these things hiraself, nor causing
them to be taught by others within his province and dio
cese. For this, the King in his letter twitted him, telHng
him, that he had forgotten his consent given to the abolish
ment of the Pope, and to the King's supremacy in his pro
fession and subscription, signed with his own hand and
sealed with his seal.
He vindi- But thls was but raisinforraation. For (as the Archbi-
^]f_* ' ' shop, by a letter he wrote to the King in his own vindica
tion, dated June 1 4, the next Sunday after the receipt of
Bishop Cranraer's book, had said) he went from Cawood
to York, and there declared the King's titie concerning the
raatriraony, and his refusal of the Pope's jurisdiction. And
that the thing raight be the more pubhc, he sent to York
before he came, that he would be there next Sunday : re
quiring also the Mayor and his brethren to be there pre
sent, with two of his Majesty's Chaplains, Mr. Magnus
and Sir John Lawson by name. So that there was a very
great multitude met together ; and the greater, because it

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL
was noised he should preach. And he began not till other CHAP. XXVI.
churches in the City had done, that there might be the.

greater confluence to hear his sermon. He took for his texf^""" i*^*-
that part of the Gospel of the day, / have married a wife,
and therefore I cannot come. Thence he took occasion to ex
plain, declare, and open both the abovesaid matter, and the 188
injury done to the King by Pope Clement. And the King's
Chaplains that heard him thought the audience was well
satisfied. But however, soraething now gave occasion to a
report at the Court against the Archbishop ; and that was,
that he meddled not with the King's titie of supreraacy,
neither in his serraon nor prayer. Whereof he gave the
King this reason, because there was no order given then,
but only to make mention hereof in the prayers or beads.
And the reason he mentioned it not in his prayer, was, be
cause it was his known custom, ever since his coraing into
his diocese, for the getting raore time for the uttering his
sermon, that he made no prayer at it ; but proceeded for
ward in it without stop. There was present among others,
at his sermon, the King's two Chaplains aforesaid, the Ab
bot of St. Mary's of York, and Sir Francis Bagot, Trea
surer of York.
He also caused his officers that could write, to transcribe His orders
a great number of copies of the book aforesaid, to be de- |J™"se° *"*
livered to every preacher within his diocese ; charging
them withal to do according to the instructions thereof:
and to every Curate a book was also delivered, comprising
as much as touched their charge. And the Curates accord
ingly foUowed their book in every point ; praying for his
Highness as chief Head of the Church, and doing all other
things required. To a great number the Bishop himself
dehvered the book, and spake to them, giving them their
orders by word of mouth. And to the Curates he gave
charge, that they should suffer none to preach in their
churches : on purpose, that those that would preach should
be constrained, first to corae to the Archbishop, that he
might deliver them the said instructions. As any carae to
him for licences to preach, he gave thera the book. In the
VOL. I. u

290 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP- reli^ous houses, where any of the Friars were preachers,
^"^^^ he gave books there likewise. And so did he to aU that he
Aj>no 1535- knew within his diocese, with charge to foUow the book-
When any religious man carae to him, he told him what he
had done, and gave them counsel to do the like ; as divers
had come to him, both Observants, Carthusians, and others.
Upon Good Friday he charged the Treasurer of York
church, that he should leave out the CoUect^o Papa; and
the Deacon that sung the hymn Exultet Angelica in the
hallowing of the Paschal, that he should leave out mention
therein made ^ro Papa.
All this the Archbishop of York, in a letter, informed
the King that he had done ; teUing him, " that what was
" iraputed by his Majesty to him, was taken from inform-
" ation peradventure of his enemies : that he had somewhat
" known him : that he had been always open and plain :
" and he dared avow, that hitherto he never deceived him,
" nor never would in any thing that he took upon him, as
" his learning and conscience would serve."
And ID his Moreover, upon the King's foresaid letters to him, he
province. . . .
sent his letters to his province, viz. to the Bishops of Dur
ham and Carhsle, and to all Archdeacons; giving them
strait commandment as the King had given him; and
charging them to dehver books to all Curates and others of
the old instruction : adding thereto what was now increased
in these last letters. AU this beforesaid is the sum of this
Cleop. E. 6. Archbishop's letter, as I found it in a volume of the Cot-
ton Hbrary.
189 This Archbishop was much suspected by the King, (and
probably not without grounds,) having sorae privy accusers
of him ; as appears by the said letter. And therefore he
thus concluded :
His words " I trust youT Highness shall never find in rae, but that
Kin^fL- " ^ promise I shall fulfil; and all things do witii good
ptcion of « heart, that I raay do at your Highness's commandment,
" God not offended. And most humbly prostrate, I be-
" seech your Highness to be so gracious good Lord, not to
" believe any complaints of me, afore you have heard my

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL S91
" answer. The time is now such, that some men think tliey ctlAP.
" do high sacrifice when they may bring into yobr High- ^''^^I'

" ness's displeasure such a poor Priest as I am. But I trust Anno isas.
" in our Lord, that your Highness doth riot so take it : and
" that our Lord will continue your Highness's gracious
" raind towards your poor Priests and Chaplains ; artd that
" he should send to them, that causeless provoke the griev-
" ous displeasure of your Highness against your said Priest,
" better grace hereafter. For which, and for the coritihual
" keeping of your Highness in his governance, I shall, as I
" ara most bound, continually pray. From Bishopthorp, the
"xiv. of June, 1635. " Your Highness's most humble
" Priest and Bedemaii,
" Edoward Ebor."
And that he might set himself right, if possible, with the T'le Aroh-
Kirig, and with Crumwel the Secretary too, he soon after makes two
(viz. July 1.) wrote to the latter ; giving account to him !'?"ckr"'
what he had done as to this business of the King's supre
macy. That he had made two books (which he then serit
up to Crumwel) for the use of his Clergy. One whereof
comprised articles, which every Curate and all other edcle-
siastical persons should read and declare to their audience,
and every preacher should extend and furnish [that is, en
large upon] as his learning should serve. The other book
he conceived, was a brief declaration to the people^ as well
of the King's style and title of supreme Head, as also that
the Bishop of Ronie hath no jurisdiction in this realm
by the law of God. Which he had spread abroad and
dispersed, that all CuiateS and othfers might at least read it
to their audience. But the Archbishop said, " that many The Clergy
" of the Curates could scant perceive it, their benefices were" „^°^j,j
" so exile, of 41. 51. 61. per ann. that no learned man would ignorant.
" take them. And tiierefore that they were fiiin to take
" sUch as were presetttfed ; so they were of honest conversa-
" tion, and could competently understand that they read,
" and minister sacraments and sacramentals, observing the
u 2

292 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « due form and right; although otherwise they were not
 _" all perfect, but must resort for counsel. And that in all
Anno 1535." }^ diocese he did not know of secular Priests any nura-
" ber, that could preach, necessary for such a diocese ;
" truly not twelve. And that they who had the best bene-
" fices were not there resident. Which considered, he
" trusted the King's Highness would be content, if he did
" the best he could." This he wrote, because the King in
his letters had coramanded hira to charge all ecclesiastical
persons, " to teach and preach the very sincere word of
" God, and to declare and set forth his title, dignity, and
1 90 " style of suprerae Head, and also his Highness's just re-
" nunciation of the Bishop of Rorae's usurped authority."
Therefore, in excuse of himself, though this were not ex
actly obeyed, he assured the Secretary, that he did not
know in aU his diocese twelve secular Priests preachers, and
few Friars, and alraost none of any other reHgion. But as
for himself, he promised him, that he would not faU to
preach every Sunday and solemn feast, in one place or
other, and now and then at the cathedral church. He
also took order with the Dean of the church to do his
duty : and that aU Rural Deans should hearken, whether
raen did their duty; and if otherwise, to advertise him
thereof.
The Pope's And because in the King's instructions sent to the Arch-
injuries to _ ....
the King to bishop last year, concerning the injuries done him by Pope
ec are . dgjjjgnt, in relation to his marriage, he proceeded thus in
his letter to Crumwel, " that he durst not overpass those
" injuries : and therefore he put them into his book, that aU
" the Curates and other ecclesiastical persons might de-
" clare, as weU the justification of the King's cause of ma-
" triraony, as also the express injuries done to his Highness
" by the Bishop of Rome. Hitherto, he said, preachers had
" only declared this once; but in his mind it was not to be
" forborne ; and desired therefore to know how long it was
" the King's pleasure it should be stUl declared." And aU
this dihgence had the Archbishop taken to satisfy the
King

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 293
Notwithstanding, within less than half a year after, new CHAP.
suspicions arose of hira, as though he favoured not the ,

King's title: it was reported, that he spake certain ill words Anno isss.
to the general Confessor of Sion, or to some other which '^"^ "'"f,''
~ ' cions ofthe
that Confessor sent, about the King's taking the supremacy said Arch-
upon him: as that he should say, that fic would stand '"°'*"
against fhe King's title qf supreme Head even to the death,
if he tlwughf he might therein prevail. Upon this he was
strictly examined by Dr. Layton and Dr. Leghe, thc King's
visitors. This occasioned another letter, which he wrote to
thc King from Cawood, Jan. 14, to clear himself. " I avow His letter
" (writeth he) and assure your Highness in verbo sacerdotii, ^q^^^^^^'q
" and by that faith that I owe to God and you, I never
" spake with the said Confessor, ne sent any counsel to him,
" ne received any message from him, or from any in Sion,
" for any such matter, neither touching that style or title of
" siijircnie Head, &c. And he added, that his counsel he
" gave to those that came to him tended to tiie King's
" service; and particularly to four Chartereus, viz. of Rich-
" mond, Coventry, Hull, and Mountgrace, he always said,
" What counsel shall I give you, but to do as I have done
" myself; and as raany others have done, both great learned
" iiu'ii, and taken for good men ?"
Thc Priors of Hull and Mountgrace were sore bent rather He satis-
lo die, than to yield to the King's royal stylo. But thc f^*","' Xu]"
former he turned from his stiff opinion, and made him yield Priors.
witii thanks : and he of Mountgrace desired that he might
alli'go before the Archbishop such things as moved him.
Ill' heard him at length, answered his allegations ; and afore
two or three of his Chaplains the said Prior of Mountgrace
said he was well satisfied. And to confirra hira, tiic Ai-ch-
bishop shewed him two or three things, whereof he took
notes ; and said he would do his best to turn sorae of his
brcthivn, which wcre yet stiff", albeit after rccovorcd.
And as to what was laid to his charge, that he should say, 191
he would stand against the King''s title to the death, and bishop's
encouraged others so to do, he added in his letter, " thatJ"dg'n«ntof
' 111 Bishop Fi-
" it was more likely he should say to such as pretended they shcr's death.
u3

294 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " would or should rather die than yield, that as it is aUow-
^^^^' « able to die for the truth, when the cause is good, and the

Anno 1585. " ground sure; so it is foUy to die, the cause being evU, and
" the ground unsure. For that he had often said, that
" these causes be no causes to die for. And this his Chap-
" lains had heard hira say. They heard him say, moreover,
" concerning the late Bishop of Rochester, that he mar-
" veled he was so stiff to die in these causes without good
" ground ; whereas in other high matters of his faith, and
" errors against the same, he had dissembled, and had not
" been content with such as had written against them,"
[meaning Erasraus, I suppose ; and that narae is by some
pen inserted in the raargin : for this Archbishop Lee had
wrote against hira ; whom, it seeras, Fisher, the Bishop of
Rochester, favoured not, but Erasraus and his writings
rather,] " for the favour which he bare to the party, in
" whose book they were found. In which cause, saith this
" Archbishop, he should not only not have disserabled, ne
" have favoured the party, but rather have died than have
" suffered such errors to grow. Of which sort there were
" divers and sundry in one raan's books. Against which
" many Clerks in divers regions, and some Universities have
" written."
Surrenders B^t notwithstanding aU this, in the northern rebelhon
Pomfract to i-i,-ii,
the rebels, the uext year, this Archbishop and the Lord Darcy sur-
Hist.p 477 I's'i'^pred the strong castie of Pomfract to the rebels, pre
tending want of furniture and provisions to hold out a siege ;
and took an oath, which they gave hira, to enter into their
pilgrimage of grace, as they terraed their rebellion.
Tonstal, There was also another Bishop of fame in these northern
Durham, quarters, I raean Tonstal, Bishop of Durhara; who like
wise received the King's letters, by the hand of Sir Francis
Bagot, to the same purpose as the Archbishop had done.
Tonstal had once before, in obedience to coraraand, viz.
the last year, set forth the King's titie, and caused others
to do the sarae. And the King accordingly was prayed for
in his diocese with his tities. Upon these new letters he
preached again at Durham, before a great company, setting

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 295
forth the King's titie, and declaring the usurped authority CHAP.
of the Bishop of Rome. And as he had done so before, so .

from time to time he intended to do in his diocese. In the*°"° ^*^*-
King's letter before mentioned, he girded him, as he had
done the Archbishop of Y^ork ; telling him, that he looked for
a new world, or a mutation, as though Tonstal had desired
the restoration of the Pope. This inwardly grieved him,
that the King should entertain some sinister thoughts of
him. And he told Crumwel, in a letter to him, " that if
" the King knew his mind, as God did, he would not have
" used those words : for that he had been as sore, he said,
" against such usurpations of the Bishop of Rome, as daUy
" did grow, as any man of his degree in the realra. And
" that it was not likely that he should now look for the
" renewing of that, which he witiistood as heretofore, as far
" as he might, in his most flourishing state. That he looked
" for no mutation nor new world, but the change of this
" transitory life for the life eternal." Some of tiiese letters
of the Bishop's before mentioned I have preserved in the 1 92
Appendix, for the service of such as shall be minded to pe- N». XLIX.
.,1 L. u. LII.
ruse them.
And that the King might see and know what these and The Bi-
die rest of the Bishops had preached upon this argument of ^°^'jg"j
the supremacy, there was a command, that they should send to the
up to Court their sermons. These sermons were not long °'
after dehvered to Dr. Barnes, the King's agent to the Ger
man Princes; togetiier with the book for tiie King's su
premacy, made by Richard Sampson, Dean of the chapel ;
to be shewed to them ; to satisfy them how cordial tiie King
was in rejecting the Pope's authority, and casting it out of
his kingdom.

u 4

296 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XXVIL
TTie northern Clergy backward. Some qf fhem taken up
for seditious preaching.
Anno 1685. XT was mentioned before, how suspicious the King was of
Theciei^^ liis northern Bishops; as was manifest by certain expres-
north great sious in his letter to them. Nor could the King weU be
the"?^^ otherwise, whUe in their dioceses the Clergy were endued
with such earnest rainds and inclinations to Rorae : which
the King had weU observed, and took notice of to the Earl
of Sussex two or three months before. The Priests and
Rehgious in these parts uttered many things, reflecting upon
the King and his orders ; and intimating their very affec
tionate opinion and devotion towards the Pope. They did
use much to set forth his jurisdiction and authority; they
prayed for hira in their pulpits ; they made him a kind of
God, to the seducing of the subject, and bringing the people
into error and sedition, and into a murmuring and grudge
against the King and government: which occasioned the
King to despatch a letter to the Earl of Sussex, Lord Lieu
tenant (if I mistake not) in those parts, in the month of
April, to inquire dihgentiy after sudi seditious preachers
and promoters of the Pope's usurpations, and to apprehend
thera and commit them to ward, to remain without baU or
mainprize, untU the King and his CouncU should further di
rect him what to do with them. The letter is transcribed
N». LIII. into the Appendix.
A Priest in But notwithstanding this strict letter, they could not be
taken^n"^^ restrained; for about June, or the beginning of July, a
Priest of Holderness spake these words ; TJiey say tliere is no
Pope: I know well tliere was a Pope. The occasion of
which speech, I suppose, was, because it was now strictiy
enjoined, that the Bishop of Rome should not be called
Pope. But upon tiiis he was taken up, and examined before
Sir Ralph Evers and Sir John Cunstable, and others : and
raaintaining before them that he said so, he was, because he
lived within the Archbishop's hberty of Beverly, sent to the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 297
Archbishop's gaol, where he was commanded to be kept till CHAP.
the King or Council's pleasure were known. And July the _

9th, the said Archbishop sent up word to Crurawel of hira. Anno isas.
Doctor Langrige, Archdeacon of Cleveland, who was also I93
Chaplain to the Archbishop of York, repaired to his arch
deaconry, setting forth the King's coraraandraent, and de
livering books to Preachers and Curates, as was ordered by
the King's letters before raentioned, and among the rest to
the Prior of Mountgrace. But now he allowed not the The Prior
supremacy, and said, he trusted that none of his brethren grace""" "
would allow any such thing. The Archdeacon tried to per
suade him, but could not : notwithstanding, a little before
to the Archbishop he had declared himself satisfied, as hath
been mentioned. Whereupon the Archbishop sent a letter
to him. Four Curates came to the Archdeacon to the
monastery of Gisboum, and told him, that they were sore
threatened, if they pubHshed any such thing as they were
coramanded to do: and prayed the Archdeacon to spare
them until St. Thomas's day, that they raight see whether
those that threatened them would continue in their opinion
so long ; and if they did, then they would certify the Arch
bishop. And all this was certified up to Court by the
Archbishop. It was raentioned before, how the King, on the 3d of The justices
June, sent letters to the Bishops to preach and publish him to'inform
supreme Head, with a declaration to that effect, to be pro- "fa'nst the
nounced in all the churches, and by all the Curates and
Preachers in their respective dioceses. But the King, as
though he suspected his Bishops and Clergy in their faith
ful discharge of this comraand, thought fit to set spies and
raonitors over thera ; and they were the Justices of the peace.
To whom he issued out his letters, dated June 9, giving
them in strict charge to watch and see whether the Bishops
and Clergy did truly and sincerely, without any cloke or
dissimulation, execute their charge to them coramitted, in
causing the King's authority and supreinacy to be main
tained, and the Pope's usurpations laid open. And they
were to certify the King or his CouncU, if any of them

298 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, should omit, or leave undone, any part of their duty in this
^^^^^' behalf; or if it were done coldly and feignedly, or any unto-
Anno 1535. ward or sinister interpretations or additions were used. And
hence, I doubt not, sprung the inforraation against Arch
bishop Lee before raentioned, which gave him so rauch pains
Acts and to vindicate hiraself. This letter to the Justices is preserved
«p. by Mr. Fox.
963. And this letter the King backed with another to the
i^tt'*''r Justices, or Judges, I cannot teU whether, about fourteen
them to or fifteen days after, for their direction in their sessions and
tenor!"^ assizes. The contents of which were, " again to raake
" search and inquiry, whether the Bishops and Clergy
" preached to the people, as was their duty, in the aforesaid
" causes. And that in their assizes and sessions of peace,
" they themselves should declare to the people the pur-
" pose of the premises. And that they should at the said
" sessions shew thera particularly the treason comraitted
" against the King and his laws by the late Bishop Fisher,
" newly executed, and Sir Thomas More ; who endea-
" voured, as the letter runs, to sow among the people a
" most mischievous and seditious opinion. And that if
" they found any raanner of person deficient in duty in this
" part, they were to signify it to the King and Council.
" And they were threatened, that if they should be slack in
" these comraandraents of the King, he would so punish
" thera, that it should be an example to others not to
" frustrate and disobey the commands of their Sovereign,
194 " contrary to their aUegiance and oaths ; and especially
" when such things did so much import to the unity, con-
" cord, and tranquUhty of the public state of the realm."
Numb. LIV. This letter raay be seen at length in the Appendix.
A book for We heard before of a book, sent by the King to the
supremacy, Bishops, to be by thera dispersed araong their Clergy;
to be read which Contained orders for preaching, and the beads, and
wrth ade- 'acknowledging the King's supreraacy; to which was joined
claration. g, notable declaration in the Kina-'s favour, settinar forth how
Another , , , , , , m
book for he had been wronged and affronted by the Bishop of Rome ;
Curates, which was to be read to the people. Of the same nature,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 299
about this time, was another book also framed for the Use chap.
of Curates: which book, a raonth or two afterwards, was ^^'^"-
thought fit to be revised and corrected, and enlarged, and Anno isss.
somewhat altered ; being judged to be of good service for
the bringing the people to the true understanding of the
King's right and the Pope's usurpations ; that it raight be
ready to be carried along with the King's visitors, who were
this year going a general visitation by the royal coramand.
For that purpose the book was sent to Thomas Bedyl, who
was Clerk of the Council, a learned man, and rauch made
use of by Crumwel. In the month of August he sent it
back again, with his own emendations and additions, to
thera that employed him in it, the visitors, I suppose. In
what he had done, he consulted with Fox, the King's Al
moner, a learned, wise, and moderate man ; and then fully
employed at Lambeth with the Archbishop of Canterbury,
about some affairs of the Church : to whom he shewed the
alterations he had made, and had his approbation. His de
sign herein was so to frame the book, that it might be
accommodated to the capacity of the auditors, and supply
the ignorance of Curates. What alterations Bedyl made,
may be seen by his letter, preserved in the Appendix. Numb, l v.

CHAP. XXVIII.
Some executed for refusing fo swear to fhe Kin^s su
premacy. The Charter House Monks. Bishop Fisher
and Sir Thomas More executed.
-A.ND as the King h^A used these mUder means to draw his Some suffer
subjects to own his supremacy^ and to challenge this right the Pope.
of his crown against the Pope's invasion thereof; so he neg
lected not sterner courses also. And as the Parliament had
the last year by an act made it high treason to adhere to the
Pope, a foreign potentate, and to deny the King to be su
preme Head of the Church in his own dominions, so he let

300 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP- that act take its effect upon some, even of the chiefest rank
XXVlII- ^^^ reputation.

Anno 1585. When this act was first raade, it put many, the religious
of'thf Chir- ™^^ especially, into a very terrible concern, being persons so
ter House- dcvoted to that foreign Prelate- Such were they of the
Carthusian order particularly. John Haughton, Prior of
the Carthusian Monks of the Charter House, London, a
devout raan in his way, the year before had rauch contest
with the King's Coraraissioners, who were sent to his house,
195 to take the consent and oath of hira and his Monks to the
King's second raarriage, and the dissolution of the former
with Queen Katharine. For the King's act absolutely re
quired the consent of all his subjects hereunto, frora sixteen
years old and upwards. The Father answered at first,
" that it belonged not to hira, nor to any of those under
" hira, to raeddle with the King's business : nor that it con-
" cerned hira whora the King would divorce, and whom he
" would marry." But the Coraraissioners charged him, that
he should call the convent together imraediately ; who were
all required under their oath to affirm the former marriage
to be unlawful, and by the same oath to profess to yield obe
dience to this second marriage and the issue thereof: the
Prior said, " for his part he could not apprehend how the
" forraer raarriage^ celebrated according to the rites of the
" Church, and so long continued, could be void." Where
upon he was clapt up in the Tower, and Father Humphrey,
Procurator of the house, with him, for a raonth. Afterward
some learned raan persuaded thera, that this present con
troversy was not a lawful cause to expose theraselves to
death for it. This learned raan, I suppose, was Lee, Bishop
of York : for this he used to affirra. So they proraised to
yield to the comraand of the King; and thereupon were
disraissed, and carae horae; and then propounded to the
brothers to take the oath. Which, it seeras, they could not
The Priory yet be persuaded to do. But at length, when the King's
Hous*s„4, counsellors, and the governors of the city, carae to the con-
to the sue- vent again with oflicers to carry thera away prisoners, unless
they would swear by the counsel and exhortation of the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII- 301
Prior, they subraitted and took the oath with this condition, CHAP.
as far as was lawful. This was done May 4, 1534.

But however they got over this act, another that followed Anno isss.
in the beginning of the next year, of renouncing their great ^^l chap-
patron the Pope, they could not : for the Prior having called ^" consult
a Chapter, and declared to the convent what was coming,
they were extremely troubled in their rainds. And by a
mollifying speech of the said Prior, taking rauch compassion
especially on the youngest sort of Friars, that were in great
danger to be corrupted by the world, they all fell a weep
ing, and made a resolution, that they would all die in their
simplicity. But the Father said, " that he would wiUingly
" expose himself to God's raercy, and would be an anathema
" for these his Httle brethren, meaning the younger ofthem ;
" and would yield to the King's wUl, if he might lawfully
" do it, to preserve them from so many and great dangers.
" But if they should decree to do otherwise, and deraand
" the consent and oath of the whole house ; and if the death
" of one, that the whole people perish not, wiU not serve
" thera, the will of God, saith he, be done : and I wish
" there raay be a sacrifice of us all. And then he advised
" them aU to prepare themselves by a general confession ;
" giving liberty to every one to choose what Confessor he
" would in the cloister." The next day, that they might
die in charity, the Prior having first given them a sermon
of charity and patience, they were all reconciled to one
another; which was done after this manner. The Prior
preached upon Psahn lix. and the fifteen first verses, begin
ning. Why hasf fhou cast us off, 0 Lord, &c. At the con
clusion of his discourse, he desired them aU to do as they
should see him do. And presently rising up, went to the I96
senior of the house sitting by, and kneeling on his knees,
asked him pardon and indulgence for aU his excesses and
sins any ways comraitted against him, in heart, word, or
work. And the other did the like to the Prior. And so
the Prior going on did to every one, to the very last. And
so in like manner did the rest to one another.

302 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. The third day they celebrated the Mass of the Holy
^^^JJ^- Ghost, to obtain his grace, to be able to accompUsh his wUl
Anno 1535. and pleasure. And a popish historian tells us of a great
They ceie- miracle that now happened, namely, that as soon as the ele-
Mass ofthe vation was done, there was heard a small hissing wind ;
10°'?^ are*' thereat every man's heart was fiUed with a sweet operation :
them for which they would have to be the descent of the Holy Ghost
su enng. .^^^ them, as he once fell upon the Apostles on the day of
tyr. Angl. Pcutecost. And so after this tirae they continued instantiy
1550. jjj devout prayer and supplication night and day.
Three About this very tirae carae to London, Robert Laurence,
toThe **° Prior of Belleval, but professed of that house ; and Augus-
Tower. tJng Webster, another Prior, and professed of the house
of Shene. And both now lodged at the Charter House ;
where they consulted together all three, and resolved to
prevent the coraing of the King's counsellors to them : and
so went themselves to Crumwel, desiring him, that they
raight be exerapted frora this act, or obtain sorae mitigation
from tbe rigor thereof in taking the oath. But Crumwel
sent thein to the Tower as rebels. And within a week after,
he, with several others of the Council, carae to them, de
manding their oaths to the King. The Fathers answered,
they would consent to all things which, and as far as, the
divine law would allow. But Crumwel would not aUow of
any exception. Then these urged, that the Catholic
Church did always hold and teach otherwise : and against
that, because of the fear of God, they dared not to go, nor
to forsake the Catholic Church.
Condemn- In fine, being brought to their trials afterward, they
son'^^and*' ®*^*^' ^^^^ would by HO means go contrary to the law of God,
executed, and the doctrine and consent of holy Mother Church, in
tbe least matter. But it seems the jury had such a rever
ence for these three Fathers, that they deferred their verdict
tiU the next day : to whom Crumwel sent to know what
made them so long, and what they intended to do. They
sent this answer back, that they could not bring in such
holy persons guUty as malefectors : which when Crumwel

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 303
heard, as saith their aboveraentioned historian, he sent them CHAP.
word iramediately, that if they found them not guilty, they _

should suffer the death of malefactors theraselves. But Anno 1535.
they StiU persisting in their former judgraent, notwithstand
ing Crumwel's threatening, he came to them himself, and
so overawed them with his threats, that they at last brought
thera in guilty of treason. And five days after, they were
executed at Tyburn, being May the 4th. Prior Houghton Pf'*"' "^
being upon the ladder, when one of the Council assured him House his
of a pardon, if he then would obey the King and the Par- speech.
Hament's decree, he replied ; " I call the Omnipotent God
" to witness, and all the good people, and beseech you all
" to attest the same for rae in the terrible day of judgment,
" that here being to die, I publicly profess, that it is not
" out of obstinate mahce, or a mind of rebellion, that I do
" disobey the King ; but only for the fear of God, that I
"offend not the Suprerae Majesty: because our holy 197
" Mother the Church hath decreed and appointed other-
" wise than the King and Parliaraent hath ordained. And
" I ara here ready to endure this, and all other torraents
" that can be suffered, rather than oppose the doctrine of
" the Church. Pray for rae, and pity ray brethren, of
" whora I was the unworthy Prior." It was said, that
after he was cut down, he spake these words. Most holy
Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me in this hour. And then,
when the executioner pulled out his heart, he said. Good
Jesu! what will ye do with my heart? And being quarter
ed, one of his arras was set upon the house where he was
Prior. This arra, two days after, fell down; which the Friars His arm.
looking upon as a rairacle, took up, and laid it with his
bloody shirt in a coffin : and so disposed it in a place under
ground with an inscription of the cause of his death ; in
tending, no question, in tinies raore favourable, to bring it
forth as an holy relic.
At the sarae time also were 'executed Robert and Angus- faience,
- >yebster,
tine, the two other Priors ; and with them one Reignolds, or and Rei-
Reinolds, a Monk of Sion, of the order of St. Bridget. The °°|^s, exe-

304 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, ordinary report went among the comraon people, that these
XXVIII. -^^^ combined together to kUl the King, and therefore they

Anno is35.justly underwent this punishment.
Hist. Mar- They were hanged in their habits : which a Popish author
fol? 1 1"^ raakes a great raatter of, as though there were no reverence
shewed to the order, or the priestly garraents ; for it was
done without any degrading. He saith also, that they were
hanged with a great rope, that they raight not quickly be
strangled, to endure the raore pain when they should be
cut down and ripped up. At their deaths they professed,
Their « they never were disobedient to the King, unless in mat-
*' ters that were repugnant to the holy Gospel and the Ca-
" tholic Church ; and therefore that they took their death
" not only patiently, but cheerfully : acknowledging, that
" they had obtained great favour frora God, that he had
" given thera to die for the truth, and for the assertion of
" the evangelical and catholic doctrine ; naraely, that the
" King is not suprerae Priraate in spirituals, and the Head
" of the Church of England."
Houghton Two of these, Houghton and Reinolds, were of cele-
noids famed brated farae for their piety : of the forraer, Crurawel, in the
for piety, chapter-house of his convent, said before a great many,
that he was a just and holy raan. Of the latter, the foresaid
author of the History of the Martyrs of England saith, that
he was Dr. of Divinity, a man full qffhe Spirit qf God, and
looked like an angel; the character given to St. Stephen,
the first raartyr. At his trial, which was April 15, he said,
" that he had deterrained to iraitate the Lord Jesus, when
" he was brought before Herod to judgraent, and not to
" answer any thing. But, said he, because ye urge me,
" that I may satisfy my own conscience, and the consciences
" of these that are present, I say, that our opinion, if it
" raight go by the suffrages of raen, would have raore plenty
" of witnesses than yours. For, for sorae, which you
" (speaking to the Lord Chancellor) produce from the
" Parliaraent of one kingdom, I have with me the whole
" Christian world, except those of this kingdora ; I do not
" say all oi this kingdora, because the less part is with you.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 305
¦ And granting that the major part of the nation followed CHAP.
not my opinion, it was, he said, in external dissembling .

" only, and for fear of losing their dignities or honours, or Anno 1535.
" for hope of obtaining the King's favour." Upon this the 9°
Secretary charged him, upon pain of incurring the rigour
of the law, that he should declare who those were that he
spake of. To which he answered. It was all the good men
of the kingdora. And then he went on ; " that as to testi-
" monies of the Fathers, he had on his part all the general
" councils, all the Pastors and Doctors of the Church, which
" were for fifteen hundred years past ; particularly Hierora,
" Arabrose, Augustin, Gregory. And I ara sure, said he,
" that after his Majesty shall have known the truth of this,
" he will be offended above raeasure with sorae Bishops
" who have given hira this counsel." Then he was asked,
why he did, contrary to the King's authority within his king
dora, dissuade raany, that they should not consent to the
opinion of the King ahd Parliament. He said in answer,
" that he never declared this his opinion to any man living,
" but to those that carae in confession ; which he could not
" resist in discharge of his conscience. He said, if he had
" not declared his raind then, he would now declare it. Be-
" cause in that part he was obliged to God and his con-
" science ; and that in such things he could not offend just-
" Iy." After he was brought in guilty by the jury, he said
with great constancy, This Is fhe judgment qffhe world.
The 19th of June, three more of the aforesaid house of Three
Carthusians, London, being found guilty of high treason, more ofthe
for denying to take the oath of supremacy, were executed, charter
(whose names were Humphrey Middleraore, then Vicar of executed.
the house, William Exmew, Procurator thereof, and Sebas
tian Newdigate, Priest and Monk,) after a fortnight's irapri
sonraent ; where they were said to be bound with chains
about their necks and legs. Being brought before the Coun
cU, they constantly professed, they would not go against the
decrees and custoras of the holy Mother Church. They al
leged before the Bench from places of Scripture, that the
King could not claim to himself duly, and by authority of
VOL. I. X

306 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. God's law, that supremacy and priraacy of God's Church,
¦^^^"^- that Jesus Christ had given to the Pope and the Priests.
Anno 1535. So they were conderaned to suffer the same death with the
forraer. These three were young raen, and of good fami
lies ; and Sebastian had been brought up at Court.
The King The King was loath to put these raen to death, but raore
ed to re- loath to have his supremacy disowned, considering the UI
claim them, consequents that might thereupon ensue. This made him
send several to thera in prison, to convince and gain them
over, if possible. But they stood too firraly to be stirred in
the least. Nay, though these very raen had agreed not long
before in Convocation, as the rest of the nation had, with
one consent to the act, that all the King's subjects should
revoke the Pope's superiority : but now they affirmed the
contrary, that the Pope's superiority was necessary to be held
in order to salvation ; and that it was according to God's
law, and instituted by Christ, as necessary to the preserva
tion of the unity of the Church : and that the Pope was im
raediately judge under Christ, on whose deterraination all
Starky sent Christians should of necessity depend. Secretary Crumwel
eyno s. ^^^^ Starky, a very learned raan, to Reynolds, to hear his
reasons : which when he heard, he found that they were nei-
1 QQ ther strong, nor was his learning great in the defence of them.
But nothing that could be said to him nor the rest, could
bring them to reject the Pope : and so they were put to
death as rebels. And the said Starky, writing to Pole (with
whom he had conversed and contracted a friendship in Italy)
concerning thera, to justify the proceedings in England,
which had been so heavily censured in those parts where
Pole was ; and to satisfy hira, who conceived an high vene
ration for Reinolds ; and that he might the better vindicate
his Prince and country, dUated upon these raen and their
deaths, and said, that to hira it seeraed that they sought their
own death, and qf it none could be justly accused hut
themselves.
A popish One Friar Maurice Channey, or Chauney, of the house
ed°i55o'.'of of Carthusians aforesaid, fled afterward beyond sea, and
the history there WTote a relation in Latin of these sufferings of his fel-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 307
low Monks; dedicating it to John, the Prior of the greater CHAP.
. . XXVIII.
house of Carthusians, and Primate of the whole order. Out .^  '_

of which I have made sorae of these coUections. This rela/-A°no isss.
tion was in the year 1550. printed with the lives of Morel gf^^g__
and Fisher, in a book entitled, Historia Martyrum Anglia, land.
by Vitus a Dulken, Prior of the house of Mount St. Michael
near Mentz; and printed again under another title, with
additions, 1573.
After the,death of these, were set two Seculars over the The condi-
house ; who handled the Friars hardly ; cutting them short house after
in their coraraons, but parapering themselves. Others also *'"^*
were sent to have an eye upon them. And they cut off an
aqueduct, fed from a spring in the south suburbs, that sup
plied the house with water. They took away books from
them, which they had in their cells, that they might not
prove the right they had to that spring. All this severity
was exercised upon them, because it was known how UI af
fected they stood to the King's proceedings : and several of
thera even now writ against the King. The King's Coun
seUors after carae to them, and used both threats and flat
teries : permitting liberty to any of them that would go out
of their house: but none would. Once Crumwel caused
four of them to be brought out of their house, even when
they were at high mass, to be present at the cathedral, to
hear a Bishop preach, (I suppose in behalf of the King's
supremacy;) but they could not be convinced: thus the
foresaid author writ of the present condition of the Charter
House : but this that foUows is more certain, which I take
out of original papers.
An order for fhe Charter House qf London.
First, That there be five or six Governors of teraporal Temporal
men, learned, wise, and trusty; whereof three or four ofset over the
thera shall be continually there together every raeal, and Charter
lodge there every night- Cleopatra,
Item, That the said Governors shaU call aU the Monks ^¦*' P"®"
before thera, and all the other servants and officers of the
house ; and to shew them that the King's Grace hath par-

308 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, doned them of all heresies and treasons by any of them
. ^^^"I- committed before that day : giving them warning, that if
Anno 1535. they eftsones offend, to die without raercy: and that there
be a pardon purchased for thera all under the King's Great
Seal.
200 Item, That the sarae Governors take the keys frora the
Proctors and other officers ; and to govern the house, and
to receive all rents, and raake all payraents, and to be count
able to the King's Grace thereof.
Item, That the said Governors call all the Monks to them
severaUy, one after another, at dinner tiraes ; and to exa
mine thera of all their opinions, and to exhort thera to the
truth- Shewing thera, that if any of them wUl, he shall
have a dispensation to leave that order, and to live other
wise ; and to have a convenient stipend for a year or two,
till he have provided himself of a living ; so that he conform
hiraself to the King's laws. And to endeavour hiraself to
learn and to preach the word ; which every Priest is bound
to do. And yet by their religion, as it is said, they have
professed falsely the contrary, that none of thera shaU ever
preach the word of God.
Item, To put aU the Monks to the cloister for a season :
and that no raan speak to thera but by the licence of one of
the said Governors.
Item,, To take from thera aU raanner of books, wherein
any errors be contained, and to let thera aU have the Old
Testaraent and the New Testaraent.
Item, To cause thera to shew all their cereraonies : and
to teach thera, and to exhort thera to leave and forsake all
such cereraonies that be naught.
Item, If they find any of thera so obstinate, that in no
wise will be reforraed, then to commit hira to prison, tiU the
Council raay take some other direction for them. And they
that wUl be reforraed, to sever them from the company of
the obstinates, and to be gently handled ; and to cause them
to utter the secrets and mischiefs used araong them.
Item, There should be three or four times every week,
during this visitation, a sermon made by sorae discreet, weU

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 309
learned man ; and all the Monks, officers, and servants, to ^Jl^J^Jj'
be caused to be there present ; none exception, save only .

sickness: and the said preachers to have their chambers ^""° '*^^-
there, and meat and drink ; that they raight quietly study
therefore during that tirae.
Item, The lay brethren be raore obstinate, and raore
froward, and raore unreasonable than the Monks. Therefore
they should be likewise examined ; and the obstinates pu
nished or expulsed ; and the others kept for a season, for
knowledge of divers points of thera to be had.
June the 21st, according tothe popish author of TheMar-'^V-'^'^^^"
tyrs of England, or the 22d, according to the Lord Herbert,
died Bishop Fisher, having been laid up in the Tower the
last year. This Bishop was an earnest raan on Queen Ka
tharine's side, against the divorce, and would freely dispute
for the lawfulness of her raarriage, and declare his raind
freely in that raatter. Once, namely in the year 1528, Bi
shop Staphileus, Pope Clement's Ambassador to King Henry,
returning home, in part of his journey, happened to be ac
companied by Fisher and Doctor Marmaduke, one of the
King's Chaplains. Between thera fell out by the way an
earnest dispute, wherein the Italian took the King's part,
and Fisher the Queen's. Wherein Staphileus thought at
least be had so completely baffled Fisher, that he sent Car
dinal Wolsey news of it ; and wished he and the King and
Queen had been present, for their satisfaction on both sides. 201
An account of which, he said, Dr. Marmaduke should ac
quaint him with.
And the next raonth, July the 7th, according to the fore- And Sir
mentioned author, or the 6th, according to Lord Herbert,
Sir Thoraas More was executed for the sarae crirae. It was
reported by the Papists, that Fisher's head, which was set
upon London Bridge, looked fresher every day, and seeraed
ahve ; which made them take it down, and hide it, or as
others, threw it into the Thames. Whether it were or
no, I know not ; but if it were, the true reason thereof was
rather, because it was by so many resorted unto, and, it may
be, sorae veneration was paid unto it as a saint's relick.
x3

310 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP.
XXVIII.
Anno 1585

More plainlyspeaks his
mind. Hist. Mar
tyr. Angl.

More a
great per
secutor.

And to prevent such a thing in Sir Thoraas More's head,
they boiled it in water, and set it up, that it raight appear
, the raore ghastly, (saith the popish historian ;) or rather, that
it raight not putrefy, and be offensive ; and which is no raore
than is ordinarily done in those cases.
When Sir Thoraas was conderaned, he took Hberty to
speak his raind of the act of supreraacy : of which he" was
before more tender of saying any thing. He said, " that
" he had for seven years bent his raind and study upon this
" cause. But as yet he found it no where writ in any ap
" proved Doctors of the Church, that a layman, that is, a
" secular, could be the head of the spiritual or ecclesiastical
" state." tiere the Chancellor interrupted More's speech.
" Mr. More," said he, " wUl you be reckoned wiser and of a
" better conscience than all the Bishops, the whole nobUity,
" and the whole kingdom .f"" To which More ; " My Lord
" Chancellor, for one Bishop that you have of your opinion,
" I have an hundred of mine ; and that araong those that
" have been saints. And for your one councU, (whicb
" what it is, God knows,) I have on ray side all the general
" councils for a thousand years past. And for one king-
" dora, I have France, and all the other kingdoms of the
" Christian world. Moreover he told them, that their act
" was not weU raade, because they swore professedly to do
" nothing against the Church : which through the whole
" Christian jurisdiction is one, entire and undivided : and
" that they alone had not any authority, without the con-
" sent of other Christians, of making laws or assembhng a
" council against the union and concord of Christendom.
" But I am not ignorant why ye have adjudged me to
" death, naraely, because I would never assent in the busi-
" ness of the King's new raatriraony."
The truth is, raany thought More was severely dealt
with, and raight have been winked at, considering the emi-
nency of his person, and the good service he bad done his
King before- But surely somewhat of the secret hand of
Divine justice raight be discovered herein- For he had
been a very rigorous pursuer after the blood of such as pro-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 311
fessed the Gospel, and was the cause of bringing many of ^.^J^f •
• • T 1*1* A A. V ll-l»
thera to the flaraes; using rigours and torraents ukewise  ^
upon their bodies, before he brought them to their cruel^""° ^*^^"
ends ; and bespattering them after their deaths with false
suggestions, as though his passion had not been satisfied with
their blood. After that holy raan, Mr. Bilney, was cora- Slanders
mitted to and consuraed in the flames at Norwich, More martyr.
reported, that he had a scroll in his hand, wherein was writ
ten his recantation ; and that he read it at the stake, revok
ing his former opinions. Which Dr. Parker, afterward 202
Archbishop of Canterbury, who was present at his burning,
and knew him well at Carabridge, did confute: testifying
under his hand, that Bilney had no such scroU in his hand,
nor read any recantation. And this testiraonial, Fox, the
author of the Acts and Monuraents, had frora Parker him
self, when he was Archbishop.
More indeed had that iU quality, irritated by his zeal toApttosian-
1- T T -ri /T- -11 ¦ 1 .derthepro-
his own party, that he would (I will not say invent, but) fessors of
make use of false tales and stories, to defarae the memories ^'^^ Gospel.
of those good raen that professed and died for the pure re
ligion, after he and his party had ridded thera out of the
world. As he gave out, and I think printed, that of Bilney
aforesaid, so, a year or two after, when he had causedRichard
Bayfield to be burned in Sraithfield, he raked in his ashes, to
spy out what sparks he could find to reproach and vUify
hira : and at last publicly laid two criraes to hira ; the one
was, that he went about to assure hiraself of two wives, one
at Brabant, and another at London ; the other was, that
after Bayfield was taken, while he was not in utter despair
of his pardon, he was contented to forswear his doctrine,
and to disclose his brethren and associates. Very black
charges. For the raanifestation of the falsehood of both,
there was an apology set forth in this holy martyr's behalf
and vindication. Upon which occasion Fox gave this cha- Acts and
racter of More : " That he was so blinded in the zeal of
" Popery, so deadly set against the one side, and so par-
" tially affectionated unto the other, that in thera whom he
X 4

312 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " favoured, he could see nothing but aU fair roses and sweet
XXVIII. ^^ .^,ij.jypg. in the other whom he hated, there was never any

Anno 1535. a thing could please his fantasy, but all as black as pitch."
Petit, a jjg ¦vvould soraetiraes go hiraself in person, while he was
worthy pa-
triot of Chancellor, and the Lieutenant of the Tower with him, to
London, apprehend such as he suspected to favour the Gospel, and
search their houses for New Testaments and other books.
Thus he once in the year 1530. or 1531 . surprised John
Petit, an erainent good citizen : of whora I will here raake
sorae larger relation, to retrieve his most worthy raeraory,
in effect hitherto buried and lost. " He was one of the first
" [I foUow the words of ray MS.] that with Mr. Frith, BU-
" ney, and Tindal, caught a sweetness in God's word. He
" was twenty years burgess for the city of London, and free
" of the Grocers ; eloquent and well-spoken ; exactly seen in
" history, song, and the Latin tongue. King Henry VIII.
" would ask in the Parliaraent tirae, in his weighty affairs, if
" Petit were of his side : for once, when the King required
" to have aU those suras of raoney to be given hira by act of
" Parliaraent, which afore he had borrowed of certain per-
" sons, John Petit stood against the bUl, saying, I cannot
" in ray conscience agree and consent that this bill should
" pass : for I know not my neighbours' estate. They per-
" haps borrowed it to lend the King- But I know mine
" own estate : and therefore I freely and frankly give the
" King that I lent him-
Persecuted " This burgess was sore suspected of the Lord Chancellor
the Tower" " More, and the prelacy of this realra, that he was a fautor
by More. " of the religion that they caUed new, and also a bearer
" with thera [of the said religion] in printing of their books.
" Therefore Mr. More coraeth on a certain time to his house
203 " at Lion Key, then called Petit's Key, and knocking at the
" door, Mrs. Petit came toward the door, and seeing that it
" was the Lord ChanceUor, she whipped in haste to her
" husband, being in his closet at his prayers, saying, Come,
" come, husband, ray Lord Chancellor is at door, and
" would speak with you. At the sarae word the Lord

UNDER ^ING HENRY VIIL 313
" Chancellor was in the closet at her back. To whom Mr. CHAP.
" Petit spake with great courtesy ; thanking him that it .

" would please his Lordship to visit hira in his own poor Anno iss5.
" house. But because he would not drink, he attended
" upon him to the door, and ready to take his leave, asked
" him, if his Lordship, would command him any service.
" No, quoth the Chancellor ; ye say ye have none of these
" new books. Your Lordship saw, said he, my books and
" my closet. Yet, quoth the ChanceUor, ye raust go with
" Mr. Lieutenant. Take him to you, quoth the Chancellor
" to the Lieutenant. Then was he laid in a dungeon upon
" a pad of straw in close prison. His wife raight not corae
" to hira, nor bring hira any bed. After long suit and daily
" tears of his said wife, naraed Lucy Petit, she obtained
" licence to send hira a bed, and that he raight be brought
" to his answer ; where they had gotten a little old Priest,
" that should say, he had Tyndal's Testament in English,
" and did help him and such other to publish their hereti-
" cal books in English, as they termed them. But now at
" last, when Mr. Petit had caught his death by so naughty
" harbour of the Lord Chancellor, he was caUed openly,
" and the Priest that should have accused him asked Mr.
" Petit forgiveness ; saying, Mr. Petit, I never saw you
" afore this time ; how should I then be able to accuse you.
" And so he was suffered to go horae. But he died irame- Dies of the
" diately after upon the same ill harbour- He thought his *""''' "**S«-
" pain came over his chest like a bar of iron."
Let me raention a few more particulars of this worthy Some re-
patriot. He lay in the Tower at the sarae tirae that Bilney™;^/ "
did, and lodged underneath hira. " And so rauch favour
" he obtained frora the under-keeper, that sometiraes, by re-
" moving a board, he allowed thera to dine and sup toge-
" ther, and to cheer one another in the Lord, with such
" siraple fare as Papist charity would allow thera. And be-
" fore this, when John Frith was in the Tower, he came to
" Petit's Key in the night, notwithstanding the strait watch
" and ward by coraraandraent. At whose first coraing,
" Mr. Petit was in doubt, whether it was Mr. Frith or a

314 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " vision, no less doubting nor otherwise than the disciples
-'"•^"- « were, when Rhoda the maid brought tidings that Peter
Anno 1535. « was out of prison. But Mr. Frith shewed him, that it
« was God that wrought him that Hberty in the heart of
One Ph— . " his keeper, Phihps : who, upon the condition of his own
" word and promise, let him go at Hberty in the night to
" consult with godly raen. And this was the same good
" keeper that granted Petit and Bilney the liberty before-
" said. Mr. Petit would needs be buried in the church-
" yard : whereat the Priests took advantage to frame a re-
" hgious cheat. For they poured soap ashes upon his grave,
" which hindered the grass from growing ; and then affirm-
" ing, that God would not suffer grass to grow upon such
" an heretic's grave. And raany of the Balaamites came to
" see and testify the sarae. In fine, Mr. Petit, albeit he had
" great riches by his first wife, being his mistress and a wi-
" dow, and especially by his second wife, Lucy Watts,
204" daughter and heir unto the King's grocer, Mr. Watts;
" yet he died not rich, for two causes. The one, for that
" the Lord ChanceUor raade hira pay the debt of one, for
" whose appearance Mr. Petit stood bound in law. The
" party was sick of a tympany, therefore Mr. Petit was
" forced to bring hira in a cart to London, an hundred mUes
" by estiraation, whereof he died. But the ChanceUor, of
" his popish charity, would needs let the principal go, and
" take it upon the surety. Another cause was this, Mr. Petit
" gave rauch to the poor, and especiaUy to poor preachers,
" such as then were on this side the sea, and beyond sea.
" And in his debt-book those desperate debts he entered
" thus. Lent unto Christ: and so coraraanded his executors to
" deraand none of those debts. His wiU therefore amounted
" to not above eightscore pounds for his two daughters un-
" married, Audrey and Blanch, over and besides those des-
" perate debts, and his land in Shoreditch and Waltham-
" stow. One WUliam Bolls, the last husband of Lucy Petit,
" being alive in the year 1579, enjoyed the land in Shore-
" ditch, and received sevenscore pounds of Sir Geffery Gates,
" a debtor of Petit's ; and so much goods besides, as he there-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 315
" with was able to buy the receivership of Chester, Derby, chap.
" Nottingham, and Lincoln. And little of it came to Mr. ^^^""^
" Petit's children." But to give a few more instances of Anno isss.
More's zeal (shall we call it ?) or cruelty. '^***'= 'P''!"
^ . -' •' uxore Lucia
In his house in Chelsea, anno 1531, the sentence ofPetit.
condemnation was read by the Bishop of London against ^'^ cruei-
11 1- - -1 • 1 ^ ties towards
Tewksbury, a leatherseller, living in the parish of St. Mi- Tewksbury ;
chael the Quern, London ; an excellent proficient in the
Gospel by reading the books of the Scripture. And frora
More's house one of the sheriffs of London took hira, and
carried him to burning, without the King's writ for his
warrant. He had been brought into trouble, April 1, 1529, before Martyr-
Tonstal, Bishop of London. Before whom he was convented edif^'
for reading Tindal's New Testament : and that he had the
Bible written. He told the Bishop, that he had studied
the Scripture this seventeen years. May 8, he subraitted
himself, and was abjured. Two years after, be was brought
into trouble again, and, for revoking his forraer abjuration,
was burnt. About the sarae tirae, one Bainham, a gentle- And Bain-
man of Gloucestershire, of good quality, and student of the ^'"" '
law in one of the Temples, was brought before More at
Chelsea ; who cast him into prison in his own house there,
and whipt him at a tree in his garden, called fhe free qf
froth ; and afterward sent him to the Tower to be racked :
and so he was. More himself present at it, tUl in a manner
he had tamed hira ; because he would not accuse the gen
tiemen of the Temple of his acquaintance, nor would shew
where his books lay. After indeed, by terror and suffering
worn out, he recanted. But he revoked publicly his recan
tation soon after ; upon which he was brought again before
More to Chelsea, and there was chained to a post two nights,
and at last burned.
In the next year, 1532, he prosecuted to death John And Frith.
Frith, a young raan, once elected from Carabridge, for his
exceUent learning, to the Cardinal's college in Oxford. The
poor man fled from place to place, absconding himself; but
More persecuted him both by sea and land, besetting the

316 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, ways and havens, and promising great rewards to any that
XXVIII. .^^^i^ bring hira any news or tidings of hira. And at length

Anno 1535. he satiated his raisguided zeal upon the poor innocent, and
205 burnt him at a stake. Yet he shewed raercy to one for his
Spared one wit, as I have read in an old MS. For examining a Pro-
for his jest, tggtg^jjt^ whose name was Silver, he told him, after his jesting
way, that Silver must be fried In the fire. Ay, said Silver,
but quicksilver will not abide it. With which ready answer
being delighted, he dismissed him.

CHAP. XXIX.
Crumwel now fhe King's great instrument. The Benedic
tine order visited : and all ofher religious houses. Vlsifa
fion qffhe dioceses ; and both Universities.
Crumwel /\.ND these were some of the resolute steps King Henry
and hated, made towards the obtaining again this long struggled for,
and alraost lost right and prerogative of Kings, in their o^v^I
dominions, of being supreme, against the encroachraents of
the Bishops of Rome. Secretary Crumwel had the great
stroke in all this. And all these counsels and methods were
struck out of his head. For which, as he received the curses,
and drew upon himself the hatred of raany, so, raany more,
well affected to a reforraation of superstitions in the Church,
extolled hira as highly. Of these was one WilUara Over-
bury, an honest zealous man, who applauded hira for his
care of the reforraation of Christ's religion ; and upon his
urging the Bishops and Clergy to renounce the Pope,
and acknowledge the King's supreraacy, he wrote hira this
congratulatory letter :
" Immanuel,
Overbury " Faithful, trusty, and dear beloved Minister unto the
Cieop."^^ " '^ig^ power of Alraighty God : of that which you have
" ministration under our sovereign Lord the King, here in
" earth the only high and supreme Head of this his Church
" of England, grace, peace, and raercy be evermore with

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 317
"you. Laud and thanks be to God the Father Almighty CHAP.
" for the true and unfeigned faith that you have in our _

" sweet Saviour Jesu. Paul, the true preacher of Christ, Anno 153s.
" saith, Fundamentum aliud nemo potest ponere, prater id
" quod positum est, quod est Jesus Christus. Whosoever
" believeth Jesus Christ to be the only Saviour of the whole
" world, pacifier of God's wrath, mediator between God
" and man, the bearer of sins, and the true Lamb of God,
" that taketh away the sins of the world, hath now set this
" foundation. Therefore it is to be trusted upon, that
" where Christ is the foundation, there raust needs follow
" the edifying and building of good works, as testiraonies
" of the true foundation. Also Christ saith, Ego sum osti-
" um. He entereth in by this door, the which feeleth the
" truth, and preaching the sarae to others, followeth and
" keepeth it hiraself. Paul ix. Corinth. Va enim mihi est, si
" non evangelizavero. Necessifas enim mihi Incumblt. Si
" enim volens hoc ago, mercedem habeo. Sin autem invitus,
" dlspensatlo mlhl credita est. Qua est ergo merces mea,
" &c. This doth sorae take upon them, diligently execut- 206
" ing the office of the ministration of the word of God,
" plainly, sincerely following the gracious will and mind of
" our gracious sovereign Lord the King, being only high
" head and governor next God. Quomodo audlent sine pra-
" dlcanfe? Quomodo vero pradieabunf, nisi miffantur. Sed
" non omnes obediunt Evangello. For there be raany per-
" verse men, which do dilaniate the flock of Christ : yea,
" and of them which seem to be pillars, or bearers up of the
" Church : which do rather diminish the faith than any
" thing augment it.
" I have many things, which I would fain declare to
" your goodness ; but I consider your great and manifold
" care and business, and mine own irapediraents, by the
" custora and trade of raen ordained, that let rae not only
" this tirae, in this raind scribbling to you, but also alraost
" at aU times, from both study and exercise of the holy
" Gospel. The true faith and doctrine of the which I pray

318 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. «« God augment to his honour ; who ever preserve and keep
' " you. Amen.

Anno 1535. « Your obedient,
" WUliam Overbery."
A visitation The refractoriness of those of the Benedictine order to
tine con^*^ ^^ King's proceedings, raade hira think it convenient to
vents and look a Httie raore narrowly into their behaviour, and to ani-
raadvert upon their irregularities, of which there were re
ports enough. And this being resolved upon, he thought
good to make one work of it, and to have all convents, and
rehgious societies besides, visited also. Sorae raeraorial of
this, especiaUy as relating to Canterbury, I transcribe out
Fox. MSS. of a MS. Annal of a Monk of St. Augustin's, Canterbury,
as foUoweth :
" This year, 1535, the King sent raany Doctors, &c. and
" others, throughout all England, to -v-isit aU the houses of
" Saint Benedict's order, and all the monasteries of every
" order, hospitals, coUeges, and chanteries, &c. Amongst
" whom. Dr. Layghton, being a Professor in the Laws, and
" the chiefest, did visit this our house. Mr. Bartlet be-
" ing his scribe, and of counsayl with hira, the xx. day of
" October. " In this \isitation, all raen utterly renounced the name of
" the Pope, his privileges, and exerapt places, &c.
" The sarae tirae tbe new house of the Prior of the church
" of Saint Saviours was set on fire and burnt. Doctor
" Layghton the \'isitor, and Mr. Bartiet the scribe, with
" others, being present, the xvi. day of October, at myd-
" night. " The issue of this was, that the next year aU the
" raonasteries and reli^ous houses through all England,
" that were not above the yearlv revenue of 300i. (aU
" charges deducted,) were by act of Parhament given to the
" King's Majesty, for the amplifying his Crown, 'and to his
" successors for ever."
visited. There was a general visitation of rehgious houses this

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 319
year instituted, in which Crumwel, Vicar General, was CHAP.
chief; who appointed under hira Dr. Leighton, Dr. Legh,

Dr. Petre, and Dr. London; and they had raany others Anno isas.
accorapanying thera.
The visitors appointed for the monasteries had certain
rules given thera to observe in their visitation, and to enjoin
upon aU the merabers of those houses strictly: drawn up, as
it seems to me, by Dr. Layton, or Leighton, one chiefly
appointed by Crurawel in this business. The rules were as
follow, viz.
Primum, Uf omnes et singuli Fratres uniuscujusque
ccenobll intra regnum Anglia in domo sua capifulari, ut
vacant, personallter prasentes, una congregenfur.
Deinde, ut seorsim ef separatim singuli examinentur sup
per quibus visum fuerinf, S^c. That is :
First, That all and singular of the Friars of every reli- ^"'«« ^°'^
the visitors
^ous house within the kingdora of England, being person- of the reii-
ally present in their chapter-house, be asserabled together. ^°^^^^
Then, that, separately and by themselves, each be exa- Cott. lib.
mined upon such things as shall be thought convenient.
That an inquisition be raade ; and every one be corapeU-
ed to give an account of his fealty and obedience towards
our King, Henry VIII. of that narae.
That all and singular be bound by oath to perforra en
tire and perpetual fealty and obedience to the sarae our
King, and Queen Anne his wife ; and towards the issue of
the said Anne, as well begotten, as to be begotten.
That aU and singular be obliged by oath, to notify,
preach, persuade all the foresaid matters to the people ;
whensoever place and occasion shall serve.
That they hold for confirmed and ratified, that our fore
said King Henry is Head of the Church of England, as it
is decreed and ratified, as weU in the Convocation of the
Clergy as in Parliament.
That they-confess the Bishop of Rome, who in his bulls
used the narae of Pope, and arrogates to hiraself the prin-
cipaHty of chief Bishop, to be esteemed of no greater dig
nity than any other Bishops in their respective dioceses.

320 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. That none of thera, ui any serraon privately or publicly
^^^^- preached, call the sarae Bishop of Rorae by the name of

Anno 1585. Pope, or chief Bishop, but by the narae of the Bishop of
Rorae, or of the Roraan Church. Nor to pray for him as
Pope, but as Bishop of Rorae, as is aforesaid.
That none of thera aU presume, in any sermon, either
public or private, to wrest any thing taken out of the holy
Scripture to another sense. But that every one preach
Christ, and aU his words and deeds, siraply, openly, sin
cerely, and according to the rule of sacred Scripture and
the truly Catholic Doctors.
That dUigent inquisition be raade, how raany preachers
be in every raonastery, and who. Then that all the ser
raons of each be severely exarained ; whether they be catho
lic and orthodox, and worthy of a truly Christian preacher
or no: if they shall be found catholic and orthodox, then
he shall be admitted a preacher ; and his sermons approved.
But otherwise they shall be burnt forthwith.
Let all and singular, as many as be preachers, be admo
nished, that in their prayers and supplications, made ac
cording to the custom, they first comraend to God and the
prayers of the people, the King, as suprerae Head of the
English Church ; then Queen Anne, with her issue ; and
then afterwards the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the
other orders of the Clergy, as shall seera good.
208 Whatsoever gold or silver, raade into plate, and graved,
and whatsoever other raoveable goods of any kind, any mo
nastery shaU be found to possess and have, they be com
pelled to produce, and shew it ; and deliver a true and faith
ful account and biU of aU and singular the things.
That all and singular raonasteries, and the Friars living
in thera, or in any of thera, shall oblige theraselves and
their successors, by the tie of conscience and an oath, and
each by the seal of their convent, given in their chapter
houses, confirra it, that they wUl faithfuUy observe all and
singular the things aforesaid.
The King Upou the visitation of those religious houses, some of the
that the members desired of the visitors, that they raight be aUowe^

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 321
to depart thence, as weary perhaps of that idle course of life : ^" ^ J"-
and sorae of- them, better disposed, seemed to be willing to.

go abroad, and preach the Gospel. And sorae governors and A'""> '*^5-
whole corapanies did voluntarily surrender up their houses "^"""^jj"''''
to the King ; who allowed them pensions for their future tinue.
subsistence. But it was thought, that it was the King's
mind and intention to take them all, with their lands and
revenues, into his own hand ; and to turn out all the Monks
and Friars to shift for themselves : and so it was given out.
But the King raeant no such thing: and shewed hiraself
displeased with such as reported it ; and ordered thera to
be taken up, and committed to custody. And pacified and
quieted these religious persons with assurance to the con
trary, in case they Hved in due order, and shewed them
selves true to him, and acknowledged his supremacy. And
accordingly he sent out a declaration unto the said houses
to the same effect. And after these fears still continuing,
circular letters were sent to the Abbots and Priors by the
King's great officer Crumwel, to assure thera thereof; bid
ding them to repose themselves in quiet ; and to serve God
devoutly ; to provide duly for the sustentation of their
houses, to provide for the poor, to keep up hospitality, and
not to spoU and waste the revenues of the houses. Which
letter, being a further confirmation of that from the King to
the same import, raay be found in the Appendix. N". LVi.
I find also a royal visitation of the dioceses in the realm, Royal visi-
(wliich I think to be in this year also,) to make round work, ^^^f. dioceses.
Being about to begin their visitation, Thomas Legh, and
John Ap Rice, and the rest, issued out their inhibition, for
bidding and restraining all Bishops to exercise episcopal
authority for the visitation tirae. And this might be the
reason, that the Archbishop of Canterbury, being minded
to make his mctropolitical visitation this year also, was fain
to obtain the King's licence so to do, as we read in the His- Voi. i,
tory of the Reforraation. P' ^^^¦
These inhibitions the Bishops had complained of before inhibitions
to Crurawel, being drawn up in soraewhat an extraordinary ,",0
manner ; depriving them of their power during the King's
VOL. I. Y

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, pleasure. And now again the visitors did imagine they
^^^^- would make fresh complaints. Whereupon they thought it
Anno 1 sss. convenient to prevent the Bishops, and render in writing
the reasons to Crurawel of their so doing. Which were,
that so the King taking aU the episcopal jurisdiction and
power into his own hands for a tirae, and exercising the
sarae, it raight serve as a perpetual monument of his Su
premacy. And that they, receiving their power again from
209 the King, might recognise hun for the spring and founda
tion of it. That they might shew whence they clairaed their
authority, by suing to the King's Majesty for the restoring
of it again to them. But behold the reasons themselves at
N°. LVii. large in the Appendix, as the visitors themselves penned
thera, and sent thera in their letter to Crumwel.
The visitors By the conclusion of the said letter, it appeared also that
junctions they vlsltcd the University of Cambridge, and were now
for Cam- drawing up injunctions for it. For they raention two ar
ticles, which they then sent up to be added to the rest of
the injunctions ; and prayed him, that, after he had perused
and corrected the whole, he would cause them to be drawn
out fair in parchraent, and sealed", and sent down to them
for the University. The sum of the first article was, that
they should observe, and cause all other to observe, all and
singular the contents in the oath of succession, which they
had taken, and in the statute for the extirpation of the Ro
man Bishop''s authority, and for the establishment of the
King's supremacy ; which they had professed by a pubhc
instrument with their own hands and seals annexed. In the
conclusion of these injunctions, the King (for in his name
they ran) reserved to himself, and Thoraas Crumwel, his
Visitor General and his Surrogate, a power of giving other
injunctions, and doing whatever else should by their pru
dence and discretion be thought meet. But for the words
N". LViir. themselves I refer the reader to the Appendix.
There was also this year a royal visitation of the Univer
sity of Oxford by Dr. Layton, and others appointed by
Crurawel, the King's chief Secretary. And what he had
done there in several of the coUeges for promoting good

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 323
learning, appointing Latin and Greek lectures to be read in CHAP.
several coUeges ; and obUging all students in other lesser .

coUeges to be present at those readings; also giving divers Anno isss.
injunctions to be observed upon penalties ; and also repair
ing to some of the coUeges to redress disagreements and
matters of complaints ; his letter to the said Secretary wiU
shew, as it follows, taken from the original :
" Please it your Goodness to be advertised, that in Mag- Oxford vi-
" dalen college we found estabhshed one lecture of divinity, An account
" two of phUosophy, one moral, another natural, and one of *•>»* "«'-
" of the Latin tongue ; weU kept, and dihgentiy frequented. Faust. C 7.
" To these we have adjoined a lecture in the Greek ; that
" is, the grammar in Greek, perpetuaUy to be read there ;
" and all the youth thereunto to have confluence for the
" principals. " In New CoUege we have established two lectures pub-
" lie : one in Greek, and another in Latin. And have made
" therefore for evermore an honest salary and stipend.
" In All Soulen coUege we have in like manner esta-
" blished two lectures ; one of Greek, and another in Latin,
" with a good stipend and salary thereunto assigned for
" ever." In Corpus Christi coUege we found two lectures esta-
" bhshed by the Founder, one in Greek, another in Latin ;
" pubhc for all men thereunto to have converse.
" We have further estabhshed a lecture in Latin tongue,
" public, in Marten coUege ; and another in Queen's col-
" lege : and have assigned and made a sufficient stipend
" for either of these for everraore.
"Because we found aU other the colleges not able in 2 10
" londes and revenues to have within them lectures public,
" as the other afore rehearsed have, we have enjoined the
" foresaid poor coUeges, that they and every of thera shall
" frequent and have daily concourse unto the said lectures.
" Panam imposuimus to every scholar within the Univer-
" sity, not hearing at the least one of these lectures. So
" that day that he shall be absent fi-om one of the said lec-
" tures, to be punished in the loss of his coraraons for that
Y 2

sm MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "day: the said pain "every day, fof tens quotiens absens
"Juerit, nisi concurrente causa aliqua legitima, appro-

Anno 1535.." banda famen per Praposifum coUegii sive aula.
" We have set Dunce in Bocardo ; and have utterly ba-
" nished him Oxford for ever, with aU his blind glosses:
" and is now made a common servant to every man ; fast
" nailed up upon posts in all common houses of easement :
" id quod oculis meis vidi. And the second tirae we came to
" New CoUege, after we had declared your injunctions, we
" found all the great quadrant court fuU of the leaves of
" Dunce, the wind blowing them into every comer. And
" there we found one Mr. Greenfield, a gentieman of Buck-
" ingbamshire, gathering up part of the sarae book leaves,
" as he said, therewith to make him sewers or blawnshers,
" to keep the deer within his wood, thereby to have the
*' better cry with his hounds.
Religious a Yfe have also, in the place of the canon lecture, joined
students- . \ . i ii j -
" a CIVU lecture, to be read m every college, haU, and mn.
" We have also, in visiting the religious students, among
" all other injunctions, enjoined, that none of them for no
" manner cause shall come within any tavern, inn, ale-
" house, or any other house, whatsoever it be, within the
" town, and the suburbs of the same, upon pain once so
" taken, by day or by night, to be sent imraediately home
" to his cloister, whereas he was professed. Without doubt
" we hear say this act to be greatiy lamented of all the
" double honest women of the town, and especiaUy of their
" laundress ; that may not now once enter within the gates,
" and much less within their chambers, whereunto they
" were right well accustoraed. I doubt not, but for this
" thing only, the honest raatrons wiU sue unto you for a
" redress. " Other things raore, which are too tedious and long to
*' conceive by writing, we have done. Which all I shaU de-
" clare unto you at ray coming. This Sunday, by night, we
*' shaU raake an end. For all this day we repair to coUeges
" for the redress of divisions and coraplaints put unto us.
" To-morrow, by seven a clock in the morning, I wiU be

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 325
"at Abington. And I trust to bring you the truth of CHAP.
" every thing for that house, and thereof doubt ye not. On .

" Wednesday by night at uttermost, I trust to be with you Anno is35.
" at Winchester, God willing ; who send you as good health
" as your heart desireth.
" We find here all men applying, and glad to accomplish
" all things. From Oxford, this Sunday the 12th of Sep-
" tember. By your most assured poor Priest and servant,
" Richard Layton."
Superscribed, To the Right Honourable Master Thomas
Crumwel, CMef Secreta/ry fo fhe Kin^s Highness.

CHAP. XXX. 211
The valuation qf benefices taken; fcrr fhe firstfruits and
tenths, given to the King. Commissioners senf abroad for
fhaf purpose. Their letters. How the Bishops now stood
effected. Bishop Shaxton's case.
X HE last year the Parliaraent had, for the augraentation Anno 1533.
of the King's royal estate, given him the first-fruits of aU ^ commis-
sion to take
spiritual livings throughout the realra, and the tenths. Fpr the value of
the better execution of this act, the King sent abroad his ''*"«*"=«*•
Commissioners to take the true value of the benefices
through the whole land : several Coraraissioners for each
county ; and the respective Bishops seeraed to be put into
these commissions in their dioceses. There was also a cer
tain number of auditors joined with them. Thus I find
Commissioners for Yorkshire, and Commissioners for Nor
thumberland, and Commissioners for the archdeaconry of
Richmond. And araong the Commissioners for the bi
shopric of Durhara, Tonstal, the Bishop thereof, was one.
When the valuations were made and taken by the Commis
sioners, they were all returned to Crurawel, now Master erf
the Rolls. In this coraraission the King gave a special or
der to the' Bishops to ^ve no institution to any livings till
the King were agreed with for the payraent of the first-
y3

32ff MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, fruits; that so he might the better be secured of them.
^^^' What the Bishop of Durham with his feUow-comraissioners

Anno 1 835. }j^^ doue in this business, he thought fit to signify up to
Crumwel, in a letter dated frora Aukland, July 20 ; therem
he excused himself from having stayed so long before he sent
up the account for the bishopric. For the Court was now
very intent upon any imaginary remissness in the Bishops.
He said, he would foUow the King's commandment, to give
no institution till the King were agreed withal. But he
thought it would light very chargeably upon the poor
Clergy, to take a long journey up to London to give bonds.
Therefore he advised Crumwel, that there raight be some
appointed in the country to take bonds, for the greater ease
of the Clergy. The letter raay not be unworthy to be per-
N». LIX. used : which I have therefore preserved in the Appendix.
Crumwel Upou the Coraraissioucrs bringing in the values of aU the
usHhe ^ Hvings in England, and computing thence the incomes by
King might first-fruits, I have seen a notable paper of Crumwel's;
first-fruits, whercln he set forth the conveniences accruing to the King
Cott. iibr. hereby, (which happened soon after the surrender of the
lesser monasteries,) as foUoweth :
There wiU by this account remain to the King's Majesty
to be annexed to his crown, over and besides aU his mo
nasteries lately surrendered, 40,000?.
And besides that, his Majesty may either reform the
hospitals already founded, or erect new, to the yearly
charge of 10,000 raark.
His Grace may furnish two hundred gentlemen, to at
tend upon his person. Every of them to have 100 mark
yearly, 20,000 mark.
212 His Majesty may appoint for certain garrisons, 20,000
mark. And his Highness raay assign to the yearly reparation of
highways in sundry parts, or the doing of other good deeds
for the coraraonwealth ; whereby the vaHant beggars may
be set a work, 5,000 mark.
And yet his Grace's tenths, besides the first-fruits, wiU by
estimation amount yearly to 20,000 mark.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 327
And it is to be remembered, that sithence the suppres- CHAP.
sions, there have corae monasteries to the King's Highness's .

hands, and been given away by his Majesty, near to the Anno 1585.
value of twenty thousand pounds, with those that be agreed
at this present to be surrendered.
But how many of these good works were done by these
ample revenues coming into the King's treasury, it is worth
inquiry. Upon the act of Parliament that granted the King the Method of
first-fruits and tenths of aU spiritual preferments, Comrais-^^,^°^^j^
sioners (as was said) were appointed and sent forth to all parts benefices by
throughout aU the dioceses, to take a just account of the missioners.
true yearly values of thera, whether preferments in the
cathedral churches, or parsonages, vicarages, coUeges, &c.
And further, how these Commissioners discharged their
trust in this weighty affair for the King's benefit ; and
what reasonable favours and abatements were desired by
the incumbents and possessors, to be shewn and made by
the Coraraissioners ; may be partly seen, by a letter of Gar
diner, Bishop of Winchester, one of the Commissioners for
that side ; and by another from the Archbishop, and Com
missioners, on the side of York; both writ to Secretary
Crurawel in the month of May.
In the former the Bishop shewed, how earnest he had
been in this affair, for the more advancing the King's re
venue arising hence ; and inquiring about some allowances,
on the account of alms, and education of youth, and such
Hke charities, payable out of some benefices or preferments.
His letter ran to this tenor:
" Master Secretary, After my most hearty commenda- Bishop of
" tions; forasmuch as I send up at this time by my servant ^'°'=''®''^'^
" this bearer, the certificate that hath beeji done by me wei, with
"and others, to whom the King's Highness directed his*''! ""I^'^'
^ . . r . ' '^*'* taken
" Grace's letters of coraraission concerning the valuation of of them in
" the spiritualty in this country ; I have thought good to (jott.'iibr!
" send the sarae first unto you, and to desire your judg-
" ment now in the inspection ; as I required your advice in
" mine entry and be^ning thereof. For if any thipg be
Y 4

828 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " otherwise than it should be, it may and shaU be easUy
XXX- „ amended- I assure you. there hath neither wanted good

Anno IS35." -wUl ne dihgence; and dividing the charge committed
" unto us in two parts : whereof the one was, to know
" the true value ; the other, to allocations and deduc-
" tions. As I dare affirm that in the first part no default
" shall be found, but that eyery promotion is extended
" to the utmost, so have we in the deductions and aUoca-
" tions followed, in our judgraent, as our duty is, the words
" of our instructions ; and regarding any such reasons as
" have been raade upon the words of the act ; being much
" more favourable, as they said, than we have shewed our-
" selves in that behalf. Wliereof, by the advice of the rest
" of ray coUeagues, I have made an institution, which I
" send unto you to be weighed, as ye should think good.
213 " The title of dimes, although in our judgraent we un-
" derstand it, and have raade allocations thereafter, in the
" finding and nourishing of old and impotent and lame
" men ; yet we have not so deemed it in the finding of
" young chUdren to school ; and yet is it so called also as
" the other is, dimes. We used herein a distinction oifind-
" ing. Which in poor and impotent men is without other
" shift necessary to live by. But in chUdren no such neces-
" sity to find them to school. FinaUy, we satisfied them,
" and ourselves also, with this resolution, that albeit our
" certificate in the extent of their londs, if we raade the
" sum more than we found, it might grieve thera : where-
" fore we would take heed, and deal uprightly : yet in the
" aUowance we could neither do good ne barra to them.
" For if we aUowed further than we had coraraission, it
" would be coraptroUed there with our rebuke. And if we
" aUowed too Httle, the reraedy lay open to be sued for, if
" they thought good.
" We have past over all things quietly, without miscon-
" tentment shewed by any party, and without any other
" suit than as shall be thought agreeable to the statute
" raade in that behalf. Ye shall see in the valuation of
" my bishopric a good portion ; but whereof I shall not re-

UNDER ICING HENRY VIIL 329
" ceive now very little above the one half to mine own use. CHAP.
" I am in some raen's judgment too strait in charging ray-

" self; but I wUl have raine own wUl therein : that I raay Anno 1535.
" be caUed self-willed » for sorae things. I am bold to ' So, it
" trouble you with my long letters ; in which I talk with w™Js'uaIiy
" you as I were present famUiarly. My servant shall shew styled.
" you the book ; and farther do as ye shall coraraand us.
" And thus raost heartily fare ye weU. From Marvel, the
« 2d day of May. " Your assured friend,
" Ste. Winton."
To this were subjoined, of the same Bishop of Winton's
writing.
Articles, wherein fhe Commissioners have not shewed such
favours to the parties here in their allowances, as, fhey
pretended before them, was due by ihe act qf Parliament
in that ieJudf.
" Fu'st, Whereas diverse benefices, as appeareth by the Allowances
" particular books, have some one, sorae two, sorae three *° niade.
" chapels, besides the parish church : in which chapels they
" be bound to find priests : albeit the Commissioners in the
" valuations have esteemed all such profits, as arise and
" grow in any of the said chapels; yet they have allowed
" no deductions of the Priest's cbai'ge, who is necessary, and ~
" perpetual serving in that chapel.
" Item, It hath been aUeged, tiiat such chauntries as be
" not perpetually assigned to any spiritual raan, should not
" be charged by this act of Parliaraent ; especially where
" there groweth no profit to the incurabent by any special
" revenue ; and that the incurabent raay be reraoved at
" pleasure. And this case is alleged in the chapel of the
" Holy Ghost, in the Isle of Wight, and the chauntry of
" Tichbom, in the deanery of Alresford.
" Item, It hath been alleged, that considering the act 2 14
" maketh raention of all alras to be aUowed, given by foira-
" dation ; therefore, finding of poor chUdren in the New

330 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " CoUege, beside Winchester, ought also to be deducted;
^^^"^' " being their portion so httie, that it cannot be less.

Anno I53S. « In which matters, albeit the Commissioners have, with
" the best reasons they could, defended their own doings,
" in execution of the King's Highness's instructions ac-
" cording to the said act ; yet, finaUy, they promised to
" make relation of theu- suit to be remedied by mercy, if it
" shall be thought convenient."
I add, for a further explanation of the course and me
thod used by the Commissioners, for the execution of this
great trust, a letter of the Commissioners for the diocese of
York to Secretary Crumwel, concerning their taking the
value of the benefices, with notice of the naraes of the said
Commissioners as they are subscribed. Where may be ob
served, tbat with the Commissioners were also sent instruc
tions in these proceedings. And auditors were also ap
pointed to examine and write out fair all the valuations
taken in parchraent ; to be sent up to the Secretary. The
letter foUows :
The Com- " Right Honourable, Like it you to understand, that
for the dio- " 'W'here by the King's commission and instructions,
cese of York « charge is given to us, to make certificate ocfovis Trini
wel. " tatis, oi the view and examination taken by us of the
" yearly clear value of all manner of spiritual promotions :
" we have done our dUigence according to our most
" bounden duties, to the uttermost of all our powers : and
" had now at this time of our raeeting, the 24. of May,
" been at fuU otherwise ready to certify by our day limited
" in our said instructions, if we could have had such au-
" ditors, as by the King's commission were joined with us.
" But some of the said auditors for sickness could do no
" service : some as yet came not to us : some be appointed
" also in other places. So that at this our meeting, albeit
" aU the books came in, yet divers of them were not written
" in parchraent, for lack of auditors. Sorae, although by
" the best diligence that the Commissioners could use were

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 331
" written in parchment, yet they Were not in due form after CHAP.
" the auditor's fashion. •''^''¦•

" Which thing hath now so stayed us, that we cannot Anno isss.
" certify at the day appointed : and much doubt, whe-
" ther we shall be ready to certify in any part of this
" terra. And forasmuch as Mr. Blitheman is coming to
" know your mind for sundry doubts which be among us ;
" to the intent that our book may come forth the, more
" perfectly, we have thought convenient, or ever we cer-
" tify, to understand your resolutions for the said doubts
" at the return of the said Mr. Blitheman. It may there-
" fore like you to be so good to us, that seeing they to-
" wards us cannot be arrected herein, any neghgence or de-
" fault, to provide that we run in no damages in the Ex-
" chequer. And furtherraore, that we may have a new
" coraraission to a further day ; and that large enough : so
" that we may be not again constrained to sue for a new
" commission. And for the said doubts, it raay Hke you to
"be so good to us, that Mr. Blitheraan at his return may
" come by this city, and advertise us of your pleasure; 215
" which we shall foUow, God wUling ; who have you in his
" continual governance. From York, the 24. day of May,
« 1535. " Edouard Ebor. Roger Cholmely.
" WiU™ Wright, Mayor of York. Geo. Lawson.
" Geo. Carey. Rob. Bowes.
« T. Magnus. Rob' Chaloner.
" Bridy. Hastinges. Cha. Grue."
About this time the King became highly offended with The King
the Bishop of Winchester, which Fox, the King's Almoner, with wtn-
acquainted him with. The occasion is obscure, but seeraed Chester.
to be this. The King was minded to have aU his spiritu
alty. Bishops as well as the inferior Clergy, to depend upon
him for the exercise of their ecclesiastical function and ju
risdiction ; and to have it so believed and acknowledged by
the word of God. And some books were published by the
King's order in proof of it. To one of which an answer

332 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, came forth. This answer was comraitted to Winchester to
^^^' .confute, or correct it, where it argued against the King's

Anno isss-uiiud and judgment. But it seems the Bishop did allow the
opinion set down in the book. This was the thing that
gave great disgust to the King; namely, for standing so
high upon the episcopal jurisdiction, as that Bishops re
ceived their authority from God, and could not part with it
to the King. The inhibitions above mentioned, I verily
believe, gave the ground of this dispute.
His course The Bishop, understanding the^ King's wrath against him,
himself. thought rather to plead for hiraself by a letter to the King,
than by personal conference with him. In which letter he
cunningly managed himself to regain the King's favour,
after this manner. " First, he shewed extraordinary de-
" jection at the King's displeasure against hira : acknow-
" ledging the mighty favours he had received from him ;
" and that he could rather choose to die, than to live in his
" Majesty's indignation. And secondly, he vindicated him-
" self, by shewing that he held according to the opinion of
" a nuraber of learned raen, and according to his Majesty*^
" own book against Luther, and a decree of the CouncU
" of Constance. But lastly, in conclusion, he hinted his
" readiness to be instructed by the King, being, as he con-
" fessed, not learned in divinity. Adding, that he was de-
" sirous to do what raight be done to his Highness's con-
" tentation, and appliable to leam the truth, what ought to
" be done, and that he should be glad to confer with any
" of the Council in this matter." He that pleaseth may
N°- LX. AikJ this Bishop's letter in the Appendix.
TheBishops ^g for the Bishops at this time, however zealous they
now, how iii-i-i'-i ¦
affected to pretended to be in their subjection to the King and his su
preraacy, and opposition to the Pope's claim in these domi
nions ; yet few of thera but cherished his religion, and held
fast the corruptions practised in the Church of Rorae, and
gave little countenance to the reformation of it. Among
these few, were Archbishop Cranmer, Bishop Latymer, and
ShSn's Shaxton, Bishop of Salisbury. Of which last I have some-
affection thing to add, namely, that as he was a raan of good leam-
towardsit. & ' ." &

a reforma
tion.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 333
ing, and Master ofa college in Cambridge, so he was very -^CH.iP.
cordial and dihgent in endeavouring a reforraation of the

abuses and errors introduced into religion, by preaching, Anno 1535.
and instructing, and government of his diocese, and took210
such pains therein, that he told Crurawel, the King's Vicar
General, that upon occasion he would give way to none
therein, but the forraer two ; exciting hira to aid them with
his authority, who appHed theraselves to serve God and the
King in their caUings. Araong whom he said himself was
one, and would not give place to the best Bishop in Eng
land for his talent, except Canterbury and Worcester.
And because the abbeys and religious houses especially
stuck to the Pope, and kept up as much as they could to
the old superstitions; Bishop Shsixton especially watched
them, according to injunctions sent by Crumwel to aU the
Bisliops, though sorae more coldly observed them. Among Inhibits a
the rest, there was a Monk of Reading in his diocese, that Relding
read lectures in the abbey; whom for good cause he for- to read lec-
bade to read any more. Notwithstanding, the Abbot bade
him continue his reading : this occasioned a contest between
the Bishop and the Abbot; who having some favour with
Crurawel, related his case so advantageously in a letter to
him, with complaint of the Bishop's deahngs with' the Monk
and hira, that Crurawel took the raatter out of the Bishop's
hand into his own, by virtue of his power coraraitted to him
by the King in all spiritual raatters. And writ hira an angry
letter ; using raany expressions therein, that did in no sraall
measure afflict the Bishop, even to tears, thus to be checked
in the execution of his office in his own diocese. So it pro
voked him to write a long expostulating letter in answer.
Wherein were some sharp words, and soraewhat too free to
be used with a person of so great quality as Lord Privy
Seal and Vicar General ; justifying himself in what he had
done ; and charging him with partiahty towards the Abbot
against him, the Bishop, and with encroachment upon his
episcopal authority in his own diocese. That hereby he ap
prehended he was displeased with hira, and loved hira not,
whatever he pretended. And that in divers other things he

334 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, had thwarted him in his good intentions; though he, the
^^X- Bishop, had raade it his endeavour to obtain his good Hk-
Anno 1535. ing. And that he sided with a popish Abbot rather than
with him. And besides, that he had written divers sharp
letters to him before, which made him weep. And now the
Bishop venteth his grief at large by this letter : now and
then dropping a passionate expression; yet revoking it
again; and generally writing with rauch respect and de
ference.
Shaxton's But BisHop Burnet, (one of his successors,) in his excel-
10""! r"' 1^°*^ History of the Reforraation, having read this letter of
Bishop Bishop Shaxton, took Crurawel's part, and censures the
said Bishop for a proud, ill-nafured man ; and omitting the
Bishop's letter, prints Crumwel's answer to it, drawn up
mUdly indeed by Morison, his Secretary; which ensueth
Hist. Re- that of Shaxton's MS. letter in the Cotton hbrary. There
VO™**"*"' that author calls Shaxton's letter, provoking language.
p. 340. <' And that therein he added raany insolent praises of him-
" self. And that his whole letter was as extravagant a piece
" of vanity and insolence as ever he saw." But perhaps it
wiU not seem so to others, who consider all circumstances ;
and can excuse some heats to good men, when they are
217 hindered in the impartial execution of their function, as this
good Bishop was. And therefore I have left it to be read
N°.LXi. and considered in the Appendix, whereby both the Bishop
and this his present case may be better known and judged
of: especially, since in the conclusion of his letter he begs
his pardon, desires the continuance of his favour, and sub
mits hiraself and his cause whoUy to him.
But more particularly, the true case was this. Three
Doctrines Friars of the house had accused this Monk, the said
the*Monk Reader, whose name was London, that he had in his lec-
the Reader tures vented some heretical opinions ; naraely, these : That
abbey. "^ ^^^ Scripture is not sufficient of itself for a Christian. That
though a man can preach the word of God sincerely and
truly, yet he is not sufficient to take a cure, unless he is
skiUed in cases of conscience, and able to resolve them.
That faith justifieth not without works. And that men

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 335
may deserve grace and justification by their own works. CHAP.
Upon this information the said Monk was suraraoned be

fore the Bishop, who shewed him his errors ; and afterwards Anno isss.
dealt very gently with him, only requiring him to make a
revocation of them ; and so took his subscription, and then
dismissed him : but thought fit to restrain him from reading
his lectures ; and thought to have put one of his friends, a
priest (but degraded for having a wife) of better learning
and principles, in his room; which the Abbot, it seemed,
Hked not of.
Crumwel, before this, had shewed his displeasure against
this Bishop, because he had mentioned to him, on some
controversy between the city of Salisbury and hira, a cer
tain grant of King Edward IV. to the Bishop of Sarura,
that the mayor there was the Bishop's mayor, and the citi
zens the Bishop's citizens; which Crumwel reproved him
for saying so, since, notwithstanding such grants, all the
power he had depended upon the present King's confirma
tion r which the Bishop in answer acknowledged freely,
and added, how httle he lifted up himself upon such
grants. This also wiU be read more at large in the Bi
shop's said letter.

CHAP. XXXL
The King's Primer, for tlie ietfer instruction qffhe Laity.
Seditious iooks called in. Sir Tho. Eliots letter to
Crumwel an this occasion. Some account qffhis learned
Knight.
A SECOND edition ofthe Primer in EngHsh came out this The King's
year in quarto, with divers additions, and was styled King^"^"'
Henry's Primer, to give the better countenance and au
thority to it ; put forth by Doctor Marshal, Archdeacon of
Nottingham ; but the Archbishop of Canterbury, in all pro-
babUity, had a great hand in it, both in the revising of it,
and in compiUng some of the treatises it consisted of The

336 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, drift of it was double; as well to make the common people
^^' .understand their prayers and divine worship, as to cure

Anno 1535. gome gross errors in religion, that were then by popish craft
218 generally entertained by the vulgar, by putting supersti
tious books into their hands : which, in the Admonition to the
Reader, the publisher caWed, pestilent and Infectious iooks
and learnings. The good design therefore was, that the
. laity might be furnished with a better direction for prayers
and devotions than they usually had before. " In those
" books they had learned with rauch foohsh superstition,
" and as great scrupulosity, to raake rehearsal of their sins
" by heart. They abounded in every place with infinite
" errors and perilous prayers, slanderous both to God and
" all his holy saints." They were garnished with glorious
titles and with red letters, promising much grace, and many
years, days, and lents of pardon, which they could never in
deed perform, to the great deceit of the people, and the utter
destruction of their souls. And so the author descended to
the superstitious prayers used to the Virgin Mary ; and par
ticularly considered that promise, that whosoever said a cer
tain prayer before her image, called. The image qfour Lady
qfPity, should see her visage, and be warned both of the
day and also of the hour of his death, before he departed
out of this world. He shewed also the great danger the
people ran into of idolatry in these prayers to the Virgin
Mary and saints; and took the boldness to write thus:
" That it was not raeet, coraely, nor fitting, that in our
" prayers we should raake a God or Saviour of any saint
" in heaven, no, not of our blessed Lady ; neither was it
" raeet to raake thera check with our Saviour Christ, much
" less then to raake thera check-raate. He wished they
" that were learned should here caU to mind the honour of
" latria, wherewith they were wont to say and preach, and
" in disputations to declare and teach, that it was both sin
" and shame to honour any creature. That the distinction
" of lafrla, dulia, and hyperdulia, in contentious disputa-
" tions, swam ever in their lips. But when they came to
" practise the matter in theu- petitions and prayers, then

UNDER KING HENRY VlII. 337
" seemed it as clean forgotten with them, as they had never CHAP.
" spoke it, read it, nor heard of it in their hves."

In this Primer was amassed together divers tracts, with Anno 1535.
several admonitions and prefaces to the readers thereof: and, ^ P"""*'™-
1 _ 'lar account
as it seems, set forth at several times, and now collected and of it.
printed together, as a useful book of necessary devotions for
ordinary Christians. But it gave great offence to the Pa
pists, and as soon as the times favoured them, and the Lord
Crumwel was despatched, they procured some of the tracts
to be prohibited, and brought in upon pain of heresy. It
began, I. With an exposition upon the Ten Commandments:
wherein the second is, after the old popish way, swallowed
up into the first, without any distinction. Next was,
II. An exposition of the Creed.
III. Then a general confession for every sinner, wherein
he acknowledgeth how he had broke all the Ten Com
mandments. And here it is to be marked, that there was a
plain distinction (though there were none in the first tract)
between the first and the second ; for the penitent is brought
in speaking thus under the second article of his confession :
" I have divided thine honour and worship frora thee, and
" given it to thy creatures, and dead things ima^ned of
" mine own fantasy; I mean, in the misusing of images." 2I9
Which makes me conclude this third tract, and that first, had
different authors.
IV. An instruction how and in what manner we ought
to pray to Almighty God. And this ushered in,
V. A goodly breve interpretation or declaration of the
Lord's Prayer. And that accompanied with a plain and
true relation of the sense of,
VI. The Ave Maria, or the angel's salutation of our
Lady ; which began with this caution : " Here first of all
*' take heed, that no man put his sure trust and hope in the
" Mother of God, or her merits ; for this sure confidence is
*' due to God only, &c. The grace and favour that was
" given her of God, ^veth us an occasion to praise God,
" and give him thanks. We ought none otherwise to praise
VOL. I. z

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « and love her, than one which hath received such goodness^,
^^^^- . " without her own deserving, of the pure Hberahty and fa-

Anno J535. a your of God : even as she herself doth knowledge in that
" song,- Magnificat.'" And after the recital of the Ave in
EngHsh, to correct the superstition of those that make it a
meritorious prayer, follow these words : " Here thou seesti
" that in these words no petition, but pure praises and ho-
" nours are contained^ &c. : therefore we cannot call this
" salutation a petition or prayer properly, &c.; because it is
" not lawful for us to expound these words further than
" they sound, and than the Godhead did make them."
VII. A very pious, devout prayer to God, beginning,
O Maker qf heaven and earth, &c. ; being an application to
God under the consideration of hira as our great Creator.
VIII. The office of all states : bishops, rulers, commons,
husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, children, masters., ser
vants, widows.
IX. A short treatise of good works.
X. A little declaration of principles, being an exliortation
to expect the cross, and patiently to bear it.
XI. Mattins and even song in English ; beginning, 0
Lord, open fhou my lips : and then shall my mouth shew
forth thy praise.
XII. The seven penitential Psalras Englished.
XIII. The Litany; with a preface before it, giving a
reason why it was left out in the forraer edition : which was,
because it being an application to the blessed Virgin and
the saints, many worshipped thera in a vain superstitious
raanner, and thought that God by Christ would none other
wise gladly hear and accept their petitions, but by his bless
ed raother and saints. In the sarae preface is answered
the ordinary plea for addressing to saints, viz. that if a man
have a suit to any teraporal prince, he raust first make a
raeans unto him by somebody that is in his favour. But the
author answered, " It was not between God and us, as it is
" between an earthly prince and his subjects ; because God
" is in all places, and at all tiraes doth both know and hear
" our petitions : which any earthly prince doth not, or cannot.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 339
" without another means. And that there was no com- CHAP. XXXI
" raandment of holy Scripture, that we must of necessity .

pray to our blessed Lady and saints, or that otherwise we Anno 1535.
" cannot be heard. Though it is true, we raust needs have
" a peace-maker, or mediator ; which is his only Son." And 220
after the preparatory preface, foUows the Litany in English,
but after the old strain, with addresses to the Virgin Mary
first, then to the angels, then to the twelve Apostles,
martyrs, confessors, and virgins, to pray for us, with their
several names.
XIV. An Expositiouj after the raanner of a conteraplation
Upon the 51st Psalm.
XV. A prayer to our Lord Jesus ; beginning, O boun
tiful Jesu, O sweet Jesu, &c.
XVI. The passion of our Saviour Christ : being the his
tory of his passion, related at length out of the Evangelists,
digested together in a continued story. In ten distinct parts
or sections.
XVII. A devout and fruitful reraerabrance of Christ's
passion. This discourse is leveUed against such as made no
other use ofthe thoughts of Christ's deaths than to wax wood
and furious against the bhnd Jews, and Judas their guide.
But this, saith the author, might better be called a reraera
brance ofthe Jews' wickedness, than Christ's passion. And
secondly, against such as carried about them iraages, painted
papers, carved crosses, to help them to behold the passion of
Christ, because of the external benefits that would accrue to
them thereby ; thinking themselves thereby to be safe from
fire, water, and other perUous jeopardy : as though, said he,
the cross should dehver them from such outward troubles,
and not rather the contrary. He blamed also the preachers,
which, when they treated of the passion, " leaped out of
" the fruitful and wholesome story, into these common
" places ; how Jesus took his leave of his disciples, and
" with what dolorous sighs his raother Mary pitied him,
" and such other things. On these, said he, they babble at
" length, and descant their pleasures, rather to the wearying
" than edifying their audience. In this rank he numbered
z 2

340 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " them who instructed others what excellent comraodities
^^^'- « are in the Mass : insorauch, that rude and ignorant people
Anno 1 535. « persuaded theraselves, that it was sufficient salve for all
«' sores, if they heard a raass ; and that they should have
" good luck in whatsoever they went about, good or evil.
" They considered not, as he went on, that the Mass was
" instituted of Christ to raake us raore holy through the de-
" "vout reraerabrance of his passion, with a pure faith," &c.
XVIII. A fruitful and very Christian instruction for
chUdren ; with prayers at their rising in tbe raorning, and
at their going to bed at night ; and graces to be used before
and after meat.
XIX. A dialogue between the father and the son ; being
a plain exposition upon the Creed and the Ten Command
ments. And here the second coraraandraent is recited at
large, and distinguished frora the first. This was one of the
books that was afterwards prohibited to be read.
XX. A prayer for the moUifying and suppling of our
hard hearts, the afflicting of our blind hearts, and the true
converting of our impenitent hearts.
XXI. An effectuous prayer, very needful these last and
perilous days, to be said with tears and deep sighs from the
bottom of our hearts, (being the prayer of the Prophet
221 Esay, chap. 63 and 64 of his prophecy,) for the restomg
of Christ's poor Church, scattered abroad with persecution,
and as it were forsaken : beginning, Lord, look out from
heaven, &c.
XXII. The song of Anna, Helkana's wife : beginning,
My heart is pleasantly set at rest with the Lord, &c.
XXIII. The prayer of the Prophet Daniel for tbe re
storing of Christ's Church, under the figure of Jerusalem
and the chUdren of Israel being in captivity: be^nning,
Haste thee. Lord God, which art great, &c.
XXIV. Prayer peaseth God's wrath- A short discourse
on that subject ; exciting to prayer in those perilous days on
that account.
XXV. The Dirige, in EngHsh ; which was the office used
to be said for the souls of the dead. With an admonition or

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 341
warning prefixed, for the true understanding and meaning chap.
of the Dirige: wherein he hath these words; "Araong.

" other works of darkness and deep ignorance, wherein we Anno isas.
" have blindly wandered, following a sort of blind guides
" many days and years, I account this not one of the least,
" that we have ronge and songe, mumbled, murmured, and
" piteously pewled forth a certain sort of psalms, with re-
" sponds, versicles, and lessons to the same, for the souk
" of our Christian brethren and sistern departed out of this
" world. Which psalms and lessons, I beseech God I dy, if
" they make any more for any such use and purpose, that
" is to say, that they ought or raay be used rather for thera
" that be departed, than for thera that be in life and in good
" bodily health, then raay Te Deum or Gloria in excelsis.""
And again, " There is nothing in the Dirige, taken out of
" the Scripture, that raakes any raore raention of the souls
" departed, than doth the tale of Robin Hood."
XXVL The Coraraendations in English; which was an
office wherein all Christian souls were coraraended unto God.
Consisting of several psalras : whereof the first is the 119th.
XXVII. The Psalras, in English, of the passion of
Christ : beginning with the 22d Psalra.
XXVIII. The prayer of Jonas delivered out of the
whale's beUy.
XXIX. .A goodly exposition upon the thirtieth Psalm;
being made by Hierome of Ferrarie, and translated into
English. Thip book did excellent service, no question, in this igno- A procia-
rant age; especially while it was allowed freely to be read gainst po-
by all. And this was one araong the many good services P'^'i books.
the Lord Crurawel did for religion. And by this means
also, the King this year issued out a proclaraation for calling
in sedifious books ; araong which were reckoned, a,nd now
chiefly intended, such books as favoured the Bishop of
Rome. And Crumwel, where he saw occasion, directed
his letters to particular persons to bring in their books of
th^s nature upon their peril. And though Sir Thomas Sir Tho.
Elyot, the learned knight, and in the year 1532 the King's ^Y"*'
z3

343 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. Ambassador to Rorae, was his old friend, and very weU
^^^^- known to hira, yet he, suspecting hira to be favourable to

N". LXII.
Some ac
count of
him.

Anno 1 535. the old religion, and knowing him to be a great acquaint
ance of Sir Thomas More, writ to hira, warning him to send
in any popish books that he had. Whereat Elyot wrote to
the said Crumwel a letter, wherein he declared to him his
222 judgment of the need of a reformation of the Clergy, and
concerning Papists and popish books, to clear himself of
any surmise the King or the Secretary mighthave of him.
This letter raay be found in tbe Appendix.
Frora this knight I cannot pass without taking a littie
raore notice of liim, b^^ng one of the learnedest and wisest
raen of this time. He was one, who as before he served his
King and country in embassies and public affairs, so devoted
these latter years of his Hfe in writing discourses for the
public good, and for promoting true wisdoin and virtue
among his countrymen, He had from his younger years a
great desire after knowledge, and an earnest affectation of
being beneficial to his country. When some gaUants had
mocked at hira for writing a book of physic, crying, that Sir
Thoraas Eliot was becorae a physician, in the next edition
of that book, in tbe preface, he gave this answer; " Truly,
" if they wiU call hira a physician, which is studious about
" the weal of his country, I vouchsafe they so name me;
" fdr during ray life I wUl in that affection alway continue."
And in the proerae of another of his books*, he writ, that
" he was naturally, even from his childhood, disposed to a
" desire of knowledge ; to which he joined a constant in-
" tent to profit thereby his natural country : whereunto,
" according to the sentence of TuUy, we be, said he, espe-
" cially bounden." He applied the most part of his life in
perusing dihgentiy all ancient works, Greek and Latin, that
he could corae by, that treated of any piece of phUosophy
necessary to the institution of a man's life in virtue. And
having well digested his reading, he set forth such parts of
his studies as he thought might be profitable to such as
shoujd read or hear them : so that he was an excellent
historian and philosopher.

» Know
ledge that
makes a
wise man.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 343
Among the books he wrote, one was entitied. The Go- CHAP.
. XXXI.
vemor: which was a treatise instructing men, great men .

especiaUy, in good raorals, and reproving their vices. It Anno isss.
consisted of divers chapters, some of thera concerning cffor- j|,g q„. '
bility, benevolence, beneficence, and of the diversity of^^''""''-
flatterers, and such like. In which chapters especially
were some sharp and quick sentences, which raany of the
sparks could not well bear. They coraplained of his strange
terms, as they called them. These Elyot compared to a
galled horse abiding no plaisters, that were always knap
ping and kicking at such exaraples and sentences as they
felt sharp, or did bite thera. They said, it was no little
presuraption in hira, that he would, in noting other raen's
vices, correct magnificat. By which phrase, I suppose, they
meant, that however bold he made with the vices of Jthe
meaner sort of men, it was an insufferable affront to raeddle
with those of the nobler rank ; that was, to correct magni
ficat. Others there were that conjectured he wrote to re
buke some particular person; designing thereby to bring
him or his works under the indignation of some raan in au
thority. " Thus unkindly," said he, " is ray benefit re-
" ceived, ray good will consuraed, and all my labours de-
" voured." But to this book King Henry did the honour to i'he King's
read it, and rauch liked it ; making this observation upon it, f^°*"7
" That Sir Thoraas Elyot intended to augment our Enghsh
" tongue, whereby raen should as well express raore abun-
" dantly things conceived in their hearts, (wherefore lan-
" guage was ordained,) having words apt for the purpose ;
" as also interpret out of Greek, Latin, or any other tongues 223
" into English, as sufficiently as out of any of the said
" tongues into another. The King observed also, that
" throughout the book there was no new terra raade by
" hira of a Latin or French word ; that no sentence through-
" out the said book was thereby made dark, or hard to be
" understood." Another book of his writing was entitled. Of the Know
ledge which maketh a wise Man, in five Platonic dialogues
between Plato and Aristippus.
z 4

344 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. He wrote divers others, but I will only raention his book
XXXI. ^^ physic, called the Casfel qf Health. In what year the

Anno 1535. first edition was, I know not; but the second was in 1541.
" He^th' Neither for this book could he escape the detraction both of
the gentry and of those of the faculty. The former sort
mocked at him, saying, A worthy matter; Sir Tho. Elyot Is
become a physician, and writes in physic, which beseems
not a knight. The physicians were angry, that he should
meddle in their science, and write of physic in EngHsh, to
make the knowledge thereof coraraon. To the gentry he
raade this answer, " That many kings and emperors, and
" other great princes, (whose naraes he there sets down, as
" Juba, Mithridates, Artiraisia, &c.) for the universal ne-
" cessity and incomparable utUity which they perceived to
" be in that science, did not only advance and honour it
" with special privUeges, but also were therein studiouS'
" themselves." And that it was no sharae for a person of
quality to write a book of the science of physic, any more
than it was for King EEenry VIII. to pubHsh a book of the
science of grararaar, which he had lately done^ And, " that
" his Highness had not disdained to be the chief author
" and setter forth of an Introduction into Grammar for the
" chUdren of his subjects. Whereby, said he, having good
" raasters, they shaU easily and in short apprehend the un-
" derstanding and forra of speaking true and elegant Latin."
For which he breaks out in praises of the King : 0 royal
heart, full qf very nobilify! O noble breast, Sec. To the
physicians he answered, " that his book of physic was in-
" tended for their benefit, that the uncertain tokens of urines
" and other excreraents should not deceive them, but that
" by the true information of the sick raan, by him instruct-
" ed, they might be the more sure to prepare medicines
" convenient for the diseases." And as for those that
blamed hira for writing in English, he on the other hand
blamed them for affecting to keep their art unknown. In
sorauch that there were sorae of them, that would have some
particular language devised, with a strange cipher, or form
of letters ; wherein they would have their science written.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 345
Which language or letters no raan should have known, that chap.
had not professed nor practised physic. But to others of  '__
the college that raade reflection upon his skill, and charged Anno 1535.
hisibook with errors about sorae herbs and raedicines, them
he lets understand his study in this piece of learning : that
before he was twenty years old, one of the raost learned
physicians in England, perceiving him by nature inclined
to knowledge, read to him the works of Galen, of tempera
ments, natural faculties, the introduction of Joannicius, and
some of the aphorisms of Hippocrates, Galen, Oribasius,
Paulus CeHus, Alexander TralHanus, Plinius both the one
and the other, with Dioscorides. He read also Avicen, 224
Averrois, and many raore. And though, he said, he had
never been at MontpeHer, Padua, or Salern, yet he had
found soraething in physic, whereby he found no little profit
for his own health.
The wisdom of this Knight appeared in those wise and The wis-
weighty sentences that often fell frora him. For exaraple : -^^Xt. '^
in excuse for hiraself in dealing plainly with vicious men,
he said, " Man is not yet so confirmed in grace, that he in preface
" cannot sin : and I suppose no prince thinks himself to be*" J"^ ''""''
_ J^J^ ^ of know-
" exempt from mortality. And forasmuch as he shall have ledge.
" many occasions to fall, he ought to have the raore friends,
" or the raore instructions to warn hira." Concerning our
laws he had this expression ; " Some do prefer the study of
" the laws of this realra, calhng it the only study of the
" pubhc weal ; but a great number of persons, which have
" consumed in suit more than the value of that they have
" sued for, in their anger do call it a common detriment,
" Although undoubtedly the very self law, truly practised,
" passeth the laws of all other countries." Of reading the
Scriptures, which in his tirae began to be used, he would
say, " Sorae do chiefly extol the study of the Scriptures, as
" it is reason ; but while they do wrest it to agree with
" their wiUs, arabition, or vain-glory, of the raost noble and
" devout learning they do endeavour them to make it ser-
" vUe, and full of contention." Once more, speaking of the
Enghsh gluttony, and feeding on sundry raeats at one meal,

346 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, he hath these words : " The spirit of gluttony triurapheth
XXXI. « araong us in his glorious chariot, called welfare, driving

Anno 1535. " US afore hira, as his prisoners, into his dungeon of surfeit:
Castei of ii where we are torraented with catarrhs, fevers, gouts, plu-
Health, , , i ¦ i
p. 44. " risies, fretting of the guts, and raany other sicknesses ;
" and finally, crueUy put to death by them, oftentimes in
" youth, or in the most pleasant time of our life, when we
" would most gladly live. For the remedy whereof, how
" many times have there been devised ordinances and acts
" of council ; although perchance bodily health was not
" the chief occasion thereof, but rather provision against
*' vain and sumptuous expences of the raean people. For
" the nobility was exerapted, and had liberty to abide stUl
" in the dungeon, if they would, and to live less whUe than
" other raen. But when, where, and how long, were the said
" good devices put in due execution, for all that thereof
" should succeed double profit, that is to say, health of body,
" and increase of substance, by eschewing of superfluous
" expences in sundry dishes -¦' Alas ! how long will men fan-
" tasy laws and good ordinances, and never determine them.''
'^' Fantasy proceedeth of wit, deterraination of wisdom. Wit
" is in the devising and speaking, but wisdora is the per-
" forraance, whicb resteth only in execution." And thus
we take our leave of the learned and wise Sir Tho. Elyot
in that age.

225 CHAP. XXXIL
The King's embassies fo Scotland, France, and Germany:
to draw other princes from dependance on the Pope.
Ambassa- ijUT to look abroad : the King, having assuraed the su
dors sent to • 1 , /. , ,
Scotland, premacy, as was said before, laboured to draw other his
neighbour princes frora dependance on the Pope, and to
vindicate their own original right and power. And thereby
to strengthen hiraself with theu- friendship, in case of any
atterapts against his kingdora by the Pope, which was very

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 347
severely threatened. Therefore this year he sent to aU CHAP.
places and princes, to give an account of this bold action. .

And particularly he sent to James, King of Scots, his Ara- Anno isss.
bassadors ; who were WUliara Barlow his Chaplain, Bishop
Elect of St. Asaph, and Tho. Holcroft, the same, I suppose,
that was afterwards a Knight and Knight Marshal. There
was a very notable letter or declaration made to him by the
King's command, setting forth the encroachments and usurp
ations of Popes upon sovereign Kings and Princes; nay,
and thrusting God out of his place too, as well as Princes,
by his dispensations, false miracles, and relics. And that all
these things considered, it might please him to take notice
of the King's gracious affection toward hira, to allure him
to the favourable entertainraent of God's word. The copy
of the said declaration may be found in the Appendix. N». LXlll.
This, that king was desired to read over, and to consider
well the arguments thereof. But he was so wedded to the
Pope, or so prejudiced on the other side, that, instead of
reading it himself, all he did was to deliver it to his Clergy. Life of
And so nothing came of it: as the Lord Herbert from ^'^jg"''''
Buchanan writes.
And as the King had set on foot this agency in Scotland, Message to
so he ordered Sir John Wallop, his Arabassador with the j^ing.
French King, to resort unto hira, to expostulate with him
for giving his advice to the Gerraans, to own the supremacy
of the Roman Bishop ; and to shew hira the book writ by
the Dean of his chapel. Dr. Sampson, and several of his
Bishops' sermons, against the supreraacy ; and to let hira
know how dishonourable it was to yield himself a subject of
the said foreign Bishop, and to move others so to do. To
certify hira also, that he took it strange that he should ex
hort the Gerraan Princes to condescend to a thing contrary
to the judgment both of themselves and of his Grace : and
that he must think the amity much touched, in that he
should raove any state or country to do a thing so much
against his Highness and his own promise. Finally, that
he should do his utmost to dissuade thc French King from

348 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, pbedience to the Pope, and to inchne him to the King's
XXXII. opinion in that behalf.

Anno 1535. But the King now applied hiraself raost of all to Ger-
Fox and many : thinking it very conducible in this juncture of his
Hethe sent •' .,=" ,•' .,, t»- i,i_j
toGermany.affauTS to stnke up a league with those Princes: who had
also renounced the Pope, as he had done. They were now
asserabled at, Smalcald- Thither he sent Dr. Fox, Bishop
226 of Hereford, accompanied with Dr. Hethe, (to whom was
joined Dr. Barnes, that came into Gerraany before,) who
after their raessage done frora the King to them, exhorting
thera tp unity in doctrine, wherein he offered his best as-,
sistance by conference with their Divines, and warning
thera, that they were not to expect a free council of the
Pope's caUing, desired that they would appoint some, with,
whora they raight hold a more private communication of
these matters. And accordingly there were some appointed
to confer with them.
The Ger- In the latter end of December were divers petitions made
Princes to the King, frora the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave
their peti- of Hesse, in the narae of the confederates, in order to a
the King, league. They raay be seen at large in the Appendix under
N-.LXIV. thirteen articles. The Lord Herbert contracts them into
K Henry ^^^^ propositions: as, 1. That the King would approve the
p. 44 1. Augustan Confession. 2. That he should defend it in a
free CouncU. 3. That neither part should admit summons
for a Council without the others' consent. 4. That they
should protest against the Pope, if he should proceed other
wise. 5, That the King should join unto their doctrine
and league, and accept the title of Patron and Defender oi
it. 6. That the opinion of the Pope's priraacy should be
for ever rejected. 7. That in case of invasion of either
party, neither shpuld yield aid to the invaders. 8. That
the King should pay an 100,000 crowns towards the de
fence of the league. And that if the war be long, 200,000.
The reraainder to be restored, when the war was ended,
9. That when the King had declared his mind, they should
send an embassy of learned raen to hira.

UNDER KING HENRV VIII. 349
The Bishop of Winchester was now the King's Anibas- ^^^'J-
sador in France. To him, being a Privy Counsellor, (I .

suppose,) the Secretary wrote for his opinion of these arti- A"""' ^*''-
cles. To which, like a subtle underminer of the Intended
league with the German Protestant Princes and States, he
wrote an answer, utterly disapproving them, but upon
plausible arguments : as, " That hereby the King would beThejudg-
" bound to the Church of Germany, and might not do ac- EfsUop of
" cording as God's word should direct, without their allow- Winchester concernioff
" ance. That as the King was the Head of the Church ofthem.
" England by the authority of Scripture, so by the same
" authority the Emperor was Head of the Church of Ger-
" raany : and that therefore the German Princes, who were
" subject to the Emperor, could not consent to any agree-
" ment with the King without his consent. And if they
" should do it without him, it would derogate the King's
" cause of supremacy. That their proraise to the King
" could not be sure, nor to be relied on, they being in sub-
" jection to the Emperor. That the word association,
" which the Princes used, sounded not weU, and to the' dis-
" pdragement of the King, who should rather be cdUed the
" principal and head of the league, and the rest adherents
" or dependents. That whatsoever the King stipulated to
"them, they were not able to make a reciproque. That
" whereas they spake of sending their arabassadors hither
" about the controversies of religion, this looked coii-
" temptibly towards us, as though they were to teach and
" instruct us ; not to sue to us, nor to learn of us, but to di-
" rect our Church in its ceremonies." But the paper is
worth the reader's perusal, as Winchester sent it byway of 227
letter to Crurawel. He shall find it in the Appendix. N". lxv.
In fine ; by the answer the King returned to the German The King's
Princes, it appeared Winchester's counsel aforesaid weighed tUg^grman
but little with him. For about the mio'nth of January he articles.
sent his resolution to their petitions : whidh was expressed in
very fair and amicable words, iiiz. " that he acknowledgfed
" the goodness of God in giving them such steadfastness.

350 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " That their wondrous virtues ravished and drew his mind
XXXII. u ^ Yoye thera. Insorauch that he would never pass any

Anno 1535. " occasion of doing what raight conduce to their godly pro-
" ceedings. That though there were sorae things in their
" articles, that he would not easUy grant to any prince,
" though never so great ; yet for his affection towards
" thera, thinking they raeant nothing but the reformation
" of the Church, he condescended to. That he desired only
" the third and ninth articles to be raore amply declared,
" viz. that, without mutual consents, neither part should
" agree to the Roman Bishop's indiction of a CouncU : and
" that if either part should be invaded, the other part
" should not assist the invaders. That be would contribute,
" according to their desire, for the defence of the league.
" That whereas the princes raentioned sending their am-
" bassadors, the King gave way thereunto, and prayed that
" they would send thera fuUy instructed, and with sufficient
" power and authority, and that they should have reasonable
" and friendly answers. That he was wUHng to accept
" the honour tbey would do him, to entitle him fhe De-
" fender of their religion, for the glory of the Gospel, and
" being desirous to do thera pleasure. And because he
" much desired his Bishops and learned raen should agree
" with theirs, he required that some of their exceUent and
" learned raen raight be sent hither with their orators^ to
" confer and treat together, for the mitigating of some points
" in their confession and apology. Lastly, he desired of
" thera, that in case his kingdora were invaded, they would
" furnish him with five hundred horsemen, or ten ships of
" war, to serve him for four months. And that they should
" retain at the King's cost a certain nuraber of horse and
" foot : the horse not passing two thousand, and the foot
*' not passing five thousand. Or, instead of the foot, twelve
" ships in good order finished. And that the King might
" hire and retain thera as long as he should please. And
" lastly, that they would jn all councUs and places defend
" Dr. Martin [Luther,] Justus Jonas, Cruciger, Pomeran,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 851
" Melancthon, in the cause of the King's marriage :" I ^^ A P.
suppose, in a free defiberation and declaration of their.

minds upon it. This answer is at length wrote out in the Anno isss.
Appendix. N°.LXVI.
Dr. Fox, the King's Arabassador, tanied aU this winter The Ambas-
at Wittenburgh, transacting the King's business, conferring ^uten-
with tbe learned men, and araong other things persuading burgh.
1 11 1 -J- 1 T nil ,°Languefs
thera to allow the Kings divorce. Tbe next year thechron.
Princes, according to the King's desire, sent their orators
over : and what they did, we shall see under that year.
But that we raay have a raore perfect account of this re- Some fur-
markable embassy, let us represent some passages of it from count of the
the archives and acts of the Gerraans, as well as frora our King's Am-
. . n 1 1 n - 1-1 bassadors.
Aown. The industrious Seckendori wntes, that m the month nog
of December a raore solemn legation came from England,
I as Dr. Barnes had given them notice, who was there before,
^ concerning the Arabassadors and the corapany with them.
What opinion was then had of thera may be learned from
the judgraent of Melancthon, expressed in a letter to Ca
raerarius, wherein he somewhat valued Heth the Arch
deacon, (as he styled liim,) as having a savour of religion
and learning, but scarce any of them else. " ^Nicolas Heth,
" the Archdeacon, alone excels in huraanity and learning
" araong our guests. As for the rest of them, they have
" no relish of our philosophy and sweetness. Therefore,"
saith he, " I shun, as much as I can, converse with them."
However, they were received with all honour, and much
deference given thera. They related to the Elector what
the King had given thera in coraraandment, viz. of concord
in religion, and of making a rautual defence against the
Pope. It was further noted of these Arabassadors as an absurdity Censures of
they were guUty of, that when certain articles, dated De-* *""'
ceraber 25, were to be subscribed, the three Ambassadors
subscribed before the Elector and Landgrave, they writing
* Unus Nic. Hethus Archidiaconus hulnanitate et Uteris excellit inter hos-
pites nostros ; cseteri oiyiugroi «,usrsg«f fiXaffofias kui yXvKvrviTcs.

352 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, theu- names under them. 'Which form would, saith my
' -author, hardly hold at this day. It was also observed in

Anno 1535. this subscription, how httle our learned men then regarded
orthography, Heth writing Nicholaus for Nicolaus. Fox
also, the other Ambassador, was animadverted upon, who in
May 1536, writing to the Elector, subscribed thus, Electo-
ralls Celsifudinis vesfra bonus amicus : that is. Your Elec
toral Highness'' s good friend, (without that sense of distance
and good manners that became him.)
Fox declares Rut as to their busiuess ; Fox, during his stay, went often
mind as fa- to Pontauus's bousc, and there did boldly assert, that the
vounngthe Xing would altogether allow of the opinions of those of
opinions. Wittemberg : nor would he himself so wiUingly assent, but
tbat he was certain of the King's raind. But he did vehe
mently insist, that a legation should be despatched into
England, consisting as well of Divines, as others of the chief
nobility; and desired George of Anhalt, above all, might be
one, being a nobleman, and chief governor of the town of
Magdeburg.
Conference In the conference held between the Ambassadors and the
Witten- Witteraburg Divines, they drew up this doctrine of the
burgh Di- Lord's Supper, taken from the Augustan Confession ; (which
the Ambassadors received, and took along with them, when
The articles they departed into England,) " We constantly beUeve and
Supper " teach, that in the Sacrament of the body and blood of
" Christ, the body and blood of Christ is truly, substantially,
" and really under the kinds of bread and wine." And in
the forra of the league, propounded by the Ambassadors to
be entered into, it was thus set down concerning the Pope :
And of the " Neither shall the raost serene King, nor the Ulustrious
"P«- ii Princes or States, ever hereafter acknowledge or defend,
" that any priraacy or raonarchy of the Roraan Bishop doth
" now obtain, or ever hath obtained, by Divine right : nei-
" ther shaU they ever consent to that opinion, that it is pro-
229 " fitable or expedient to the Christian coraraonwealth, that
" the Roraan Bishop is above aU other Bishops; or that he
" exercise for the future any jurisdiction in the kingdoms,
" dominions, and territories of the said King and Princes."

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 353
To beget the more favourable opinion of the King in the CHAP.
minds of these German Protestants, Fox, in an oration he  '_

made to the confederates, asserted, "that an abrogation Anno isss.
" was made by the King of the irapious popish abuses, and how the"*
" that pardons or indulgences were abolished. And he did King abo-
" confidently determine, that no peace could be made, the pjsh abuses.
" Pope's kingdora standing ; which he called, TTie Ba-
" bylonian tyranny. And he said moreover, the Pope
" was the true Antichrist, who sought after nothing but
" honour and profit, and nourished the seeds of discord
" among princes."
Beside the repetition of the Augustan Confession before Which not-
mentioned, concerning the Lord's Supper, the Divines ofWit- ingtheWit-
temburgh laboured other articles with the Ambassadors, in temburgh
angle dissertations drawn up by Melancthon, as it seemed, not satisfied
Together with these were two other dissertations added, and""'*'
sent the King, and brought when the Ambassadors carae
horae ; one of the marriage of Priests, and the other of the
Mass. In the end of which they had these words, that
they wondered much at the English decree, when no amend
ment qf abuses was propounded. For the Ambassadors
had shewn the decree of King Henry published against some
abuses ; in which the lighter of thera were only touched,
and the chief and capital ones oraitted and let sHp. Where
fore these Divines did with a masculine courage declare
against them. And in a copy yet remaining, which Me
lancthon had perused, there be several of his obeHsks mark
ed in the margins ; and in some places he writ ouSev uyil;,
that is, nofMng found. There was also one most laborious
discourse more, concerning raonastic vows : which with the
rest are stUl preserved in the Gerraan archives ; and as yet
never published.
But whatsoever was pretended of the King's care of reH- The King
g^on by this embassy, the German historian raakes the great ^?j^j"^*^ '°
reason of it, and that which indeed the King chiefly intend- o'^n cause,
ed by it, to be the respect he had to his own cause of ma^ pretence of
trimony: which he chiefly rainded, and for the sake crf^^'Sion-
which, sought therein not only the approbation of these
VOL. 1. A a

354 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Divines, but the society of the Duke of Saxony and the
^^"^^^- confederates. That by theur help he might be able the bet-

Anno 1535. ter to resist the Emperor, being about to revenge the wrong
done to his aunt. And to make this the raore probable,
although Fox by letters to the King had related what was
done at Wittemburgh, yet he received commands, by which
the business of religion was deferred and prolonged.
¦raeAmbas- The Ambassadors returned horae in January, excepting
turn n-ith Fox, as it sceras, who stayed behind. And February 8,
meni"of the 13^6' (^^^.t is, 1535, according to the EngHsh Church's
German Di-coraputation,) the King wrote letters, dated at Greenwich,
cerning the to the Elector, with great humanity, and many thanks for
divorce. the civU treating of his Ambassadors, leaving the further
negotiation of matters to Fox : the chief of which was con
cerning the King's raarriage. But the judgraent of the
Witteraburgh Divines, (though they held the unlawfulness
230of bis raarriage,) went against the King's divorce; which
judgraent the Bishop of Sarum hath printed out of Mr. Ri.
Smith's MSS. It was drawn up in writing, and the Am-
Hist. Ref. bassadors returning brought it along with thera. A German
p. 34. copy whereof, drawn out by Caspar Cruciger's hand, and
sent frora Witteraburgh to the Elector, is preserved in the
archives of Smalcald. In which copy were certain words,
which were left out in that which the Ambassadors brought
to the King ; to put him in hope, as it seems, to have here
after the assent of the Witterabergians. Which words were
these: " Although we agree with the Arabassadors, that the
" law of not raarrying the brother's wife is to be observed;
" yet it reraains in controversy araong us, which the Am-
" bassadors assert, that there is no place for a dispensation,
" [but that there must be a divorce of such an unlawful
" marriage.] But we think there is place. For the law
" cannot more strictly oblige us, than it did the Jews. But
" if the law admitted a dispensation, the bond of matrimony
" is stronger than the other law concerning marrying the
" wife's brother." This raay raore clearly be understood
Luther's by a letter of Martin Luther to Dr. Barnes, one of the Am-
therein." bassadors ; which begins. En.' Iiaie f'lbi, mi Antoni, &c.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 355
Wherein he veliementlv opposed the dissolving of the King's c H A P.
matrimony consuraraated with the widow of his brother ; , ' ' '

and he woidd, " that the fame and right, as well of the wife Anno isss.
" as of the oflspring fiiora that marriage, should be spared.
" And his chief arguraent was, that Jf oses's law dodi not
" obhge Christians, unless as far as it takes in the divine
" and natural law. But matrimony with the brother's \riie
'• doth not fight ¦with the law of nature." IMelancthon also
was of the same judgment, and wrote largely thereof.
After the Ambassadors were gone home, many messengers The princes
of the princes and cities confederate were against a treaty ^^^ ^^,gaf
with the King of England. And the Elector in July 1536. the K.>"S
Mgnified to the Landgrave his sohcitude : persuading to
make delay, or that some spv should be sent into England,
or that the matter should be left to ^pinus, the Superin
tendent of Hamburgh, who was very great with Crumwel,
that he should inquire diligently what was done in England.
And that because letters frora Barnes were brought to ile-
lancthon, in which he signified a change of things, and dis
suaded hira from a journev into England, who was alraost
determined to be sent. Others there were that accused the
Bishop of Hereford, Fox, the late Ambassador, ofa He, [as
though he made the matter of King Henry's inchnation to
the evangehcal doctrine more than indeed it was.] At
length the Princes met, and wrote letters to the King, dated
Sept 1, composed by Melancthon ; in which they prayed,
that the King would expledn his mind concerning the arti
cles about which his Ambassadors and the Divines of Wit
temburgh met the last year, as also concerning the CouncU ;
of whose indiction a report now went. But these letters
came slowly to the King. These matters are most what
coUected from that German author before mentioned, who
seems to be a man of great integritv as weU as learning,
and to have had great opportunities of knowing the matters
transacted in these times, bv his access to records. ^„.
The King, before this despatch of Fox last mentioned, p, Bames
had in May or June sent Dr. Bames and one Derick intoan*'?*"'^''
Germany, and Jlount and Haynes into Fiance, upon this Germany.
Aa 2

356 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, occasion. The German Protestants were inclined to put
XXXII. ^j^gjj, matters into the hands of Francis of France, and Henry

Anno 1535. of England. And both were wiUing, for their own ends, to
embrace a friendship with them. Du Bellay, the French
Ambassador, had so dealt with the Gerraans at Smalcald,
that he had persuaded them, as was believed here by some
intelligence from Sir John Wallop, the Arabassador in
France, to send Melancthon thither to confer with that
King about raatters of religion, and to receive that King's
instructions to reduce the Gerraans to the Pope, Melanc
thon hiraself now inclining to own his priraacy. Our King
was very earnestly desirous to stop that learned raan's going
to France ; and instead of travelling to that nation, to di
vert his course hither, if he could by any means possible.
For King Henry had an high opinion of his learning, as
well as of his other accomplishments: and moreover did
hope, that by his means (if he could but come to speech
with him) he might the easier bring him off from this pur
pose of persuading the Protestants to subrait to the Pope.
/ Wherefore, for the corapassing this design, the King or-
\ dered Crurawel to despatch away by post Dr. Barnes (he
; who was afterwards burnt for his religion) into Germany,
! to raeet with Melancthon, if he was on his journey, or
' ready to go into France, and to dissuade hira from it, with
certain arguraents that he was furnished with to use to hinj ;
and to endeavour to persuade hira to direct his journey ra
ther into England. If he should chance to miss of Melanc
thon, then he was instructed to go forward towards the
Princes of Germany, with certain messages to them : partly
to assure them of the King's steadfast resolutions, not to vary
from his actions against the Bishop of Rorae, and partiy to
take thera off frora depending upon the French King.
Account of This passage wUl be illustrated by what hath been col-
emhassy. lected from German acts and records by the said Lutheran
Hist. Luth. historian. Who writes, that the said Dr. Robert Bames
perSeckend. .
(better known in Gerraany by the name of Antonius Ama-
rius) carae to Wittemberg in the month of July, and
brought letters from the King, dated at Windsor, to Prince

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 357
John Frederick, Elector; wherein he was styled, Doctorem chap. XXXII
Barnes, Capellanum nostrum, ef S. Theologia Prqfes-

sorem. But at Wittemberg the plague so raged, that heAnnoisss.
found the greatest part of the Professors and Scholars re
moved to JeUe, in Thuringe. Barnes then got letters
written and signed by the hands of Luther, Jonas, Cruci
ger, and Melancthon ; wherein they commended him as al
ready known to the Prince, and signified that Melancthon
was by him sohcited to go into England to the King, who The King
offered him egregiam caufionem, imo ef obsides ; " suffi- ^eianc-
" cient caution, yea and hostages" for his safety. This callthon.
into England Melancthon raentioned in a letter to Carae
rarius. Of this journey, to which the King had invited
him, Luther conceived good hopes. For thus he writ ; "Who
" knows what God wiU effect .'' His wisdora is greater than
" ours, and his wUl better." He added, " That care be taken
" of Philip [Melancthon,] that he might not be afilicted by
" too much sorrow, otherwise Sad, he supposed, for the re-
" pulse which a little before the Elector gave him, in for-
" bidding his journey into France." But Melancthon took 232
this opportunity to insinuate hiraself into the King's good
opinion, sending hira in August letters, and his comraen-
tary upon the Romans, by his Secretary Alexander Ale-
sius, a Scot, the book being dedicated to him. The King
kindly accepted Melancthon's book and letter, and sent
bim two hundred crowns : and both the King himself, and
Crumwel, by his comraand, wrote letters to hira : the King's
letter, dated October 1, as it was coUected by Valentinus
Bevasus in his Compilatio, ran in this tenor :
" Henricus Dei gratia, Anghae et Franciae Rex, Fidei The King's
'* Defensor, et Dominus Hibemiae, ac supreraura Ecclesiae p*^""*"
" Anglicanae in terris sub Christo Caput, PhiHppo Melanc-
" tboni Sanctse Tbeologise Professori eximio, amico nostro
" pluriraura dilecto.
" Quod Christianse reli^onis ipsiusque veritatis propug-
" nandae studiosissimum te percepimus, sic eo nomine sin-
" cerissimo istius tui animi instituto aflicimur, ut nihil aeque
A a 3

358 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP.
XXXII.
Anno 1535

" in votis habearaus, ac ahquara sese offerre occasioneni
" sanctissimos istos tui pectoris conatus quacunque nostra
" opera juvandi et promovendi. Ad hujus ver6 nostras in te
" dUectionis non vulgaris animum quam maxiraa nuper ac-
" cessit ex Uteris abs te per Alexandrum Alesium ad nos
" datis. Quas etsi tui candoris et araicissirai erga nos studii
" indices essent satis locupletes, id taraen non obscur^ egre-
" gii destinati rauneris testiraonio pulcherrirao testari vo-
" luisti. Munus cert6 ex suipsius exceUentia dignum, quod
" boni oranes coraplectantur, et quod nostro nomini di-
" catura est, nobis oraniura quara raaxirae charum et accep-
" tura. Ob igitur istara bene erga nos affectse voluntatis
" significationem, ingentes et quantas possumus ex animo
" gratias tibi habemus, persuasuraque esse voluraus: nos
" rectissira^ istis tuis et cura Deo conjunctis studiis, nuUo
" unquara terapore aut loco, defuturos esse. Caetera ex fide-
" lissirai ac intirai Consiliarii Priraariique Secretarii nostri
" Thoraas CronveUi Uteris, uberius cognosces. Quibus ro-
" garaus ut cunctara fidem habere velis :' et ben^ ac diu
" valeas. Ex regia nostra Vintoniensi, d. 1, Octobris,
" 1535,"

His an- To this royal letter Melancthon wrote an answer, dated
ep. 27.' ' December 1, which whoso pleaseth raay read in his epistles.
The Eiec- But to take up aU Barnes's erabassy together. He had
to'the^"'''^ his audience of the Elector at Jene. September 18, the
King. Elector gave hira his answer. And September 28, sent let
ters to the King; wherein he praised Barnes's diligence,
and acknowledged thankfully the King's good-wUl towards
him : and that there was a great access made in his love to
his Majesty, when he and the rest with hira understood how
greatly he endeavoured the eraendation of the doctrines of
religion. The sarae Barnes had been before with George
Duke of Saxony, and expostulated with hira about a book
of Cochlgeus's writing, put forth against the King ; and re
quested that he might be brought to disputation. And this
for Barnes's embassy, before the coming of Fox and Heth.
But to look a little back-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 359
Haynes and Mount were to be despatched in post to Sir '^"AP.
John WaUop in France secretly, as his friends to visit hira. .

And by this raeans they were, if Melancthon were corae Anno isas.
thither, to resort to him_, and to persuade him to depart jj^^Mount
from France, as soon as raight be, and to aUure hira over, sent into
All this whole matter particularly was the effect of sorae persuad'e
instructions that the CouncU, being in progress wth the '^''*'"=*''°°
King, wrote from Langley to the Secretary Crurawel, giv-over.
ing him orders for the managery of this despatch. The 233
CouncU's letter shall be found in the Appendix. N». Lxvii.
But Sir John Wallop, in his next despatch of letters. Their busi-
ness licrea
dated August 17, signified that Melancthon was not like to
repair to France. However, the King sent Mount without
any delay, to take a journey where Melancthon was ; and
to get to hira before Monsieur De Langie should, who it
seems was sent by the French King to sohcit Melancthon
to corae ; that he might persuade his stay, and divert hira
into England. And the King had assurance alraost, that it
would take effect accordingly. Heynes, being now with
Mount in France, was ordered to go to Paris, there to un
derstand the opinions of the learned, and their affection,
how they stood inclined both to the King's proceedings and
the Bishop of Rorae's usurped power and authority.
The King was the more desirous to obtain the favour- Communi-
able sense of the learned in France, because King Francis ^een the
had lately some conference with King Henry's Arabassa- ^'"^'"'^
J 1 1 j> 1 , , - I^ing and
^dor, the raatter whereoi was not acceptable to hira; as English
Whough that King had not Hked of the Kmg's doings.^"''****'
Whicb discourse began upon this occasion. The Ambassa
dor, according to the King's conimand, had urged the pay
ment of his pensions, which the French King had been
backward in doing. Upon the Ambassador's demand
whereof, that King proraised it should be despatched ; yet
the Arabassador well observed, how he presently fell into a
discourse of his great friendship towards the King of Eng
land : and that be had at all times ans\<rered for hira, and
namely, to Pope Cleraent at Marseilles; and shewed to
him the King's raatriraony to be just and lawful. As
A a 4

360 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, though he meant that in requital of these kindnesses, King
^^^"- Henry should forgive him the debt. He spake then also to
Anno 1535. the Ambassador concerning the late executlon_pfJFisher
and More, and_some others; which he looked Jipon as
things extreraely done by the King. He pitied More, and
mentioned the good raanner of his death, and what he said
to his daughter as he was going to his judgment ; and how
i he exhorted the King's subjects to be true and obedient to
the King. Which, it seems, was false : but a formal relation
of this was framed, and sent into France, and there feU into
the great Master's hand, who promised the Ambassador a
copy thereof. Francis also, in his speech at this time with
the Arabassador, uttered sorae words, signifying rather his
dislike of the late laws made, than enacting them in his
kingdora, as King Henry raoved hira to do. He said, that
it was not raeet one Prince should desire another to change
his laws ; adding, that bis laws were too old to be changed ;
giving a jerk at King Henry's laws, because of the newness
oi them. He disliked the severity of them, and advised the
King, that he would rather use banishment than death.
And that he for his part did intend to cease those extreme
executions that were lately practised in his realm, and to
call horae his banished subjects that were fled for speaking
against the Pope.
Instruction The King of England was greatly nettled, when he un-
bassador ' dcrstood by his Arabassador this discourse, and gave him in-
herenpon. structlous to take some opportunity to enter into communica-
"^¦^ tion of these matters again, and what to answer to each head
of the French King's talk ; and particularly as to the^ exe
cution of More and Fisher. As, that it was not so extreme,
considering their treason and conspiracies practised within
his realm, and without, to move and stir up dissension, in-
P tending both the destruction of the King, and subversion of
, the realra. And that it was so raanifestly proved afore
r^ them, that they could not deny it. But I refer the reader
to Crumwel's letter to the Arabassador concerning this
Lxviii, whole matter, which I have reposited in the Appendix.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 361

CHAP. XXXIII.
Pole dealt withal to acknowledge ihe supremacy, and ihe
lawfulness qffhe King's divorce. Letters between Starky,
a learned Divine, and Pole, thereupon. Katharine, Prin
cess Dowager, dies. Some remarks qf her. Her last

i HE King was jealous of Reginald Pole, his kinsman, Anno isss.
now abroad, not standing right to neither of his causes, as The King
discourses
well that of his matrimony, as that of his supremacy. But with starky
knowing the high opinion generally conceived of him, he concemmg
was very desirous to gain him over. For this purpose the
Secretary had sent to him Sampson's book against the
Pope's supremacy, and for the King's being Head of the
Church, and desired him, in the King's name, to write in
favour of the same. There was one Thomas Starky, a
learned and ingenious man, called in by Crumwel, lately in
some service about the King, (in quahty of his Chaplain, if
I raistake not,) who was an old friend and dear acquaint
ance of Pole's, and had been with him in Italy, and there
left him ; and professed to love Pole better than his bro
ther. This person the King called one day before him
in this present year, and knowing him weU acquainted
with Pole, feU into discourse about him; as, of his
studies, and of his sentence and opinion in the King's
weighty causes. To which inquiries Starky answered ac
cordingly. He told the King, "that he was sure that cott. libr.
" Pole's mind, heart, and desure, was to do his Majesty true *^'°°P- ^' ^•
" and faithful service. But as touching his opinion in his
. " weighty causes, the one of his matrimony, and the other
" of his authority, because Pole used a prudent silence in
" such matters, he could affirm nothing to the King. But
" he said, he surely thought, that as for his learning and
" judgment, it was by time and dihgent study somewhat
" altered and increased : and that touching the discerning
" betwixt God's laws and man's, he would stretch and ex-
" tend all his power and knowledge, which, by the good-

362 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " ness of God, and his Grace's Hberahty, he had obtained,
wyitt ....
' . " and would gladly confer to the maintaining of siich things

Anno 1535. ii as his Grace's wisdora, by court of Parliaraent therein had
" decreed, to the honour of his Highness, and the wealth of
" his realm."
Commands But the King, not satisfied with this uncertain account of
him to write poig desired to hear Pole's sentence from himself. And
to Pole, for 1 ¦ 1 - mi
his judg- therefore comraanded Starky to write this to him ; " That
ment. „ jj. ^^^ ^^ King's pleasure that he should, like a learned
" man, ponder and weigh the nature of the things as they
" be in theraselves, and setting apart aU successes and dan-
" gerous effects, which of thera raay ensue, leaving all such
" things to the King's own wisdom and pohcy, declare his
" sentence truly and plainly, without colour or cloud of dis-
" simulation : willing hira, not to make of these things any
" great volume, but briefly to gather the raost effectual rea-
" sons, which in his storaach be of raost weight ; setting thera
" forth after his plain fashion of writing."
Which he Starky accordingly soon signified aU this to Pole by
does. letter, and withal bade him consider with himself, and pru
dently weigh, how princely a request this was of the Prince,
and then he was sure he would employ himself with all di
ligence to satisfy his noble desire. He told him, that Secre-
Crumwei's tary Crumwel also gently exhorted hira to the same, wishing
hira in any case, whatsoever his sentence should be, to use
his wonted plainness in the causes; and withal, that the
said Secretary certified hira, that in case his learning and
judgraent did stretch to the satisfying of the King's mind
and desire, that then his return hither to his own country
would be to the King's pleasure, and to his corafort, and
profit of his friends. And if his learning and knowledge.
would not serve him to this purpose, yet that he, the Secre
tary, would advise him of a loving raind, to prepare himself
towards his return, doubting nothing, but that the King
would use him in other causes and affairs. For that he
was sorry that his virtues should be drowned, and, as
in a stream, vanish away among strangers. Thus Crum
wel.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 363
To which messages of the King and Secretary, Starky, in CH AP.
his own name, added two words. One was, " That he would  '_
" be intreated to ponder well the Levitical law, how it is Anno i sss.
" rooted in the law of nature, and how by general councils ^*!^^^*„t
" it hath been many times declared and authorized thereby, with Pole.
" And upon the other side, the slenderness of the abused
" authority cjf the Pope ; which, by patience of Princes,
" simphcity of the people, ambitious avarice of his predeces-
" sors, and process of tirae, was grown to this intolerable
" iniquity : and be doubted not, he would see in these
" causes the judged truth and plain equity. He added,
" that whereas when he parted from hira, and was not sure
" that he should return to his own country in England, to
" hear the coraraon rumours, [in his traveUing horae through
" Italy and other parts,] that the Prince had not only with-
" drawn hiraself from the authority of the Pope, but also
" slipt from the grounds of Scripture, from the honour
" of the sacraraents, and from all other the Pope's laws,
" yea, and rites and cereraonies of Christ's Church : this he
" told hira, he knew the Prince and nation was slandered .
" with, and that they were cunningly moved to be slidden
" to such daranable impiety. And that if at his return he
" had found these things true, he would never by any means
" have entered into the service of such a Prince. But he
" certified him this of the King's mind and of his laws; 236
" that like a most noble and Catholic Prince, he did not
" only stand in the grounds of Scripture, and defence of the
" sacraments, but by law had commanded the ancient cus-
" toras, rites, and cereraonies of the Church, after the old
" manner here, to be observed. Yea, and this, boldly he
¦ " dared to say, his Highness would do, till it should appear
" to his Grace's wisdom, and raost noble Council, them to
" abrogate, and others to substitute by comraon consent ;
" raore convenient to this tirae, to the nature and raanner
" of this our country and place. So that as yet, touching
" the Church, there was almost nothing altered, but that
" which was of all other most necessary."

364 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. This letter of Starky Mr. Pole answered, being then at
^"^^^"- Venice, and proraised that he would write his raind upon
Anno 1535. the subjects desired. In a letter of his to Starky, dated
Pole's an- j^jjg ^he 3d, he more at large opened his affection and will
starky. to serve the King in the cause required. It was somewhat
ubTsupra' ^°^S before this letter came, which Starky at first attributed
to his not Hking of the cause. But Pole pretended, that he
stayed for more instructions from the Secretary's letters,
which were bringing by an Ambassador sent to Venice, who
was somewhat long on the way. But he said, " that in his
" writing on this cause, he would weigh Scripture, laymg
" apart aU authority of men." To which Starky answered,
And Star- " That he doubted not, but that he would withal put aside
^aln.° """ " ^^ s"<^^ prejudice, as by custora and tirae in siraple minds
*' be reputed of great weight. Whereof, he said, they had
" lamentable experience in England, by the bhndness of
" raany which had lately suffered : having nothing of mo-
" ment to say against the authority of law, but only long
" custom and usage of many years, and ancient opinions,
" wherein their fathers had died. That they lacked the
" true judgraent of poHtic things ; which be of this nature,
" that of necessity, in process of time, and in many years,
" ever by httle and httie grow to unjust extremity: none
" otherwise than the body of man, by the course of nature,
" ever in time faUeth in decay and natural debihty. This
" exaraple he was sure would weigh nothing with him,
" whom he had known ever, without any exterior and vain
" respect, to look with a constant and stable mind to truth
" and honesty. That of his judgment he was certain, that
" by his dihgent pondering of stories and Scripture on this
" behalf, he would soon see, how that Christ's doctrine de-
" termined no one kind of policy ; but might in aU states
" be estabhshed and grounded. So that this superiority
and unity of Head was not to be required of necessity, or
hung only upon mere policy. For as much as Christ Sffld,
Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo : and in another
place. Who made me a divider between you ? By the root

a

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 365
" whereof, as I take it, said he, Christ would declare all CHAP.
" such things to be left to the governance of men and_

" worldly pohcy." Anno isss.
In another letter of Starky to Pole, (stiU in expectation starky to
of a letter of his judgment in the King's matter,) he had of th^ ra'-"'
these words : " That as touching the matter of the Pope's premacy.
" authority, he told him, that his friends put no doubt, but
" therein he should, to the fuU satisfaction of the King's
" mind, see the judged truth. For never can I think, said
" he, when I consider your judgment and learning, that
" you can be of this sentence, that such an head, or such 237
" superiority, should be of the law of God, and to the sal-
" vation of raen of high necessity, the which St. Jerome
" plainly aflirraeth to be constitute in remedium schismatls,
" and not to be of such necessity. And if I have any judg-
" raent in any other kind of letters, or divinity, this I dare
" say, that this superiority, of long time given to the Pope,
" which was only by the patience of princes, ef facito quo-
" dam Christiani populi consensu, by process of time is
" grown in, as a thing convenient to the conservation of
" Christian unity: but in no case of such necessity, that
" without the sarae. Christian minds may not attain to their
" salvation, nor keep the spiritual unity. Yea, and if you
" weigh the matter, you wUl, I think, further find that su-
" periority, (as it hath been of raany years used,) to be no-
" thing at all convenient to the conservation of the politic
" unity. The which thing, as you know better than I, to
" whom stories are better known, hath been the greatest
" break, that in memory we have, to all Christian dvihty.
" For what Christian princes have we, who one against an-
" other have not drawn their swords for the maintenance of
" this authority ? And daUy I beseech Him that governeth
" aU, that in our days we see not the same. But after my
" poor fancy, better it is, though it be with some danger;
" to cut up such a root of sedition in a Christian civihty,
" than let it reraain to the continual destruction of our pos-
" terity. He told Pole moreover, that his Highness would
" be sorry to see him not to reach so manifest a truth, as

366 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H AP. " he had perceived, as he said, of the King at sundry times,
^^^^"- « when it pleased hira to talk of Pole, to the declaration of
Anno 1535." the noble affection which he bore to him.
The King's " And touching the matter of the first raarriage, he
marriage. „ doubted uot, but when he laid together, without any af-
" fection, the weight of such raarriage between brother and
" sister, and the slenderness of such power as the Pope had
" in such cases to dispense, he should shortly by his wisdom
"see the inconveniency of that raarriage. So that in both
" parties great hope he had to see him satisfy the King's
" pleasure and mind : and then shortly after, with great
" comfort both to himself and friends, to return into his
" native country.
The Monks a ^^^ where he was sure it was blown abroad in Italy,
of the Char- •'
ter House, " how here were Monks of the Charter House put to death,
noids of " ^^'^ noted of great sanctity ; he gave him to understand
Sion. " in few words the nature of the same, to the intent that he
" raight stop such raisreports, as raight be made to the
" slander of the nation. First, saith he, you shall under-
" stand in the last Parhament an act to be made, that all
" the King's subjects should, under pain of treason, revoke
" the Pope's superiority. To the which act, as the rest of
" our nation with one consent did agree, so did these Monks,
" three Priors, and Reynolds of Sion. Tbe which now of
" late, contrary to their oath, and also to the act, returned
" to their old obedience, affirming the sarae by their bhnd
" superstitious knowledge, to be to the salvation of men of
" necessity, and that this superiority of the Pope was a sure
" truth, and raanifest by the law of God, and a thing which
" was of Christ institute, as necessary to the conservation
" of the spiritual unity of the raystical body of Christ. In
238 " this bhndness their superstitious rainds were stabled : lack-
" ing judgraent to distinguish between the unity spiritual
" and the uraty political ; which they thought should run to
" ruin for lack of this head, whora they raade immediate
" judge under Christ : on whose judgment, as of the Vicar
" of Christ, aU Christian men ought of necessity to hang.
" In this opinion sturdily stood Raynolds, whom I have

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 367
" heard of you many times praised: who was so rooted chap.
XXXIII.
" therein, that he could adrait no reason to the contrary. .

" Divers were sent to them in prison, by the King's com- Anno isss.
" mandraent, to instruct thera with the truth. But in that
" opinion, both he and the rest were so blinded and sturdy,
" that neither could they see the truth in the cause, nor yet
" give convenient obedience due to [frora] such persons, as
" of themselves cannot see the truth. Wlierefore, according
" to the course of the law, as rebels to the same, and diso-
" bedient to the princely authority, and as persons, which,
" as much as lay in them, have rooted a sedition in this
" comraunalty, they raost justly have suffered this worldly
" death. Whose sin and blindness I beseech our Lord
" pardon. " This is the truth of this matter ; whereof I can certainly
" assure you. For, by the licence and coraraandraent of
" Master Secretary, I was adraitted to hear Raynolds's rea-
" sons, and to confer such Hght as God had given rae in the
" same cause with him. In whora, I proraise you, I nei-
" ther found strong reason to raaintain his purpose, nor yet
'* great learning to the defence of the sarae. With hira I
" conferred gladly. For sorry I was for raany causes, tbat
" a raan of such fame, as he was here noted both for virtue
" and learning, should die in such a blind and superstitious
" opinion. But nothing could avail, but tbat he would, in
" that opinion, as a disobedient person to the King's laws,
" suffer his death with the other of the sarae minds; where-
" fore they themselves were the cause, insomuch as it seera-
" eth to rae they sought their own death : of the which no
" man can be justly accused, but they theraselves. This
" thing. Sir, as occasion, tirae, and place doth require, you
" may coramon there, as you shall think it expedient, and
" to such as you raay perceive by raisreport are otherwise
"informed. For this is the truth, that I have briefly
" touched by these letters unto you." Under the next year
were more letters passing from Starky and others to Pole,
and from him to them : which I shall thpn give some ac
count of.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Although divers laws were made the last year for cutting
XXXIII. ^jp ^jjg Pope's power, the nation could not easily dehver it-

Anno 1535. gglf from the prejudices the people had in his favour. And
North °^ especially the most ignorant sort had a great veneration for
Wales his indulgences ; being such convenient things for the up-
pretencJof holding them in their sins. So tbat although in the year
indui- 1534<. there was an act made for taking away all the Pope's
° ' exactions and pensions, and that no payment should from
thenceforth be paid to the apostolic charaber ; and that all
buUs and dispensations frora Rorae should cease ; yet I find
about this time, as I guess, (and guess I must sometunes,)
Cotton libr. indulgences in North Wales. For there was one Robert
p. 395. ^ Oking, Clerk, Coraraissary to the Bishop of Bangor, hcensed
under his hand and seal, the Proctor of St. Lazar ; that the
said Proctor should declare and publish (in exalting the Bi-
239 shop of Rorae's narae and authority) the indulgence, pardon,
and privileges of St. Lazar, [a Welsh saint, it seems,] hereto
fore granted by the Bishops of Rorae. Whereby the inha
bitants of North Wales, (where these indulgences were chiefly
granted,) by colour of the said feigned pardoner, were ex
acted and poUed of their money, contrary to the King's
acts, and ordinances, and provisions therein didy provided.
One Gibbons, Register to the Bishop of Bangor, perceiving
the said abuses, and for the indemnity of the Bishop, having
with him the King's Baihff of the town of Caerver, on
Palm-sunday took away frora the said feigned pardoner, as
weU aU his papistical rauniraents, as the letters and proxy
of the said Oking ; authorizing the said feigned privUeges
and pardon, in as araple raanner and form, as they were he-
fore contrary to the King's coraraandment and provision.
But hereupon Oking suspended the Register on the Wednes
day after, and so caused him to be declared on Easter-day
foUowing ; and directed letters to one Robins, Clerk, (con
cerned, I suppose, with Gibbons,) menacing him to molest and
trouble hira by virtue of his pretended authority. Where
upon Gibbons appealed by a petition, as bdmg a mere tem
poral matter, to Richard Bulkely, the Charaberlain of North
Wales ; who, as he said, was the King's Chancellor in North

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 369
Wales; " to cause Oking to surcease, and no further to CHAP.
" proceed in vexing of Gibbons by his pretended authority.

" and by colour of the decretal laws : and for so rauch as Anno isss.
" Oking was a stranger, to put hira under sufficient sureties
" to answer to the premises, according to the King's laws,
" for usurping of the same."
For all these bold proceedings of King Henry against the oid pro-
Pope, as have been already related, as sorae railed on hira, ^.^Heriry.
so others as highly extolled and nauseously flattered hira. Cleop. E. 6.
And there was one Gibson did it, by raaking the King to be '''
a fulfiller of faraous prophecies. He got together a parcel
of fond prophecies, somewhere met with in those times, that
shewed of a king tiiat should win the holy cross : which
many would have had to belong to the Emperor Charles ;
but this raan assigned them to have been foretold of King
Henry VIII. Moreover, that this king should conquer
and subdue many realras, and that by such kind of miracles
as are read in Scripture, the people of Israel did over their
enemies. As, that God should raise the swords of the
King's enemies one against another ; and that he should do
as Gideon, that is, put to flight a mighty host, as the sand
of the sea-shore, with three hundred persons. This also was
to be made good in King Henry. That the Papists should
seek their own confusion, and suddenly should find it. And
ere it once be thought like to corae, raen should be drowned
in their own blood, as Pharaoh was in the Red sea. And
that God will take one of the King's men, strong enough
to fight in his quarrel, for ten others that fight against him.
And then he proceeded in repeating his prophecies. " St.
" Thomas calleth him that shall win the holy cross, the
" king of virgins. John, the hermit, called him the king
" of fords. Another caUed him the king of broad passage :
" and another the king of works : and another tbe lion of
" the air ; and the like." AU which this man laboured to
apply to King Henry: and said, that these prophecies meant
not HteraUy, that the King should go to Jerusalejn to fetch
the cross which our Saviour Christ suffered upon, but that 240
his Majesty should win victory over the DevU's rainister, the
VOL. I. B b

370 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP; Bishop of Rorae ; and should be unto all realras a lantern
X^XXIII. of hght, whereby they raight truly and faithfully see the
Anno 1 535. sincereiiess of the Gospel, whicb is the glory of God : which
glory had been darkened by the DevU's rainisters, the
Papists, with beggarly baggage, (I use ray author's words,)
whereby the prophecies of Araos was fulfilled, that an hun
ger should corae on the earth, for lack of God's word ; which
was set out by the true minister of God, King Henry VIII.
The sick- This year, and the next within five months afta*, put an
ness and i^-w ^-\ tt-i-x-v
death of end to two Queens, viz. Queen Kathanne Dowager, and
Queen Queen Anne that succeeded her. To give sorae short notes
Katharine. ^ o
concerning the forraer, with respect only to the last months
ofher life. In October her residence was at Bugden; be
ing then not weU in health : and seemed desirous to move
to some other place. So the King ordered her departure
thence to Fotheringah. Which when Thoraas Vaux, one of
her officers, told her of from Crumwel, she had no mind,
whatever was the cause, to go thither : (whether she thought
it looked like putting her under restraint in that, castie:)
telling him, that she would not go thither, unless the King
sent her thither a prisoner, with ropes bound ; notwithstand
ing all tbe provisions that were made and prepared for her.
Yet frora the place where she was, she fain would remove.
Which tbe said Vaux in a letter to Crurawel informed him
of; and that she was desirous to have sorae place appointr
ed for her nearer London.
She would She was still styled Queen by her servants : and so she
Quge^stm coramanded thera to call her. Nor would she admit any
about her to address to ber in any inferior title. This the
King hearing of, gave hira- great offence. Insomuch that
he sent a charge to Vaux by his own letters, to inform him,
" whether there were any about her that so styled her;
" and who they were that obstinately and wilfully, contrary
" to the determination taken in that behalf, did not desist
" nor forbear calhng the said lady by the name of Queen :
" tbat further order raight be uken therein. To which, in
" a letter to Crurawel, the said Vaux signified, that at that
" season he could not well and appro vedly narae any parti-

UNDER KINa HENRY VIIL 871
"cular person that so obstinately called the Lady Dowager CHAP.
"by the' name of Queen. But generally he dared boldly to .

" say and prove, that all women, priests, and rainisters of Anno isss.
" the Princess's chamber, as sowers, hushers, and such
" other about, that did her any raanner of service, did so
" call her. And that so she had both willed and coraraanded
" aU that were her own servants, and served her : or else
' " she would receive nothing of thera. That the household-
" officers that were there, delivered all things called for with-
" out such denoraination. But that both raen and woraen
" diere were rauch persuaded by the Priests there, as he
" thought, upon their consciences, how they ought to call
" her Queen stUl ; considering, that all that did appertain
" to tbe chamber especially, were sworn to King Henry and
" Queen Katharine. Yea, and further, that they were the
" more animated so to do, because they had learned and
" heard say in tbe house there, since his [Vaux] coming,
" that there was a letter sent from the Princess's Proctor
" at Rorae, how that the Pope had given sentence upon her 241
" party. And the effect or copy of the said letter had been
"read and shewed to divers there. But tbat he could
" corae to no sight thereof; because he was partly mis-
" trusted among them. That he saw her Grace was merry,
," and bore good and joyful countenance : and rauch raore
" resort of people come daily thither, than had done in any
" other place heretofore. But that if she were to be removed,
" it was requisite she should be reraoved shortiy : otherwise
" the country would be so foul, that no carriages of house-
" hold provision should pass or corae." Hence it seems
she removed to Kimbolton, where not long after she died.
Her officers here, besides Vaux, were Edward Chamber- Her officers.
lain and Edmund Bedingfield. Inquiries were not wanting cotj'i^ibr."
concerning her ; and what visitors she had coming to her.
Upon Crumwel's letter to them to inform him thereof, they
shewed him the names of such as lately gave her visits, viz.
the Emperor's Ambassador came Jan. 2, who immediately
after dinner came into her chamber, and so into her pre-
Bb2

372 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, sence; there remaining scarce a quarter of an hour. At
^^^l"- whicb time both of thera [Chamberlain and Bedingfield]
Anno 1535. were coraraanded to be present- That upon his coming,
he saluted her in the Spanish tongue : which they, as they
said, understood not. But, as they added in their answer,
Mr. Vaughan, another there, could declare to him the effect
of their comraunication at that time- At five in tbe after
noon she sent her doctor of physic for hira. And then and
there entered no raan but tbe said Arabassador, beside the
doctor and the steward to the Arabassador. Then he was
with her about half an hour, and departed to his chamber.
And again, the next day, about seven a'clock at night, about
an hour. At those two last visits, none were present but
the personages afore-mentioned, and her old trusty women ;
who either understood not the Spanish tongue, or if they
did, or if they could, the raatter being of iraportance, they
[the officers] could get no manner of knowledge of it from
them.
Lady Wil- The Lady WiUoughby also carae thither on New-year's-
visto h^r. ^^y> about six o'clock at night : with whora these oflicers
raet, and deraanded a sight of her licence to repair thither.
She said, she would dehver next morning letters sufficient
for their discharge. But at present she desired them, being
in such a case, (by reason of a faU, as she pretended, from
her horse,) to repair to the fire; and so was immediately
conveyed to the Princess. And since that time they never
saw her, nor any letter of hcence to repair thither was
shewed them. She appeared in her countenance at her
coming to be greatly dismayed, saying, she thought never
to have seen the Princess alive, by reason of such tidings as
she had heard by the way.
Her death. As to her State of health, these two gentiemen further
informed the said Lord Crurawel, that they understood by
her doctor, that she had soraewhat of comfort by the com
ing of those folks, and feU to soraewhat raore rest in the
night than heretofore ; but that he feared it would be along
continuing sickness ere she recovered, as far as he could

, UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 373
judge, if God so disposed. This their letter was dated CHAP.
from Kimbolton, the 5th day of January ; and three days .

after she died. Anno isss.
By the postscript it appears how strait they were kept of 242
money, Bedingfield thus writing ; " Sir, I beseech you send
" me some relief of money by Mr- Gostwick, [who it seems
" brought the letter,] for I have none left."
This sickness then carried her off: which, when the King Order about
heard of, he ordered the Lord Privy Seal, that she might " ""* '
be buried decently, in the port of a person of her quality ;
and appointed her corpse to be interred at the abbey of
Peterborough. Concerning this, he despatched his letters
.to the aforesaid gentlemen ; and that they should acquaint
him with the preparations made for her funeral. The
sum of their answer was, " that the boweling and cering
" was done in the best raanner : the leading and chesting
" was preparing, not lacking any thing ; and that it should
" be finished with aU speed." And the King having sent
Mr. ComptroUer thither, to order all things belonging to
the interment, they shewed themselves very joyous at his
coming. Crumwel also gave them in command to preserve for the Her trea-
King's use, what treasure, goods, gold, and jewels, the de-p"J^^g^j^*
ceased left. And for that purpose to look carefully to the for the
gates. And that they should inforra him what the sura there
of might amount to, in order to the bearing the expenses of
her funeral frora thence. To this the answer they gave was,
" that according to their power, they had coraraanded the
" safe custody of the gates : so that nothing had or should
" be suffered to issue. And further, that they had cora-
" muned with aU such persons as in her lifetime had the
" custody of any jewels, plate, or other things of charge :
" whora they had found to their conscience, just and plain,
" in the declaration of all such parcels as they had in their
" keeping. And that they had declared much more than
" ever they [Charaberlain and Bedingfield] saw or knew
" before. And that upon consideration thereof, every thing
libs

374 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " reraained in their custody, untU his further pleasure and
^^^^^^- ii coramandraent should be to thera known."
Anno 1585. And whereas Crumwel had mentioned sorae personages
be"sTffi^to of honour to be sent to attend the funeral, the said officers
attend the wrote, " that as to the entertainraent of thera, with others,
" as should repair thither by coraraandraent, it should be,
" to the best they could devise, accomplished in as amplie
" raanner, as provision could be had for the King's honour.''
And whereas Crurawel had signified to thera, what the
King designed for the deceased Princess's servants, by his
raotion ; they further added, " how they had declared unto
" aU the servants, how good and benevolent a raaster he had
" been to thera, in raoving tbe King's Highness, and obtain-
" ing his Majesty's favour towards them all. And that both
" these [the writers hereof] and aU the rest were greatiy
" comforted with his gracious proraise. Wherein we (say
" they) whoUy rejoice and trust. And should pray for the
" prosperous preservation of his raost noble Majesty."
^'^}^v^ Crurawel also gave them instructions for the preparation
to execute of the house. To which they answered, " that it should
then: office, a hg done with aU dihgence. And likewise, that the Pre-
" lates and Priests should be warned to repair, for the exe-
243 " cution of all raanner of cereraonies appertaining to the
" funerals. And all others according to his mastership's
" coraraandraent to tbe utterraost of our powers, as knoweth
" Almighty God, [as they concluded,] who presei-ve your
" mastership with rauch honour,
" By yours ready at coramandraent,
" Edward Chamberleyp.
" Edraund Bedyngfield."
The Prin- The Princess raade a will, but without naraing any ex-
tharine ecutor ; leaving the disposition thereof to the King : pray-
Dowager's Jug and deshing hira in the beginning of it, to suffer her to
have her goods, as weU gold and sUver as other things, and
whatsoever was due to her in raoney: to the end that
she might therewith pay her debts, and recompense her ser-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. S75
vants. Which she entreated as affectionately as she might, for CHA P.
. XXXIII
the necessity wherein she was ready to die, and to yield her .

soul to God. And then she proceeded in her legacies. The Anno 1535.
first whereof was for a person to go to our Lady of Wal
singham in pilgrimage. And in going by the way to yield
twenty nobles. And tben follow the rest of her legacies to
her servants: which were but mean, viz. twenty pounds,
not many above. The two last legacies were, ornaments
for the church, to be made of her gowns. And the furs of ^
the same to her daughter. The whole wiU I have preserved
in the Appendix, as I take it from a volume in the Cotton N". LXIX.
library. The King then was to advise what course to take to The King
corae to the legal possession of the estate of the deceased jbo^t seiz-
Princess. Some thought that he raight seize on it as his '"? ^"
. . goods.
own. And that, because she had said, it seems, fliaf aU
was the Kln^s, and that she had nothing to ^ve away.
But Richard Ryche, the King's Sohcitor, [that was after
wards Lord Ryche, and Lord High ChanceUor of England,]
upon the King's deraand, shewed his learning in the law.
Which was, that she now being a sole woman, had a right
to her goods. And that by the law of England, the next
of kin was to administer, and to pay the debts. And the
other course, that of seizure, he judged to be repugnant to
his Majesty's laws. But in fine, he moved another way to
the King to compass the same : namely, to send to the Bi
shop of the diocese, where the Princess deceased, who was
the Bishop of Lincoln; to grant the adrainistration of her
goods, as dying intestate, to such as his Highness should
name. And then to have the goods, from them that had
administered, to himself, for the payment of her debts, and
the charges of her funerals. This he signified at large to
the King in his letter from Kimbolton, where he was now,
to look after this affair. Which letter wUl be found in the
Appendix. Which I have the rather reposited there, in N°. LXX.
memory of that great raan, as he appeared afterwards in
the State : and from whora the Earls of Warwick are
sb 4

S76 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, sprung. And wherein also a speciraen of his parts and abi-
XXXIII. ]jj.jgg maybe seen.

Anno 1535. Upou Queeu Anne's death, it was doubted by the Lady
Bryan, governess of the King's children, whether tbe young
Lady Princess Elizabeth should have the same honourable
retinue and service now as before. For her instruction
herein, she thought fit to send to the Lord Crumwel : giv
ing him also sorae account of the young Princess's ingenuity
N»,LXXI. and towardness. See her letter in the Appendix, ^ving
these things raore at large.

244 CHAP. XXXIV.
TTie German Princes embassy fo the King. A Convoca
tion. The King, Council, and Clergy protest against it.
The Council af Mantua. Papal bulls. Northern Clergy.
A visitation qf the province qfYork needful.
Anno 1636. _L HE Princcs of Gerraany, according as they had pro-
struct?o'ns mised, prepared their agents to pass over hither, in order
given by to the Striking up a league with King Henry. And these
to their Am- ¦"^cre their instructions.
bassadors, Cleopatra, Capita coTum, qua primo congressu serenlsslmo et po-
tentissimo Regi Anglia, exponenda sunt.
They were in Latin, but these are the contents of them.
" The Ambassadors were with the greatest reverence to
" carry the commendation and salutation of tbe Princes to
" the King. To expound to hira how grateful the message
" brought to thera by Mount was, (having lately been at
" Brunswick,) chiefly because the propension of his Majesty's
" raind towards tbe sincerer doctrine of the Gospel was
" thence well understood. Tbat the Princes doubted not,
" but that God would be present to his Majesty in his pious
" endeavours. And that his Majesty raight persuade him-
" self, that the Princes, by God's grace, would not depart

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 377
" from the acknowledged truth, nor would suffer the ty- CHAP.
" ranny and impiety of the Roman Bishop, within their .

" dukedoms and dominions. Annoisse.
" That they should add the reasons, why at this tirae they
" could not send that araple erabassy to the King.
" That the King of Denraark, who had received the Gos-
" pel, and taken care to abolish the popish tyranny and ira-
" piety out of his kingdoras, had lately at Brunswig, joined
" himself in an honourable and Christian league with the
" Protestant princes. That he would also send his Am-
" bassadors with theirs, if so be he might be certified it
" would not be unacceptable to the King. And that this
" was a cause also of the delay of a more ample embassy.
" Tbat they shoiild unfold to the King the causes of this
" embassy, and the reason of the confederation ; viz. that it
" consisted only in defence of the Gospel.
" That the King, establishing the sound doctrine of the
" Gospel, and abolishing impious abuses, would proraote
" araong other kings and potentates the cause of the
" Gospel. " That the decree of Brunswig shoiUd be explained to
" the King, of preserving the true religion to all posterity
" in the dukedoms, dorainions, and territories of the princes
" and confederates.
" That the princes hoped, after the King's Majesty and
" the confederates should treat concerning religion, that
" his Majesty would join hiraself with them and the con-
" federates, in the cause of reli^on.
" That his Majesty would not think much to signify his
" counsel concerning a synod ; and whether he judged
" any thing wanting in the confession and doctrine of the 245
" confederates. To aU these the orators were instructed
" to add convenient petitions. And some other matters
" the princes gave them in coraraandraent, to take a conve-
" nient opportunity to unfold unto his Majesty.
" And lastly, that they should again present the bene-
" volent observance of the princes and confederates to the
" King."

878 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Queen Anne being this year beheaded, I find little more
^^^^^- done yet awhile between the King and the Germans : the
Anno 1536. further ambassade by the Protestants appointed for England
being stayed.
Convoca- June 9. was a new Convocation: when Thomas Cran-
*'°°' mer, now Archbishop of Canterbury, carae into the church
of St. Paul's. The Bishop of London sang tbe Mass of the
Holy Ghost. Thence they went to the chapel of St. Mary,
to hear the serraon, which was preached in Latin by
Hugh Latymer. Tbe text, Filii hujus saculi prudentiores
sunt fillis lucis. That done, the Most Reverend, with his
brethren and the Clergy, went into tiie chapter-house'
where the Bishop of London exhibited the certificatory
upon the execution of the mandate of the Most Reverend,
for calling together the Bishops. Afterwards the Most
Reverend expounded the causes of this Convocation. And
then advised all the Prelates, [that is, those of the Lower
House,] that they should confer among theraselves at the
accustomed place, and choose one person for their Referen
dary or Prolocutor, who raight speak in their name. And
to present hira the next session. Accordingly, June 16,
Edra. Boner, Archdeacon of Leicester, and Will. Petre,
LL. D. together with the Clergy of the Lower House, pre
sented to the said Most Reverend, together with his bre
thren, the venerable Mr. Richard Gwent, Archdeacon of
London, and Official of the Court of Canterbury; being
elected by thera. And the said Edmond Boner, in the
name of the whole Clergy, prayed the election so made,
raight be approved and confirraed by the said Most Reve
rend. Which the said Most Reverend did confirra and ap
prove.
Crumwel, This Convocation was the raore reraarkable, in regard
Vicegerent, that the Lord Crurawel, the King's Vicegerent in ecclesi-
?.'if°"V r asticals, took place in it. When Dr. Petre abovesaid al-
£xtracts of ^ _
Convocat. leged, " that since this synod was called by the authority
Roff. ^ " °^ *^^ Prince, (who was supreme Head oi the Church
" of England,) and that the same Prince ought to hold
" the supreme rule in the said Convocation ; and that tlie

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. S79
" King being absent, the Honourable Mr. Tho. Crumwel, CHAP.
" Vicar Graieral for ecclesiastical causes, ejus Vices ger ens, '

" ought to occupy his place. And therefore prayed the Anno isas.
" same place to be assigned to him, as Proctor to the said
" Master Crumwel. And then presented the comraissional
" letters sealed with the King's Seal." And the commission
being read, the most reverend Father assigned hira [the
said Dr. Petre] his Tplace, juxta se, by him. And the next
session Crumwel comes and sits hiraself in Convocation.
The Pope had suraraoned a general council to be this The King
year, and to sit at Mantua. Though when in the year *°^^^j*^P
1534, the Pope signified his mind to call a council, and gainst the:
the King had promised the Pope to send his Ambassador jjantua.*
thither, yet now upon better deliberation, the councU being
actually called, and the King cited to appear, he pubHshed
a long and sharp protestation against that councU; in
which he shewed, the Pope had no power to call one. It 246
was entitled, A Protestation in the name qf the King and Fox's Acts,
the whole Council and Clergy qf England, why they re-\'siQ '' ''
fuse to come to the Pope's Council af his call. Which may
be read in Fox's Acts and Monuraents. The Convocation
now sitting declared also against this council, in a decree
signed by Crurawel and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and
thirteen Bishops raore, and forty-nine Abbots, Priors, and
others of the Clergy. The protestation was dispersed abroad
in foreign nations, as in France, Germany, and other coun
tries. And soon after, Crurawel gave order to Richard Mo-
ryson, a learned raan, whora he eraployed in such matters,
that he should cause the protestation in sorae places to be
altered, and some things to be left out, upon some pre
tended poHtic ends, as that it might be raore agreeable with
the protestation of the Germans, and take in their argu
ments against the said councU; which may be read in
Sleidan's Coraraentaries ; and so to be printed again, that
more copies raight be di^ersed. But this Moryson did not
approve of, as reflecting upon the constancy of the nation,
sajring, That the sentence of a prince and a realra should
cither not be printed, or once printed, not changed. He

380 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
€HAP- peredved, no doubt, this was a fetch of Winchester, or
^^^^- some other secret friend of Rome. Yet he bad two or three

Anno 1586. leaves to add, opening a fraud intended by that council,
and shewing that these Papsts' opposition of the word of
God was a sufficient argument, that they intended no good
by that council. And whereas in the former copy it was
said, that the Papacv was given by the consent «rf the
Kings of England, so now it was taken away by their con
sent ; the manner of expressing this was disliked, aad Mo
ryson mollified it. For the further Ulustrating this affair,
Moryson's letter to the Lord Crumwel may be worth read-
N». LXXiLing in the Appendix.
Aprotesta- There was one thing more done by the Convocatian
Convoca- of the Lower House, if so be I lay it right, when I lay
tion against it ^q jjjjg Convocation, which indeed I do but by some
errors and , . ^ .
abuses. guesses, the paper I use bearing no date. The ignorance rf
the Priests, and the gross and abominable superstitions that
were used, caused abundance of people in the nation, to ^e
an ear to those that instructed them better, and laid open
to thera these corruptions and abuses. And many preachers
there were, as weU as others, out of hatred to the Priests
and their superstitions, uttered many indiscreet and disre
spectful words of sacred things. Some said, " the Sacra-
" ment was not to be esteemed at all ;" others said, " that
" Priests had no more authority to minister sacraments than
" layraen : that God never gave grace to any great » rich
" men : that aU things oug^t to be common : that chikhai
" might be christened in a tub of water, or in a ditch, as
" weU as in any font : that the water in the font was con-
" jured: that the hallowed oil was no better than the Bi-
" shop of Rome's grease : that the stole about the Priest's
" neck was the Bishop of Rome's rope," and many suth
expressions. Many whereof might be but raisreports and
hes made by the Priests and their creatures, to make the
preachers and professors of the Gospel odious. But these
expresaons and sayings, true or false, they of the Convoca
tion made thdr use of. And a protestation was framed in
the name of the Lower House of Convocation in the pro-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 381
vince of Canterbury; wherein they drew out to a very CHAP.
great length errors and abuses, to the number of sixty-

eight; which they declared in tbeir consciences to beAnnoisse.
causes of dissension within the realm. And herein they '
foisted in, among the good and wholesome doctrines owned
by the Protestants, a great many hasty and intemperate
speeches, that raight perhaps be said by sorae unwary raen,
or ihvehted by themselves. And that they might make
an easier address for their protestation to the King, they
ushered it in with a preface of tbeir profound loyalty to
him, and of their owning his supremacy, and of renouncing
the pretended authority of the Roman Bishop. The pro
testation itself I have reposited in the Appendix. lSiil
In tbe short Parliament that sat this summer, beginning Papai bulls
in June, and enchng in July 18, a statute was made against ''""""'='^'
all Papal dispensations, clearly annulling and vacating
them : and that such of the Bishops and Clergy, as held
any pluralities, trialities, coramendams, exemptions. Sec. by
virtue of such bulls or dispensations, as should, before Mi
chaelmas next come twelvemonth, bring them before certain
persons of the King's Council, or the Masters of Chancery,
to be appointed by the King ; and making hurable suit to
have the effects contained in the bulls granted to them,
they were to have them again iraraediately frora tiie King
under the Great Seal. Accordingly I find Tunstal, Bishop Bishop of
of Durhara, (though somewhat long first,) sent up five buUSg^JJ^j^jjij
unto Crumwel ; which were all delivered into his hands : bulls.
and the Bishop fearing the King would take advantage of
his delay herein, to out hira of his bishopric, he entreated
Crumwel, " to move the King to be good and gracious Cleopatra,
" lord to him, and to consider, if he should now in his age ' ^'
" leave his bishopric, which he trusted his Grace meaned
" not to make him do, it should not only disappoint
" him of his living, but many other his servants, who had
" their livings only by him: who, if he should lose his
*' promotion, should be clearly destitute of succour. Trust-
" ing the King would be as good to him as to other Bi-

3^ MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. '<^ shops in the resdm, being in the like case:" as he wrote in
XXXIV- Y^^ j^^j^gj. ^^ ^jjg gg^j Crumwel.
Anno 1536. For in the doing of this, it seems, the Bishops were so slow,
that Crurawel by his visitors were fain to admonish them
The north- of it, and of their danger in neglecting it. But this caUing
stkk t"^^ upon the Clergy to exhibit their dispensations from the
their old su-popg^ displeased much the province of York. Insomuch,
that in their Convocation they plainly desired, that the
statute lately raade for that purpose might, in the next Par
hament, be revoked. And when ten articles had been sent
to their Convocation, for their opinions upon each of them,
and concurrence therein, they returned their answer in that
raanner, as shewed thera immoveable in thdr old supersti
tions. And in the conclusion they had the hardiness to de
sire, " that the laws of the Church might be read in the
" Universities, as before had been, [but it seems was dis
couraged, and grew into disuse :] that such Clerks as
were in prison and exUe for opposing the supreinacy
might be restored : that books for the POpe's supremacy
" raight be safely read and kept, and such Hke." This was
boldly done after the acts of Parhament to the contrary. For
their answers to those articles at large, I refer the reader
Lxxiv. to the Appendix.
248 By this it raay appear, that it was not without need that
A royal vi- j)^, Lavton, sorae months before, either in the winter of the
sitafaon for •' i i - • i. , - , i , , tt-- i
york pro- last year, or the beginning of this, had raoved the King s
Tince. Vicar General for a royal visitation of the diocese of York,
and the whole province thereof, as that of Canterbury was
visited the year before. He was now returned to London
from the visitation of the monasteries the last year; and
from his house or lodgings in Paternoster-row, he wrote of
this affair to Crumwel; shewing him what great want of
reformation there was in those parts, and especially in the
exempt jurisdictions ; and that nothing would beat the
King's authority sooner into the heads of that people, be
sotted with the frantic fancies and sermons of the reh^ous
sort, than when they should see the King saiously intending

ii

UNDER KING HENRY VHI. 383
their reformation. That he had got the. articles for the visi- CHAP.
- XXXIV
lation ready wrote out by Bartlet his Secretary, and a com

raissional ready drawn for hira to sign. And that he was Anno issfi.
ready to. wait upon him to receive his or the King's charge
and precepts for this purpose, and proraised what great ser
vice he would do. And indeed the Archbishop of York
did hiraself forbear visiting, because he expected the King's
visitation, and left all that needed to be reforraed to his vi
sitors. But to represent all this the plainer, I will exera-
plify Layton's letter to Crumwel ; which was as follows :
" Please it your Goodness to understand, that forasmuch Dr. Layton
" as York diocese was not visited since my Lord Cardinal's ^gj ^o
" tirae, and raany things there be within the said province hasten the
" now much needful of reformation, and worthy redress, cieop. E. 4.
" and especially among the exempts, the Archbishop hear-
" ing of the King's visitation towards, tarrieth only there-
" fore, not intending in any wise to visit or raeddle, but all
" reserving wholly to the King's reformation, and his visit-
" ors. If it might please you therefore now to send rae
" into the said province, and Blitheraan, your servant, to
" be Register, we might weU finish all that province by
" Micbaelraas, or soon after. Ye raight corarait to Dr. Lee,
'* at his return, Huntington and Lincoln shires, with Ches-
" ter diocese, which he might also finish before the said
" feast. If ye defer the setting forth of your visitation, till
" ye may have thereunto convenient leisure, and as will,
" when that day shall come, I corae in great doubt. For
" me seemeth your business increaseth daUy more and
" more. Or if you tarry till Lamraas next ensuing,, till my
" Lord of Canterbury have fuUy finished his visitation,
" then shaU the year be far spent. And I doubt not but
" my Lord of Canterbury, and his officers, would be right
" weU content that ye did not visit. For the Dean of the
" Arches would have persuaded rae to have moved you not
" to visit these two or three years. In that raethought,
" quod erat orator, sed parum vehemens, et sine aculeo.
" Sed ut sim brevis, if I were able to be of your counsel.

384 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, -''so God help me, I would advise you to set forth the
XXXIV. JJ g;ij,g's authority by aU means ye could possible. And I

Anno is36.« am weU and fast assured, and dare boldly say, tbat there
" can be no better way devised for the rude people in the
" north, to beat his authority into their heads, than that
" they raay plainly see, and evidently perceive, how his
" Grace being suprerae Head, intendeth nothing else than
" reformation and correction of reli^on, without doubt
" more superstitious than virtuous, long tirae accustomed
249 " to frantic fantasies and sermons, rauch more that regard-
" ing, than other God or their Prince, right far ahenate
" frora true religion.
" If it be your pleasure therefore with expedition to ten-
" der tbe preraises, the book of articles is clean written, and
" in the custody of Bartlet your Clerk ; and a commission
" also ready drawn for the sarae. So that if it be your
" pleasure, ye raay shortly despatch rae towards the said
" province. When as ye shaU find me in the exercising of
" this, so shall I desire you to accept me at ray return, and
" no otherwise. Ye shall never know what I can do, nei-
" ther what ray serviceable raind is toward you, tUl ye have
" had sorae experiment thereof. What charge or precepts
" soever it shall please you to ^ve me concerning the pre-
" raises, shall not be in any wise transgressed. Or if it be
" your raind that I shall repair to the King's Grace for any
" precept or charge to be had or taken of his Highness, I
" am ready thereunto to wait upon you at your next go-
" ing to the Court, or to go iramediately if ye command
" me. Thus committing you to the tuition of Christ; to
" whora I shall pray for your long life and prosperous con-
" tinuance. From Paternoster-row, by the speedy hand of
" your assured poor Priest, " Richard Layton."
But this visitation, I suppose, however intended or be
gun this year, received a stop by reason of the rebellion
tbat brake out this summer in tbe north parts.
This Layton and sorae others were appointed by Crura-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 385
wel, to be the visitors of the religious houses; where very CHAP.
much irreligion was found araong those that professed reh

gion there, according to the accounts brought in by them. Anno isss.
Insomuch that a final dissolution of those places, all the or-V^J"^^''
ders there being so corrupted, was thought on: for to let of the ren
in some light into the lives and practices of these, botli^'"™"
men and women : thus one that lived in those tiraes tells
the world in a book written in ItaHan, tbat it raight be the
better known even in Rorae; tiius translated : " That you Pelerine by
" may understand what was the just occasion of the King's ^^j"
" suppression of thera : when his Highness had found out
" the falseness of these jugglers, [the raonks,] who led the
" people to this idolatry of worshipping saints, believing
" of rairacles, and going on pilgriraage here and there,
" as unto this hour you see it used here in Italy, being
" persuaded, &c. that these abominable Friars were the
" \ery false prophets (Matthew viL) and ravening wolves,
" whom Christ prophesied in the Gospel, should corae un-
" der the apparel of lambs, to devour the flock of true
" Christians ; his Majesty, for the better discovery of these
" hypocrites, sent forth Commissioners into all provinces of
^' the realm, to examine the raanner of living that those ri-
" balds used. And here carae tbe raatter fully to light.
" For when the Coraraissioners had taken upon them the
" charge of this exaraination, and began by one and one to
^' exaraine those friars, monks, and nuns, upon their oaths,
^' sworn upon the Evangelists, there were discovered hypo-
" crisies, raurders, idolatries, [false] rairacles, sodoraies,
" adulteries, fornications, pride, envy, &c. And not seven,
¦' but raore than seven hundred thousand deadly sins.
" Alack ! ray heart maketh all my merabers to trerable
" with another manner of fear than is the quartan, when 250
" I reraeraber the abominations that there were tried out. O
" Lord God, (speaking under correction,) what canst thou
" answer to the five cities, confounded with celestial fire,
" when they shall allege before thee the iniquities of those
" religious whora thou hast so long supported ! Note weU
" these few words, said I, and I shall tell you. In the dark
vol,. I. c c

386 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " and sharp prisons, there were found dead so many of
^^'^^^^ « their brethren, that it is a wonder. Sorae crucified with
Anno 1536. " more torraents than ever were heard of. And some fa-
" mished unto death, only for breaking their superstitious
" silence, or some like trifles. And especiaUy, in some chU-
" dren, there was used a cruelty, not to be spoken with hu-
" man tongue.
" There was of the Heremits some one, that, under the
" colour of confession, had used camaUy with rao than two
" or three hundred gentlewomen, women of reputation;
" whose naraes, enroUed by coraraandraent, they shewed
" unto the Coraraissioners. Insorauch that sorae of the self
" sarae Coraraissioners found of their own wives, tided
" araong the rest. With what conscience, I report me unto
" you, there was working of wonders. The fiiars and
" nuns were as whore and thief in the open stews. And
" there were saints tbat raade the barren woraen bring forth
" chUdren. Unto whom there wanted no resort from all
" parts of the realm. Alas ! alas ! what should I say, when
" Ptolomy's discourse, Pliny's raeraory, and Augustin's
" pen, joined in one raan, should not suffice to make him
" an apt author of so detestable an history as this abomina-
" tion requireth !
" Well, to ray purpose ; in conclusion, upon the return
" of these Coraraissioners, when the King was fuUy in-
" forraed of the cause, incontinently he called his Parlia-
" raent. But or ever the Counsellors of the sarae could as.
" serable together, here carae that Abbot, and that Prior :
" now came that Abbess, and then carae that Friar, from
" all parts of the realra, unto the King, offering their mo-
" nasteries into his hands ; beseeching hira to pardon them
" their sins, de poena only, and not de culpa. Insomuch
" that bis Majesty accepted of thera, and pardoned them
" aU, except a few only of the most notable ribalds;
" whom, for the others' exaraple, he caused to suffer death,
" in divers wise, as their horrible causes diversely merited.
" And thereupon followed the said Parhament: in the
?' which all these matters were not only published, but also

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 387
" confessed by the false religious persons, brought openly CHAP.
" in judgraent; it was concluded both by the Barons, and  L
" also by the Coraraons of the said Parliaraent, that these Anno isse.
" raonasteries should be extirped, and the goods and re-
" venues thereof disposed, as the King and his Council
" should think it expedient." These were their criraes, and
these their own acknowledgraents ; and these therefore the
just proceedings against thera.
But Mr. Thoraas, for these and such Hke his free dis
coveries of them thus in print, however he was honoured
and esteemed in the next reign by King Edward hiraself,
he was not forgotten in the succeeding, when popery pre
vaUed again, being put to death as a traitor ; how truly, I
cannot say. Of this raan we shaU say raore, under the reign
of King Edward.
To which add, what another very grave and worthy 25 1
writer, not long after the former, shewed concerning the
first foundations of these monasteries, and what the visitors
detected of thera. " Truth it is," saith he, " that the founda- The wicked-
" tions of abbeys and chauntries, ^ro redemptione anlmarum ^l]'^J^^°^^
"fundatorum suorum, et progenlforum ipsorum, &c. as in^ounda-
" the said foundations appeareth raore at large, were so^ause'of
" unsure and weak, or rather wicked, that thev could no *-^^" ™'°-
cet 1 IT - , , ¦ -, T Noel's Re-
" longer bear such huge superstr notions and buildings as proof, foi.
" were laid upon them. For the idolatry, superstition, hy- ^''•
" pocrisy, and wickedness of monks, nuns, and priests them-
" selves, were grown so great and so heavy now, that no
" foundations, though sure and good, were able any longer
" to bear and abide them. Let the horrible history of their
" dark, dreadful, and most devihsb doings, notified to
" King Henry VIII. and after to the Paa liament House, by
" the report of the visitors, returning from thar visitations
" of abbeys ; and the monks and nuns themselves in their
" own confessions, subscribed with their own hands, be a
" proof thereof. Which being registered in a black book,
" might more justly be called Doomsday, than any record
" this day remaining in England ; revealing such matters
" as they thought should have remained hid, until the great
cc2

388 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " day of revelation of aU secrets, if ever they looked for it.
XXXIV. ^j j^^^ truly, the monstrous lives of raonks, friars, and nuns.

Anno 1536. « have destroyed their raonasteries and churches, and not
" we. — These be the true causes of such horrible destruc-
" tions and desolations as have in our time come upon mo-
" nasteries and other lumses and churches.''^

CHAP. XXXV.

A visitation qfihe religious houses. Visitors appointed ly
fhe Lord Crumwel. iTheir insfrucfions and commissions.
Many surrender fhelr houses. The visitors' divers let
ters, giving accounts qf fhe monasteries ; viz. qf Read
ing, Glastenbury, Maiden Bradley, Bruton, Ferley ; re
Ucs in those places. Leicester. Wolstrope, a pious mo
nastery. Nunneries qf Catesby, Stixwold. Monasteries
in Litchfield diocese ; in Kent, Folksfon, 4"C. Pensiom al
lowed the Monks, ^c. Suitors fbr some religious houses.
Sir Richard Gresham, Lord Mayor, for fhe Spitals.
Ramsey abbey. Fountains and Rivax. Papers prepara
tory fo a suppression. Value taken qf all monasteries and
benefices ecclesiastical.
IN OR are these horrible deeds the relations only of some
private persons, and depend upon their credit; but one
raay see abundance of the sinful state of those monasteries,
252 and them that inhabited there, by the testimonials those vi-
The visi- sitors Sent up, which are very raany ; and are still remain-
of the vile ing under their hands, in our repositories of MSS. and ar-
state of the gbives.: where we raay see in what condition thev found those
monaste- • . . i r
ries, extant, houses ; what superstitions were there used by the relics,
and the numbers of tbem kept within their walls, and the
cheats put upon tbe people by tbe raeans of thera- And of
the voluntary surrenders the superiors of those places made.
of Reading! I wiU Specify sorae frora tbe originals.
their sur- London, one of the visitors, sent up this letter following
Cleopatra, to the Lord Crurawel ; shewing the surrender of the abbey
E. 4.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 389
of Reading, witli an inventory of their relics, and of the CHAP.
discharge of tbe friars. " In ray raost hoiu-ty manner I ' ' '

" have mo coramended unto your good Lordship, with my Anno isas.
" assured prayer and service. I have sent up to yi'iir Lord-
" ship tiio surrender of the CJray Friars of Reading, with
" their plato, such as it is. I hino inwardly tlotWod the
" church and dortor. The residue of tho houso I have left
" whole, till I know your further pleasure ; and clearly des-
" patched aU thc friars out of the doors in their socular ap-
" parol ; and have given to ovory one of tbem money in their
" purso,-*, and have cleaily paid tbeir debts. This is a town
" of much poor people. And tiiey fall to stealing so fast in
" every corner of the house, that I have boon fain to tsu'ry
" a whole week here, to set every thing in due order. And
" have and shall receive to tbe King's Grace, as I trust,
" above 40i. in the mansion wholly reserved.
" I have sent up iho principal relics of idolatry witiiin Relics of
" tills realm. An angel with one wing is brought to Caver- s^,",t'',[p_
" shara. " Tho spear-hoad tiiat pioirod our Saviour's side upon
" tbe cross. It was convoyod horae to Notly. But I sent ray
" sorvant purposely for it.
" I have also three coats of tiie iraage, with such things
" as I found upon tiiem : with tlio dagger, whicli tiiey say
" slow King Ilonry VI. ; and thc knife that killed KhigEd-
" ward : witii many other like holy tilings.
" I have defaced the chapel inwiu-d. And have sent horae
" die Canons to the IVIaster to Notley.
" I have required of my Lord Abbot [of Reading] the
" relics of his house ; whicli he shewed unto me witii good
" wiU. I have taken an inventory of tiieni; and have locked
" diera up behind tboir high altar ; and have tiie key in
" my keeping : and tiiey all ready at your Lordship's coni-
" mandraent. They liavo a good lecture in Saipture daily
" read in tboir chapitro-bouse, both in English and Latin.
" To the whicli is g-ood resort: and the Abbot is at it him-
" self In any otiier thing I can do your Lordsliip service,
c c 3

390 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " I am, and always shaU be ready, God wiUing. Who, with
XXXV. JJ increase of rauch honour, long preserve your good Lord-
Anno 1536. « ship. At Reding, tbe 18th of Septeraber.
" Your bounden orator and servant,
" John London."
253 "^h^ inventory qffhe relics qffhe house qf Reading.
Imprimis, Two pieces of the holy cross.
S. Jaraes's hand.
S. PhUip's stole.
A bone of Mary Magdalene, with other rao.
S. Anastasius's hand, with other rao.
A piece of S. Pancrate's arrae.
A bone of S. Quintin's arrae.
A bone of S. David's arrae.
A bone of Mary Salorae's arrae.
A bone of S. Edward tbe raartyr's arme.
A bone of S. Hierora, with other rao.
Bones of S. Steven, with other rao.
A bone of S. Blase, with other mo.
A bone of S. Osmund, with other mo.
A piece of S. Ursula's stole.
A jawbone of S. Ethelmoln.
Bones of S. Leodegary and of S. Herenei, [Irenii per
haps.] Bones of S. Margaret.
Bones of S. Arnal.
A bone of S. Agas, with other mo.
A bone of S. Andrew ; and two pieces of his cross.
A bone of S. Frideswyde.
A bone of S. Anne. With raany other.
Giasten- Another visitor sent up to Crurawel his account of
convents in Glastenburg and tbe convents in Bristow ; and withal sent
Bristow vi- up to him the relics found in thera. Take Dr. Layton the
sited. Re- . . , , i - , -n . - „ . ,
lies there. Visitor s own letters ; which wUl give more satisfaction to the
Cott. Lib. reader than the bare contents extracted frora it. " Pleasyth

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 391
'?your Mastership to understand, that yesterday night late CHAP.
" wo came from Glastenburg to Bristow, to S. Austin's ;  1_
"whereas wo began tills raorning, intending this day toAnuoisae.
" dispatch both this house here, [7'/,~. S. Austin], being but
" thirteen chauons ; and also the Gawntes, whereas bo four
" or five.
" By this bringer, ray servant, I send you relics. First,
" two flowers, wrapped in white and black sai-cenet ; that
" on Christen Mass ovon, hor& ipsA, qua Christus natus
'•'¦fuerat, will spring, and burgeii, and bare blossomes.
" Quod expertum est, saith the Prior of Maiden Bradley.
" Yee shall also rocoive a bag of relics, whorein ye shall
" see stranger things, as shall appear by the scripture, [/. c:
" the writings upon tbein.J As, God's coat, or Ladle's
" smock ; pai't of God's supper, in avna Domini : pars pc-
" tree, super qua natus erat Jesus in Bethlehem. Be-
" sides, there is in Bethlohoni plenty of stones, and some-
" tiraes quarries, and maketh their mangers of stone. The
" scripture of every thing shall declare you all. And
" all there, of Maydoii Bradley. Where is a holy Father The holy
" Prior ; and hath but six sons, and but one daughter raar- Maiden
" ried yot, of tho goods of tiic monastery : trusting shortly Bradley.
" to mai'iy tho rest of his sons, being tall men, waiting
" upon hira. And ho thanketh God he never raedled with
" married women ; but all witii maidens, the fairest could be
" gotten. And always maiTied them right well. The Pope,
" considering his fragility, gave him his Hcenco to keep a
" whore ; and hath good writing, sui plumho, to discliarge
" his conscience ; and to choose Mr. Underbill to be his ghost- 254
" ly father; and he to givo \\u.w plenum remissionem, SfC.
" I send you also our Ladies girdlo of Bruton, red silk.Brutou.
" Which is a soleran relic, sent to women travaiUng, which
" shaU not miscarry in partu.
" I send you also Maiy Magdalene's girdle ; and that is
" wrapped and covered wliitli white : sent also with groat
" reverence to woraen travailing. Which girdlo Matilda the
" Empress, founder of Ferley, gave unto them, as saith tiio
" holy Fatiier of Feriey. cc 4

392 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " I have crosses of sUver and gold. Some which I send
_^^^Xl" you not now; because I have mo that shaU be dehvered
Anno 1536." me this night by the Prior of Maiden Bradley himself.
Ferley mo- « To-raorrow early in tbe raorning I shall bring you the
" rest : when I have reviewed aU, perchance I shaU find
" soraething here. In case ye depart this day, raay it please
" you to send rae word by this, being ray servant, which
" way I shaU repair after you.
Charter- " They within the Charter-house have protested, and
o°s«- a done aU things, according as I shall declare at large to-
" raorrow earlv-
" At Bruton and Glastonbury there is nothing notabla
" The brethren be so streit kept, that they cannot offend r
" but fain they would, if they raight, as they confess; and
" so the fault is not in them. From S. Austin's without
" Bristow, this St. Bartihnew's day, at four of the clock m
" the raorning, by tbe speedy hand of your raost assured
" poor priest, " Richard Layton."
The mo- Another visitor, named Francis Cave, took the surrender
Leicester of the monastery of Leicester- The account whereof, and
surrendered, of the State and value of the houses, he sent to Crumwel in
these words- " We took the surrender of the Abbot and
" convent. And the writings thereof be in ray custody. By
" your Lordship's goodness towards rae, I ara now in the
" possession of the house, and all tbe deraean ; which was
" unlet at the tirae of our repair thither. Wee also found
" the house indebted to divers creditors, 411 Z. 10*. over
" and besides certain suras of raoney the bouse was in-
" debted to the King's Highness- For the discbarge where-
" of, we have raade sale of the stock and store, with the
" household stuff, and omaraents of the church, which
" araount unto 228 Z- The plate is unsold; and is valued
" at, by weight, 190^. The lead, by estimation, valued at
« lOOOl. The beUs at 88^.
" For the discharging of the Abbot, convent, and ser-
" vants of the said monastery, there hath been paid 149^-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.
" And forasmuch as the Abbot hath not received of bis in CHAP.XXXV
" ready money, but 20Z. or 20 ma. raore, his church and .

" house is reraaining as yet undefaced. In the church tnany Anno issfi.
" things to be raade sale of.
" Let rae know your pleasure, as well for the furtiier
" sale to be raade, as for the defacing of tbe church, and
" other superfluous buildings, which be about the rao-
" nastery. A hundred raark yearly will not sustain the
" charges in repairing this house, if all buildings be let
" stand. Written at the late monastery at Leicestre, the 29.
" of August. " By your Lordship's most bounden,
" Frauncis Cave."
But araong these herds of sinners in the convents, cover- 255
ing their wickedness under their religious professions, the
visitors met with one house, that had another character sent
up to the Lord Crumwel, and an earnest petition on tbat
account for their continuance. It was the house of Wol- A pious
strope. In the behalf of which, one Gifford, a visitor, writ ^°"'' '^''""
f^ . ' ' vent peti-
after this manner : " The governor thereof is a very good tioned for
" husband for the house, and well beloved of all the inha-*"™"*'""*'
" bitants thereunto adjoyning. A right honest man ; bav-
" ing right rehgious persons, being priests of' right good
" conversation, and living religiously ; having such quali-
" ties of virtue as we have not found the like in no place.
" For there is not one rehgious person there, but that he
" can and doth use, either embrotheryng, writing books
" with very fair hand, raaking their own garraents, carving,
" painting, or grafting. The house without any slaunder or
" iU farae ; and standing in a wet ground, very solitary :
" keeping such hospitality, that except singular good pro-
" vision, it could not be raaintained witii half so rauch land
" more as they may spend. Such a nuraber of the poor in-
" habitants nigh thereunto daily relieved, that we have not
" seen the like, having no raore lands than they have. God
" be even ray judge, as I do write unto you the troth, and

394 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « none otherwise to ray knowledge. Which very pity alone
 1_ " causeth me to write.

Anno 1536. « The preraises considered, I beseech you to be a mean
" unto the King's Majesty for the standing of the said
" Wolstropp. From Garadon the 19. day of June.
" Your bounden Bedeman at coraraandraent,
" George Gyffard."
A good cha- "pbe Hke coraraendation was given by this visitor, as well
the Prioress as the rest, of the nunnery of Catesby. " Which house we
o"catesb " ^°^^^ (*s ^^^y ^™t ill ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ to ^^^ ^°^^ Crumwel)
" in very perfect order. The Prioress, a sure, wise, discreet,
" and very religious woraan, with nine nuns under her obe-
" dience, as rehgious and devout ; and with as good obe-
" dience as we have in tiraes past seen, or behke shaU see.
" The said house stands in such a quarter, rauch to the re-
" lief of the King's people, and his Grace's poor subjects
" there Hkewise more reheved ; as by the report of divers
" worshipful, near thereunto adjoining, as of all others, it
" is to us openly declared. Wherefore, if it should please
" the King's Highness to have any remorse, that any such
" rehgious house shall stand, we think his Grace cannot
" appoint an house raore raeet to shew his raost gracious
" charity and pity, than on the said house of Catesby.
" Furthermore, ye shall understand, that as to her
" bounden duty towards the King's Highness in these Ms
" affairs : also, for discreet entertainment of us bis Com-
" missioners, and our company, we have not found, nor be-
" Hke shall find, any such of more discretion, &c. From
" Catesby, tbe 12. day of this present month of May.
" From the King's Coraraissioners, at your commandment,
" Edmond Knightly, George Gyffard,
" John Lane, Robert Burgoyn."
256 How these intercessions succeeded for the continuance of
these bouses, I cannot tell. But soraetiraes the King was
prevaUed with, as I find it happened for the nunnery of Styx-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 895
wold, though upon pretty hard terms ; and such payments, CHAP.
m, if exacted rigorously, the nunnery could not subsist..

For thus was Mr. Heneage, one of the visitors, addressed Anno isse.
to by the said nunnery.
" Right worshipful Sir, As your poor and daily bede-
" women, we humbly comraend us unto you. Advertising
" you, that by the goodness of ray Lord Privy Seal, and by
" his only moans and suit to the King's Majesty, our house
" doth stand, paying to his Highness 900 mark for a fine,
" besides our first-fruits ; which is 150/. and also a pension
" of 34Z. by the year for ever. Good Mr. Heneage, we The nun-
" most humbly pray and desire you in the way of charity, gtyxwoid
" and for God sake, to be mean to ray Lord Privy Seal, continued.
" that he will of his goodness be suitor to thc King's Ma-
" jesty, for to rerait and forgive the said pension of 34/. by
" year ; or else we shall never be able to live, and pay the
" King the aforesaid raoney.
" We be eighteen nuns, and a sister, in our house; be-
" sides officers and servants, to the nuraber of fifty persons
" in all. And our stock and cattel being delivered up this
" year past, which was our chief hope and living. And if,
" by my Lord Privy Seal's goodness and yours, we may
" obtain rederaption of the said yearly pension, we shall
" take pains, and live poorly, and serve God, and pray
" daily for tlio King's Majesty, ray Lord Privy Seal, and
" you, during our lives. And if at your contemplation we
" cannot obtain grace of the said pension, we shall upon
" necessity, for that we shall not be able to pay and per-
" form all such payments as we be bound, give up the
" house into the King's Highness hand. Which were
" great pity, if it pleased God and the King otherwise.
" And thus wv pray God send you rauch worship. From
" Styxwold tho 8. day of January.
" By your poor Bedes-women,
" The whole Convent of Styxwold."
Frora these visitors of the religious houses came divers
letters more, from tirae to tirae, to the Lord Crumwel, with

396 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. bUls and certificates of the state of those foundations as they
^""^' found tbem, with the values of them, their debts, and, among

Anno 1536. (j^ig rgst, of their superstitious cheats, iraposed upon the peo
ple by tbe raany relics preserved in their respective houses :
together with their aborainable uncleanness and poUutions ;
and the names of those monks and friars that were guUty
thereof. And these certificates sent as aforesaid, after what
manner they were drawn up, may appear by another of
them for the diocese of Litchfield, as I took it from the
original : vis.
COMPERTA
Ecclesia cathedral, de L'ltcJfield.
Then foUows a fiUl account of aU the uncleannesses,
sodomy, and superstitions of the raerabers in the cathedral
church. Next, in tbe raonastery of Repindon, ahas Repton,
257 for sodomy are four, with their naraes. And then, under
the titie Supersfifio, is thus written ; Hue fif peregrinatio
ad S'""^ Gufhlacum, ef ad ejus campanum : quam solent
capitibus imponere ad resfinguendum dolorem capitis.
Then foUows : Nicolas petit dissolvi a religione.
Redditus annuus CLXXX li.
DomuS debet C Marcos.
Fundator Dns. Rex.
Giradon. In another raonastery, naraed Giradon. Under the titie
Sodomifa, five, witii their naraes, and particular filthiness :
whereof one, naraed Robert Wekeston, is said to have to do
cum decem pueris. Whereof one of these desired to be
freed frora their reHgion.
Grace Dieu- Ju ^jje nunnery of Grace Dieu, raany nuns had been
brought to bed. For their superstition, they worshipped the
girdle, and part of the coat of St. Francis. Which they be
Heved did help woraen in labour.
St. Mary in St. Mary in Darby, a nunnery. Tbe nuns here have a
piece of St. Thoraas's shirt ; which is worshipped by women
big with chUd.
DaUe. The abbey of Dalle. John Staunton, the Abbot, was m-
continent with one single woraan, and another raarried; And

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 397
John Braunston with five married women. Here they wor- CHAP.
. - xxxv
shipped part of the girdle and railk of the Blessed Virgin ; ,

and the wheel of St. Katharine in silver. •'^°"<' '^^^•
Thurgarton, a priory. Here were twelve Sodomites. Thurgarton.
Whereof Richard Newark with four boys : John York with
divers boys : Thoraas Dethick, Prior, with divers woraen :
Williara Kiraberly with two single women, and as many
married. Five incontinent with single and married women.
Eight of this house desired to be free frora religion.
Rifford. Here were six Sodoraites: three incontinent. Rifford.
Six desired to be free of religion. A great deal raore fol
lows in these Comperta in the other raonasteries and nun
neries there mentioned. But this specimen is enough, and
too much.
We may observe hence, how weary raany of these raonks
were of this idle and wicked life, and how desirous to be re
leased of their religion, and frora the iniquity and tempta^
tions there. I have raet with a letter of one of this sort,
named Beerly, a monk of Persbore, written to the Lord
Crumwel, so full of self-condemnation and remorse of con
science, and discovery of sin and ignorance _there, that it
may deserve to be read, now we are upon this subject. It
was as followeth :
" Most reverend Lord in God, second person in this realm A penitent
" of England, endowed with all grace and goodness ; Y sub- Monk "to*
" rait ray self unto your grace and goodness. Desiring you Crumwel.
11 1 11 • T 1 - P .Cleopatra,
" myckely to be good and gracious Lord unto rae, a sinful e. 4.
" and poor creature. My lowely and rayck scribling unto
" your noble Grace at this tirae is, grading in ray con-
" science, that tbe religion which we do observe and keep is
" no rule of St. Benet, nor yet no coramandraent of God,
" nor of no saint,. but lyzth and foolish cereraonies, raade
" soiqe in old time, and sorae in our time, [by] lyzth and
" undiscrete faders ; which have done their duties, and ful-
" filled their own serraons, and let the precepts and cora- 258
" raandraents of God go. And so have I done this six
" years, which doth now grieve ray conscience sore. That

398 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « I have been a dissembler so long time. The which reli,
XXXV. JC gj^jj^ ggyg gj James, is in vain, and bringeth forth no

Anno 1536. " good fruits. Better out than in the rehgion, except it
" were the true religion of Christ.
« Also, we do nothing search for the doctrine of Christ,
" but only follow our sensuality and pleasure. And this
" religion, as I suppose, is all in vain glory, and nothing
" worthy to be accept, neither before God nor man.
" Also, raost gracious Lord, there is a secret thing in my
" conscience which doth raove rae to go out of tbe religion,
" and if it were never so perfect ; which no raan raay know,
" but ray ghostly fader. The which, I suppose, if a man
" raothe judge, [is] in other young persons, as me selfe.
" For Christ saith, Nollte judicare, ef non judicabimini.
" Therefore I wiU judge mine own conscience first. The
" which fault he shall know of me hereafter raore largely :
" and many other foul vices done araong religious men.
" And religious men, I suppose, they ought not to be call-
" ed, but dissemblers with God. Now, raost gracious Lord^
" and raost worthy Visitor that ever carae araong us, help
" me out of this religion, and make rae your servant, hand-
" raaid and bedeman ; and save ray soul, which should be
" lost, if ye help it not. The which ye raay save with a
" word speaking ; and raake rae, which ara now naught, to
'•' come unto grace and goodness.
" Now I wiU instruct your Grace soraewhat of rehgious
" raen ; and how the King's Grace coraraandraent is kept,
" in putting forth of books of the Bishop of Rorae's usurped
" power. Monks drink and buU after collation, tUl x or xu (rf
" tiie clock, and corae to matins as drunk as rays. And some
" at cards, sorae at dice and at tables : sorae corae to matins
" beginning, some at the midst, and some when it is almost
" done. And would not come there so, only for bodily pu-
" nishment : nothing for God's sake. With raany other viees^
" the use which I have no leisure now to express.
" Also abbots, raonks, priests, done little or notiiing,
'¦'¦ put out of books the Bishop of Rome's name. For I jny

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 399
" self do know in diva's books, where his name and his CHAP.XXXV.
" usurped power upon us is. No raore unto your noble Grace .

" at this tirae ; but Jesu p-eserve you to pleasure- Araen. Anno isss.
" Your Coraraissary desired rae to write ray mind unto
" your noble Grace, by my oath I took of hira in our
" chapter-house. *' By rae your Bederaan Dan. Ri. Beerley,
" now Monk in the monastery of Persbore.
** To my noble and gracious Lord
" Visitor, in the King's Court be
" this bill delivered. In 'hasf.'"
But by the total dissolution of these monasteries one evil 259
was like to foUow, namely, the misery and starving perhaps moTeTfor
of abundance of poor femihes ; who had been greatly reheved continuing
with food and other necessaries from these houses, which priory: and
commonly raaintained hospitahty. Insorauch that it was**"?-
once raoved by Latymer, the good Bishop, of Worcester,
(and probably by others too,) that two or three of these foun
dations raiglit be spared in each diocese, for the sake of hos
pitality. Changing their property from being harbours for
lazy monks and friars, to be places for such pious men as
might go about preaching and teaching God's word to the
people ; and to do such Hke good offices of reHgion ; and to
foUow their studies. Which gave the foresaid Bishop oc
casion to raove the Lord Crurawel once in the belialf of the
priory of Malvern : the Prior, that seemed to be a good
man, endea;\'ouring, for those good purposes, the continu-
atiba thereof, now tiiat the raonasteries were ready to be sup
pressed in the year 1538, raoving the Bishop therein : whose
priory was \vithin his diocese. And for his better success
with tbe King and Crurawel, he offered 500 raarks to the
King, and 200 marks more, as an acknowledgment of his
thanks, to the said Lord Crumwel. But that tiie reader
may more fuUy apprehend this raatter, I shall here give it
in Bishop Latyraer's o^vn letter, where, after a flew lines of
another a&ai, thus he addressed himself.

400 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " But now, Sir, another thing, that by your favour I
XXXV. li might be a raotioner unto you, at the request of an honest

Anno 1S36. " man, tbe Prior of Great Malvern, in ray diocese, though
This letter a j^^^ q£ jjjy digcese ; referring tbe success of tbe whole
to the Lord •' ° . j i. •
Crumwel. " raatter to your only approved wisdora and benign good-
" ness in every cause. For I do know that I do play the
" fool. But with my foohshness I somewhat act no unwise
" raan, and raitigate tbe heaviness which I am bold to do
" with you. For tbat I know by experience your goodness,
" tbat you wiU bear with fools in their foolishness. This
" man both heareth and feareth, as he saith, the suppression
" of his bouse- Which, though he wUl be conformable in
" all points to the King's Highness pleasure, and yours once
" known, as both I advertised hira, as also his bounden duty
" is to be ; yet nevertheless, if he thought the enterprize
" should not be raistaken, nor tum to any displeasure, he
" would be an hurable suitor to your Lordship, and by the
" sarae to the King's good Grace, for tbe upstanding of his
" foresaid house, of the continuance of the sarae to many
" good purposes : not in raonkery, he raeaneth ; not so, God
" forbid : but any other ways, as should be thought and
" seera good to the King's Majesty- As to raaintain, touch-
" ing preaching, study with praying, and (to the which he is
" rauch given) good housekeeping. For to tbe virtue of hos-
" pitality he hath been greatly inclined from his beginning :
" and is very much coraraended in these parties for the same.
" So that if 500 raark to the King's Majesty, with 200
" raark to yourself, for your good-wUl, raight occasion the
" proraotion of bis intent, at least wise for tbe time of his
" life, he doubteth not to make his friends for the same ;
" if so little could bring so much to pass. The man is old ;
" a good housekeeper ; feedeth many, and that daUy. For
" the country is poor, and fuU of penury. And alas! my
260 " good Lord, shall we not see two or three in every shire
" changed to such remedy.''
" Thus, lo ! this honest raan's iraportunity hath brought
" rae beyond ray duty, saving for the confidence and trust,

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 401
" that I have always in your benignity. As he hath know- ^S^y'
" ledge from you, so he wiU prepare for you ; ever obedient 
" to your advertisement. Su- WUliam Kyngston can make^"'"* '^^'''
" report of the man. God prosper you, to the uttering all
" hoUow hearts of England. Blessed be God, that worketh
" all : whose instrument you be, &c. 13. December.
« H. L. Wigor."
This raatter the author of the History of the Reformation Hist. Refor.
briefly touched : where tbe priory is miscalled Malverine. " "' ^'
When the raonasteries were thus visited, they were for
the most part surrendered to the King by the Abbots, Ab- Surrenders.
besses. Priors, and Prioresses thereof respectively : conscious
of their criraes, and willing to have sorae subsistence, the
rather for their voluntary subraissions. The Coraraissioners,
appointed to visit, duly sent in to the Lord Privy Seal ac
counts of what they did, and how tbey took their surrenders,
with the endowraents and revenues thereof, taking into tbeir
hands all tbeir convent seals, evidences, and muniments, to
be sent up. For the shewing this, I wiU add another letter
from sorae of these visitors in Kent.
" Right worshipful Sir, it raay please you to understand. The house
" that we receiving your letters this present Tuesday, atLan°don, '
" night about seven of the clock, by the hand of John An- ^"^ Dover,
- . . surrendered.
" tony your servant : advertiseing you, that beiore the re-
" ceipt tiiereof, we have been at the monasteries of Lang-
" don, Dover, and Folkston. And have taken a clear sur-
" render of every the said raonasteries under their convent
" seal, being all recognized in their chapter-houses, accord-
" ing to your wUl and coraraandraent. Whereupon divers
" tenants, belonging to the said raonasteries, have openly
" atturned unto the King's Grace.
" Wee have also received into your custody the convent
" seals of the said raonasteries : and have in like raanner re-
" ceived aU the evidences belonging to the raonastery of
" Lar^don and Folkston- And have likewise received part
" of the evidences belonging to Dover : such as we thought
" most expedient- And tbe residew we have put into a
VOL. I. D d

402 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CH.\ p. ¦• sure chest, vrader the lock whereof we have the key in our
 '" custody-
Anno 1536. •• Wee have also left the chanons and monks stUl in their
-' houses, without anv clear discharge of them. But have put
" thera at their Hberty and choise. whether they will abide
'• their, untill the King's Graces pleasure be fiirtiier known
" therein. Or else to go from thence to their friends.
'' Whereof the raost part desire to have capacity : and some
¦' to be assigned over to other places of religion. Which
¦¦ monks and chanons, at the time of tiie receipt of the said
'• letters, as we trust and think, are remaining stiU in their
" houses. " Advertiseing your ilastership further of the state of the
'- said monasteries. Fu-st, the house of Langdon is in aire
'- decay, and no manner of grain or other victuals for the
2o 1 " rehef of the bouse : the Abbot thereof, as is reported, a
•' very unthrifty UI husband, and of evU rule : and his con-
" vent very ignorant and poor.
'• The house of Dover is a goodly bouse, and well repair-
•• ed in aU places, as far as we coiUd perceive. And that
" tbe Prior, as it was reported unto us. found the house, at
" his first coming tiiitiier, eudebted 9007. and hath reihiced
" and brought that to an 100/. as it is said. Of whose own
" case, divers of the honest inhabitants of Dover shew theni-
" selves very sorry.
" The house of Folkston is a Httle house, weU repahed;
" and the Prior a very honest person, and a very good hus-
'- band, and no less beloved araong tiie neighbours, &c.
•• And tiius tiie Holy Ghost, Sec. Written at Canterbury.
'- tlie xvi. day of November. " Your own, Thomas Bedyl.
" Your servant, Henry Polsted.
" Your servant, John Antony."
Pensions But these religious people, thus outed of their houses,
«i°mTOls ^^^^ "'^'^ whoUy left to shift for themselves, but had sparing
and friars pensions allowed diem for tbeir lives ; and some bad small
sc large . yi^ai-ages or curacies, presentable by theu- houses, conferi-ed

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 403
on them. And this will be explained to us by a letter of ^^yv'
some of the visitors to the Lord Crumwel, upon a surrender '
made of St. Andrew's in Northampton. ¦'^°°° '*^^-
"It may please your Lordship to be advertised, that this A feoffment
" second day of March we have taken a release, and a deed j^ew's to'
" of the feoffment of the monastery df St. Arabrose in the King
" Northarapton, to the King's use ; and an hurable sub- house.
" mission of the priory and convent, as we suppose, to the
" King's honour and contentation ; referring our dUigence
" and doing therein to your judgment. Wee have also com-
" pounded with the whole convent for their pensions, except
" the Prior and Sub-prior. Which desire to abide your
" order in the assignment of theirs.
" Here enclosed, your Lordship may perceive our order
" taken with the rest of the convent ; having a respect there-
" in to the age, quality, and discretion of the persons. And Their pen-
" by your Lordship's better advice, we think it expedient t^j by the"
" the pensions to be paid by the hands of the particular re- visitors.
" ceiver of the suppressed lands in this county of North-
" arapton : and their pensions payable at our Lady-day next
" insuing. And for that cause we have dispatched them
" with less money in hand. Wee have also assigned a vi-
" carage of 11. now at this tirae vacant, to one of the con-
" vent, for his pension. Which raost hurably desireth to
" have reraission of the first-fruits thereof. Which we judge
" necessary to be granted by the King's Highness ; lest the
" poor raan should begg in the raean time ; the thing being
" of so small value, that every of thera having this pension
" shall be in better case than he.
" In the hall, charabers ceiled, with the best part of the
" edifices, are covered with lead. Whether the King's plea-
" sure is, we shall discover the sarae or not, we desire to be
" certified by this bringer.
" For the survey of the lands, we shall do therein what
" we raay. Wee find many leases granted unto you by the
" old Prior, much unthrifty, with much tanguUing [tan-
" gl"ig] and business. With we shall defer unto your Lord- 262
" ship at our coming. Thus our Lord send you long life,
Dd2

404 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « with encrease of honour. Frora Northarapton. By your
^^^^' " Lordship's most assured to command^
Anno i536r " WUHam Parre.
" Your servant, Rychard Layton, Priest.
" Your poor and most bounden old ser-
" vant, Robert Southwel.
" Your hurable and obedient servant,
« Thomas Myldraay "
Then follows.
An order taken fhe 2. day qf March, fhe xxix year qf the
reign qf our Soveraigne Lord King Henry the Eygih,
by his Hyghness Commissioners, with fhe Religious of
iW late monastery qf Sf. Andrew fhe Apostle in North-
ampfon,for their annual pensions : geven unto fhem only
qf the Kin^s charity, during fhe term qf their natural
lives. To iegin at fhe feast qffK Annunciation of our
Lady next ensuing. As on Ms Grace'' s iehalfls to them
promised iy fhe said Commissioners.
First, Francis Leycetor, late Prior, and Tho. Bettes,
Sub-prior of the said late raonastery, been by the said
Coraraissioners respited till ray Lord Privy Seal's pleasure
therein be known.
Thoraas Sraith, of the age of Hi. years, for his yearly
pension - _ _ . - 4Z.
Thoraas Gowlestone, of the age of 1. years, for his
yearly pension - - - - - - 4Z.
Robert Martin, of tbe age of xii. years, &:c. - 4Z.
Jaraes Hopkins, of the age of Hi. years, &c. - 4J.
Richard Bunbery, of the age of xl. years, &c. - 4?.
John Rose, of the age of xxxv. years, is assigned by the
said Coraraissioners to the vicarage of St. Giles, in North
arapton, being of the yearly value of 77- and of the gift of
the said raonastery, in recorapence of his yearly pension.
John Harold, of the age of xxxu. years, - 66s. 8d.
John Barber, of the age of xxxi. years, - 66s. 8d.
WUliara Ward, ofthe age of xxix. years, - S3s. 4id.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 405
Thomas Atbury, of the age of xx^^i. years, - 53*. 4 d. CHAP.
WUHam Southcote, of the age of xxxi. years, 53*. id. ' ' '
. n. J Anno 153(3.
Signed, WiUiam Parre. Richard Layton.
Robert Southwel. Tho. Myldraay.
And when vast and iraraense treasures were now flowing Suitors for
in to the Crown frora these houses, richly endowed, raany V^^ "* '"
of thera, there wanted not suitors to obtain sorae shares of houses,
the wealth for themselves. And the Lord Crurawel, to venues of
whora raany raade their addresses for his favourable recora- *''*^™-
mendation of thera to tbe King, they made acquainted both
with their raerits and tiieir needs. Divers of tills sort of 263
letters are still extant in our archives. One or two whereof
I wUl set do^vn frora their autographs.
One shall be of Sir Tho. Ehot, Knt. a very learned raan,
as his books stUl extant do testify; (and a great acquaint
ance of Sir Tho. More ;) who had been the King's Arabas
sador to Rome. He thought his former services had de
served some compensation from the King, especially his
domestic concei-ns being somewliat strait. But it was an
objection raade to hira by Crurawel, that he was looked upon
to be soraewhat on the Pope's side. And having prefaced
thus ranch, we corae to the letter of this great and wise
man. Which, as a lasting remembrance of hira, follows.
" My most special good Lord : Whereas by your continual Sir Thomas
" exercise in weighty affairs, also frequent access of suitors lo^j crum-
" unto your good Lordship ; I could not find opportunity ^^'> *°''
" to give to your Lordship due and convenient thanks for pressed
" your honourable and gentie report to the King's Majesty '*"***•
" on Wednesday last past in my favour : I am now con-
" strained to supply with ray pen ray said duty ; offering
" unto your Lordship aU hearty love and ser\-ice that a
" poor man may owe and bear unto his good lord and ap-
" proved friend. Which, altho' habUity lacking in me, I
" cannot express by any benefit, your wisdom notwithstand-
" ing, which I have always honoured and trusted, wUl, I
" doubt not, accept my good intent ; being, I thank God,
ndS

406 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « ever sincere and without flattery and evil dissunulation;
XXXV. j^ J ^gjjjjjg yjj^Q ygyr LordsMp the honourable desires of

Anno 1536. u your heart, with the continual favour of God and of your
" Prince. " My Lord, forasrauch as I suppose that the King's most
" gentle communications with rae, and also his raost com-
" fortable reports unto the Lords of rae, proceeded of your
" afore reraerabred recoraraendations ; I am animate to ira-
" portune your good Lordship with most hearty desires to
" continue ray good Lord, in augmenting tbe King's good
" estimation of me. Whereof I proraise you before God,
" your Lordship never shall have cause to repent. And
" where I perceive that ye suspect that I savour not truly
" holy Scripture, I would God, that the King and you
" raought see the raost secret thoughts of my heart. For
" ye should then perceive, that, the order of charity saved,
" I have in as much detestation as any man Hving, aU vain
" superstitions, superfluous ceremonies, slanderous jangHngs,
" counterfeit rairacles, arrogant usurpations of raen, called
" spiritual, and raasking rehgions, and aU other abusions of
" Christ's holy doctrine and laws. And as rauch I joy
" at the King's godly proceedings to the due reformation
"'of the said enorraities, as any his Graces poor subjects
" Hving. " And therefore, I beseech your good Lordship now to
" lay apart the reraerabrance of the araity betwixt me and
" Sir Tho. More, which was but usque ad aras, as is the
" proverb : considering, that I was never so ranch addicted
" unto him, as I was unto truth, and fidelity towards my
" Sovereign Lord, as God is ray Judge. And therefore my
" special trust and only expectation is, to be holpen by the
" raeans of your Lordship. And natural shamefastness
" more reigneth in me, than is necessary ; so tbat I would
" not press to tbe King's Majesty without your Lordship's
264 " assistance : unto whom I have sundry tiraes declared mine
" indigence, and whereof it hath happened. I therefore
" raost humbly desire you, rny special good Lord, so to bring
" rae into the Kings most noble reraerabrance, that of his

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 407
most bounteous Hberahty it may like his Highness to re- ^^1.^^-
' ward rae with some convenient portion ofthe suppressed _H  L
'land^: whereby I raay be able to continue ray life ac-^""" i^^''"-
' cording to that honest degree, whereunto his Grace hath
' caUed rae. And that your Lordship forget not, tiiat nei-
' ther of his Grace, nor of any otiier person, I have fee,
ofiice, pension, or farm ; nor have any manner of lucre
' or advantage, besides the revenue of my poor lands, which
' are but small ; and no more than I may therewitii main
tain ray poor house.
" And if by your Lordship's raean I raay atcbieve good
' effect of ray suit, your Lordship shall not find rae ingrate.
' And whatsoever portion of land that I shaU attain by the
' King's Grace, I promise to give to your Lordship the
' first yeai-'s fe'uit, with my assured and faithful heart and
' service. This letter I have written, because that I heard
' that your Lordship went to tiie Court. And as for ray
' first suit, I shall, at your Lordship's better leisure, recon-
' tinue it: trusting in your Lordship's favour therein.
' Written at ray house by Sraithfield this Monday.
" Your most bounden, " T. Elyot, Kt."
Tho. Audley, Lord Chancellor, made his address likewise Audley,
to the Lord Crumwel, to obtain (as it seeras) the abbey of^"''**^''"""
' ^ _ ^ ' •' cellor, sues
St. Osiths in Essex for him, considering the burden and for St.
charge of his office the King had put him in; who had *• '''
given him the house and parks only during pleasure. His
letter ran in this form : " After my right harty comraenda-
" tions to your good Lordship, I send to you a true copy of
" tiie value of the goods of St. Osyes, and of the particula-
" rities thereof, dehvered to me by Myldraay, the Auditor,
" one of the Coraraissioners. Whereby your Lordship raay
" perceive the contents of all the same goods, with the esti-
" mate of lead and beUs. I was not at the dissolution of
" the house, nor have a pennyworth of tbe goods : but I
" think the Commissioners have served the King's Majesty
" both honestly and tridy. The Commissioners were Su-
D d 4

408 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " John Seynteler, Sir WUl. Pyrton, Mildmay, and Jobson:
^'^xv. <, ^hich be two of the Court of Augmentation ; and a Master

Anno 1536. " of the Chancery with thera, to take the surrendry.
" Indeed I sent for the Abbot before the dissolution, and
" induced hira to yield the house to the King's Majesty,
" with his good-will : and that he should exhort his convent
" to conforra to the sarae. Who by ray advice and exhor-
" tation conformed themselves, as bumble subjects, without
" murmur or grudge. Wherein, I trust, I have not for my
" part served the King's Highness amiss.
" And now I beseech your good Mastership to further
" ray suit. His Majesty granted all ray suit in effect, dur-
" ing his Grace's pleasure. And ray bill is for term of life.
" There be offices and fees, that must be given. And I
'* trust to serve his Grace honestly in them. I have no fee
265 " nor office of his Highness, but the chanceUorsbip. And
" altho' that be high and honourable, yet it is cumbrous
" and chargeable. Praying your Lordship to know his
" Majesty's pleasure of this little suit. To the intent I
" raay know the end thereof: whereby your good Lord-
" ship shall adrainister to rae a right great pleasure and
" quietness, &c.
" I hartily desire your Lordship's good-will, to put me to
" an end and quietness in this raatter. And for tiie travaU
" your Lordship takes in ray suits at this tirae, I will, ac-
" cording to ray last letter, give you xxi. towards your
" pains, and ray poor harty good-will during ray life, &c.
" Thus fare your good Lordship as well, and with as long
" life, as I would ray self Scribled at Elston, at the Earl
" of Essex his house, the xii. day of August. Thanks be to
" our Lord, tbe countrey is in good order and quietness about
" rae, and there where I have been, and begin to fall to
" good quietness without contention.
" Your Lordship's assured to his power,
" Thomas Audeley, Chancellor."
Whether Audeley obtained St. Osyths, or sorae benefits
of it only, I cannot tell : which afterwards was the seat of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 409
the Lord Darcy of Chich. But two other rich monasteries CHAP.
became his : naraely, the priory of Christ's Church, or tiie_22__

Holy Trinity within Algate, London ; and that of Saffron Anno i5S6.
Waldon. Whereon he built that most stately edifice, called
by his own name, viz. Audeley End.
But the raost coraraendable suit I find raade for one or The Lord
more of these foundations, was that of a Lord Mayor of sueth to
London, viz. Sir Richard Gresham. Whose desire of thera *he King
proceeded frora a truly good principle, and shewed him to pitals.
have been a worthy magistrate, and that consulted for the
public good : namely, that the great city of London raight
be provided witii sorae convenient place or places for the
harbouring of poor, needy, diseased people, or vagrants to
be eraployed and set on work. And p£u:ticularly for the
grant of certain andent hospitals in or near London, to be
set apai-t for that purpose. The letter of the said Mayor
was not directed to the King's abovesaid great officer and
Vicegerent, but the King hiraself. Which deserving to be
preserved and recorded, I here present from the original.
" Most redoubted, puissant, and noble Prince, my raost His letter
" dread, beloved, and natural Sovereign Lord, I your poor, ;„„ j^g
" hurable, and most obedient servant, considering, and ever same to
1 ... . , . . the King.
" more and raore perceiving by your virtuous begmmngs cieopatra,
" and charitable proceedings in aU your causes, your person^- ''•
" and Majesty royal to be the elected and chosen vessel of
" God : by whora not alone the very and true word of God
" is and shall be set fortii, and according to the truth and
" verity of the same ; but also to be he whom God hath
" constituted and ordained, to redress and reform all crimes,
" offences, and enorraities, being repugnant to bis doctrine,
" or to the detriraent of tiie commonwealth, and hurt of the
" poor people, being your natural subjects; and further to
" foresee and vigilantly to provide for the chaiitable re-
" formation of the sarae. Which thing hath and yet doth
" encourage rae; and also ray bounden duty obligeth me 266
" in special, being most unworthy your Lieutenant, and
" Maior of youi- city royal of London, to inform and ad-

410 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " vertise your most gracious Highness of one thing in spe-
^^^' " cial, for the aid and comfort of the poor, sick, blind, aged,

Anno 1536. a gjjjj impotent persons, being not able to help themselves,
" nor having no place certain, where they raay be refreshed
" or lodged at, tUl they be holpen and cured of their diseases
" and sicknesses.
" So it is, most gracious Lord, that near and within the
" city of London be three hospitals, or spittals, commonly
" called St. Mary Spittal, St. BartUmew's Spittal, and St.
" Thoraas Spittal ; and the New Abby of Tower HUl ;
" founded of good devotion by auncient faders; and en-
" dowed with great possessions and rents, only for the rehef,
¦¦' corafort, and helping of the poor and irapotent people,
" not being able to help themselves ; and not to the main-
" tenance of chanons, priests, and raonks, to Hve in plea-
" sure ; nothing regarding the raiserable people lying 'm
" every street, offending every clean person passing by the
" way, with their filthy and nasty savours-
" TSTierefore raay it please your marciful goodness, en-
" cHned to pity and compassion, for tbe rehef of Christs
" very images, created to his own simUitude ; to order, by
" your high authority, as supreme Head of this Church of
" England, or otherwise by your sage discretion, that your
" Maior of the city of London, and his brethren, the Alder-
" men for the time being, shaU and may for henceforth
" have the order, disposition, rule, and governance, both of
" aU tbe lands, tenements, and revenues appertaining and
" belonging to the said hospitals, and every of them ; and
" of the ministers which be, or shaU be, within every
" of them. And then your Grace shaU plainly perceive,
" that where now a smaU number of chanons, priests, and
" raonks, be found for their own profit only, and not for the
" common utiHty of the realra, a great nuraber of poor,
" needy, sickly, and indigent persons shaU be refreshed,
" raaintained, and comforted, and also healed and cured of
" their infirmities, frankly and freelv, by phyricians, sur-
" geons, and potecaries : which shaU have stipend and salary

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 411
" only for that purpose. So that all impotent persons, not CHAP.
^' hable to labour, shall be relieved ; and all sturdy beg- .

" gars, not willing to labour, shall be punished. Anno isas.
" For the which doing, your Grace shall not alonely
" merit highly towards God, but shew your self to be
" more charitable to the poor, than your noble progenitor
" King Edgar, founder of so many monasteries ; or King
" Henry III. renewer of Westrainster, or King Edward HI,
" founder of tiie New Abby ; or King Henry V. founder of
" Shene; but also shall have the narae of conservator, pro-
" tector, and defender of the poor people ; with their con-
" tinual prayer for your health, wealth, and prosperity long
" to endure. " Your humble and most obedient servant,
" Rychard Gresham."
The aboveraentioned King Edgar, the great monastery 267
founder, reminded me of Ramsey abbey of his foundation.
Where was remaining at the dissolution of it, among the
rauniraents, the original charter of King Edgar, in such
antique characters as could scarce be read by Bedyl, the vi
sitor. Which being such a piece of antiquity, he concluded
would be very acceptable to acquaint the Lord Crumwel
with : and the letter of the visitor concerning it I would
not let go, without joining it with the rest, for the sake of
our antiquarians now living : to whom such reraains wUl
find acceptance.
" Please it you to understand, that in the reading of the Charter of
*' rauniraents and charters of the house of Ramsey, I found ^^°| f^^.'
" a charter of King Edgar, written in a very antique Ro- Ramsey
" man hand, hardly to be read at the first sight, and light
" enough after that a man hath found out six or seven
" words, after comparing letter to letter. I am sure you
" would delight to see the same, for the strangeness and
" antiquity thereof. In the end thereof is subscribed this :
" Signum JEdgari inclifi et serenissimi Anglorum Im-
" peratorls.'f^ " Whereby it raay be well noted, that after his conquest

412 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " the said King wrote himself to be Emperor of England.
XXXV. ,, j.^^^^ j^ j^ j.^ 1^^ noted of the subscription ofthe said char-

Anno ) 536. a ter, that in England were six dukes at that time. For
" they subscribe this :
" Ego Alfwold Dux. Ego Oslac Dux.
" Ego Athelstan Dux. Ego Brifhmofh Dux.
" Ego Alfre Dux. Ego Efheweard Dux.
" And at that tirae the King had two sons, Edward and
" Ethelred. Which be subscribed not as Dukes, but under
*' this manner :
" Signum Edwardi ejusdem Regis filii.
" Signum Efhelredi frafris ejus.
" I have seen also there a charter of King Edward,
" written after the Conquest. Which beginneth thus. In
" onomate summi Kyr'iou. And soon after the same, he
" writeth this :
" Ego Edwardus tofius Albionis Del moder ante gvber-
" naflone, Archlepis, Epls, Abbaflbus, Cenfenaris, eunciis-
" que sancfa fideUs Ecclesia Clericls ef Laicis, Insuper et
" omnibus post me futur Is regibus, salutem, perpefuamque
" pacis fel'icltaf em. Whereby ye raay note, that King Ed-
" ward naraeth hiraself of all Albion, both, and by
" the narae of England.
" Also in the said charter is written this : Imprimis Ec-
" clesiam beafe Del genefricis, qua Ramisie nunCupatur,
" ita liber am ef qulefam, fam ab omni exactlone eplseopali,
" quam a secularl esse volo. Uf neque nos, neque succes-
" sores nos fri, neque qulllbef epus, neque quicunque deju-
" diciaria potesfafe in Ipsam sanctam iaslllcam, vel In ma-
" nen fes in ipsa, vel In homines, qui eum suis terris, quibus-
" libet substanflls, ad ipsam tradendam vel devovend. se
" voluerlnt, nisi per voluntatem Abbatls et suorum omnium
" monachorum, ullam, unquam habeant pofe.itatem.
268 " Of this raay be noted, that if King Edward, by his
" kingly power, could except this monastery of Ramsey
" frora all Bishops' powers, the King's Grace raay as weU

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 413
all other abbies, or as many as be will, from the Bishops' C n A P.
¦' ^ xxxv.
powers.

" And to this chaiter subscribed four Dukes, Leovricus, Anno i8»6^
" Haroldus, Leofwinus, and Eadwinus.
" Further, in the said charter, when I overlooked it
" again, I noted these words following : Ipse Abbas soli
" Regi serviens, afque ei soil os ad os respondens, commls-
" sum sibi, gregem, spirituali ef femporall pasfu, abundan-
" tlusfbveref. Soil Rcgl ergo, nulll alli subjectus.
" For which goodness of kings to this house above all
" other, in ray opinion tbey be raost bounden to do their
" love, faith, and obedience to the King's Grace, above
" other religious houses, which be not so exerapted only to
" the King, iraraediately. And as far as I can yet per-
" ceive, the Abbot and his brethren here be as well con-
" tented to renounce all tbe Bishop of Rorae his usurped
"jurisdiction, and to accept the King's Grace for the su-
" preme Head of the Church of England, as any raan raay
" be. And the Abbot caused to be shewed, after ray cora-
" ing hither, his charter of King Edgar in tbe parish
" church, in the pulpit, to the raultitude of the parish.
" Whereby was declared, tiiat the King's Grace is Eni-
" peror of tills his realm, as King Edgar was. Whicb was
" token of a good raind.
" What I shall further do or find here or in other places
" wordiy writing, I shall ascertain you frora tirae to time.
" To whom I hai-tily commend me to be had in your rc-
" membrance, in tills my long absence. Frora tbe abbey of
" Ramsey, the xiii. day of Januai-y. " By your own,
" Thoraas Bedyl."
This letter he sent to thc Lord Crurawel by his nephew
Richai-d Crurawel, also a visitor in those pai-ts.
A few days after, in another letter writ by the same vi
sitor, the regulai-ity, sobriety, and obedience of the raonks
of this house, is sliewed to Crurawel, and of their desire to
be discharged : a matter the more to be rcraai-ked, so rauch

414 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XXXV.
Anno 1536'.
Commen dation of
the abbey of
Ramsey.

269

Some refuse
the visitors,
aud ques
tion their
authority.

wickedness and impiety, and such zeal for the papal power
over that of the King, rendering them of the convents so
obnoxious. Bedyl's words of these Regulars are these :
" In ray hearty wise I coraraend rae unto you ; doing
you to understand that I ara now at Rarasey. Where in
raine opinion the abbey and convent be as true and as
faithful obedientiaries unto the King's Highness, as any
religious folks in this realra, and hve as uprightly as any
other after the best sort of living, that hath been among
religious folks these raany years- That is to say, no more
given to ceremonies than is necessary. I pray God, I
may find other houses in no worse condition ; and then I
would be right glad that I took the journey, &c. Here in
tbe monastery of Rarasey be two brethren, which have
given their bills inclosed unto rae, very effectuous, desir
ing to have Hberty to go from their cloister by the King's
Grace his authority ; or else to have Hcense to repair to
my Lord of Canterbury to sue their capacities. [These
capacities were faculties to go out of their cloisters.] I
have stayed thera as well as I can, with such counsels and
exhortations as I could give thera. But I fear, if they
can have no liberty granted, they wUl take it of their own
authority. I beseech you to write a word or two, how I
shall behave ray self towards thera and all other, which
will raake Hke suit in no sraall nurabers, as I think.
Whereof some occasions hath been given by that Dr.
Lee, now at Christmas, gave liberty to half the house of
Sawtre to depart, as I am informed. Which Sawtre is
within five miles of Ramsey. The religious raen think,
that I have like authority with Dr. Lee ; and that moveth
them to raake tiiis suit. Nevertheless I will no longer do
therein, or presurae such high raatters without your au
thority and counsel ; beseeching you to write your mind
in this behalf ; and to such other things which you would
have me do in this journey."
Shall I add one letter more frora sorae of these visitors ;
which will further open raatters in this notable visitation of
the rehgiously professed sort. As we have seen, how cora-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 415
pliant some of them were, so we may find sorae of thera CHAP.
more refractory, refusing to be visited, and questioning

their authority. This the following letter from Legh to Anno 1 536.
Crurawel will explain and shew, in the visitation of Foun
tains and Rivax.
" Pleasith your Mastership to be advertised, that ac- The Abbot
" cording to your coraraandraent, with most diligence I ^.^^^.^ ^^^^.p.
" have delivered your letter, also at times raost convenient *;"» "f
" referred unto the King's Commissioner at Rivax, with letters,
" such credence as your pleasure and equity would. Which
" upon the Abbot of Funtane's part was but Hghtly re-
" garded, and plainly expressed of the sarae : that such let-
" ters as I dehvered, and credence related, was from Mr.
" Crumwel only, and not from the King's Highness.
" Whereupon by the counsUs of Dr. Spenser and Royear,
" a Proctor, after evident proof by witnesses, and the
" Abbot of Riwax confession published ; the said Abbot,
" araong other parts, did lay this expression, quod rigore
" literarum nullo Commissionarils, nec ullorum allcul com-
" petit, auf competere potest contra prafafum Abbafem de
" Rivalle ; pro eo videlicet : ef ex eo, quod diet, litera re-
" gla fuerint et sunt dolose surreptitia, quod tacifa ve-
" ritate, ef expressafalsifafe, per dolum etfraudem, ac hu-
"jusmodi serenis. Principis nostri circumventione impe-
" frafa. Who in his obstinacy and perverse raind, adher-
" ing to the rules of religion, as he said, departed frora Ri-
" vax, and would not, according to your letters, there re-
" main, for the accoraplishraent of the King's coraraand-
" ment ; notwithstanding that I oftentiraes desired hira,
" ahd coramanded him in the King's name to tarry, and
" make process according to justice, without further delay :
" not only in hira at this time is so radicate, ' but also in
" many of that reHgion, as in the Abbot of Rywax, writ- Abbot of
" ing this letter here enclosed to the slaunder of the King's
" Highness. And after the King's letter, did imprison,
" and otherwise punish, divers of his brethren, which were
" against him and his dissolute living.
" Also, did take from one of the same, being a very aged 2/0

416 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « man, all his money; which he should have made his ji/-
 !_ " bilee withal-

Anno 1536. a That as persons nothing regarding God, and very little
" our great master the King, under pretence of the rules of
" tbeir reHgion, Hve as persons solute, ab . omni lege, seu
" obedientia, et Deo et Regi debita : being aboutwards, as it
" seemeth, to rule the King by their rules. "Wliich is a per-
" verse order, that so noble a head should be ruled by so
" putrid and raost rotten merabers. Sid Cato inquit, Obsta
"principiis. All tiie countrey raake exclamation of this
" Abbot of Rywax, upon bis aborainable Hving and extor-
" tions by him coramitted ; also many wrongs to divers mi-
" serable persons. Which evidently do appear by bUl cor-
" roborate, to be true; with their oaths corporal in the pre-
" sence of the Commissioners and the said Abbot taken.
" And upon tbe sarae sixteen witnesses exarained, aflirming
" tbeir exclamations to be true.
" Therefore tempore jam instante, the King's Majesty
" considered, whora they have knowledged to be suprc-
" mum Caput totius Ecclesia Anglicana ; the honour of
" my Lord of Rutland, in this business, remembred, your
" worship, and also our poor honesty not forgotten ; they
" would either quickly be lookt upon, and shortly; or else
" their dissolute Hving, their rebelhous demeanor shaU every
" day increase more and raore, to the displeasure of God,
" disquietness of the King's prerogative, and reproach scan-
" dalous of their reHgion, with trouble of such countrey,
" as they are inhabited in.
" The Abbot of Fountane bad knowledge at his being at
" Rywax ; the Earl of Cumberland to have parties in a
" coraraission to enquire upon his deraeanors. Which
" caused in their business to play two parts. Nam tunc
" sua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardef.
" These preraises considered, I trust ye wiU think him
" not worth to be visitor of his religion ony longer by the
" Kmg's authority. And in this case of the Abbot of Ry-
" wax, the other Coraraissioners proceeded according to the
" law, and your credence by rae to thera related ; and con-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 417
" dignly have removed frora the rule of his abbacy, and CHAP.
"adrainistration of tbe sarae. With ray slow writing I ^^^^-
"beseech you to take no displeasure. And at the cause Anno 1 536.
" thereof I shall at ray coraing to London raake true re-
" lation unto you. Written in hast, the first day of Sep-
" tember. From Belver, " By your servant, " Thomas Legh.
" I pray you note these presuraptious rainds, raost alien-
" ate frora religion ; having nothing of their own, ne raay
" have their accounts raade. Which only to be called an
" abbacie, will contend contrary to their obedience with tbe
" King's Highness, the founders, and all other ; to the great
" slaunder of the religion, disquietness and extrerae cost and
" charge of the house."
Now that I raay bring the things of this nature together,
I shall here shew the consultations tbat were entered into,
sorae time before, concerning the retrenching or wholly tak
ing away of the revenues of the Clergy and the Religious ;
considering how strongly inclined the raost part of thera 2/1
were towards the authority of the Pope in these realras, and
their backwardness to acknowledge the King suprerae Head.
By which course might accrue vast wealth to the King, and
many others about him ; that hoped hereby to enrich them
selves : and withal chiefly, and in the first place, be a raeans
of laying aside raany gross superstitions practised in the
worship of God, and bringing to pass a reforraation of reli
gion, so rauch desired.
And here follow sorae writings, preparatory to a suppres- Deiibcra-
sion, containing raatters to be deliberated upon by those suppression
whom it concerned. And this was one, drawn up by one "f "ijbi'ys-
without a name ; but, by the hand, I verily beheve it to be
done by Dr. Richard Cox, a very memorable raan, after
ward tutor to Prince Edward, Dean of Westrainster, and
lastly Bishop of Ely. He grounds his following discourse
upon the probabUity of the fall of Turcisra, and tbe hopes
of the further propagation of the Christian religion; and the
VOL. 1. EC

418 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, necessity of unity and concord of Christendora. And the
xxxv. ^^^^ j^^ ^j^^j.^ ^ reforraation of the abuses introduced into it.

Anno 1536. The paper foUows, as I transcribe it out of tbe original :
A writing " It is very Hke, that Mahoraet's sect shaU shortiy be de-
by^y'S " stroyed, and tbe people converted to Christ's faith. And
adrice « that cannot be, but that peace be first bad and established
about it. . '¦ i^'i_-Lji»
Cleopatra, " in Chnsteu realras ; and that good reioi-raation be had ot
^' **• " such things as have been brought in against the purity
" and trouth of Christen rehgion. For what should
" it profit to have thera converted thurgh the abuaons
" among Christen men.' They should be brought after their
" conversion to greater damnation, than they sboiUd have
" been before. For that would be Hke to the words of our
" master Christ, which he spake to the Pharisees, Matthew
" xxiu. when he said, tiiat they went about by lond and sea
" to make a proselyte : and tbat when they had done so,
" they raade hira the son of heU double raore than them-
" selves.
The abun- « And araong other things, the abundance of the posses-
ciergytobe " slous, and the riches of the Clergy, would be reformed.
reformed, a p^j. g^ long as they Hve so far from the example of Christ
" and the Aposties, as they have done in times past, it will
" be hard to bring the people fuUy to foUow their doctrine.
" And howbeit, I raean not therefore, that I would that the
" Clergy should Hve only by alraes of the people, and in
" extrerae poverty, but that they should have suffident with-
" out abundance : whereby tbey raight quietiy and meekly
" exercise their spiritual ministration to the people, accord-
" ing to their duty. And forasmuch as the worldly honour
" and riches of the Clergy have been .greatly born up in
" tirae past by tbe power of Rorae, which now, thanked be
" our Lord, is avoided out of this reahn, and so with his
" raercy shaU continue for ever ; it is to trust, that the
" Clergy wUl now, of their own free wiU, relinquish and
" forsake tbe great burthen that they have bad in time past
" by great abundance, to the great let and hindrance of
" their spiritual ministration, as is touched before. And
" that party wUl also frofortli by dUigent prayer, own to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 419
" have all other abusions and untrue doctrines universaUy Chap.
" reformed thurgh tbe realra. And if tbe King's Grace, X^''^-

" with the said abundance, will cause sorae notable acts to Anno 1536.
" be done for the coraraonwealth, and for the rainistration '^Y°'h^ °J
. . chanty to
" of justice; as, to set vagrant vagabonds to labour, and to be done
" reheve such as be poor and impotent, and raay not labour : *^'^'''=^'*''-
" to new-build towns and villages decayed : to turn the un- '
" profitable numbers of parks to tillage : to raake highways
" thurgh the realm, where need requireth : and to do such
" other good deeds : hee shall undoubtedly highly please
" our Lord thereby : and also get to himself a right gracious
" name thurgh all Christen realms. And if they will not
" with their consent, God wUl do it. The King by his
" Parliaraent raay in this case with good conscience corapel
" thera to it.
" And if the Eraperor would do likewise, it is very like
" that they two should in short tirae convert all the coun-
" tries that be toward the Turk, with rauch less daunger and
" cost, than how raen would esteera it could be done.
" Furthermore, as it seemeth the King's Grace hath al- And for
" ready that is sufficient for the crown in time of peace ; ^"1^''^,!^^^°
" but if war should happen, (which our Lord prohibit,) it
" would not suffice without aid of the people. And there-
" fore if the King should take into his crown the said abun-
" dance, it should be also to him raore than needed in tirae
" of peace. And forasrauch as that abundance raight liap-
" pen soraetirae to lack sure keeping, it should follow there-
" upon, that in time of need the people should be loth to
" bear charges, because the treasure of this realm was negli-
" gently spent ; and what danger raight follow thereupon,
" no man can tell. And tho' it be not like that such mis-
" pending should happen in the King's time, yet it raight
" be that such chance should happen after his decease.
" And rulers of coramonalties are not only bound to do that
" in them is, to prevent daungers that might come to the
" people, that they have rule of in their own time, but are
" bounden also to do that in thera durably is, to prevent all

420 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " daungers that raight corae to tbe people after their death,
XXXV. « g^gjj ^^ ^Yie end of the world.

Anno 1 536. " Wherefore it seeraeth to sound raore to the pleasure of
" God, to tbe honour of the King, and to tbe surety of
" peace, and tranquihty of tbe realra in tirae to come, that
" the said abundance be disposed in such charitable uses as
" I have before rehearsed, than that the King should take
" it all into his crown. And the builders of the said towns and
" parks to have such sufficient recorapence of the said abun-
" dance, that tbey shall be very well contented to buUd with-
" out grudging. And if the King's Grace do thus, then if
" it should happen any raan hereafter to say, as peradven-
" ture sorae will, that it is pity that such a house, or such,
" is supprest; it raay be answered, and of likehbood may
" be answered, that the buUding again of such a town, or
" such, or laying to tUlage of such a park, is more to the
" honour of God, and to the more profit and raore surety
5* of the realm, than the standing of an house of religion
" suppressed was, when it was in his highest prosperity.
" And this should seem to be the exalting and lifting up
" of the son of a noble mother, that is spoken of in a little
" writing that beginneth thus, Consurget furor contra sim-
Conjecture " pUcem, &c. Which writing, tho' it be not of authority,
writing, " yet I suppose verily that it is true. And in the latter
prophetical, a gj^^j ^f ^jjg gg^j^j writing it is said thus, Filius inch/fa ma-
" fris felicifer subllmabltur, et in manibus ejus potestas et
" gloria. In ufraque insula fief pax, diebus ipsius, et or-
2'^3 " rea [horrea] gleba implebuntur. And those words may,
" it seeras, be conveniently applyed to Queen Elizabeth,
" mother to the King; and to the King himself; and also
" to londs and islonds.
" And first, that the said Queen Elizabeth [viz. King
" Henry VII. his Queen] was a noble raother, and a noble
" woraan, it may appear thus. She was the right heir to
" the bloud royal of the Saxons, that were many years
" kings of this realra. And she was also right heu- to WU-
" liara the Conqueror, Duke of Norraandy, that by his con-

Under king henry viii. 421
" quest was king of this realra. And over these, she was CHAP.
- - XXXV.
" also right heir to the crown of France. And she was also  L
" daughter to a king, suster to a king, wife to a king, and ^°°° ' °^''-
" mother to a king ; and also to two queens. And she was
" also noble in virtue, and blessedly she departed out of
" this hfe : and that in the love of all the people, and to the
" great heaviness and laraenting of thera aU-
" And raay it not then be truly said, that she was a noble
" mother? And, thanking be to our Lord, peace is now in
" England and Ireland. And so it is very like to be dur-
" ing the King's life. And so it is very like, the plenty of
" corn shall be in both tbe said countries. Wherefore, rae
" seeraeth, the very words raay conveniently be applied and
" expounded in such raanner, as I have before rehearsed.
" And there is nothing that ^vUl raore apparently make the
" said application to appear true, than if the King's Grace
" wiU build townes, and avoid parks, for encrease of the
" people. For it is said. Proverbs xiv. In the muUifude
" qf people is fhe glory qf a king. And also our Lord
" said. Proverbs viii. My delight is fo be with fhe sons qf
" men. Wherefore it should seera, that he doth rauch to
" the pleasure of God, that doth, or causeth to be done, any
" notable act, whereby tbe people of God, with whom he
" bath delight to be, is increased.
" It is therefore very like, tbat if the King's Grace wUl
" increase his people, whereby the delight of God, and the
" glory also of himself shaU be encreased, that the sarae
" words, filius inclyfa matris felicifer subllmabltur, raay
" for the causes before remembred, be conveniently taken
" and understand to be spoken precisely of hira."
The foresaid writing seeras to have been sorae pretended
prophecy spread about in these times, perhaps by sorae of
the raonks, iU-wUlers to the King and his proceedings, which
this writer converted to a more favourable interpretation on
the King's part. '
Another paper, in order to a suppression of raonasteries. Another
and diminishing the revenues of the Bishops and secular^^|^^^^
Clergy also, was drawn up, shewing the convenience there- suppression.
£ e 3

422 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, of, upon a more politic account; and was presented, I sup-
^^^ ¦ _pose, to Crumwel, being found among his papers. Which

Anno isse.jjoj-e this title :
A project Things fo be moved to fhe King's Highness, for an increase
fn^ the"^*^ flwd^ augmentation to be had for maintenance qfhis most
King's re- roydl statc ; and for fhe defence qfhis realm, and neces-
of the sary fo be provided for faking away the excess; which Is
Church. ^j^g great cause qffhe abuses in the Church.
274 " First, That it may be provided by authority of Parlia.
" ment, by an act in due form to be raade, that the Arch.
" bishop of Canterbury, for raaintenance of his state, shaL
" have MM. \l. e. two thousand] marks yearly, and not
" above. And that all the residue of the possessions, as
" pertaining to the said archbishopric, may be made sure
" to the King's Highness and bis heirs, for the defence of
" his realm, and raaintenance of his royal state.
" Item, That it raay be likewise provided, that the Arch-
" bishop of York raay have M.Z. [i. e. a thousand pounds]
" yearly, and not above, for the maintenance of his state.
" And the residue to be to the King and his heirs, in form
" abovesaid. " Item, That it be likewise provided, that every Bishop
" that may dispend above a M. [thousand] marks yearly, to
" have assigned to bim one M. raarks, but not above, for
" raaintenance of his degree. And the residue to the King,
" in forra abovesaid.
" Item, That his Highness raay have further raaintenance
" of the state of the suprerae Head of the Church of Eng-
" land, to hira, and to bis heirs, the firstfruits of every
" bishopric, benefice, dignity, or proraotion spiritual, for
" one year next after every, vacation thereof, of whose gift
" soever it be. And tbat the firstfruits to the Bishop of
" Norwich raay cease, and no longer be paid, but to the
" King. " Item, That the King's Highness may have to him and
" to his heirs, for the maintenance of his royal state, and
" theirs, all the lands and possessions of raonasteries, abbies,,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 423
" priories, and houses of religion, or conventual; whereof C^AP.
" the nuraber in any one house is, or of late hath been, less . ' ' '

" than a covent, that is to sav, under thirteen persons. ^°°'' '*^®-
" Item, That in such abbies and monasteries of monks,
" and other religious men, where the nuraber is above a
" covent, be it provided, that for every raonk, being a priest,
" there may be assigned of the possessions of the house X.
" mark ; and for every novice, not being a priest, V I.
" And to every Abbot or Governor of his bouse, as rauch
" of the possessions of his house in yearly value, as the
" whole convent shall have assigned araong thera all. To
" the intent, that every such Abbot or Governor shall keep
" hospitality, and the reparations of his house. And the
" residue of the possessions of the house to be to the King
" and to his heirs.
" Item, If abbies and raonasteries of religious woraen be
" above a convent ; be it provided, that every nun of the
" house raay have assigned to tiiem for their finding yearly,
" X. raarks. And the Abbess or Princess to have yearly as
" much as all the nuns for hospitality, and to tbe repara-
" tion of the house. And tbe residue to be to the King
" and his heirs.
" Item, That the King's Highness raay have the raoyety
" and halfendale of the dividends in every cathedral or col-
" legiate church. And the other raoyety to go to the resi-
" dents, as it been accustomed.
" Item, That the King's Highness and his hehs raay
" have the third part of the revenue of every archdeaconry
" within the realra.
" Item, That tbe Lord of St. John s, duiing his life, raay 2'b
" have one M. [I.e. thousand] marks, and not above. And the
" residue of the revenue to the King and to his heirs. And
" imraediately after the decease of the said Lord of St.
" John's, to the King's Highness, to have all the whole
" lands and possessions, now appertaining to the said Lord
" of St. John s : and Hkewise aU the lands and possessions
" of every commandry, after the decease of the knights now^^^^ ^^^ ^^^
" living, and being in possession thereof To tbe intent, the disso-
E e 4

424 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « that bis Highness, after these possessions gball fall and
' corae into bis hands, raay, with the profit thereof, devise

Anno 1536. u g^^^ practise for tbe maintenance of his estate and his chil-
this order "dren; and for invasion, defence, and enterprize against
was in the a jh^ Irishmen.
year 1540. " Item, That justice raay be truly and indifferently min-
" istred by tbe Kings only rainisters and officers, to all the
" King's subjects ; that all franchises and liberties to any
" archbishoprick, bisboprick, cathedral church, church col-
" legiat, monastery, priory, or other house, conventual or
" cathedral, may be resumed and annexed to the crown for
" ever; court barons and leets only excepted.
" And over this, that bis Highness may have, as well to-
" wards the charge of the wars now present and begun, for
" the defence of Ireland, [which happened anno 1535,] as
" for tbe raaking of tbe haven of Dover, and divers piles,
" fortresses, blockhouses, and other raunitions against Scot-
" land, and other confines of tbe realra, necessary for the
" surety and defence thereof, these rates following.
" First, Of every spiritual person tbat may expend xx/.
" or above, 4*. of the pound, to be paid in two years ; that
" is to say, 2*. of the pound.
" Item, Of every spiritual person that raay dispend under
" Xxi. 2«- of the pound ; that is to say, 12d. one year, and
" 12d. another.
" Item, Of every teraporal person, tbat raay dispend in
" land XX Z. or above, or be worth in raoveable substance
" 1001. or above, 2s. oi every pound in two year ; that is to
" say, 12d. every year.
" Item, Of every teraporal person that may spend xl*. or
" above, and under xxZ. or be worth in moveable substance
" vZ. or above, and under xl. 12d. in the pound in two years;
" that is to say, 6d.
" Item, That all strangers inhabited, and resiant in the
" realm, to pay double the rate of the King's temporal
" subjects." This paper seems to have been drawn up to be laid be
fore a Parliament. And it raay appear hence, that the states-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 425
men were now raeditating to advance the King's revenues CHAP.
by all ways and means, though otbers in very great nurabers XXXV.
suffered, especially the spiritualty, thereby; by withdraw- Anno 1536.
ing great quantities of the raeans settled upon thera frora
ancient times, to keep up their state, and raaintain hospi
tality. And not only the raonasteries were to feel their pu
nishraent, where rauch superstition and wickedness was
practised, but tbe Archbishops and Bishops, and all other
dignified Churchraen, were to bear their shares. Though
all did not so roundly and fully yet take place, as this
scherae propounded.
And for tbe sarae end and purpose, viz. for the increase Commission
of tbe King's royal estate, by advancing bis revenues, tbe^^g^m"^
Parliaraent had given hira the first f ruifs and tenths oi all values of
ecclesiastical preferraents whatsoever, throughout the whole and tenths.
kingdora. And accordingly proper persons were appointed 276
to go and take a true account of thera, by all tbe ways and
raeans tbat could be. And instructions were given thera ;
according to which they should proceed in this great work
and business. Which Instructions reraain in the original
parchraent fairly written, in the Cotton library. Where, at
the bottom of the first page, (for the value of it, I suppose,)
Sir Robert Cotton wrote, Robertus Coffon Bruceus, 1612.
This was done pursuant to the Act, for the augmentation
qf the King's royal state and dignity qf supreme Head .-
whereby the first-fruits of all benefices, dignities, offices, &c.
spiritual, was to be paid to the King ; and a yearly revenue,
being the tenths of all livings. Which act was raade anno
regni 26. The title of these instructions ran thus :
"INSTRUCTIONS
" Devised by the King's Highness, by the advice of his
" CouncU, for knowledge to be had of the whole, true, and
" just yearly value of all tbe possessions, raanors, lands,
" teneraents, hereditaraents, and profits, as well spiritual as
" teraporal ; appertaining to any raanner of dignity, rao-
" nastery, priory, church collegiate, church conventual,
" parsonage, vicarage, chauntry, free chapel, or other dig-

426 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " nity, office, or promotion spiritual, withiii this reahn,
xxxv. a Wales, Calais, Barwick, and marches of the same; as well

Anno 1536. " in places exerapt, as not exempt. Which his pleasure is,
" tbat such as shall have charge by his iraraediate commis-
" sion to survey the same, shall effectually, with aU upright-
" ness and dexterity, follow and ensue, as they will answer
" unto his Majesty at their peril.
" First, It is ordained, that several comraissions shall be
" made into every diocese, shire, and place within this realra,
" and into Wales, Calais, &c. and to such nuniber of per-
" sons as it shall please his Majesty to assign, &c." It is
long, ahd so I orait it.
I shall only set down the King's particular commission
to the Commissioners, for taking the value of the benefices
in London, viz.
The King's Henricus Ocfav. Dei gratia, Anglia, Sj-c. Rex, Fidei
for London. Defensor, Dominus Hib. ef in terra supremum Caput An
glicana Ecclesia; Reverend, in Christo Epo. London, ac
dilecfis et fidelibus suis, Johannl Champnels, M. ThomcB
Crumwel, magna Secrefarlo suo, Johannl Alleyn, Mil
ThomcB Bedel, Clerico, Johanni Baker, Henrico White^
Johl. Onely, Thoma Rushefon, Willo. Bowyer, Paulo Wi-
thlpol, Rico. Gressham, Henr. Myldmay, TJiom. Burgoyn,
Tho. Roberts, ef Johl. Noote, Audiforibus, salutem.
Sclafls, quod nos de fidelltafibus, et provldls circumspec-
tionibus vesfris plenlus confidenfes, assignav'imus vos, quin-
que quatuor vobis, ac qulnque quatuor, et tribus vesfrvm,
vel in majorl auf minori numero, prout per discretiones
vestras, vobis melius visum fuerit, plenam potestatem et
aucfhorltafem, ad Inquirendum, scrufandum ef examlna/n-
dum, vlls, modls, quibus scire poferltls. Infra civifatem
London, et libertat. ejusdem, de omnib. ef singulis articulis,
277^^ Instrucfionibus prasenfib. annexis,faciendis ef exequend.
cum effecfu, prout In eisd. articulis plenlus conflnenfur, &c.
The sum of that whicb followed was, " That they should
" do this with dUigence, absque favore, fraude, dolo, cor-
" rupfione. And what they had done, to certify to the
" Treasurer, the Chancellor, Chamberlains, and Barons of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 427
" the Exchequer, under tbeir seals: giving them power to CHAP.
" call before thera, and to exaraine for this purpose, tciles ef .

" tanfos, Scriias, Regisfrarlos, Scribes, Registers, Receivers, Anno 1536.
" Auditors, and other officers and rainisters whatsoever,
" Prelates and Clergy of the Church. And to all Mayors,
" Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Registers, and other officers and rain-
" isters, to be assistant to thera in the premises."

aaao^^

CHAP. XXXVI.
The Charter House In London. Queen Anne''s death. A fa
vourer qffhe Reformation. Her discourse in fhe Tower.
The condition qf the Lady Elizabefh''s daughter. The
Lady Mary addressefh fo fhe King. Articles for her.
-L HE raonks of the Charter House, London, remaining xhe monks
refractory still, the King being loath to go to the utmost ""^"J! *"*'*''"
extreraity, endeavour was used to reclaira thera, and en
lighten thera with a clearer knowledge of the nature of the
supremacy, being for the raost part young raen. It was
thought expedient therefore to separate them from one an
other. Four of the chief were disposed into two other
houses of the same order, in the furthest part of the realm :
and eight more they sent to Syon, an house of the order of
St. Bridget : that they raight there be persuaded to yield
to the King. At last many of thera took the oath, having
been threatened otherwise to have their house plucked down.
But -while they took the oath, they said in their hearts,
" Thou knowest, O God, how false and unjust this oath is, Hist. Mart.
" that these raen wrest frora us; thou knowest what excep-^"^^^'
" tions and alleviations we have alleged. Thou seest the
" straits of time, and how we are threatened. But skin
"Jbr skin, and all fhaf a man hath will he give fbr his life.
" EvU is not to be done, that good may come. But since
" thou knowest the hearts of all raen, and how wiUingly we
" resist thera, we beseech thy mercy not to respect tbe man-
" ner which we perform outwardly, in laying our hand upon

428 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " the book of tbe Gospel, and kissing it : nor take it, as if we
XXXVI. ,, ^^^^ assenting to the King's will: but take this our otitward

Anno 1536. a dissimulation as our reverence to the sacred word written
" in the Gospel, for tbe preservation of our bouse, if it shall
" please thy goodness." But there were ten monks that
thought not fit thus to dissemble. And tbey were put out
of the convent in June 1537, and laid in prison: where,
saith their historian, they all died but one, named WUliam
Home, who in 1541. was put to death- Two of the four
278 that were reraoved frora this house, were placed in a house
of religion near HuU ; where they were busy in the rebel
hon that happened this year in the north ; and so were exe
cuted, and hung in chains at York, 1537, whose names
were John Rochester and Jaraes Wannert. In the year
1539, all of thera that remained were expelled their house,
consisting of twelve professed monks, three guests, and six
The disso- converts professed- In the church, the King's tents and
th't"h °u e araraunition were laid. The house was afterward given to
Sir Edward North, who there buUt hiraself a fair dweUing,
and raade a parlour of the church ; puUing down most of
the cloisters.
The surren- The State of the monks of the Charter House that were
der of the .
Charter stiU agamst the Kings supreraacy, anno 1537, when the
Hoiue, by surrender of it was raade, raay appear frora Thomas Bedyl
Cleopatra, the visitor's own letters to Crurawel ; ^ving an account of a
great raortality araong them. " My very good Lord, after
" my most hearty coraraendations; it shall please your Lord-
" ship to understand, tbat the raonks of the Charter House
" here at London, coraraitted to Newgate for their treacherous
" behaviour continued against the King's Grace, be almost
" despatched by the hand of God, as it raay appear to you by
" this biU inclosed : [which follows at the end of the letter.]
" Wherefore considering their behaviour, and the whole
" raatter, I ara not sorry; but would that all such as love
" not the King's Highness, and bis worldly honour, were in
" like case.
" My Lord, as ye raay, I desire you in the way of charity,
" and none otherwise, to be good Lord unto the Prior of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 429
" the said Charter House, which is as honest a raan as ever CHAP.
YV VVI
" was in that habit, or else I ara rauch deceived ; and is one .

" which never offended the King's Grace by disobedience ^""" ' ^^^-
" of his law : but hath laboured very sore continuaUy for
" the reforraation of his brethren. And now at the last, at
" mine expectation and instigation, constantly raoved, and
" finally persuaded his brethren to surrender their house,
" lands, and goods into the King's hands, and to trust only
" to his raercy and grace. I beseech you, my Lord, that
" the said Prior may be so entreated by your help, that
" he be not sorry, and repent, tbat be hath feared and fol-
" lowed your sore words and my gentle exhortation made
" unto hira, to surrender tbe said bouse, and think that he
" might have kept the same, if your Lordship and I had not
" led him to the said surrender. But surely I believe that
" I know the man so well, that whatsoever he be ordered,
" he would be content without grudge. He is a raan of
" such charity, as I have not seen tbe like.
" As touching the house of the Charter House, I pray
" God, if it shall please the King to alter it, that it raay be
" turned into a better use ; seeing it is in the face of the
" world, and rauch coramunication wol run thereof througb-
" out this realra. For London is the coraraon country of
" all lands : from whence is derived to all parts of this realra
" all good and evil accidents here. From London, the xiv,
" day of June, " By your Lordships at eomraaundment, " Thomas Bedyl.
" There be departed, 279
" Brother WiUiam Grenewood. Brother Walter Peerson.
" Dane John Davye. Dane Thomas Greene.
" Brother Robert Sake.
" There be even at the point of death,
" Brother Thomas Scriven. Brother Thomas Reading.
" There be sick,
" Dane Thomas Jonson. Brother William Hornc.
" One is whole, Dane Bird."

430 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. These had been all coraraitted to Newgate, being raonks
^^^^^- of the Charter House, that would not take the oath to the
Anno 1536. King.
Queen This year, [1536,] in the raonth of May, Queen Anne Bo-
death, leyn was beheaded : a great friend and patroness of tbe re
forraed religion.
She was a ghe was very nobly charitable, and expended largely in
the Re- all raanner of acts of liberality, according to her high qua-
formation. jjjy._ And araong the rest of her ways of shewing this
Christian virtue, she being a favourer of learning, together
with her father, the Lord WUtshire, and the Lord Rochford
her brother, raaintained divers ingenious raen at the Univer-
Hcthe. si ties. Among the rest were these men of note; Dr. Hethe,
Thirieby. afterward Archbishop of York, and Lord Chancellor ; Dr.
Paget. Thirlby, afterward Bishop of Ely ; and Mr. Paget, after
ward Lord Paget, and Secretary of State : aU whicb in her
tirae were favourers of the Gospel, though afterwards they
Fox's Mon. relapsed. Of Paget one hath observed, that he was a most
p. 961. earnest Protestant, and being in Carabridge, gave unto one
Reynold West, Luther's book, and other books of the Ger
raans, as Franciscus Lamberfus de Sectls : and that at that
time he read Melancthon's Rhetoric openly in Trinity haU ;
and was a maintainer of Dr. Barnes, and all the Protestants
then in Cambridge, and helped raany religious persons out
of their cowles.
And such as Tliis Queen was also a great favourer of those that suf-
cuted for it. fered for reHgion. Let this letter ensuing, writ by her to
Crurawel, stand upon record here, shewing both her love to
such sufferers, and her high esteera of the word of God.
By the Queen.
Her letter " Anne the Queen. Trusty and right well beloved, wee
wel """' " g''^^'- you ^^^^1- And whereas we be credibly enformed,
Cleop. E. 5. " that the bearer hereof, Rychard Herman, merchant, and
" citizen of Antwerp in Brabant, was, in the time of the late
" Lord Cardinal, put and expelled from his freedora and fel-
" lowship of and in tbe English house there, for nothing
" else, as he affirraeth,but only for that, that be did, both with

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 431
" his goods and policy, to his great hurt and hindrance in CHAP.
" this world, help to the setting forth of the New Testament .

" in Enghsh. Wee therefore desire and instantly pray you. Anno 1536.
" that with all speed and favour convenient, ye woU cause
" this good and honest raerchant, being ray Lords true,
" faithful, and loving subject, to be restored to his pristin 280
" freedora, liberty, and fellowship aforesaid. And the sooner
" at this our request: and at your good plesure to hear
" hira in such things as he hath to make further relation
" unto you in this behalf. Yeven under our signet, at my
" Lord's manner of Grenewich, the xiv. day of May."
Such a raaterial piece of history in the King's reign, be- Divers say-
sides what is written by our historians, may deserve divers Qf^j,„g;„
particular remarks to be shewn, concerning this Queen's be-^i'e Tower.
haviour and her speeches, from the tirae of her coraraitraent
to the Tower, to her execution. Which I ara enabled to
give frora five or six letters of Sir WiUara Kyngston, Con
stable, or (as others) Lieutenant of the Tower, to Secre
tary Crumwel. And I do it the rather, to represent matters
concerning this Queen in her afflictions the more largely,
exactly, and distinctly ; which Bishop Burnet hath set down Hist. Refor.
from the sarae papers more briefly and imperfectly. And™ '"¦''¦
perhaps, upon the reading of what follows, some things which
that reverend author attributes to fits and vapours in the
Queen, may find a better and truer interpretation. The Life of
Lord Herbert also has given us only sorae short hints of '^jg""^^'
these things.
After the Duke of Norfolk and sorae other of the King's Her words
CouncU, who had conducted Queen Anne to the Tower, coming to
(which was on the 2d of May,) were departed, the said Con- "•'^ Tower.
stable of the Tower went before her into her lodging. And
then she said to hira, Mr. Kyngston, shall I go into a
dungeon .'' He answered her. No, Mad ara ; you shall go into
your lodging, that you lay in at your coronation. Upon
which she said. It is too good for rae. And further said,
Jesu ! have mercy on me. And then kneeled down, weep- Kyngston's
ing a great pace. And in the sarae sorrow, fell into a great J^* j.^^"'
laughing. And so she did several times afterwards. Then

432 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. g}jg desired Mr. Kyngston to raove the King's Highness,
'.that she raight have the Sacraraent in the closet by her

Anno 1536. charaber: tbat she raight pray for raercy. For I am as char,
said she, from fhe company qf man, as for sin, as I am
clear from you: and again, the King's true wedded w'fe.
And then she said, Mr. Kyngston, do you know wherefore
I ara here.' And he said. Nay. And then she asked him,
when he saw the King 'f He said, not since be saw him in
the TUt-yard, [which was but tbe day before at Greenwich,
when he seeraed first to take a displeasure against her.] And
then she asked hira, I pray you tell rae where ray lord
ray father is. He told ber, be saw hira afore dinner in the
court. O ! where is ray sweet brother .'' [For she feared the
King's displeasure against her would reach unto all her re
lations.] Kyngston replied, I left hira at York Place : think
ing it convenient to conceal it frora her, though he was com
mitted the sarae day. I hear say, said she, that I shaU be
accused by three raen. And I can say no raore, but, nay ;
though you should open ray body; and therewith she open
ed her gown. Adding, O ! Norris, bast thou accused me .?
Thou art in the Tower with rae. And thou and I shaU die
together. And Mark, [another that accused her,] thou art
here too. And then ^vith rauch corapassion she said, 0 !
ray raotiier, thou wilt die with sorrow. And then she much
laraented ray Lady Worcester, (being with chUd,) because
her child did not stir in her body. And when the Consta
ble's wife, being present, asked what raight be the cause, she
said, it was for the sorrow she took for rae.
281 Then she said, Mr. Kyngston, shall I die without justice.''
To which he replied, the poorest subject the King had, had
justice. And therewith she laughed. All these sayings hap
pened that night. The next raorning in conversation with her,
these speeches happened; related by Sir WiUiam Kyngston
in his foresaid letter. Mrs. Cosins, a gentiewoman appointed
to wait upon the Queen here, and that lay on her palate
bed, said, that Norris (one of those that were accused about
her) did say on Saturday last unto the Queen's Araner, that
he would swear for the Queen, that she was a good woman.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 433
And then the said gentieworaan added, speaking to the ^^.^^Sj
Queen, [as rainding to inquire of her concerning the occa- 
sion of her present trouble,] Madara, why should there be^""" '^'*''''
any such matters spoken of? Marry, said the Queen, I bade
hira do so. For I asked him, why he did not go through
with his raarriage, [with sorae lady; it seeras, Norris courted.]
And he raade answer, he would tarry a time. Then said
she, You look for dead men's shoes. For if ought should
come to the King, but good, you would look to have rae.
Then he said, if he should have any such thought, he would
his head were off. And then she said, she could undo hira
if she would. And therewith they fell out.
And then she said, I raore fear Weston, [another that
was cast into the Tower about her business.] For Weston
had said unto her, that Norris carae raore unto her charaber
for her than he did for Mage; [tbe narae, I suppose, of
one of the Queen's maids that he courted.] And further,
Kingston related another saying, which the Queen spake to
hira concerning Weston, [whom also she had sometiraes talk
with, coraing often in her way ; which raight create a jea
lousy concerning hira,] that she had spoke with hira, because
he did love her kinsworaan, Mrs. Skelton. And said to
hira, that he loved not his wife, [spoken by way pf reproof.]
And he raade answer to her again, that he loved one in her
house better than them both. And the Queen said. Who is
that ? He gave this answer. It is yourself. And then she
defied hira, as she said to Kingston, [in scorn and displea
sure, as reflecting upon her honour undoubtedly.] These
passages between the Queen and thera was the cause of all
their deaths; coraing sorae way or other to the jealous
King's ears. For she, being of a free and courteous nature,
would exchange words soraetiraes, and enter into some talk
with such as she met in the Court ; and with these gentle
men, who were of the Privy Charaber: and so happened
often to come where she was. And some of their discourse
happened to be brought to the King by some officious per
son, that owed her no good-will.
VOL. I. F f

434 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. In another letter to Secretary Crumwel, he wrote these
XXXVI. passages concerning the said Queen : that she rauch desired

Anno ] 536. to have there in her closet the Sacraraent ; and also her
She desires Araner for one hour, when she was deterrained to die, [that
the Sacra- . ^ti/. -• j-i /~i
ment in her IS, to Suffer death.] After an exaraination ot her at Green-
heTlimoner '^^^^' before soiue of the CouncU, the said Kyngston sent
with her. for hls wife and Mrs. Cosins, (who both were appointed to
second le"- ^^ always with her,) to know of thera how she had done
^"- tbat day. Tbey said, she had been very raerry, and made
a good dinner ; and after, called for a supper. And then
called for hira, and asked hira where he had been all day.
And after sorae words she began talk, and said, she was
cruelly bandied at Greenwich with the King's CouncU:
282 naraely, with ray Lord of Norfolk, [who was indeed her
eneray.] And that he said, [to what she had spoken, as it
seeras, in her own defence,] Tut, fuf, fut ; and shaking his
head three or four tiraes. And as for Mr. Treasurer, he
was, said she, in the forest of Windsor. You know, added
the writer of the letter, what she meant by that. And then
named Mr. Comptroller (another of tbe Council) to be a very
gentleraan. But she to be a Queen, and so cruelly bandied,
it was never seen. Buf I think fhe King dofh If fo prove me.
And then laughed withal ; and was very raerry. And then
she said, I shall have justice. Then said the Constable,
Have no doubt therein. Then she said. If any man accuse
me, I can say but nay. And tbey can bring no witness.
She wishes And in some coramunication with the Lady Kingston
shops to go ^^^ Mrs. Cosins, I would to God, said she, I had my Bi-
to the King shops : for they would all go to the King for me. For I
for her. . °
think the most part of England prayeth for me. And if I
die, you shall see the greatest punishraent for me within this
seven years that ever carae to England. [This she spake
no doubt in the confidence of her innocency; and God's
righteous and visible judgraents for the raost part, for shed
ding innocent blood. And indeed within the seventh year
foUowing happened a dreadful pestilence in London, and
many comraotions and insurrections to the end of this reign-]

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 435
And then, said she, shall I be in heaven. For I have done CHAP.
- • XXXVI
many good deeds in my days. Then she took notice of.

divers woraen set about her that she liked not; saying, I Anno isss.
think much unkindness in the King, to put such about me
as I never loved. Then Kyngston shewed her, that the
King took them to be honest and good woraen. But I
would have had of ray own Privy Charaber, replied she,
which I favour raost, 8ec.
In another letter of Kyngston to Crurawel, he relates
how she desired of hira to carry a letter to the said Crura
wel, [of whose friendship she had a belief] But he (it
seeras not thinking it safe for hira to carry letters from her)
said to her, that if she would tell it him by mouth, he would
do it. For which she gave him thanks : and added, that
she much marveUed, that the King's Council carae not to her,
as seeraing to be ready to justify herself. The sarae day she
said, we should have no rain till she was delivered out of
the Tower : it being a season that wanted rain : [thinking
probably that God (who takes care of innocency) would vin
dicate her by giving or withholding the clouds of heaven.]
To which Kyngston replied, I pray it raay be shortly, be
cause of the fair weather : adding. You know what I raean,
[that is, the King's reconcihation to her.]
Other occasional speeches of hers were these. She said Women set
concerning such women as was set about her, that the King-jjjjjjj^ij' '
wist what he did, when he put two such about her as my
Lady Bolen and Mrs. Cosins. For they could tell her no
thing of my lord her father, and nothing else. But that
she defied thera aU. [Meaning any about her whosoever, to
be able to charge her with any dishonourable act.] But
then upon this, my Lady Bolen [her kinswoman] said to
her, Such desire as you, have had to such tales [tale-car
riers or tellers, as some perhaps of her women were] have
brought you to this. Then said Mrs. Stoner, [another
gentlewoman about her,] Mark [Sraeton, the musician, an
other committed to the Tower, an accuser of the Queen] is
the worst cherished of any in the house : for he weareth 283
irons. The Queen said, that was because he was no gen-
F f 2

436 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, tleraan. And he never was at my chamber, [and so could
' know less, she raeant, than any, what was done by her, or

Anno 1536. any with her there,] but at Winchester, and there she sent
for hira to play on the virginals : for there ray lodging was
above tbe King's. And I never spake with hira since, but
upon Saturday before May-day, [that fatal day, when the
King first conceived his jealousy.] And then I found him
standing in the round window in my chamber of presence.
And I asked him why he was so sad. And he answered
and said, it was no matter. And then she said. You may
not look to have me speak to you, as I would do to a noble
man ; because ye be an inferior person. No, no, said he, a
look sufficeth rae : and thus fare you well. This shews him
to be sorae haughty person ; and thought the Queen gave
hira not respect enough. And so raight take this oppor
tunity to hurable her ; and revenge hiraself by this means
on her ; not thinking it would cost hira his own Hfe.
Vol. i. Another letter of Sir WiUiara Kyngston to Crumwel, giv
ing an account of this Queen's behaviour at her execution,
is published in tbe History of the Reforraation. Which
began thus : " Sir, this shall be to advertise you, that I have
" received your letter ; wherein you would have strangers
" conveyed out of the Tower. And so they be, by the
Otho, c. 1 0. " means of Richard Gresham, and WUliara Loke, and Wi-
" thepole. But the nuraber of strangers past not thhty ;
" and not raany bothe [other.]" Armed is added in the
said History, which word is not in the original letter. Other
mistakes there, this raore exact transcription wiU rectify
thus far in the letter.
Her letter Another letter of bers to the King, beginning, " Sir,
King! " you"" Grace's displeasure," &c. is published in the ^aid His
tory. But this passage foUowing, wrote at the end of her
letter, I think worthy to be transcribed and set here, the
reverend author of that book relating it iraperfectly, viz.
The King sending a raessage to the Queen Anne, being pri
soner in the Tt wer, willing her to confess the truth ; she
said, " she could confess no raore than she had already
*' spoken. And she said, she raust conceal nothing from

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 437
" the King, to whom she did acknowledge herself so rauch chap.
" bound for raany favours : for raising her first frora a raean .

" woraan to be a Marquess; next to be his Queen. And Anno 1536.
" now, seeing he could bestow no further honour upon her
" on earth, for purposing to raake her, by raartyrdom, a
" saint in heaven."
I add one remark more concerning this Queen : that at No precon-
this tirae of her being in the Tower, a forraer charge was J*gp„ ^j^
revived against her : naraely, the contract of raarriage be- ^'^^ *''«
tween her and the present Earl,of Northumberland, before Northumb.
her marrying with the King : designing, if they could prove
this, to raake her forraer raarriage with the King unlawful
and void ; and to make the smoother way for his marrying
with the Lady Jane. But whatsoever the afflicted Queen
confessed, to save her life, or to change the way of her execu
tion, from burning to beheading, that there never was any
such precontract, the said Earl protested soleranly in a let
ter to Secretary Crurawel : who, it seeras, had now desh-ed
to know the truth frora hiraself. Therein telling hira, how
he had forraerly, before the two Archbishops, viz. Warhara
and Wolsey, utterly denied it upon his oath, and the receiv-284
ing of the Sacraraent : so he now confirmed it in this letter.
Which the Bishop of Sarura saying he saw, but entered it
not in his History, vol. i. yet in his third he hath. To which Hist. Refor.
recourse may be had by such as are pleased to peruse it: p. 113.'
which I find is correctly set down from the original.
This letter was raore shortly entered by the Lord Herbert
in his History : leaving out soraething in the beginning and
end of the said letter, and the Earl's subscription.
In what ill case the young Lady Elizabeth now was, any The condi-
one raay guess ; she being degraded into a raeaner condition Lady°Eiiza-
upon the Queen her late raother's divorce and death. And beth.
what it was, will in part appear by a letter of the Lady
Margaret Brian, governess of the King's chUdren, sent to
Crumwel, now Lord Privy Seal, from Hunsden ; for his in
structions, how she should now manage the Lady Elizabeth :
and to know how she should be served with diet and attend-
Ff3

438 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, ance : and withal acquainting hira with her present need ;
XXX.\ I. ^jjj praying for a supply of clothes for her mourning. Mr.

Anno 1536. Shelton, who was one of the chief of the house there, and
calling himself master of that house, was Jor the said young
lady, not being rauch above three years old, to dine at a
table of state. Which this discreet lady governess thought
by no means convenient, considering her age ; lest she sit
ting at so plenteous a table, furnished with wine, firuit, and
other dainties, by eating and drinking thereof too freely,
raight overcharge her stomach, and be an occasion hereby of
sickness to herself And that she might rather be appointed
to have a mess or two in her own lodging : where she might
be more under the oversight and care of her, the said lady
governess, as to her diet. And the reversion of her table
raight go to her woraen, gentleraan usher, and groom,
eleven servants in all. And in short, she advised that the
sarae course of diet raight be observed towards her Grace,
as was towards the Lady Mary's Grace. And this she
judged the better managing of her house : and withal save
the King rauch expense. And then praying an order
agreeable hereunto should be sent from hira, the Lord
Crurawel, or the King, to the said Mr. Shelton, without
letting hira know that this advice came from her.
Great pro- And what hope there was, that this young Lady Ehza-
hopesofher ^^^^ would afterwards prove an excellent accoraphshed
woman, and of whora the King should in all probabUity
have great corafort ; the Lady Brian added, that although
by reason of her pain in breeding ber teeth, she, her go
verness, gave her a little more her will, she was as toward a
chUd, and of as gentle conditions as ever she knew any in
her whole Hfe. These are but the short contents of the
letter of the Lady Elizabeth's governess, concerning that
Princess's state and circumstances at this time : who after
wards proved one of the greatest and wisest Princes that
ever ruled this land. And the letter deserveth to be pre
served for some supply of her history in ber youngest years.
X'. LXXI. Read it in the Appendix, as I transcribed it frora the original.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 439
So that after the beheading of Queen Anne, the Lady CHAP.
Elizabeth her daughter came under the like inconvenience  '_

with Queen Katharine's daughter, the Lady Mary: both de- Anno 1536.
clared Princesses successively, and both successively de- ^^^ l^l^
graded of their titles, and declared illegitimate. But the to be recon-
Lady Mary, thinking this to be a good opportunity to at- father.
tempt the being received again as the King's daughter and 285
heir, was advised by some about her to solicit and apply to
the King her father to take her into his favour. And ac
cordingly she sent her message to him, acknowledging her
forraer obstinacy, and begging of hira to be reconciled to
her. Whereupon were several articles, seven in nuraber,
drawn up, and brought to her by the Duke of Norfolk to
sign. The contents of thera were, " whether she recognised
" the King, and submitted to all his statutes and laws :
" whether she acknowledged him supreme Head, under
" Christ, of the Church of England : whether she refused
" the Bishop of Rome's pretended authority : whether she
" took and thought it in her heart, the raarriage of her rao-
" ther to be unlawful and indispensable, and the divorce
" justly done : and whether she accepted herself Ulegitiraate
" and a bastard : why she held out in her obstinacy thus
" long, and what causes induced her now to submit her-
" self." These articles shall be fully "set down in the Ap
pendix, as I found them among certain MSS. of the Lordvid.N».
¦ -1 xxv
Burghley ; and I have the rather transcribed thera, because
they are very rauch curtailed in the Lord Herbert's History, Life of King
and one of thera, naraely, the fifth article, which relates to^^°-P'^®°-
her acknowledgraent of herself a bastard, wholly left out.
The four first of these she signed, saith that noble author. The Lady
and, I suppose, the fifth too, by him oraitted. For it is cer- ^^Testo"
tain, either now or soon after, she acknowledged her mother's certain ar-
marriage incestuous and unlawful ; which was to acknow- "^ ^'
ledge herself iUegitiraate, as raay be seen in the transcript
of a writing by her subscribed, preserved in the Cotton
hbrary, and printed by the right reverend author of the
History of the Reforraation. But she would raake no dis- v^oi. i.
covery of persons or causes, as she was required in the two P' ^''^•
if 4

440 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, last articles. But one of the causes that inclined her to
XXX^ I. jjjake tbe abovesaid acknowledgraent raight be the prospect

Anno 1536. of a marriage, that was soon after moved by the French
King's Ambassadors, to be celebrated betwixt his second son,
the Duke of Orleans, and her : an intiraation whereof the
Lord Herbert gives. But upon sorae great passion King
Henry was put into by the Arabassadors, he teUs us, that
matter of marriage was scarcely propounded. But by a
raeraorial thereof, which is araong the aforesaid ]MSS. it ap
pears, there were some considerable transactions concerning
it, between the two French Ambassadors and sorae of the
King's Council. Wherein raay be seen, that the King was
very incHnable to it, and required for that purpose, tbat the
young Duke should be sent over into England, to hve here,
to leam tbe custoras, language, and manners of the EngHsh
nation ; the King's intentions being hereby to use him as
his own son, in order to the advancing hira to the crown of
Lxxvi England. But read the raeraorial itself
The Papists Queeu Auue's death, as it was probably of the Romanists'
q^a"^ > procuring, so it was good news to thera. For they reckoned
death. her (and that truly enough) a great instruraent in putting
the King forward to what he had done in reforming reh
gion. Pole, in a letter to tbe King, wrote within two months
after her death, takes leave to call her the King's " domestic
286 " ^'^^^5 whicb God, as be said, had rid him of: and that she
" was thought to be tbe cause of all his errors. And that
" with her head [cut off] he trusted, God had cut away aU
" occasion of such offences as had separated the King from
" the Hght of God : and tbat frora her descended aU dlsor-
" ders:'''' as he had styled the orders raade for the correct
ing and regulating the corruptions of religion.
Favourers When therefore the Papists had got this good Queen out
persecuted '^^ ^^^ ^^7' ^^^V ^^^^ accouut the doctriue of the Gospel
would decline and languish with her. Hereupon they be
gan to bestir theraselves, to accuse and depress aU that in
clined to reforraation. I find this year several Clergymen
and others brought into trouble by the Papists : as one Gale,
Parson of Twait in Suffolk, indicted before the Justices of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 441
assize for heresy and treason, together with Broman and chap.
XXXVI
Kemp. These were forced to accuse several others. Cler

gymen and Friars ; as Dr. Barret, a White Friar of Gips- Anno 1536.
wich; Bale, a White Friar and Prior of Doncaster, and di
vers others. The matter of the accusation may be under
stood, if we do but read this foUo\\dng, as I took it out of a
Cotton volume :
" 28 Hen. Sir John Gale, Clerk, Parson of Twaite in John Gale.
" Suffolk, indicted before the Justices of assize of heresy e.^5°5* "^'
" and treason ; and so was coramitted into the hands of the
" High Sheriff, William Drury ; who kept hira without bail
" or raainprize, and sent up to Crurawel, to know what he
" should do with hira. He was indicted by the grand jury,
" for saying before divers of his parishioners and others,
" that a teraporal raan may consecrate the body of our Lord
" Jesus Christ, and hath as great power as any Priest, if
" the temporal raan can speak tho words, the which the
" Priest speaketh : and that holy water and holy bread is
" of no strength ; nor he will make neither holy water nor
" holy bread the next Sunday after. And also he persuaded
" his said parishioners, that they should not take neither
" holy water nor holy bread. And after that, the same
" day, the foresaid Parson, and one John Augustine, of the
" same town, husbandman, like schismatics and infidels,
" brake up certain iron work, which was long before set in
" the wall of the church, afore the images of our Lady and
" St. Erasraus; that aU raen and woraen raight set up
" Hghts in honour of God and the holy saints. And in
" derision, the same Parson and John Augustin turned the
" face of the picture of St. Erasraus towards the waU, con-
" fra pacem Domini Regis.'''' This for his heresy: and then
for his treason; that consisted in his saying, / will not de
clare the Articles which be commanded by the King's Grace;
for fhe halfqf fhem were nought.
WUliara Broman was also brought into trouble at this W^- Broman.
time. " He saith, that he hath learned by the teaching and
" doctrine of one Dr. Barret, soraetirae a White Friar of

442 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
chap. " Gipswich, about three or four years past, that the blessed
^^^^^- « Sacrament of the Altar is but a figure, and a reraerabrance
Anno 1536. « of the passion of Christ ; saying, that the lifting up of the
" Host betokeneth nothing, but tbe sending down ofthe Son
" by the Father to suffer death for raan : and the Hfting
" up of the chalice signified, that the Father of heaven
" sent down his Son to shed his blood in earth for man's
" salvation.
Bale. " Also he Saith, that one Bale, a White Friar, sometime
" Prior of Doncaster, taught hira about three years ago,
287 " that Christ would dwell in no church that was made of
" lirae and stones by men's hands, but only in heaven above,
" and in men's hearts in earth.
Parson oi " Also he saith, that in Lent last the Parson of Hothfield
" taught the same doctrine that is expressed in the first ar-
" tide : adding thereto, that men ought to put no trust in
" the Host, when it is lift up, but forthwith to remember the
" passion of Christ, and to put whole trust in that. And
" he saith, that he heard it reported by a dozen at the least,
" that the said Parson of Hothfield preached, that our Lady
" was not queen of heaven, but the mother of Christ ; and
" that she could do no more for us than another woman,
" liking her to a saffron bag. And over that, saith, that
" when the said Parson preached after this sort, the Baihff
" of Folstan bade the Vicar pull him out of the pulpit.
" Whereunto the Vicar answered, that he durst not do so, for
" fear of losing all that he had; for that, as the said Parson
" said, he had a hcence, under the King's broad seal, to
" preach in all places. And further he saith, that the said
" Parson of Hothfield by the said serraon turned an hun-
" dred hearts to his opinion and devotion.
Wyne. " Also he salth, that one Wyne his servant, dweUing in
" Folston, said. That Christ being received by a sick man, it
" was an unfit thing for Christ to be buried with him when
" he is dead." [Thus could iUiterate people frame notable
arguments against the gross presence of Christ in the Sa
crament.]

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 443
" Stephen Kemp saith, that he heai-d the Parson of Han- CHAP.
. XXXVI
worth preach at Kingston, about twelve months past, in .

"Lent, that whosoever carae to church to seek God, he Anno 1536.
" should not find hira there, except he brought him with jjanworth.
" him. And that raen ought to put their trust in God's
" word, and to have better regard to good serraons and
" preaching, than to the Sacraraent of the Altar, niass-mat-
" ters, or evensong.
" The said Parson of Hothfield preached, that the Sacra-
" ment of the Altar was not to be regarded, and that it was
" but a sirailitude. That Latimer and Cromer preached,
" that we should trust only in God's word, and that we
" should not honour any saints, nor trust in any ceremonies
« of the Church."
This year Mr. Hierorae, Vicar of Stepney, was fain to The vicar
raake his recantation for a serraon preached at St. Paul's recantation.
Cross. One Henry Dowes, in a letter dated frora Stepneth,
(Curate, I suppose, there,) on Easter Monday wrote unto
Gregory Crurawel, Esq. an account of Hierorae's recantation
serraon, which he raade that day at Paul's Cross. Wherein
he revoked a doctrine that he had preached at the same
place not long before, concerning justification by faith, with
out any other condition. Whereas now he confessed pe
nance and other sacraraents raust be joined thereunto.
There was a recantation made and subscribed by Dr. Barnes,
in the year 1540, to which this Hierome also subscribed :
which is extant in the History of the Reforraation. HeVoi. i. CoU.
with Barnes and Gerard were burnt for heresy the next*^"^**'
year. Nor did they strike no higher than at sorae of the friai-s Bishop of
and priests ; but the Bishops also, that went not along with accu^ed'for
thera in their errors and superstitions, could not escape the P™*'^'''°S f&ls6 doC"
notice of their accusations. Barlow, Bishop of St. David's, trine.
was charged with four articles of false doctrine, preached by 288
him in a serraon at St. David's. Which were, " that two or
" three raeeting together in God's narae, though they were
" weavers and cobblers, was the true Church of God. That it
" is expedient to confess only to God. That there was no

444 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP.
XXXVI.

Anno 1536,

Tally.

Vid. N».
LXXVlI.Seditiousbooks.

HortuiusAnimas.

Vid. N°.
LXXVIII.A contest
between the
Bishop of
Lincoln and
the Arch
deacon.

" purgatory, but that it was only an invention of the Bishops
« of Rorae and the Priests, for tbeir own gain. That a
" learned layraan might be as good a Bishop as any of them,
" if be was called thereunto by the King." Information
was raade against hira for these sayings and assertions ; as
also against one Tally, who had preached sorae doctrines of
this nature in the sarae church the sevennight after : and
being drawn up into articles, was sent unto tbe Bishop of
Coventry and Litchfield, then Lord President of the Marches
of Wales : and he the next opportunity sent them up to
Crumwel. Whose letter with the articles theraselves are in
the Appendix.
There were about this tirae raany books brought into the
realra, printed abroad, that favoured the Gospel, and in
veighed against tbe superstitions and corruptions of Rome.
Tbe popish Prelates, and favourers of tbe old religion, did
what they could to seize and suppress thera. One of these
books, called Horfulus Anima, fell into the hands of the
Bishop of Durhara, being seized in Newcastle. And in a
calendar of that book, at the day of the decoUation of John
the Baptist, were, it seeras, sorae favourable things said of
Queen Anne, lately beheaded. That Bishop, taking occa
sion frora hence to bring that whole book, and all such Hke
books, into dislike at Court, sent up an inforraation to the
Lord Crurawel of the book, and bade hira read that place,
saying, that it was an insinuation against the late act of Par
liaraent for the succession ; wherein the chUdren of Queen
Jane were raade heirs only to the crown. He desired the said
Lord to consider this to the King, and that he would move
hira that orders raight be issued out, dUigently to search in
Newcastle and Hull, and other seaport towns and places,
for such books ; and particularly, to write his letter to the
Mayor of Newcastie, and to other towns, for this intent. The
Bishop of Durhara's letter raay be read in the Appendix.
Under this year a contest happened between the Bishop
of Lincoln and his Archdeacon, about their dues and pri
vileges : the Bishop requiring the synodals, (which the Arch
deacon claimed as his fees tirae out of mind.) Because the

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 445
Bishop found in his register, that the Archdeacon paid chap.
yearly prestations to the Bishop. Wherefore they were XXXVI.
fain to appeal to my Lord Crumwel, the King's Vicar Ge- Anno 1536.
ngral and Lord Privy Seal. The Archdeacon charged the
Bishop with avarice, and drew up his business in a paper,
which he entitled, Instructions for my Lord Privy Seal,
concerning fhe Bishop qf Lincoln and his Archdeacon,
touching fhe Bishop'' s demand for prestations. Wherein is
shewed, what appertained to the office of an Archdeacon,
and whereupon his revenues in former tiraes grew : naraely,
procurations, synodals, Peter-pence, pensions or inderani-
ties, fines of testaraents, vacations of benefices, installations
of abbots. What all these were, and wherein lay the cause
of this said contest, raay be seen in the Appendix. Where Vid. N°.
the original paper is transcribed, and worth perusing. Lxxix.

CHAP. XXXVII. 289
Letters to and from Reginald Pole. His book, De Unione
Ecclesiastic^. Stan-key's letter to fhe Lord Privy Seal.
J. HERE was an intercourse of letters begun the last year Anno 1537.
between Pole and Starky, by the Lord Crurawel's raeans : Hopes con-
CGIVCd. 01
and which continued this year. Starky had wrote to Pole poie.
in answer to a former letter of his 22. of April : which was
so penned by Pole, that sorae expectations were gathered
thence, that he would gratify the King in writing concern-
mg his great cause, according to his mind. And Starky so
conceiving, signified as much to the King. And now that
he was to return an answer to Pole, Mr. Bainton, Vice-
Chamberlain to the Queen, and Pole's old friend, desired
Starky to tell hira from him, " that he should well consider,
" how the King's Highness devised (and ever had done) a
" convenient means to set him in such case, that he might,
" according to the farae of his virtues and raerits, handle
" and entreat hira: and that he should also consider, how
" much the King gave to his learning and judgraent ; whom

446 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " the said Bainton knew much willing to have his consent
XXXVII. a jjj jjjg great causes, although they were defined already.
Anno 1537." Insomuch that his judgraent thereto could littie avaunce,
" except peradventure in sorae part to the confirraation
" thereof"
Two ques- Pole had, as it seems, in another letter to Starky, (which
pound^ed" be shewed the King,) wrote a letter concerning the King's
from the cause, more Hke a Statesman than Divine. Wherein he
Pole, to shewed the dangers that raight follow ; but the raatter it-
answer. gg]f^ as it was most sharply judged of the King, he did not
at all touch. Wherefore the King again desired his learned
judgraent, and tbat be should leave his prudence and witty
policy, tUl he were required to shew it. Thus Starky wrote
to hira again, and there laid down before hira the point in
two questions, viz.
I. An matrimonium cum rellcta fratris, ab eo cognita,
sif jure divino llcifum.
II. An superioritas, quam mulfis in saculis Romanus
Pontifex sibi vlndlcavlt, sif ex jure divino.
N«.LXXX. This letter of Starky wUl be found in the Appendix.
The occa- fjiggg messages frora the King and Crumwel by Starky at
sion and IS- o o .1
sue of his last produced Pole's book, De Unione Eccleslasfica, so much
Unione' Surprising to the King and his correspondent Starky : and
whereby he drew so rauch the King's displeasure upon him
and his family ; which had such a tragical end, in the exe
cution of his raother and several others of thera. In which
book be threw out raany unworthy reflections upon the
King, and upon Dr. Sarapson, the author of a book afore
said, wrote against the Pope, which was sent to him by
Crurawel's order.
Account of Of this book of Ecclesiastical Union, (which was wrote to
Latimer, in the King,) and of the author, thus speaks one that Hved in
his fifth those tiraes, and of great learning and fame : " That in his
sermon be- -1,1 - 1 1.
fore King " persuasions he was very homely, quick, and sharp with the
Edward. a gjjjg rp},at hg extoUed unmeasurably the Pope, and too
" " rauch undervalued kings. He said, that a king was an
" odious word, and touched the place where God was of-
" fended with the Israelites for caUing for a king. That he

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 447
" seeraed very hghtiy to set forth the title of a king; as CHAP.
" though he should raean. What is a king ? What should a ^^^^^^-
"king take upon him to redress matters of religion? ItAnnoi5S7.
" pertaineth to our holy Father of Rome. A king is a name
" and a title, rather suffered of God as an evil thing, than
" allowed as a good. And thus he went about to persuade
" the King from his supremacy.'''' So Latimer in a sermon
before King Edward. In another place of the book, Pole
useth very irapertinently, for the Pope's authority, a text out
of St. Luke, of Christ's going into St. Peter's ship, and Luke v.
preaching out of it; and afterwards bidding hira launch
out into the deep, and catching a rairaculous draught of
fishes. Which he understood all allegorically ; wresting se
veral passages in it on the Pope's side. As, that it was Pe
ter the chief Apostle's boat that Christ carae into. Hence
he fraraed an arguraent for the Bishop of Rorae's supreraacy.
And by virtue of those words. Due in alfum. Launch ouf
info fhe deep, and lef down your nets for a draught, Peter
was made a great raan, and all his successors after hira ; be
cause he spake to Peter only. " To hira he spake in the
" singular number : ergo, he gave him preeminency above
" the rest.' The rest indeed he bade to let down their nets,
" but to him only, ia?/mc7»0M^." This passage Father Latiraer
thought fit to confute in one of his serraons before King
Edward, in these words: " I dare say, there is never a Sermon vi.
" wherryman at Westrainster-bridge, but he can answer to
" this, and give a natural reason of it. He knoweth that
" one raan is able to shove the boat ; but that one man is
" not able to cast out the nets ; and therefore Christ said
" in the plural nuraber, Laxate refia. He said in the singu-
" lar number to Peter, Launch ouf fhe ioaf : he spake to the
" other in the plural. Let down your nets. Because Peter
" was not able to convey the boat, and cast out the net too.
" This would a wherryman say, and that with better rea-
" son, than to make a mystery of it, as none can espy but
" themselves. As though Christ by that expression in-
" tended to give Peter the supreraacy over the rest."

448 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Thus I have given a taste of this famous book of Pole's,
^"^^'"" wherein he declared himself so roundly for the Pope to the

Anno 1537. King's face. Hereupon letters were sent frora the King to
^ds^or^ hun, to come over and explain his book to hun. Pole sent
Pole. an answer to the King, and his messenger to carry it, with
instructions to hira, what account he should give hira of his
reasons and intent in writing it. In the said answer, " he
" wished the King, that he would let the Bishop of Durham,
" a sad and learned man, (as he caUed hira,) read his book
" over, and give his Majesty a true account of it For
" though in sorae places it raight seera harsh to his
" Majesty, yet if it were all read over, it would appear
" otherwise." The King, as Pole desired, did let Durham
peruse it. Whereat that Bishop writ a letter to Pole, signi
fying that he had read his book, but disaUowed it much.
This occasioned another letter frora Pole to the said Bishop.
It was conjectured here, that Cardinal Contarini, and an
other Bishop, were Pole's great counseUors in what he wrote.
291 His raother and relations in England disapproved the book,
and raore in dread of what would foUow.
Starky -g^j. ^^g^™ jjq^^ writ, Starky sent a long and earnest letter
amazed at o ' ./ o
the book, to hira : therein partly confuting it, and partiy expostulating
with hira for it. Which being a notable letter, I have,
dispensing with the length thereof, transferred into the
Lxxxr. Appendix- By which letter it appears, that when Pole's book was
brought to the King, Starky, as Pole's true fiiend, desired
the King that it might be coraraitted to the reading of some
learned raen, that raight indifferentiy report their judgments
of it ; which tbe King allowed, and Starky was joined with
thera. But in tbe reading of it together, they met so many
expressions savouring of such gross ingratitude towards the
King his gracious master, and containing such corrupt judg
ment of the matters treated on ; that though they aU loved
Pole very weU, yet they could not but abhor what they read :
and Starky particularly was amazed and astonished; and
was ready to judge it to be none of Pole's oration. Because

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 449
of aU others, he had known him to be ever one that shewed CHAP.
. XXXVII.
himself to be earnestly affected towards his King and coun

try. Starky desired he raight have leave to read it all over ^°°° ^*^''-
by hiraself. Which he did seriously, and corapared it frora
the beginning to the end : and, considering well the whole
circurastance of the matter, he professed (as he told Pole
himself in his letter) that therein appeared to him the raost
frantic judgraent tbat ever he read in his life, of a learned A frantic
man. The raain arguraent of his book was, that because^p ^^^ i„
the nation was gone frora the obedience of Rorae, therefore i"* ^ook.
they were separate frora the unity of the Church, and to be
no raeraber of the body catholic. And hereupon he railed
upon the King raost veheraently, as though he was departed
from the Christian faith, and pursued hira with as much
reproach as Gregory had done Julian the Apostate. But
Starky shewed him, " that he did but abuse himself, to think
" the nation was separate from the unity of the Church, be-
" cause it had rejected the Pope's superiority : and that the
" Christian unity, according to St. Paul's doctrine, consisted
*' in the unity ofthe faith and the Spirit, and in a being knit
" together by love."
But notwithstanding all this pains Starky took with him. The King
the raatter faUing out so much contrary to the King's ex- ° ;tijstarw_
pectation, and to what Starky had put the King upon be
lieving, beingvexed with this book, and fearing tbe pub-
fishing of it, he in his displeasure with Pole frowned upon
Starky too; suspecting hira to have given hira sorae secret
counsel to write what he did. It added to the King's sus
picion, that he, lately preaching against the Pope, had used
too rauch mildness, and wanted more sharpness of expres
sions, as though he had secretly ^Favoured his priraacy.
This caused great disquiet and trouble of mind to hira.
Insomuch, that both the Lord Privy Seal and the Archbi
shop of Canterbury were fain both to corafort hira, and as
sure hira of the King's good-will. During which time he
added this letter to the former. Starliy to
" My Lord, though as well by the relation of my Lord p'j.-^'^^j
" of Canterbury, as also by tbe few words which you spake cieop. E. 6.
VOL. I. eg P' •

450 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « to rae the last day at Stepney, I ara restored to a great
XXXVII- . ,
-  1 " part of tbe quietness of ray raind ; for as much as thereby
Anno 1537- a J am persuaded fuUy, that you took ray purpose and in-
" " tent even as it was ; and that you be my good Lord after
" your wont and accustomed raanner : yet thorowly quieted
" I nother ara, nother .yet can I be, until I may be assured,
" that the King, my Soveraign Lord and Master, is by no
" wrong inforraation nor contrary suspicion otherwise per-
" suaded of rae, than my heart, wiU, and deed deserve.
" For albeit the testiraony of ray own conscience be indeed
" sufficient to countervail against aU outward displeasure,
" yet to ray weakness and infirraity it is no sraaU grief to
" be in doubt, that ray Lord and Master otherwise should
" judge me than my heart deserveth. The which also is
" much raore grief to me, because that I ara weU assured,
" both by the King's own words and also by his deeds, that
" he was good Lord to rae, and gracious. Wherefore since
" there is of ray part no occasion given to the contrary, but
" rather cause why his goodness should be increased towards
" rae, and benevolence -; (forasrauch as I have travailed to
" put in effect such things as were of his Grace's wUl weU
" approved and allowed, the which before time I by writing
" only touched : that is to say, to endeavour my self to the
" inducing of the people to their office and duty, concem-
" ing the obedience of his laws, and the conceiving of such
" things as were set forth for the maintenance of God's
" truth.) All the which considered, I cannot but sorrow, arid
" plainly confess my weakness and irabecUlity, utterly to be
" unable to bear and sustain of my Soveraign Lord any
" contrary suspicion.
" Wherefore, my Lord, I shall beseech you, as you be
" my special good Lord, so to declare it now at this time, and
" not to suffer my purpose and desire, which I have long
" suffered in ray heart, to serve ray raaster withal, now to be
" hindered and drowned with any wrong information, nor to
•Meaning "be blotted with any other man's act*, whereof I never
writing. " ™inistered occasion. For of your Lordship I take witness,
" that I never studied nor laboured thing more earnestiy

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 451
"than I did to bring that man (for whose fault I now CHAP.
" perceive I am blamed) to his office and duty, and to ,

pluck from him all sturdy obstinacy. And whereas per- Anno is37.
" adventure it may be thought, that I was the occasion of
"the demanding of his sentence, you know, my Lord, it
" was an occasion taken, and not upon ray behalf given.
" For I never raoved tbe King, nor yet you, to the ensearch-
"ing , oi his judgment at any time. Troth this is, that I
" never thought him to be of so corrupt a judgment and
" sentence in this matter of the primacy. And therefore I
" put you in hope and; expectation : and so I did the King
" also, after he had commanded me to write unto him his
"pleasure and request. Of the which hope that I am so
" deceived, he liveth not which is raore sorrowful than I
" am : nor his own mother which bare hira, and now repent-
"edi of his bringing forth to light : nor yet his raost dear
" brother, who by his act is deprived of a great comfort
" of his life. Therefore, my Lord, to blarae me for his
"deed cannot be without injury.
" And as touching ray own judgment of this primacy,
" this I raay truly say, that if there be any men within
" this realm which ought to want suspicion of this matter,
" but ' sincerely . doth approve it withojit dissimulation, I
" think>r may be of that number. For of this, my Lord,
"I shall assure you, (and you shall never find me feigned,)
" that before this raatter was raoved here in our country, 1 293
" much and oft desired it to be reforraed, considering the
"damnable! heresies annexed to it. Insorauch that I was
"then noted and blaraed of raany men, which otherwise
*' judged. And this I once declared unto the King; be-
" fore whom I never yet dissembled, nor never shall, during
" my life. And though peradventure sorae such which
" knew the famiharity betwixt Master Pole and me, (whose
" amity and friendship I did not a little esteem, so long as
" he forsook riot the judgment of his country, the service of
" his Sovereign Lord, and love to his natural friends,) have
' " induced you to an injurious suspicion ; yet, my Lord, he
" liveth not, nor look eth upon the light, that ever shall
Gg2

452 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "justify in me towards my Lord and Master any point of
XXXVII. j< dissimulation. Wherefore, my Lord, if I should other-
Annois37." wise be taken, it were no sraall grief to rae, standing in
" this truth and sincerity.
Starky vin- « And as Concerning ray preaching, one word I am yet
dicates his . ., o J r . ° j , • i
preaching. " Constrained to speak to you again, and 1 ara constrained
" by the desire I have to the setting forth of the truth, not
" raoved by any vain glory : the word is this, that if my
" intent and purpose in ray preaching had been weU taken,
" and indifferently considered, I should rather have been
" judged worthy of thanks, which I sought not, than of re-
" proach, which I deserved not. For, ray Lord, you know
" it is not the right way of preaching, to bring raen there-
" by unto the light, with great reproaches to condemn theh
" blindness suddenly ; but that is the way rather to exas-
" perate raen's hearts, and so to confirm them in their fol-
" lies more stedfastly. Wherefore, my Lord, I have wished
" raany tiraes lately, and for the love that I bear to the
" truth, and to the quietness of tbe city wherein I have
" chosen ray dwelling-place, and I do yet wish daily, such
" preachers to be elected, chosen, and picked out, which,
" without contention and study of glory, shall set forth the
" truth sincerely, and, after the counsel of St. Paul, in
" things indifferent, should have consideration of the weak-
" ness of raen and infirmity ; whereby they should promote
" and advance the truth with charity, and not exasperate
" and stir one part to the hate of the other, by light suspi-
" cion and foohsh contention, moved upon such things as
" be indifferent, and nothing necessary to raen's salvation.
" Such preaching, my Lord, as me seemeth, were much to
" be desired : and now in this tirae raost especially, wherein
" the King and you, with the other Counsellors, study to
" the setting forth of such a terapered doctrine, whereof, as
" I am persuaded, all our country ought not a little to re-
" joice in. For the doctrine of our country is now so tem-
" pered with truth, that it is both purged from the old
" abuses and foohsh superstitions, and also defended from
*' the errors of this time, and from all false religion. The

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 453
" which thing hath caused rae now so to apply myself to CHAP.
" preaching, and, I witness God, no glorious desire of farae .

" and vanity. For if I were persuaded that this doctrine, Anno 1537.
" approved in our country, were erroneous, I would yet
" rather lose my life shortly, than be one of those which
" should set forth the same openly.
" Nor think you not, my Lord, that I am so bleared
" with the shadows of this life, that I prefer the Hfe araong
" thera above the light of the truth : neither yet that I am
" neque frigidus neque calldus, sed fepidus, in the setting 294
" forth thereof, as peradventure by some inforraation you
" may conceive. For it is ray daily prayer to Him that is
" the fountain of light, that I may by his benefit both see
" the truth, and also constantly to stand in the defence of
" the sarae. Wherein, I trust, he doth and will maintain
" and strengthen me continually, and give me his grace not
" to stand therein coldly.
" And though, ray Lord, you judge rae raore to be tra-
" vailed in philosophy than in the trade of Scripture, and
" in the writers thereupon, wherein peradventure your
" Lordship judgeth not rauch amiss; yet this I shall to
" you, my Lord, say, (I shaU say it without arrogancy,)
" that of the continual j-eading of Scripture itself, wherein
" certain years I have accustoraed myself, I have gathered
" a certain judgment, wherewith I long have examined
" such writers as I have read thereupon. From the which
" I propose not to slip during my life. And in case I feel
" the writers of this time to swerve from the same, I have
" thera suspected. For in the old authors, I find thereto a
" great conforraity. The sura of ray judgraent tenda to
" these two points. First, to a contempt of this life, and
" of the vain pleasures thereof, and to a sure trust and con-
" fidence of another ; looking up always to those things
" which are not seen, with a clear eye ; not dazzled with
" the ghttering of such things as are present, and subject
" to our sight. The other is, to a certain unity and con-
" cord, yea, and to a certain band and knot of charity;
" whereby men must knit themselves together as merabers
GgS

454 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " of one body, and walk in an obedience to the order of the
XXXVII. <j ^^^jj . despising all things which other raen so much

Anno 1537. « contend and strive for, and bearing aU trouble with pa-
" tience and humihty. To these two points tend my judg-
" raent, gathered of Scripture. The which, though they
" raay peradventure appear vulgar and coramon, and to be
" but of small moraent and weight ; yet by them I do ex-
" amine aU the writings, sayings, and doings of this time.
" The which not savouring hereof, I do utterly condemn,
" and wUl do whUe I hve. For I abhor all such seditions
" acts and doctrines, which, under the pretence and colour
" of the truth, moveth upon trifles such controversies,
" whereby is broken the order of Christian charity.
" Wherefore, my Lord, I do not a Httie rejoice to see
" here among us in our country, by the common consent of
" our Clergy, raaintained and confirraed all true ecclesias-
" tical poHty, and no notable and necessary order broken
" nor infringed, by the plucking away of this priraacy, as
" many have greatiy feared. Insomuch, my Lord, that if
" I may in this rest of ray Hfe be in any part a Minister to
" set forth this order, approved by the judgraent of my
" country, with concord and unity, I shaU think rayself not
" to be bom utterly in vain. Wherefore, my Lord, I be-
" seech you, as you judge me to be one of those which in-
" tend to serve my raaster and country faithfully, so to
" help, that ray heart, wUl, and raind may be taken ei my
" Sovereign Lord, as it is, sincerely. Whereby I may be
" the better encouraged to do that thing which pertaineth
" to raine office and duty. To the which I shaU endeavour
" rayself raost dUigentiy ; strengthened, as I trust, by Him
" who governeth all. To whose governance I shall now
295 " corarait your Lordship : beseeching you to pardon me of
" this iraportunity, to which I ara by sorrow constrained.
" Written at London, the 24th of July.
" Your Lordship's, " Thomas Starky."
To the most honourable, and my singular
good Lord, my Lord Privy Seal.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 455

CHAP. XXX VIIL
The King sends for Pole; who refuses to come. Pole''s
letter to the Bishop qf Durham, about Ms book.
JjUT to look a little back to what happened upon the Anno 1538.
King's receipt of his kinsraan's book, which he had sent to ^°'* refuses
o L .to come
him by a messenger. However nettled the King was with over to the
the writing, (insorauch as he thought of bringing Pole ^'"^' ^^**
under the guUt of a capital offence,) he dissembled his
anger, and in the letter he sent back, which was in the
month of June, he only commanded him to come over, and
to repair unto his presence, aU excuses laid aside, that he
himself might be the interpreter of his own book, because
there were many places that he did not so weU apprehend :
¦ the Secretary, in a letter sent to him at the same time, more
vehemently persuading hira to corae over without delay.
This command of the King, so full of danger on Pole's
part, he thought fit to disobey ; and in the room of hiraself,
sent a very hurable letter unto the King, dated from Ve
nice : wherein he told hira, " that he that coramanded hira And why.
" to corae to hira would not let hira corae, by putting such
" irapediraents in his way, that he could not pass to him,
" unless he should rashly cast away himself. (He raeant
" the laws lately raade.) And were it not for these lets, he
" would not only go, but run to hira." It is a long letter :
and Pole spake of divers things, about the reasons of writ
ing his forraer book, and about Queen Anne, and the King's
assuming the supremacy, and Dr. Sarapson's book, too te
dious to be here inserted : and therefore have laid it in the
» T Number
Appendix. Lxxxii.
There were also instructions which Pole gave to his raes
senger, that carried this letter to the King : which instruc
tions he ordered him to shew his Majesty. Which were to
declare, that his whole intent and purpose in writing his
book was to manifest the truth in that matter of the supre
macy, which the Secretary had required him to do ; and so
took it as the King's comraand. And that otherwise he had
Gg 4

456 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, not set pen to paper, there being such Httle hope of persua^
sion- And partly to answer sorae books, wntten on the
Anno 1538. contrary part, that were sent to hira: wherein he saw, as
he said, the truth raarveUously suppressed and choked.
These Insfrucfions are entered among Bishop Burnet's Col-
Numb. LI. lection, vol. iu. of his History : which therefore I omit.
296 And because in those instructions Pole propounded to
^D^'h'"'' ^^^ ^^^S' ^^^^ some learned and sad raan raight read ovei
by the his book, and then upon oath give his Majesty a true and
mand reads ^P*^*-^*^ account thereof; and for this purpose had, above
Pole's book, all others, recommended the Bishop of Durham to him, as
being the saddesi and most grounded in learning; there
fore the King so far condescended to Pole's request, as to
coraraand the said Bishop to peruse his book. And to pre
pare the Bishop, Pole had about this tirae writ a letter to .
hira : therein giving hira as fair an account of his book as
he could, and excusing his veheraency therein. But when
the Bishop bad read over the book, he was so far from ap
proving of it, that he wrote a letter in July to Pole from
London, much contrary to his expectation. Therein he
wrote, " that it raade hira heavy in his heart at the read-
" ing of it, and rauch raoved when he had read it through :
" and that all through he ran wide of the truth. That in
" his book he took it for granted, the King was gone from
" the Church, and laboured to reduce the King back again
" to it by penance : taking this up by the reports he heard
" in those parts, which were untrue. That the veheraency
" of his book gave raany blows, but little or no salve to
" heal thera : and so at good length answered Pole very
" learnedly ; and vindicated the King in the rejection of
" the Pope, and assuming the supremacy." The letter I
had transcribed frora the rough draught thereof, of the
Bishop's own handwriting : but finding it entered into the
third volurae of the History of the Reformation, I omit it
here. See CoUect. Numb. LII.
Pole to Dm- To this letter Pole fraraed a very long answer, (after his
ham, in de- tedious way,) dated in August, from a place beside Padua.
himself. Wherein " he stoutly defended himself and his book : and

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 457
"justified the veheraency and sharpness of his style, by CHAP.
" saying, that it was no time to sleep, when the head of the  .'
" realm attempted such things as never did prince since the'^"°" '^3*-
" Christian faith was received araong princes. And that
" he could not forbear doing this out of that love he bear
" to hira for aU his benefits, in bringing hira up in virtue
" and learning. That the King did so araiss, that all the
" world cried out against it. That there was need he
" should plainly tell the King his faults, because those
" about him were so negligent in it ; and that they, whose
" office it was, when the King demanded their sentence,
" did not declare to him the bruteness and danger of the
" thing. That he was forced to be so large to the King,
" and to write a long book rather than a letter, because the
" King should see fully the evil of his late acts, and abhor
" them. That whether his book came abroad to the sight
" of the world or no, the King's deeds were well known to
" all people ; and that they were rehearsed commonly every
" where with more slander than he or any man in writing
" could express. That before he set pen to book, they were
" talked of with more dishonour to the King than pe|i could
" tell, and indeed they were written sfylo adamanflno, as
" the Jews' sins were. And whereas the Bishop had earn-
" estiy desired him to burn the original, for the securing
"both himself and the King from slander; he said, the
" verity thereof should stand ; which he intended not so to
" abolish, nor to do that injury to a catholic book that is
" done to heretical ones. That his book could not be wrote
" against the King, as was urged, when it was terapered in 297
" such a raanner, to shew hira to avoid, with his honour,
" the dishonour of his acts. That he weU took it for the
*' ground of all his books, that the King was swerved from
" the unity of the Church, though the Bishop of Durham
" had said, that he had therein ran wide of the truth : for
" what could it else be, but separating from the unity of the
" Church, to take upon hiraself, in his realm, the narae and
" office of him, who, as head, did indeed keep the unity of
^* it.'' That it ever was the concurrent consent of tbe Church,

458 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " that there should be one head-pastor of the whole. That
Y'V'Y'V'II T
 ; " however the people rejoiced at the abolishing of the
Anno ] 538. « Pope's authority, as a deliverance frora a grievous bur-
" den ; all the Popes together, that exercised their author-
" ity in the realm before, never so pressed the spiritualty,
" as they were pressed during that little time, since his au-
" thority was suppressed. Tbat there was never raatter of
" greater iraportance to the wealth of the realm and the
" whole Church, than the matter of the Papal authority,
" now rejected. And that the loss of the east, and the
" falling of it into the hands of infidels, and all the miser
" ries thereupon; the ground thereof was this very matter,
" viz. disagreeing with the Church, rather than tbe sword
" of the Turk. That tbe like misery was to be feared in
" England. That the liberty so much boasted of to be
" gained to the kingdom, by departure from the Pope, (call
" his authority as much as they will a captivity,) was more
" truly a captivity : and that no nation wished for such a
" liberty, nor envied it to the English nation. That aU
" this began upon the King's unlucky marriage ; when the
" King left the noblest and best lady in the world, for the
" -dlest, as the cause of her death shewed. That for ex-
" pectation of any favour from the King, he thanked God,
" that since he carae to raanly years, he could not remem-
" ber that ever he had estiraation of any thing the King or
" any other Prince could give him. And that if he had
" come to the Court to serve the King, he had come to
" give, not to receive." But for the rest, I refer the reader
Lxxxiii ^° ^^^ ^^^^^ "^^^^^ ™ ^^^ Appendix.
The Pope The 26th of July, being the day before Pole received the
sends for Bishop of Durham's letter, the Pope sent for hira to Rome :
Pole to . .
Rome. being resolved that winter, before the General Council was
to raeet at Mantua, in May, the year following, to consult
with learned raen of all nations, as he pretended, for the
raaking the better preparation for that Council; and to
have a congregation at Rorae for that end. Of this, Pole
gave signification to the King's Secretary, and sent him a
copy of the Pope's brief to hira to cite hira. And now to

UNDER KING HENRY, VIIL 459:
the Bishop of Durhara he declared the sarae, and his reso- CHAP.
lution of going thither, the Pope having, as he said, a just  ,'
power of comraanding hira in such a just and holy cause. Anno isss.
The knowledge of this still raore rankled the King's He prepares
heart against Pole. He had, to please the King, hitherto ° ^°"
kept hiraself at Padua or Venice, and never went to Rorae,
that he might not seera to visit the Pope, whora the King
had so broke with. But now growing raore. careless of the
King's displeasure, he was preparing hiraself to repair to
Rome, according to the Pope's comraand. At which his
old friend Starky writ him another letter, trying to dissuade
him from going; which being penned somewhat sharply,
gave Pole offence. However, in the raonth of January, 298
Starky backed it with another, (especially upon the ruraour
of his being now nominated for a Cardinal,) to this tenor:
" Sorry I ara, Maister Pole, that both my sentence and Starkey's
" sharpness of writing, used on the hearing of your journey hi^ here-
" towards Rorae, offended your storaach so rauch, and took"po°-
" so little effect. For albeit that you peradventure judg- p. 371.
" ing me herein otherwise than my nature requireth, so
" known unto you Tiy long conversation plainly, tbat I am
" corrupt with affection, and wrote contrary to my own con-
" science, blinded with ambition ; yet this I shaU say unto
" you, and call Hira your witness who is privy both of your
" thoughts and raine, that as the sentence, wherein I stand,
" springeth of the only zeal of the truth, and of the desire
" of the setting forth of God's honour and glory ; so the
" sharpness of ray writing, used toward you, carae of the
" sincere love that I bear to you and to your faraily. For
" I ara neither so gross and base of j udgraent, as to prefer
* any worldly vanity above that thing which appeareth to
" be truth and verity ; neither yet so unkind, as to use such
" sharpness to ray friend without reasonable ground. For
" upon such tirae, as upon, the declaring of your sentence
" to the King, you intended to Rome, I then conceiving,
" as weU upon the one part, the increase of the schism
" stirred in Christ's Church, which might ensue thereby,
" if you should there open your judgment in your writing

460 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " coraprised abroad to tbe world; as upon the other part,
" the displeasure of your Prince, which raight succeed the
Anno 1538. " sarae, both towards you and otbers of your faraUy;
" thought it expedient to use such sharpness, and that so
" to do it appertained to ray bounden duty : to the which
" you raay impute it, if it so please you.
" But now, sharpness set aside, I shall say unto you,
" Maister Pole, these two words friendly, moved by such
" things as I lately beard frora you. Though here be
" great ruraours spread abroad, tbat you be naraed to be a
" Cardinal, and entered into that order, by the which the
" doctrine of Christ these raany years hath been little pro-
'' raoted, yet persuaded I ara fully, that tbe love of your
" country so sticketh in your breast, and tbe desire of serv-
" ing your Prince so pricketh your heart, that you wiU
" never accept that dignity, before you consider weU the
" state of Christ's Church now in this tirae : weighing well
" the pleasure of your raaster, and bounden duty to his
" gracious goodness and liberality. For to rae it appeareth,
" that without such consideration you take not the straight
" path to the thing, to the which, above all other, I am
" sure you direct your labours and studies : that is, to help
" to pluck out this schisra of Christ's Church, and to re-
" store again Christian unity. But rather it seeras the very
" high way to augraent this division. Forasmuch as by
" such writing and eloquence the roots thereof may be
" much confirmed. ,.? ,
" Wherefore, Maister Pole, if you stay yourself to this
" raatter, I think you shall hereafter nothing repent thereof
" For though raatters of our country have been here lately
" in great raotion, the whicb peradventure you wUl impute'
" to this defection from Rorae, judging us thereby to be
" shpped frora God's order and institution ; yet by the
" high providence of Hira who governeth all, and by the
299 " high wisdora and goodness of our Prince, I trust you
« shall yet hear such way to be found and taken herein,
" that ever tbe sarae thing which ye percase thmk hath
" been tbe chief root of this motion, shall be so tempred

VNDER KING HENRY VIIL 461
"and ordered with equity, that not only the sincerity of CHAP-
" Christian doctrine shall come to raore clear Hght thereby,  '.
"but also the order of Christ's Church shaU be restored Anno i538.
" again with unity, according to the first institution. Where-
" of that ray hope is not in vain, I trust you shall hear
" more shortly. And glad I would be to see you a Min-
" ister to God and to your Prince in such purpose. That
" which I fear you shall never be, if you once enter into
" that order at Rorae, and take upon you that dignity.
" Wherefore, Maister Pole, ray trust is, that you wiU con-
" sider this raatter with yourself earnestly ; and yet great
" hope I have, that honest ingenuity shaU once raeet toge-
" ther in such a mean, whereby this odious schism, which
" now reigneth in Christ's Church, shall be extinct utterly.
" For the which I shall not cease to pray unto Him who is
" the only author of all godly unity ; to whose governance
" I shall now corarait us all. Written at London, the 16th
" of January. " Yours yet, I trust, after the old raanner,
" Thoraas Starky."
This was the second tirae Pole saw Rorae, as rauch now Pole at
against the King's will as the forraer tirae was with it, which n^^sas.
was anno 1525, when he went thither for the improvement
of hiraself by travail and learning. Then were two English
men and great scholars with hira, Thoraas Lupset and
Richard Pace. At which the great Erasmus saluted him
with a letter frora Basil, sent by one Charles, who carae
frora BasU thither, with John A Lasco. And in the yearLibjxv. Ep.
1526, Erasmus wrote hira another letter frora BasU also : ^'"g ^7!
both which are extant in the volurae of his letters.
The xi. of the calends of January, that is, Deceraber Pole made
22, Pole was raade a Cardinal, notwithstanding all the for
mer dissuasions, and the King's disgust: and so became
wholly a creature of the Papal chair. Now both Bishop
Tonstal and Bishop Stokesley wrote a letter unto him, be
ing at Rome ; " that for the good-wiU that they had borne Tonstal and
" unto hira in tirae past, as long as he continued the King's ^rite'' to''
him. Bee. Reports, fol. 972.

462 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " true subject, they could not a little laraent and raourn,
XXXVIII. « ^jjg^j Yie, neither regarding the inestiraable kindness of the
Anno 1538. " King's Highness heretofore shewed unto hira in his bring-
" ing up, nor the honour of tbe house that he was corae of,
" nor the wealth of his country that he was bom in, should
" so decHne frora his duty to his Prince, that he should be
" seduced by fair words and vain proraises to the Bishop of
" Rorae, to wind with hira : going about by all means to
" hira possible, to pull down and put under foot his natural
" Prince and Master, to the destruction of the country that
" brought hira up. And for the vain glory of a red hat,
" to raake himself an instrument to set forth his. mahce,
" who had stirred up by all raeans that he could aU such
" Christian Princes as would give ear unto hira, to depose
" tbe King [Henry] frora his kingdom, and to offer it as a
300" prey to them tbat should execute bis malice, and to stir,
" if he could, his subjects against hira, in stirring and nou-
" rishing rebellions in his realra : where the office and duty
" of all good Christian raen, and naraely, of us that be
" Priests, should be, to bring all coraraotion to tranquUhty,
" and trouble to quietness, and all discord to concord. And
*' in doing the contrary, they shewed theraselves to be but
" tbe rainisters of Satan, and not of Christ ; who ordained
" all that were Priests to use in all places the legation of
" peace, and not of discord. But since that could not be
"^ undone tbat was done, the second thing was to make
" amends, and to ' foUow the doing of the prodigal son
" spoken of in the Gospel; who returned horae to his
" father, and was well accepted ; as no doubt he raight be,
" if he would say as^ he said, in knowled^ng his folly; and
" do as he did, in returning home again frora wandering
"abroad in service of thera who little cared what became
" of him, so that their purpose might by him be served."
Then they descended largely to confute the Pope's primacy
out of the Fathers and history of the ancient Church,
which knew not of bis primacy; and to assoU Pole's argu
ments. As may be seen at large both in Becon's Reports
and Fox's Monuraents, where this letter is recorded.

UNDER KING HENR'K' VIII. 463
Soon after this, the Pope sent this his new Cardinal as cHAP.
his Legate to France, to stir up that King against King XXXVIII.
Henry, his natural Prince. But his Majesty sent to the Anno isss.
French King, to seize upon and deliver Pole his subject
over to his Arabassadors there. Which he understanding,
"was glad to shift away to Carabray. And thence he wrote
a letter to the Lord Crurawel, dated in May, 1637, wherein
'he professeth his loyalty to the King, and coraplaineth of
his usage df him. There he said these things ; " That such
" was the King's indignation against his person, that to
" have him in his hand he would be wilhng to violate both
" the laws of God and raan, and to disturb all coramerce
" between country and country. Tbat such was the King's
" dealirigs towards him for the procuring of his undoing,
'" that never the Hke was heard of in Christendora against
" any that bare that person that he did. That he was for
" his part ashamed rather than angry, out of the compas-
" sion he had for the King's honour, that he, coraing not
" only as an Ambassador, but a Legate, and so in the
" highest soirt of arabassage, should be so used. That a
" Prince of honour should desire another Prince of like
" honour. Betray fhy Ambassador, betray fhe Legate, and
" give him into my Ambassadors'' hands, to be brought
" unto me. A dishonourable request. But that when he
" heard of this in France, it was a kind of pleasure to him :
¦" and he then said to the company about hira, that he
' " iiever felt hiraself to be a Cardinal before then. No\v
" God sent hira like fortune as he did to those heads of
" the Church, (whose persons the Cardinals represented^)
" which was, to be persecuted of them most, whose wealth
" they most studied. In this case lived the Apostles ; and
" the same was now happened to him. That if we were
" infidels, yet the law of nature would teach how abomin-
" " able both the desire of this gi-wng up of an Ambassador
" were on the one part, and the granting of it on the other."
This whole letter also I transcribed frora the ori^nal. lxxxiv.
When the Cardinal departed from France, and dared 301
not to treat with the King about the welfare of Christen- Cardinal
=> .J Pole sends

464 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, dom, as he styled it, committed unto him by the Pope, he
XXXVIII. ggjjj. jj^g Bishop of Verona to the French Court in his stead :
Anno 1538. which Bishop, returning back frora the said Court, attempt-
the Bishop gj tg gpeak with King Henry's Arabassadors, who were the
to the Bishop of Winton and Mr. Brian, tben at Abbevyle, (which
K^*°"''nd ^^y ^^ ^^^ "^^^.y,) that he raight justify the Cardinal to them,
the English to intend nothing by this his legation but the King's ho-
dors. ^"^ nour. Tbe Arabassadors would not speak with this ItaHan
Bishop, but they sent to him their Secretary: to whom,
after he had sufficientiy declared the effect of the Cardinal's
legacy, the Secretary seemed to acknowledge, that there
were sinister reports raade to the King of this purpose of
the Cardinal's coraing into those parts, and that the King
raight be evil inforraed : the Secretary adding, that when
the King by letter or raessenger were better infonned, he
would, no question, turn his raind, as he saw the deeds to
justify theraselves. This when that Bishop had reported
to the Cardinal, he hereupon began to tell hira how he had
endeavoured by all raeans to testify the King's misinform
ations, both by letter and by his raessenger, sent often for
that purpose. But that he could never be adraitted to have
audience of tbe King.
This Bishop This Bishop of Verona was long known both to the King
by^thTpopeOf England and tbe French King, and weU accepted of
to accom- \yQi\i ¦ he knew also Pole's concerns since his departure out
pany Pole. » , , i i - n. •
of the realra. And being so well acquainted with affairs
relating to hira and both Princes, the Pope engaged him to
go along with the Cardinal in this legation. This man the
Cardinal now raoved to go unto King Henry, and try to
quiet his raind as to bis surraises and jealousies against the
Cardinal. To the which the Bishop answered, that he
would be content at all tiraes to repair to the King, and
take this charge upon him, if it were perraitted ; knowing
the Cardinal's raatters as he did, and seeing what conve
niences raight follow, and what corafort it raight be to aU
parties, if the Cardinal's true and faithful deahngs were well
signified unto the King.
The Cardi- This passage Cardinal Pole, in his letter to the Lord
oal declares

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 465
Crumwel, related, that he might intiraate it to the King: cHAP.
endeavouring to deraonstrate thence his good raind towards XXXVIII.
him, and to put hira into a way to have all suspicions he Annoi6SB.
entertained of the Cardinal cleared, and things relating to ^'^ ments
1 • 111 1 1- 1 1 • 1 1 towards the
hira appear, and be brought to light, which were soraewhat King.
obscure before. He added, " Tbat if he had borne any
" other than a good will unto the King, he should never
" have done as he had done ; that is, making the King
" privy by letter unto all his actions and processes, and of
" the cause of his going to Rome, and of his present legacy.
" Such advices, he said, rebels [araong which the King
" reckoned hira] were not wont to give. That once, when
" censures were ready to corae forth against the King frora
•" the Pope, he stopped them from being published, lest it
" might cause raore trouble to his Majesty ; and that then
" he sent his servants to hira, to offer his service, to procure
" by all raeans he could the King's honour and wealth
" and quietness : at which tirae he also encouraged his near
" kinsraen -to remain constant in their service to the King.
" So that if he had been hired by rewards to do him ser- 302
" vice at Rome, he could not have done him more. This,
" rebels, as he repeated again, were not wont to do. That
" he would not assent to raany things propounded at Rorae,
" tending to the King's disquiet : insorauch that some
"judged him half a rebel to God and his country. His
" loyalty also to the King appeared in that he had sup-
" pressed certain writings, which some, and they of author-
" ity to comraand hira, would have seen and published :
" writings which would have caused raost trouble of all.
" He concluded, that after this he intended no further to
" labour to justify hiraself: and that he had neglected his
" service to God and the Catholic Church on this behalf,
" because he would not offend the King." And so expect
ed to know the King's pleasure, whether he would adrait
the Bishop of Verona to make his repair to him: which I
think he never did. ^ut proceed we now to other matters.
The next year we shall hear of the Cardinal again.
VOL. I. H h

466 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XXXIX.
Insfrucfions to the Bishops. CrumweVs letter fo them.
State qf religion in York diocese. Tlie large English
Bible, with marginal notes, first printed.
Anno 1538. J. HE King saw it necessary to look dUigentiy after the
Preaching preachers. Sorae whereof preached bitterly against others^
regu ated. according as tbey stood affected to the reformation of Po
pish abuses, or favoured them. The evil whereof was, that
the people were brought to a diversity of opinion, and so
into contentions araong themselves. There was also among
the people rauch speaking against the cereraonies and cus
toras of the Church. Hereupon the King, somewhat before
this time, had writ sundry letters to the Bishops, to ad
raonish thera to preach God's word sincerely, and to declare
abuses plainly ; and in no wise to treat contentiously of
Articles of matters indifferent. And this same thing occasioned' the
King this year to publish by his own authority certain Ar
ticles of Religion, (as well as to conceive tiiem by his own
pen ;) as manifest and necessary to be read to and taught
his subjects, for avoiding contention, and bringing in unity.
But notwithstanding, there was much speaking against
them, especially against the use and custom of the ceremonial
things of the Church. Nor did that quiet and unity grow
thereupon as was desired. Whereupon next the King is
sued out his, letters to the Bishops, directing them how to
Addend, to instruct the people. Whicb, because it may be seen in the
Rec. vol. i. History of the Reformation, I shall only touch the heads of
Instructions These instructions (whicb were to be observed upon pain
cieo'patr^t "^ deprivation) were five. I. " That the Bishop should
E. 5. « every holy day read and declare plainly and distinctiy the
" Articles, and in no wise vary a word, to make the same
" doubtful to the people. II. Each to travel from place to
" place in his diocese, and make a collation to the people;
" and to set forth plainly the text of Scripture ; and to de-
303 " clare that obedience that is due by God's law to the
" Prince; and to coramand and press the honest cere-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 467
" monies of the Church. Yet tempering his discourse so, CHA P.
" that the people might not put overmuch affiance in tbem.

"III. To use no word in their private conversation to Anno isss.
" the contrary of this the King's coraraandraent : nor to
" keep any in his house that shall speak in these raatters
" of the cereraonies contentiously or conteraptuously. And
" if there should be any such toward thera, to send them
" up to the King and lus CouncU to be punished. IV. To
" give strait coramandraent to all Parsons, Vicars, and
" Curates, and governors of reli^ous houses and coUeges,
" that they do as was coraraanded the Bishops in the indif-
" ferent praise of ceremonies, and avoiding contentions, and
" contentious and contemptuous communication. And that
" none should preach out of their own church. V. To
" make secret inquiry for such Priests as have of late mar-
" ried themselves ; and since used and exercised the office
" of priesthood ; and to signify it to the CouncU."
These instructions, I should conclude, were sent by the Crumwel's
Lord Crurawel to all the Bishops, inclosed in this letter of ^j^^p"
his own,, by and by to foUow, had not the difference of the
dates caused some hesitation : the King's letter, with the
instructions, beaiing date November 19, and the letter of
Crumwel, January the 7th. But however the raatter of this
letter being such a concordance with those instructions, I
wUI place it here. Wherein may be seen how roundly he
dealt with the greatest sph-itual men, and bore out hiraself
in so doing by the office the King had laid upon hira, qf su
preme and principal officer and minister in all matters that
might any thing touch fhe Clergy. And this was the tenor
of his letter :
" After my right hearty coraraendations to your Lord- Cleopatra,
"ships. Ye shaU herewith receive the King's Highness •^•P-^°^-
" letter addressed unto you, to put you in reraerabrance of
"his Highness travails, and your duty touching order to
" be taking for preaching. To the intent the people may
" be taught the truth, and yet not charged at the beginning
" with over raany novelties. The pubhcation whereof, un-
" less the sarae be terapered and qualified -with much wis-
Hh 2

468 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " dora, doth rather breed contention, division, and contra-
XXXIX. (J j,jgj.y ^jj opinion, in the unlearned raultitude, than edify,

Anno 1538." or reraove frora thera, and out of their hearts, such
" abuses, as by the corrupt and unsavoury teaching of the
" Bishop of Rorae, and his disciples, have crept into the
" sarae. The effect of which letter, albeit I doubt not, but
" as well for the honesty of the matters as for your own
" discharge, you wUl so consider, and put in execution,
" as shall be to his Grace's satisfaction on that behalf; yet,
" forasmuch as it hath pleased his Majesty to appoint and
" constitute rae, in the roora and place of his supreme and
" principal officer and rainister in aU raatters that may any
" thing touch his Clergy or their doings, I thought it
" also my part, for the exoneration of ray duty towards his
" Highness, and the rather to answer his Grace's expecta-
" tion, opinion, and trust conceived in rae, and in that
" araong others especiaUy committed for my fidelity, to
" desire and pray you, in such substantial sort and man-
" ner, to travaU in the execution of the contents of his
" Grace's said letters ; naraely, for avoiding of contrariety
304 " in preaching, of the pronunciation of novelties, without
" -wise and discreet qualifications, and the repression of the
" teraerity of those, that either privUy or apertiy, directly
" or indirectly, would advance the pretended authority of
" the Bishop of Rorae : as I be not for ray discharge both
" enforced to coraplain further, and to declare what I have
" now written for that purpose, and so to charge you with
" your own fault, and to devise such reraedy for the same
" as shall appertain : desiring your Lordship to accept
" herein ray raeaning, tending only to an honest, friendly,
" and Christian reforraation, for the avoiding of further in-
" conveniences : and to think none unkindness, though in
" this raatter, wherein it is alraost raore than tirae to speak,
" I write frankly, corapeUed and enforced thereunto, both
" in respect of ray private duty, and otherwise for my dis-
" charge. Forasmuch as it pleaseth his Majesty to use me
". in the lieu of a Counsellor, whose office is an eye to the
" Prince, to foresee, and in time to provide reraedy for such

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 469
" abuses, enorraities, and inconveniences, as might else, with CHAP.
" a little sufferance, ingender more evil in the publick weal.

" than could after be redubbed with rauch labour, study, Anno isss.
" diligence, and travail. And thus raost heartUy fare you
" weU. Frora the Rouls, the 7th of January.
" Your loving friend,
" Thoraas Crurawel."
This letter, together with the King's instructions before What was
mentioned, brought many factious and busy preachers oi^^^'^^.
both sorts into trouble. In York diocese, the Archbishop cese upon
there was so tender of offending the King and his Vicar
General, that there being a friar in York that preached of
purgatory [that is, I suppose, against it] before he knew
the King's wiU and pleasure, he silenced him from preach
ing any more: and another friar in Doncaster, who, in
preaching, reflected upon some of the late Articles of Reli
gion, he silenced also : and a third, being a Gray Friar,
who preached new things, as preaching against the old su
perstitions were called. Here were also a few other preach
ers of this sort, who it seeras had the King's authority to
license them. Of these the Archbishop likewise informed
Crumwel, and that at this preaching of novelties the people
much grudged, being sometiraes done also without both
charity and discretion. There were indeed sorae few bo^
nest friars and others even in those north parts. And
these the Archbishop chiefly coraplained of, and endea
voured to suppress, and rid those quarters of, especially be
ing fortified by the foresaid letters : though they were di
rected only against such as should preach up these new
things without wise and discreet qualifications, and that
charged fhe people with too many qffhem at the beginning.
But towards those that were addicted to the Pope, and
preached up his authority, (which sort raost abounded
there,) he was more favourable, making no coraplaints at
all, as if there were none such in his diocese. But he that
is minded to see soraewhat of the present state of reHgion in
Hh3

470 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Yorkshire, raay read the said Archbishop's letters in the
XXXIX. . J.
Appendix.

Anno 1538. About this tirae also, as near as I can guess, (for I am
Lxxxv. ^^^^ ^° grope for the date,) one Cootes, in the Bishop of Wi-
305 gorn's diocese, preached very zealously for popery. He was
One Coote a raau influenced rauch by More's book ; buUt rauch upon
ill TVorcGs-
tershire, for unwritten traditions, and affirraed, that the laws made by
preachmg, j.|^g spiritualty were of equal authority with the word of
sent for up .^ ^ ./ ^ -'
by Crum- God, to oblige to the observance of them. Crurawel hear
ing of hira, sent for hira up: the Bishop, who was Hugh
Latiraer, sent up the sermon he preached, that gave the
offence, as Cootes hiraself had in his own behalf favourably
writ it. The desire of the Bishop, in a letter to Crumwel,
was, that he would so deal with him, as either to reform
hira, or to inhibit hira his diocese, and send another in his
place. The letter being short, I wUl here insert, which, ac
cording to Latiraer's witty way of speaking, ran in this
tenor :
Bishop ta- a Rigbt honourable Sir, salutem plurimam. And be-
timer s in- ^ ¦*
forraation " cause I hear your Mastership hath sent for Master Coots,
concerning a ^jjigji ppeached at HaUs, to corae to you : therefore I do
Cleopatra, " send now unto you his serraon ; not as he spake it, (if he
" spake it as his hearers reported,) but rather as he had mo-
" dified and terapered it, since he perceived that he should
" be examined of it. And yet peradventure you will not
" judge it every way very well powdered. He seeras to be
" very well studied in Master Moor's book, and to have
" fraraed hira a conscience and a judgraent soraewhat ac-
" cording to the sarae ; and to avoid also falsityes, he ap-
" peareth to stick stiffly to unwritten verities. I would fain
" hear hira tell, who be those new fellows that would ap-
" prove no sciences but grararaar. Qui vos audit, &c.
" Obedite praposifis, &c. Qui ecclesiam non audlvif, &c.
" serveth him gayly, for traditions and laws to be made of
" [by] the Clergy authoritatively, and to be then observed
" of the laity necessarily, as equal with God's own word, as
" some, saith he, both thinketh and heareth.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 471
" As far as I can learn of such as here commoned with chap.
XX'VIX
" him, he is willfully witty, Dunsly learned, Moorly affected, ,

" bold not a little, zelous raore than enough : if you could Anno is38.
" monish hira, charrae hira, and so reform him. Sec. or else
" I pray you inhibit hira ray diocese. You raay send an-
" other, and appoint him his stipend, which God grant you
" do. To whom I now and ever commit you.
" Yours, " H. Wygorn."
A great rebeUion brake out in the north this year. The rcbei-
headed by Ask and others; that superstitious people ^''^h.
(acted by Popish zealots) not bearing to see the Lady
Mary made illegitimate, the monks expelled their houses,
and the Pope deprived of his pretended jurisdiction in Eng
land : the reversal of these things being the chief of their
deraands frora the King. And if we raay believe Gardiner,
the Bishop of Winchester, in a faraous serraon he read at
St. Paul's Cross, in the year 1554, the King began to relent.
For he was sure, he said, the King was determined to have
given over fhe supremacy fo the Pope ; but ike hour was
not then come.. But if the hour then was not corae, the raost
probable reason was, because the King deterrained no such
matter. For nothing seeraed so dear to the King as this his3o6
supreraacy in his own dorainions.
" The xxi. day of July, King Henry carae to Canter- The King
" bury, with the Lady Jane, the Queen, who in the rao- canterbury.
" nastery of St. Augustin was very honourably received : August.
" the reverend Father, Thoraas Goldwel, Prior of Christ's journal.
" Church, being present. Who frora thence went to Dover
" to see the pier, to his great charge and cost begun.
" The sarae year, the 20th and 21st day of September, St. Augus-
" Doctor Peter (being sent of the Lord Crumwel, to visit J" * ^j^^_
" all the Clergy throughout aU Kent) did visit this abby terbury, vi-
" of St. Augustines [Canterbury ;] making enquiry of the
" observing of the injunctions, which were in the first visi-
" tation received by Doctor Ley gh ton.
" In the yeai- of our Lord 1537, the 23d day of Fe
ll h 4

472 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CH.\P. " bruary, the raonastery of Saynct Gregories was sup-
-X.XXlX. „ pressed, and tbe Chanons were expulsed ; Mr. Spitman
Anno 1538. « and Mr. Candel being tbe King's Coraraissioners here-
Housesin a ^jj^q appointed.
suppressed. " The sarae day, the church of St. Sepulchre, by the
" authority of the sarae commission, and by the sarae Com-
" missioners, was suppressed. The monks notwithstanding
" at tbat time were not removed. For tbey obtained 11-
" cence to abide there untU Easter. Which notwithstand-
" ing scarcely reraained one raonth afterwards. And so at
" tbe last, the week before Easter, they were expulsed.
Rebels exe- " The sarae year, divers persons of Lincolnshire, which
" raade the foresaid insurrection, and also raany persons
" of Yorkshire, were put to death, both there and also
" at London, about the tirae of Lent and Whitsuntyde.
" The Captains of that conspiracy were, the Lord Hussey,
" the Lord Darcy, son of the Lord L. with other gentie-
" raen of those parties. The chiefest notwithstanding in
" that conspiracy was a certain lawyer, •«'hose name was
" Aske ; a raan of base pai-entage, yet of raervellous sto-
" mach and boldness."
The whole Araouff these favourable proceedings towards a reforraa-
Biblein . „ ° . ,. . \ i i t.-i i i i •
English tion ot abuses in religion, the whole Bible, translated m
printed. English, now carae forth in print, by the pains and labour
chiefly of Tyndal and Coverdal ; whereas before sorae parts
of it, as the five books of Moses, sorae of St. Paul's Episties,
the Gospels, or one of thera, were obscurely set forth. And
tbat it was this year printed, and that 'with niar^nal notes,
for the better inforraation of tbe readers in tbe sense of
raore difficult places. One of these notes fixeth us in the
year of the edition, viz. Mark i. Upon those words. What
new doctrine is this? the note in the raargin is, " That that
" was tiien new, after xv.c.xxxvi. years, is yet new. When
" will it then be old ?" This note was raade to raeet with
the coraraon reproach then given to the religion reformed,
that it was a new upstart religion, and called the new
learning. Another marginal note was at Matthew xxv.
And the wise answered. Not so, lesf there be not enough.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 473
&c. where the note is. Note here, that their own good works CHAP.
sufficed not for themselves; and therefore remained none ^^^^^'

fo be distributed unto fheir fellows : against works of super- Anno isss.
erogation, and the merits of saints. And Matthew xvi. /
say unto thee, that thou art Peter : and upon this rock, &c.
The note is. That is, as saifh Sf. Austin, upon the confes
sion which thou hasf made, knowledglng me fo be Christ,
the Son qffhe living God, I build my congregation, or.SOf
Church. And again, / will give fhe keys qffhe kingdom qf
heaven. Tbe note is, Origen writing upon Matthew in his
first horaily affirraeth, that these words were as well spoken
tp all ihe rest qffhe Apostles as to Peter. And proves it, in
that Christ, John xx. saith. Receive fhe Holy Ghosf. Whose
sins soever ye remit, &c. and not, thou remiffesf. And
Matthew xviii. Whatsoever ye iind on earth shall ie
iound in heaven: and whatsoever ye loose on earth, &c.
Margin ; Whatsoever ye bind, &c. is. Whatsoever ye con
demn iy my word in earth, fhe same is condemned in
heaven. And what ye allow iy my word in earth Is al
lowed in heaven. These and such like notes and explica
tions, giving offence no doubt to the Popish Bishops, when
the Bible was printed again, (which was in the year 1540,)
all was left out.
Whatever steps the King had by this time made in a re-TheBi-
forraation of religion, by the rainistry chiefly of Crumwel *°P^ ''"*
and the Archbishop of Canterbury, (as the setting forth Ar- in religion.
tides of ReHgion, Injunctions for tbe Clergy, and the Bible
in English,) the Bishops generally were backward ; and
went little further than the denial of the Pope's authority
above the King's, in his kingdora. And therefore the Lord
Privy Seal writes again to thera; blaraing them for their
negligence, and pressing the King's injunctions upon them ;
and particularly, that the Bible in English should be in all
their houses, and in all churches, to be read by all. But
this whole letter, as I transcribed it out of a volume in tbe
Cotton library, is worthy entering into this history. And
was as followeth :
" After ray right harty coraraendations. Whereas the

474 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H f\ p. " King's Highness, minding to set forth the glory of God
xx.vix. „ ^^j |.jjg j^yj.jj ^f jjjg word, hath, as weU in his own person
Anno 1538. « as by other his rainisters, travaUed to bring the same
Excited by « plainlv and sincerely to tbe knowledge of his subjects;
Crumwel's t/.^, i-li --.
letter to " and for that purpose, not onely ra the late visiUtion, ex-
them. Cott. « grcise^j by authority of his Majesty, but also at other
" times and other wayes, hath ordained many godl}- ordi-
*' nances and injunctions, and given also sundry strait com-
" raandraents, as well to you as to all other persons eccle-
*' siastical, of all sorts and degrees •vvitbin this his realm.
" Forasrauch as it is corae to his Grace's knowledge, that
*' the said ordinances, comraandments, and injunctions
" have been very remissly hitherto observed, kept, and
" obeyed ¦within your diocese : and his Highnesse's people
" there, for want of tbe sincere and true teaching of the
" word of God, suffered to live and dweU continuaUy in
" their old ignorance and blindness : his Grace's plesure
" and express coraraandraent is, that you, having a more
" vigUant care and better respect to his Highnesse's said
" coraraandment and ordinance, cause the sarae, and every
" of thera, to be duely published and observed : foresee-
" ing as weU in your o'wn person, as by the Archdeacons,
" ChanceUors, Officials, Deans, Curats, and other Ministers ;
" that all such Curates and other persons ecclesiastical, as
" after these raany callings on shall be found negligent,
" remiss, or stubborn in tbe following them, or any of
" them, receive for theu- transgressions in that behalf such
" punishment as in tbe said ordinances is contained ; and
" more, as to tbe directions shall be seen meet and conve-
" nient.
308 " And further, his Gi-ace's plesure and bigh command-
" raent is, that you, with no less circuraspection and di-
" ligence, cause the Bible in Enghsh to be laid forth
" openly in your own bouses ; and that the same be in hke
" manner openly laid forth in every parish church at the
" charges and cost of the Parsons and Vicars. That
" every man having free access to it, by reading of the
" sarae, raay both be the raore apt to understand the decla-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 476
" ration oi it at the Preacher's raouth ; and also the raore CHAP.
" able to teach and instruct his wife, children, and faraily  '_
"at horae. Comraanding nevertheless all Preachers and Anno isas.
" other Curates within that your diocese, that tbey at all
" times, and especially now at the beginning, exhort and
" require the people to use and read the Bible, so left
" among thera, according to the tenor of an instruction
" which ye shall receive herein enclosed : to be sent to
" every Curate, ¦with a certain day by you to be appointed ;
" within the which the Bible in English be, as is aforesaid,
" laid forth in every church."
The said insfrucflon and declaration, inclosed in the Declaration
Lord Privy Seal's letter, which the Bishops were enjoined thrabiTfo
to send to all Curates, to be read by thera to their respec-b^ read by
tive parishioners, upon the publishing of the Bible, was to the people.
this purpose : " That the King, suprerae Head, under God,
" of this Church, for a declaration of the great zeal he
" bare to the setting forth of God's word, and virtuous
" raaintenance of the coraraonwealth, had perraitted and
" coraraanded the Bible in our English tongue to be pub-
" lished, to be sincerely taught by them, the Curates ; and
" to be openly laid forth in every parish church : that all
" his good subjects, as well by the reading thereof, as by
" the hearing the true explanation of thc faith, might be
" able to learn their duties to Alraighty God and his Ma-
" jesty ; and every one of thera to use charitably one an-
" other. And that applying themselves to do according to
" what they should hear and leam, they raight both speak
" and do Christianly  That his Majesty had wUled
" and commanded this to be declared unto thera, that his
" pleasure and coraraandment was, that in reading and
" hearing thereof, most humbly and reverently using and
" addressing themselves unto it, they should always have in
" their remembrance, that all things contained in that book
" was the undoubted will, law, and coramandraent of Al-
" mighty God, the only and strait raeans to know the good-
" ness and benefits of God to us, and the true duty of
" every Christen raan, to serve him according to his will.

476 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " And tbat if at any time by reading, any doubt should
xxxix. (I ^j,jgg Jq ajjy of thera, touching the sense and raeaning of
Anno 1538." sorae part thereof, tben not giving too rauch to their
" o-ivn minds, fantasies, and opinions, they should have re-
" course to such learned raen as should be authorized to
" preach and declare the same." This whole declaration is
exemplified in the Meraorials of Archbishop Cranraer, Ap
pendix, Nurab. XXIII.
Grafton There were fifteen hundred of these Bibles now printed
fsoo of in the large volurae by Richard Grafton : the charge of the
these Bibles. pj.ijjtij,g araouuted to SOOl. This holy book being so ac
ceptable to the people, sorae Dutchraen, that were good
printers, went about to print it in a small volume ; and so
of a less price, to enable the more to purchase it. Grafton
therefore addressed to the Lord Privy Seal, tbat be would
309 procure hira the Hcence for his allowance of it ; and to pro
hibit all others frora printing it for three years, lest he for
his good deed raight be undone. And raoved that Lord
further, that for the better and speedier sale of this Bible,
every Abbot raight be enjoined to cause six of thera to be
laid in several places of the convent, for the brethren to
read ; and every Curate to have one ; that they thereby
might learn to know God, and to instruct their pa
rishioners. And this, no question, gave occasion to the said
Lord to write the aboveraentioned letter to the Bishops.
Grafton's letter is preserved in tbe Meraorials of Archbi
shop Cranraer, Appendix, Nurab. XX.

CHAP. XL.

Cardinal Pole goes iack fo Rome. His legacy from flie
Pope discovered. Letters from Throgmorton and Legh
concerning fhe Cardinal.
Cardinal "ry
Pole not i OLE, sorae time after the writing of his book of Eccle-
suflFered in ...-.- . i i i , -
France nor siastical Uniou, was declared the King's rebel to all nations.
CountrTes Concerning hira, Crurawel once uttered these threatening

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 477
words against him, (who had so angered the King by his CHAP.
book,) fhaf he would make him eat his own heart. Which .

Latimer had heard hira say : and in a letter of his puts him Anno isss,
in mind of, upon the occasion of his being declared rebel,
and attainted, viz. " I heard you say once, after you had
" seen that furious invective of Cardinal Pole, that you
" would raake him eat his own heart : which you have
" now, I trow, brought to pass. For he must needs eat his
" own heart ; and be as heartless as he is graceless."
But the Pope however, as well deserving of this raan,
made hira Cardinal ; and sent him in the beginning of this
year into the parts next adjoining to England, in quality
of Legate, to promote the Pope's designs, and to stir up
enemies to the King. He knew of his coming, and ferreted
him out of France : writing to that King not to entertain
him, but to deliver him up, as hath been reraerabered be
fore. Thence he went to the Low Countries, accorapanied,
araong others, with one Michael Throgmorton his servant.
Hutton, the King's agent, acted his part so dexterously,
that he gained Throgmorton. The Queen Regent, Gover
ness of the Low Countries, upon the raessage of the King
to her against the Cardinal, refused to allow hira to tarry
in her dorainions. And having before despatched a letter to
the Lord Crurawel, to clear hiraself of ill designs against the
King ; now in another to the Regent, he told her his raes
sage chiefly was to dispute the errors of the King's refor
mation. The Cardinal held his correspondence with England by Recalled to
close and secret raethods : whereof the aforesaid Throg- °°'*'
morton, and Peyto, a Franciscan, gave intelligence in sorae
part, as the Lord Herbert found in sorae records. Throg- Hist, of
morton certified also his return to Rorae in November this^'"^ *ff"'
TJfj p. 4oo«
year, where he was received with much triuraph. For he
was revoked about this tirae to Italy, against the sitting of
the General Council, which was appointed to be on the first 3 10
of Noveraber. Yet I find this Thrograorton and Peyto, to
gether with Goldwel and Hilliard, Clerks, all, as it seeras,
Pole's servants, attainted with hira in Deceraber the next

478 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, year, for casting off tbeir duty to the King, and subjecting
^^' theraselves to tbe Bishop of Rorae.

Anno 1838. Thrograorton being now gained, was to be employed by
Throgmor- ^j^^ Lord Privy Seal, to learn as much of Pole's designs
covery to and affairs as raight be. The said Lord therefore seems to
concerning have sent him to Rorae, to see the bottom of this legacy of
Pole. Pole, and to know Pole's raind. To take all frora Throg-
raorton's own pen, as I find it in a letter of his ¦writ to the
said Lord Privy Seal, dated from Liege, August the 23d,
Cleopatra, this year. Frora the letter it appears, " that Throgmor-
P 6 T) S89 A 1. .^ o
' " ton carae with Pole frora Rorae to Paris, sent thither by
" the Pope : that the King took hira for a rauch greater
" rebel than either Thrograorton -or Pole hiraself thought
" at their departure frora Rome. And Throgmorton, see-
" ing him to be accounted for such by the King, prayed
" Pole to give him his despatch. So Pole told him, that he
" thought it not convenient to send hira with letters of cre-
" dence to the King's Grace, who he had perfect know-
" ledge took hira, as he said, undeservedly, for so grievous
" an adversary or rebel, as he would never have thought,
" finding no cause why, in all his actions and purposes.
" That his Grace took all things to the contrary that ever
" he did, said, or wrote. And hereupon Pole delayed his
" despatchment till he carae to sorae settled place ; and
" soon after arrived at Carabray. Where being himself in
" great danger through the King's procurement, thought it
" neither time nor place to comraune further concerning
" Throgmorton's despatch.
" Being here at Carabray, he declared to Throgmorton
"raore fully than ever tbe effect of his legacy; which he
" said had tbat ground, that concerned the difference of
" his opinion concerning the unity of the Church. Wherein
" he said, that for fear, favour, or love of any creature liv-
" ing, he would never change : but that in the rest he was
" never, that favoured more the King's true honour and
" wealth, nor that could do more to the maintenance and
" furtherance thereof^, than he both did, shewed, and pur-
" posed in his whole legacy to do. That if he had been

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 479
" minded to the contrary, he began to shew what occasions CHAP.
" he had to hinder the sarae, both by force of his legacy, .

and in this especially, which they could never persuade Anno isss.
" him to : which was, that at tbe point of his departure,
" they would have had hira to have left his book in the
" Pope's hand, who in his absence would have put it forth
" and pubHshed it. And herein was raade such violent
" instance, that, without force, there could be no more
" shewed. That when they saw his so stiff and obstinate
" resistance, aUeging divers causes therefore, and this in
" special, how it raight be hurtful to the cause, (if the
" King's Grace were inclined to return,) so to irritate by
" such a book put forth in the raean tirae, when he went
" about a reconciliation : but yet with that they would in
" no ¦wise be satisfied, unless he put them in some hope,
" that at his return, in case he returned desperate of the
" King's raind, he would be content that they should do
" what they and he thought best : and thereupon they were
" willing to defer all things till his return.
" That he refused now a second tirae the exercise of 311
" censures against the King. That touching the matters he
" had to treat with Princes, to whora his legacy was di-
" rected ; he affirraed, with constant asseveration, that he
" never thought nor raeant to treat with thera, but what
" should be raost for the King's honour, if his Grace's raind
" did any thing incline to that part, that other Princes did,
" touching the unity of the Church : that it raight seera
" most to corae by the request and desire of other Princes,
" for the wealth of Christendora : that they would demand
" the same of the King's Grace by request and prayer.
" And that he did this the more, because of the violence that
" the people had used of late in that behalf ». 'in the re-
mi /»!• 1111-11 Tk- 1 hellion in
" Ihat tor this one great cause he had desired the Bishop the north.
" of Verona to accompany him in this legation, as an in-
" strument most raeet for this purpose, both for the great
" favour he had ever been in with the French King and our
" King hkewise, through the good pleasure and service he
" had done for thera both in tiraes past, (when he was in office

480 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XL.

Anno 1538.

' and place,) also, for the good practice and wisdom and
' good opinion the said Bishop was in ; most of all known
' in governance of his bishopric. That for the foresaid
' causes, be thought him the more meet person to entreat
' these matters betwixt these Princes. And for this, he
' told Throgmorton, he was now caUed and taken as a
' rebel. " In conclusion, Pole said, he feared lest at the last, the
' King continuing his persecution in publishing hira as his
' rebel to all Princes, that be should be constrained both
' before aU Princes, and in face of all Christendom, to
' declare hiraself, what a rebel he is, and for what causes.
' Wherein he said, that for his own part, if he sought ho-
' nour, be would desire no raore, than to raake it to be
' openly known after what fashion he was rebelled from
' his Grace."
Throgmorton wrote also, " That the Pope, as he had sent
' indulgences through aU Christendom, to pray for ddiver-
' ance frora the danger of the Turk, so he would send also
' through Christendom indulgences to pray for the King,
' with the state of England, for their return to the unity of
' the Church ; rehearsing what charitable raeans had been
' used to that intent, but without taking effect. They in-
' tended raoreover in these indulgences to describe many of
' the King's acts. And for Pole's justification in relation
' to his book, tbey about the Pope intended at his return
' to put it in print, if he would consent thereto: as it
' would be hard for hira to deny, for the great confidence
' they had therein, raore than in all the rest ; for the vrr-
' tuous life and other great qualities they had conceived of
' tbe writer thereof.
" That upon Pole's return hanged both the divulging of
' the censures, putting forth the book, and sending the
' new Ambassadors to all Christen Princes, if he refused
' to take on hira to coraraend unto thera the case of Eng
land. " That raany were grettiy astonied to see the great dili-
" gence and procureraent raany wayes on the King's be-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 481
"half, for the utter ruin and destruction of this man; '^^AP'
" which daUy carae to his knowledge divers wayes. And

yet notwithstanding all such irritation, he continued and Anno 1537.
" persevered in the same love and constant mind to the
"King's honour and wealth, that he had ever hitherto312
" shewed ; declining to no raan's requests or desires in any
" thing as yet, that raight put his Grace to any dishonour,
" hindrance, or trouble. Which raade raany raen so rauch
" the raore to marvaU, to see the King's Grace so highly
" bent rather to his ruin and destruction, than to take some
" way to reconcUe hira." This that hath been said ¦wiU give
some notice of Pole not yet perhaps known.
There was about the year 1538. (that I may lay together Legh con-
Pole's raatters) one John Legh, a traveller, lately laid in j,^ ^^^^ „f
the Tower upon suspicion to belong unto Pole, or to beP"i'-
privy to his dealings. He was once a servant to Cardinal
Wolsey ; and the Court suspected hira to be illy affected
towards the Prince, and that he went out of England upon
treasonable purposes, to raake eneraies to his country. But
he pleaded for hiraself, that he had neither kin nor sub
stance proper to raaintain and carry on such designs, nor
universal acquaintance or knowledge, by reason of his so
long absence. He was but newly corae into England frora
his travels ; in which indeed he raet with Pole ; and there
upon grew the jealousy of him. This was the cause he was
laid in prison ; to get out of him what correspondence he
had used with Pole. He therefore made a confession of
what he knew concerning hira. And now in a letter he
assured the Lord Privy Seal, and took God to witness, that
this, and what he wrote in a former letter, was all the cora
munication of iraportance that ever he had with Pole in his
life: and if I had more, said he, then let me not die fhe
death qf a traitor, iuf fhe death qf a thousand traitors.
What discourse happened between Pole and hira raay be Cleopatra,
known frora the contents of the foresaid letter, as I extracted ' '^'
them thence.
" Pole deraanded of hira, if he had not heard, that the Conference
" King had appealed himself from the General Council, and Legh.
VOL. I. I i

482 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. "He answered, tbat Frogmarton, his servant, first told him
XL. a Qf i(. Pole asked hira how he thought of it. . He an-
Anno 1537. " swered, that he had but little understanding in such mat-
" ters ; but that he bad heard of others, tbat tbe King's
" Grace did but as the raost part of Christendora did. He
" shewed hira also, that it was no indifferent way, that any
" raan should be judge in his own cause. Pole asked him
" what he raeant by that. Then he said, you among you
" call for a General Council in your own country and
" power ; where the judgment is given before tbe matter
" cometh in arguraent. Pole said, that raen had better
" conscience than so. He replied. Few raen had conscience
" to judge against theraselves. He answered, no more of
" that, nor any like raatter."
Then he proceeded to another argument, concerning a
religious house or hospital, founded, I suppose, in Rome,
dedicated to St. Thomas a Becket, for Englishmen ; where
of Cardinal Pole was now the Supervisor. And complaint
being raade of one Borbrig, the present raaster of that
house, the Cardinal told Legh, " tbat he would put an
" order to corae to the hospital, for to lirait 'Borbrig to his
" pension. He disannulled this raan of the raastership of
" the house, and raade a new raaster, caUed Helliar, [Hil-
" liard, I suppose, who was attainted by Parharaent when
" Pole was,] and another, his corapanion, naraed Goldwel,
" [attainted at the sarae tirae,] was raade custos then. He
" raade brothers of the hospital ; araong the which he
313 " would needs that Legh should be one. Saying to him,
" that he raight do it with his honesty and worship : and
" that there were other worshipful raen of England of the
" brotherhood. Araong the which he naraed Dr. Clark,
" the Bishop of Bath, who also, Pole said, had been a great
" benefactor to tbe house. Further, he naraed one Mr.
" Wotton and Dr. Benet, [who had been forraerly ambas-
" sadors,] to be brothers there."
There being a public dinner at this house, the Cardinal
and Legh happened to be there, who after eating fell into
discourse about the foundation of it ; saying, " that it was

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 483
"founded in the narae of Thomas of Canterbury, whora CHAP.
" the King's Grace, said he, hath pulled out of his shrine. ,

To which Legh answered, that it became never a servant An»" is37.
" to be better clothed than his master. Pole asked him,
" what he raeant by that ? Legh answered, that he had
" seen the sepulchre of our Master Christ, and also the se-
" pulchrc of all his progeny : which were nothing in cora-
" parison to the shrine, [of St. Thomas at Canterbury,] nor
" also neer by a thousand parts like unto it. Pole said,
" that there was no devotion in those countryes. Legh,
" that there was honest devotion in those parts, and not
" used with abusion. Pole asked, what he called abusion.
" Legh answered, all that which was demanded in God's
" pretence, and afterwards to man's folly. Pole told bim,
" he was not learned, and therefore could judge no such
" matters. Legh told him, no more he took upon hira for
" to do. And tbat which he spake was not upon judgraent
" of learning, but upon open experience. Pole then asked
" hira, what experience he had in the things ofthe Church.
" Legh said, none other than that which was open to all
" the world. Pole told hira then, that though there were
" some evil of the Church, yet also there was some good.
" Legh said, of tiieir acts be it tryed.
" Pole then entred into comraunication of More and Ro-
" Chester, saying, that they were put to death, and that if
" he had been with thera, he had died in their opinion.
" Legh said, no raan would refuse the death in God's quar-
" rei. Pole said, God ever gave tirae to sinners to araend.
" Legh subjoyned, that the common saying was, that More
" and Rochester died more in obstination than in any
" good opinion. Pole replyed, that for the most part cora-
" mon sayings ever were untrue. Pole asked hira, what
" stories he had studied or read in the Italian tongue.
" Legh said, none, because he had no leisure frora going
" about frora place to place to see countries ; but told him,
" that at his going home shortly, he would buy sorae stories
" in the ItaHan tongue to have with hira, and study them
" at his commodity. Pole said, he should do well not to

484 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « impatshe himself -with reading of the story of Nicolo Ma-
^^' " chaveUo ; because he said, to his judgraent, that it had

Anno 1537." already erapoysoned our country of England; and that it
" was a story also to erapoysen aU tbe rest of the states of
" Christendora : saying further, that ¦with al that he could
" do, he would cause it to be dystynkyd [extinguished]
" and put do^wn, out of reverence, in all places where he
" raight have any power."
314 All this account Legh gave the Lord Privy. Seal con
cerning his coraraunication with the Cardinal. For coming
in his travels through Rome, he could not easUy miss of
seeing the EngHsh Cardinal. Who being now under attaint,
it was dangerous for any English subject to be in his com
pany ; and therefore Legh was thus by the State caUed to
account. And it seeras likely he was looked on as some
spy or emissary from him.

CHAP. XLL

Letters congrafulatoiy ofthe Universifies to the King. A
commission to divers Bishops and others. Rodolph
Bradford, a great promoter qf religion. Humphrey
Monmouth, a worthy citizen and sufferer. Articles
against Mm.
The Uni- 1 FIND a letter without date of the yeai- sent to his Ma-
vcrsitics address to jesty frora the University of Cambridge, and another from
the King. ^\^g^^ ^f Oxford, chiefly upon tbe same subject. Which was
a congratulation of the King, for the proceedings he had
made in reforming the corruptions and superstitions of reli
gion. But I know not in what year so weU to lay them as
in this of 1537. Because I observe in the former letter two
things hinted that happened about tills tirae. The one is
the raention of the infant Prince Edward, who was born in
the raonth this was writ : the other, the destruction of the
convents of friars, the sraaller of thera having been granted
to the King the last year: and this year was rauch taken up

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 485
in the actual dissolution of them. In this address to his chap.
Majesty Cambridge intercedes with hira, " that as those .

" houses had been unprofitable, nay, pernicious to Christian Anno is37.
"reHgion, and devoted to superstition and vain religion ; Cambridge ;
" so the King would take an opportunity to raake excellent
" use of thera, by converting thera into coUeges and places
" of good hterature. That as before, lazy drones and
" swarms of impostors were sent out of thera, so now, by
" these means, men raight be bred up in them, to promote
" sohd learning,' and to preach the Gospel." It is observ
able, by the strain of this letter, how well disposed this Uni
versity in these early days was to religion, and how glad
of the emendations the King had raade : giving this charac
ter of itself. Qua semper sincerlori reUgioni maxime faverit.
That it ever had a great favour to sincere religion.
The letter of the other University ran rauch to the same And that of
strain, " extolling the King for his promoting of learning " °^ '
" as well as religion. Insorauch as whereas in tbeir fathers
" tirae the more polite learning, and the study of all good
" arts, faded and waxed cold, now in his time there were
" not a few in Britain that raight strive for victory with the
" ancients theraselves. They praised him for his favour
" and benefits to the Universities, which were the very foun-
" tains of virtue and seminaries of learning. That for his
" extraordinary benefactions to them, he obscured many
" other kings, that had before tirae been their founders and
"benefactors. They extol hira raost of aU for forgiving315
" their tenths and first-fruits. And so conclude with a sup-
" plication to hira, to raake an end of the contention betwixt
" the townsraen and thera," Both these episties are repo- Number
sited in the Appendix, LXXXVi.
The famous book called The Insflfuflon qf a Christian -^i^^ j^^ti.'
Man came out this year. For the compiling whereof the t"tion of a
King issued out a commission to divers Bishops and other Mmi!*'*"
Divines : wherein most of the doctrines of rehgionj and the
sacraments and cereraonies of the Church, were seriously
debated : each setting down in writing his judgraent on each
point, digested under several questions. I have seen divers
lis

486 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, of these writings ; especially concerning Confirmation, Or-
^^^' .ders, Wedlock, and Extreme Unction. I wUl not think

Anno 1537. much to transcribe the papers of divers of these Divines,
both Bishops and Doctors, upon the first of these rites;
namely, that of Confirmation, that the reader may see and
judge of the learning of tbe scholars of those days, and
what abUities the King's Chaplain had. This proceeded
upon three questions, to be resolved by each Divine.
I. Whether this sacraraent be a sacraraent of tbe New
Testaraent, instituted by Christ, or not.
II. What is the outward sign and invisible grace that is
conferred in the sarae.
III. What proraises be made, that the said graces shall
be received by this sacraraent. Which questions, I suppose,
Number were devlsed by Archbishop Cranraer. In the Appendix
may be seen the judgraents (according to the order wherein
they stand in the MS.) of these Bishops : Lee, Archbishop
of York ; Goodrick, Bishop of Ely ; Hilsey, the learned
Black Friar, Bishop of Rochester; Longland, Bishop of
Lincoln ; Capon, alias Salcot, Bishop of Bangor ; Stokesly,
Bishop of London ; Cranraer, Archbishop of Canterbury.
(The judgraents of whicb two last are excepted out of the ,
P. i. Collect, rest, and printed in the History of the Reforraation.) And
P-^'^- then follow the papers of these Doctors: Wotton, Barbar,
BeU, Wolraan, Marshal, Cliff, Edraunds, Downes, Marnia-
dukc, one anonymous, Robynson, Sraith, and Buckmaster.
Rodoiph I cannot set the tirae exactly of the death of Rodolph
Bradford, but not long after this time, I conjecture, it
happened. Of whora I cannot but make a note, having
been one of the Di^nnes nominated among the Bishops in
that famous coraraission aforesaid, to raeet together, and
correct the errors of religion, and to draw up a wholesome
book for the use and instruction of the people : to which
his narae, araong the rest, was subscribed. He was a very
pious Gospeller, and furtherer of true religion, and suffered
rauch for it. In King's college, Carabridge, he bad been both
Scholar and Fellow : whence he went to London : where, by
the help of Jeffrey Lorae, servant to Dr. Farman, (a learned

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 487
man and favourer of reHgion at Carabridge,) he met with CHAP.
certain New Testaments, translated into English by Frith : .

and went to Reading with thera, out of a godly zeal to dis- Anno 1537.
perse thera. There he delivered thera to a certain raonk :
who being apprehended, made known the names of him and
others, from whora he had thera. Whereupon letters were
sent over to Carabridge, to Dr. Redraan, then Vice-Chan-3l6
ceUor, to apprehend this Bradford, now returned thither,
together with Dr. Sraith of Trinity hall, Siraon Sraith of
Gonvile hall, Hugh Latimer, and Segar Nicolson. But
Bradford, and an Augustin Friar, (Barnes it raay be,) fled
away into Ireland ; where he openly preached the Gospel.
But being there pursued, he was at length taken and irapri
soned the space of two years. And then being enlarged,
he returned to Carabridge ; and in Corpus Christi college,
(wherein were several that loved religion,) he went out Dr.
of Divinity in the year 1534, where, while he remained, he
would let no holyday pass without preaching a sermon.
Afterwards he was Chaplain to Latimer, Bishop of Wor- Foxii MSS,
cester, and died there.
I cannot let this year pass ¦without mentioning a very Humphrey
eminent raan about these times, named Humphrey Mon- an eminent*
mouth, citizen and draper of London, a great dealer in'^*'"-^^-
Suffolk cloths; noted as well for his piety as his wealth.
This year, I suppose, he died; I ara sure this year he raade
his last wiU and testament. He was one of the great pa
trons and favourers of the Gospel, and the preachers of it,
in these days in London. In former years, he in his trayels
visited Rome ; where he and his corapany obtained indul
gences and pardons frora that Bishop, both a culpa ef a poe
na; from sin, and from punishment due to it, for certain
times of the year. Which large favour was, I suppose,
granted thera, either because they were going to Jerusalem
to visit the holy sepulchre, or rather because they were rich
men, and gave liberally. And it may be, his travels to Rome
shewed him so much of the Pope and his religion, as made him
no great friend to it afterwards. This man, when Luther's A Lutheran.
doctrine came first into England, was an embracer of it, and
I i 4

488 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, conversed rauch in his writings, and did what he could for
^^^' the enlarging and spreadihg evangehcal knowledge therein
Anno 1637. contained : though in the year 1521. Luther had been pro-
clairaed an heretic in England, and his books heretical and
daranable; and it was strictly enjoined that none should
adhere to his sect. He encouraged the translation of the
holy Scriptui-es into EngHsh, and contributed largely both
to the translating and printing of thera, by Hutchin, ahas
Tyndal, and Roye, and was privy to their going into Ger
raany. He also assisted in the printing of books in EngHsh
beyond sea, against the Sacraraent of tbe Altar and the Mass.
A great jJe entertained Tyndal at his house, and gave him ten
pounds, when he was to go to Haraburgh about his trans
lation of the New Testaraent. Besides, he gave raany exhi
bitions to scholars in the Universities, for their raaintenance;
sorae whereof carae afterwards to be great raen: as Dr.
Royston, the Bishop of London's Chaplain ; Dr. Wooderal,
Provincial of the Augustin Friars ; Dr. Watson, the King's
Chaplain, and afterwards Bishop ; and to divers priests and
friars besides.
Committed Jn the year 1528, May 14, Sir Thoraas More and Sir
WiUiara Kyngston, of the Privy CouncU, searched bis bouse
for heretical books, and letters of correspondence abroad
with heretics, and coraraitted him to the Tower. The articles
tbey laid to his charge were in number twenty-four, as they
Foxii MSS. foUow, taken, as I suppose, out of Bishop Tunstal's register:
317 Articles mynysfred againsf Homfreye Munmouthe, qf ihe
paryshe qf All Sayntes Berkinge, qffhe cytie qf London.
. ?• First, That thow diddest know, believe, or here say, that
against him. Martyn Luther, with all persons adhering to his opinions
and heresies, was by sufficient aucthority condempned an
heretyke, and his books, works, and opinions, as heretical,
detestable, erroneous, and darapnable, by like aucthorytie
conderapned and reproved ; and prohibitions generally made,
and in this realm publyshed in the raonth of AprU, anno
Doraini, a thousand VC.XXI. that no person should leane
or adhere to the sect of the said Martyn Luther, any of his

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 489
heresies and detestable opinions, or buy, kepe, or have, re- CHAP-
tayne, or read any of his foresaid books or works, or of ^^^'

other of the said sect. Anno 1537.
Item, That at any tyme after the premysses by thee ^^•
known, thow hast had or bought divers and many books,
treaties, and works of the said Martyn Luther, and other of
his detestable sect.
Item, That thow hast favoured, helped, and given exhi- ^i.
bition to such persons as went about to translate into Eng
lish^ or to make erroneous books out of holy Scripture :
and chiefly to Sir William Hochin, otherwise called Sir
WiUiara TyndaUe, Freest, and to Fryer Roye, soraetyme
Observant, and now in apostasye, or to eyther of thera.
Item, That thow wert privy, and of counsel, that the said IV.
Sir WUliara Hochin, otherwise called Tyndal, and Fryar
Roye, or eyther of them, went into Almayne to Luther,
there to study and lerne his sect: and diddest help and
ayde thera, or eyther of thera, with raony, or thexhibition
thereunto at there departing hense or syns.
Item, That thow haddest certain books of Luthers trans- V.
lated into English, as well Luther De Liberfate Christiana,
or Luther's Exposition upon the Pater Noster.
Item, That the book De Liberfate Christiana was writ- ^'•
ten in the beginning, and drawn out of St. Augustine's
works, and the Exposition of the Pafer Noster was ascribed
to Hilarius, to blynd and abuse thereby your readers of
them, as they were books of hoUy Fathers.
Item, That thow was privy and of counsail, or hast given VU.
help thereunto, that the New Testament was translated into
EngHsh by Sir Williara Hochin, or Tyndal, and Friar
Roye, and printed and brought into this realra, as well with
gloses as without gloses.
Item, That after they were openly forbodden, as being vili.
full of errors, thow hast had, red, and kept thera.
Item, That thou hast had an introduction in EngUsh, ix.
printed upon Paul's Epistle to the Romaines, and kept,
red, or used the same.

490 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Item, That thou hast had, and yet hast, certain other
. works full of errors, translated into English, sent unto thee

Anno 1537. by the said Sir WiUiam Tyndal, or Hochin.
jjj Item, That thou hast been privy and of counsel, of
certain detestable books late prynted beyond the sea, in
English, against the Sacrament, and all other observances
of holy Church, and chiefly against the blessed Sacrament
of the Autar, and the observance of the holy Masse.
318 Item, That thou hast cawsed divers other works hereti-
^'- cal to be translated into EngHsh, as weU of Luther as of
one Frier Lambert of the same sect.
XIII- Item, That thou hast eaten flesh in Lent season, contrary
to tbe ordinance and determination of hoUy Church.
XIV. Item, That thou hast said, affirraed, and beloved, that
faith onlie is sufficient to save a raan his sowle, without any
works.
XV. Item, That all raen be not bound to observe the consti
tutions made by the Church.
XVI. Item, That we should pray only to God, and to no saintes.
XVII. Item, That Christen raen ought to worship God onlye,
and no saintes.
XVIII. Item, That pilgriraages be not profitable for man's sowle,
and should not be used.
XIX. Item, That raen should not offer to images in the church,
ne sett any Hghtes before thera.
XX. Item, That contrition is sufficient for a man berag m
dedlye synne, to confess him only to God, without confes
sion raade to a priest.
XXI. Item, That no raan is bound to kepe any raanner of fast
ing day institute by the Church.
XXII. Item, That pardons granted by the Pope, or the Bishop,
doth not profit a raan.
XXIII- Item, That thow art naraed and reputed to be avancer
and a favourer of the said Martyn Luther, his heresies and
detestable opinions, and one of the sarae sect.
XXIV. Item, That all and singular the preraisses be true, noto
rious, publike, and faraous ; and upon them reyneth the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 491
coraraon voice and fame among good, sadde, and discrete CHAP.
persons, within the cytie of London, and within other

Anno 1537.

places. Five days after his coraraitraent, he raade an hurable pe- His petition
tition to Cardinal Wolsey, and the Lords of the Council, ¦vyoisey and
for his liberty. Therein he related " what exarainations he*'*^°"""'-
" had undergon frora Sir Thoraas More and Sir WiUiam
" Kyngston, concerning books received from beyond sea,
" and concerning his acquaintance ¦with divers suspected
" persons, and raonies by hira allowed them. He related,
" how they searched his house for books and letters, and
" coraraitted hira to Sir Edmund Walsingham, Lieutenant
" of the Tower : what acquaintance and coraraunication
" he had with Tyndal, which indeed was the chief quarrel
" against hira. He acknowledged, that having heard sorae
" sermons by him preached at St. Dunstans in the West,
" four or five years past ; and understanding from him that
" he had no place, he entertained him half a year in his
" house. Where he lived, he said, like a good priest, and
" studied raost part of the day and of the night at his book ;
" and would eat no meat, but sodden, and drink nothing
" but sraall bear, nor wore any linnin about him. That he
" promised hira ten pounds to pray for the souls of his fa-
" ther and mother, and aU Christen people: which he after-
" wards sent him to Hamburgh. He excused hiraself of
" giving this to Tyndal, by saying, that he gave exhibitions
" to divers other priests, friars, and scholars; and that he319
" had spent raore a great deal for the love of God, after the
" counsil of good Doctors, than upon that one priest. That
" the books he had were the Enchyridion in English, and
" an Exposition of the Pater Noster, and concerning the
" Christian Liberty, and the New Testament in EngHsh :
" but he had parted with them all, and dehvered thera up.
" And while he had thera, all of them, but the New Testa-
" raent, lay open in his house for two years ; nor had any
" friar, priest, or layraan, found any fault with thera. And
" he shewed them likewise to them. He had also shewed
" them to divers other learned clergy men, who found no

492 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP- " fault in thera, except that of Christian Liberty. In which
^^^' " they said were sorae hard things, except the reader were

Anno 1537. " wise. That before he heard the Bishop of London say
" at Paul's Cross, that Tyndal had translated the New
" Testament into English, and done it noughtily, he never
" suspected nor knew any e^vil by hira : but after, he bumf
" all his books and letters and sermons which he had by
" him. Lastly, he prayed the Council to shew hira mercy,
" and grant hira deliverance out of prison : and that he had
?' by lying there utterly lost his narae and credit ; besides
" the great inconvenience that happened thereby to the
" poor people in Suffolk, great numbers whereof were main-
" tained by his taking off great quantities of cloth from the
" clothiers there, to whom he payd ready money, to set the
" poor folkes on work. That he sold to strangers every
" year four or five hundred cloths : whereas, since his lying
" in prison, his trade had exceedingly failed ; and a great
" daraage was hereby done to the King's custoras." But
he that would see that petition, as penned by Monmouth
Number hiraself, raay find it in tbe Appendix. This petition and
¦ confession he acknowledged to be his own writing, before
Tunstal, Bishop of London : to whora, I suppose, the Car
dinal and Council assigned hira over: and those articles
before raentioned raight by his Court be ministered unto
hira.
His last After this good citizen escaped these troubles, he stiU
persisted in his good courses ; was a great hearer of the
serraons of Bishop Latiraer, Dr. Barnes, Dr. Crome, Mr.
Tayler, all faraed preachers in those days in the City.
Therefore by his last wiU and testaraent, made in the year
1537, he appointed to preach in his parish church of Alhal-
lowes Barking, two serraons a week, till they had preached
thirty serraons. For which he allotted thera a legacy. In
his wUl he forbade tbe ordinary superstitions of candles, and
singing dirige, and ringing the bells at his funeral, and
gave away rauch in charity. His said wiU, as I find it
printed by John Goughe, about that tirae, I have preserved
N».xc. in the Appendix. Such an esteem good men then had for

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 493
it, and of the exemplary piety and charity shewn therein, chap.
that they reckoned it worthy making public. When the ^^^-
times carae on more favourable to the Gospel, he was Alder- Anno 1537.
man of London, and served Sheriff there in the year 1535,
and seems to have been known and favoured by the Lord
Crurawel, and Audly, (afterwards Lord Chancellor,) to
whora he gave legacies.

CHAP. XLII. 320
A Convocation. Injunctions for religion set forth by
Crumwel. The proceedings qffhe Archbishop hereupon.
Sampson, Bishop qf Chichester : his proceedings. Com
mitted fo fhe Tower.
iylAY 2, 1538, a Convocation met at the chapter-house Anno isss.
of St. Paul's, that had been prorogued by the Archbishop, ^j,^""''*'™"
The absents (which, it seeras, were raany) were pronounced
confumaces by the Archbishop, after one or two proroga
tions. The 6th session, being June the 2d, in the chapter
house, before the raost reverend Lord Thoraas Crurawel, the
King's Vicegerent, exhibited to the Prolocutor and Clergy
of the Lower House, questions, to be by thera discussed : Divers
and assigned to thera to relate their judgraents upon, on a re"igio"n ex-
day appointed. The questions were as follow': I. Whether hibited to
there be in the Sacraraent of the Altar transubstanti- Extract.
ation of the substance of the bread and wine into the sub- ?,°°™'^**-
MS. D. Fr.
stance of the flesh and blood of Christ, or no. II. Whether Ep. Roff.
priests, being ordered, raay, after they be priests, raarry by
the law of God, or not. III. Whether the vow of chastity
of raen and women, made only to God, bindeth by the
law of God, or not. IV. Whether Auricular Confession be
necessary by the law of God, or not. V. Whether private
masses raay stand with the word of God, or not. VI. Whe
ther it be necessary by the word of God that the Sacraraent
of the Altar should be ministered in both kinds, or not.

494 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
chap. The resolution to which questions were returned as fol-
^^^^' low. I. That in the blessed Sacraraent of the Altar, by the
Anno 1S3B. strength and efficacy of Christ's raighty word, it being
The answer gpokeu by a priest, is present really the natural body and
of the Con- '^ •' ~ . J: --,1 • • j r i_ tt- •
TOcation. blood of our Sa^viour Jesu Christ, conceived ot the Virgin
Mary, under the forra of bread and wine ; and that after
consecration there reraainetli no other substance, - but the
substance of the foresaid natural body. II. That commu
nion in both kinds is not necessary, ad salufem, by the law
of God, to all persons. And that it is to be believed, and
not doubted of, but that in the flesh and forra of bread is
the very blood. And in the blood, under the forra of wine,
is the very flesh, as well apart, as though they were both
together. III. Tbat priests, after the order of priesthood
received, as afore, raay not raarry by the law of God. IV.
That vows of chastity or widowhood, by men or women,
made to God advisedly^ are to be observed by tbe law of
God. And that it exempteth thera frora other liberties of
Christian people, which, without that, they raight enjoy.
V. That it is meet and necessary, that private masses be
continued and admitted in this our EngHsh Church and
congregation: as whereby good Christian people ordering
themselves accordingly, do receive both godly and goodly
consolation and benefits. And it is agreeable also to God's
law. VI. That Auricular Confession is expedient to be re
tained and continued, used and frequented, in tbe Church of
God. This Convocation was prorogued frora tirae to time,
tUl the year 1540.
321 This year the Lord Crurawel, as the King's Vicegerent
Three hooks ijj ecclesiastical raatters, issued out many good ini unctions :
of injunc- JOJ
tions. which were pursuant of two books of injunctions set forth
two years before, viz. in the year 1536. Which I shall men
tion here, to raake way for the injunctions of this year.
TheKing's First, the King issued out injunctions that had been as-
1586, for 'sented to by the prelates and inferior clergy assembled in
holydays. Convocation. Which were for the abrogating a number of
holydays, and especially such as fell in harvest time : the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 495
keeping of which was prejudicial to the gatheringin the corn, CHAP.
hay, and fruits of the earth. The sum of them was, " that  !_
" the dedication of churches should be kept on the first Anno isss.
" Sunday in October for ever. That the feast of the patron
" of every church, coraraonly caUed the Church holyday,
" should not be henceforth kept as a holyday, except it be
" such a holyday as is to be universally kept. That all
" holydays that happen in harvest tirae, that is, frora the
" 1st of July to the 29th of Septeraber, were not to be
" kept holydays, but people were to do their ordinary
" work, except the feasts of the Apostles, of the Blessed
" Virgin, St. George, and such feasts wherein the King's
" Judges at Westrainster did not use to sit in judgment.
" And what days they were, were afterwards mentioned in
" the injunctions. The four offering days to be, the Na-
" tivity of our Lord, Easter-day, the Nativity of St. John
" Baptist, and of Michael the Archangel." I do but briefly
give the heads of these injunctions, and not transcribe them
at length, as I meet with thera in a volurae of the Cotton
library ; because they are already printed to our hand, both
in Fox's Acts and in the Bishop of Sarura's History.
The sarae year carae abroad other injunctions, set forth Crumwel's
in the Lord Crurawel's narae, and dispersed throughout thet^g""^^"""'
deaneries of every diocese : beginning thus, " In the name y^''"-
" of God, Amen, in the year of our Lord 1536, &c. I
" Thoraas Crurawel, Knight, Keeper of the Privy Seal of
" our said Sovereign Lord the King, and Vicegerent of
" the sarae, for and concerning all his jurisdiction ecclesi-
" astical within this realra, to the glory of Alraighty God, '
" to the King's Highnesses honour, the publick weal of this
" realra, and encrease of vertue in the sarae, have appointed
" and assigned these injunctions insueing, to be kept and
" observed of the Deans, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and Sti-
" pendiaries resident, or having care of souls, or any other
" spiritual administration within this deanery." These in
junctions were in nuraber twelve. The first was, " For
" keeping aU the laws and statutes of the realm, made for
" the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome's

496 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
chap, " pretended power, and for estabhshment of the King's au-
^^"' " thority as suprerae Head. That the Articles of Rehgion

Anno 1538." lately put forth be declared in sermons, that it maybe
" known which be necessary to be beHeved, and which be
" not necessary, but only concern a decent and poHtick or-
*' der of the Church. For declaring to the people the abro-
" gation of superstitious holydays. For the abolishing of
" images, and forbidding pilgriraages. Parents and masters
" to teach their children and servants the Lord's Prayer,
" the Articles, and the Ten Comraandraents, in the mother
*' tongue : and for the bringing up youth to arts and occu-
322" pations. That sacraraents and sacraraentals be duely ad-
" rainistered in parishes ; and good Curates placed by those
" that reside not upon their benefices. Every parish to
" provide a Bible, both in Latin and English, to be laid in
*' the quire, to be read by any priest : not to resort to, or
" haunt taverns or alehouses : nor to play at tables and
" cards after dinner or supper : but to spend those times
*' in hearing or reading some portions of holy Scripture.
" That all non-residents that could dispend 20Z. and above,
" should distribute among their poor parishioners the fortieth
" part of the fruits of their benefices. That every Clergy-
" man, having, in proraotion of the church, an lOOZ. yearly,
" or upwards, for every hundred pound should find a scholar
" in either of the Universities. Tbe fifth part of the bene-
" fices to be bestowed yearly upon tbe raansions or chancels.
*' And all this under pain of suspension and sequestration
" of the fruits of their benefices." These were the injunc
tions of the year 1536.
His injunc- Crurawel, in this year 1538, set out other iniunctions in
tions two , _,.. •' , « „,., . ,
years after, tile King s narae, to the nuraber of seventeen. Which were,
" For the setting up the Bible in churches, and for the ob-
" serving the injunctions before given. To which were
" added, tbat serraons should be raade quarterly at least:
" wherein the preachers were to instruct their people against
" the ordinary superstitions of wandering on pUgrimages,
" offering candles and tapers to rehcks, kissing or licking of
" them, and the like. That if any Priest had extoUed these

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 497
" things, that he should now recant and reprove the sarae : CHAP.
" shewing that he did so upon no ground of Scripture, but  _
" led by coraraon eri-or and abuse. That none should stop Anno i538.
" the reading or preaching of the word of God. That a
" register should be kept in every parish- That the forraer
" injunctions be read every quarter of a year. That no raan
" should detain his tithes, upon pretence of his Curates not
" doing their duty. None to alter the order and raanner
" of any fasting-day, that is coraraanded or indicted by the
" Church, excepting the coraraeraoration of Thoraas Becket,
" which shall be clean oraitted. The knolhng oiAves after
" service, brought in by pretence of the Bishop of Rorae's
"pardons, henceforth to be left; that the people should
" not trust to have pardon, by saying their Aves between
" the said knoUing. To orait saying in processions their
" Ora pro nobis to so many saints : whereby they had no
" time to sing the good sufirages, Parce nobis Domine : Li-
" iera nos Domine. Which were raore necessary and ef-
" fectual to be said."
These last injunctions were given out by occasion of the On ";hat
negligent observation of the forraer, which the Clergy took set forth.
httie heed to. Which when the King understood, and be
ing resolvedly now determined to purge out many abuses in
the Church, and rectify divers errors in doctrine, then ge
nerally entertained, he gave comraand to the Lord Crura
wel, to raake in his name a set of new injunctions. And a
copy of them he sent to every respective Bishop to be duly
executed, and to give a strait order to their Clergy to ob
serve them. The letter which Crumwel wrote to Archbi
shop Cranraer relating to this raatter Was this ; the hke to
which, I suppose, was sent to the rest of the Bishops :
" After my right hearty commendations unto your Lord- 323
" ship. Whereas the King's Highness, being informed as Crumwel
" weU of the neghgent observation of the former mjunctions, for the in-
" exhibited to the Clergy of tiiat diocese, as also of the iur-^^'^'T-
. . Cran. Ke^.
" ther eontmuance of superstition and idolatry in the same, p- 215.
" and rainding, like as to his office most appertaineth, the
" expurgation of untrue rehgion, and the aboUshment of aU
VOL. I. K k

498 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " abuses, crept into the same; hath willed and comraanded
¦ " rae to put forth by his Grace's authority, to all his Clergy

Anno 1 538. (c and subjects within this realra, certain other injunctions
" to be kept and observed of the sarae, upon their further
" peril. These shall be therefore as weU to advertise your
" Lordship, as also of the King's Highness behalf, to charge
" and command the sarae, tbat calling before you or your
" Coraraissaries, at days and places convenient, the whole
" Clergy of tbat diocese, ye do exhibit and put forth on the
" King's Highness behalf, and by bis Grace's authority,
" these injunctions, whereof ye shaU receive a copy here-
" ¦with, and raay send whereas they be printed for as many
" raore, as will serve to give every Curate within tbat dio-
" cese : straitly charging every of the sarae, inviolably to
" observe' the, said injunctions, upon the pains therein ex-
" pressed. In default whereof, they raay look for no like
" indulgence, as they have had hitherto by -violation of the
" other, but earnest coercion and severity to be extended
" towards thera, for both conterapts together : and that ye
" fail not this the King's Highness pleasure and command-
" raent effectually to put forth, execute, and accomphsh,
" without any dissiraulation, negligence, or reraiss handhng,
" as ye intend to answer to the King's Majesty for the con-
" trary thereof at your peril. And thus most heartUy fare
" you well. From London the last of September.
" Your Lordship's friend,
" Thomas Crumwel."
The conclu- Then foUow in the register the injunctions themselves.
injunctions. Which end thus : " All which and singular injunctions I
" rainister unto you, and to your parishioners, by the King's
" Highness authority, to be coraraitted in this part. Which
" I charge and comraand you, by the sarae authority,
" to observe and keep, upon pain of deprivation, seques-
" tration of your fruits, or such other coercion as to the
" King, or his Vicegerent for this tirae being, shall be seen
" convenient."
Thepro- XJpon this Order, for all rectors, vicars, and spiritual
ceedings of ^ ' 7 i x

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 499
persons within the diocese of Canterbury to observe these '^^^J'-
injunctions, the Archbishop issued out his letters to certain _

persons, his Officials, to declare the said inmnctions both to A°n° ^*^^-
, ^1 T T • 1 1 1 ^ 11 the Archl)i-
the Clergy and Eaity ; whom they were erapowered to call ^jjop upon
before thera, and to coraraand thera dihgentiy to obey them: "'.^^^!''" .
dated at Lambeth, October 2. The like letters of corarais
sion he wrote to John Butler, his Commissary of the town
and Marches of Calais, and to the Deans of South Mailing
and of Bocking.
The other Bishops laid their comraands upon their re- And of the
spective Clergy also. The Bishop of Chichester, Richard Chichester.
Sampson, about this tirae issued out his instructions to the 3 24
Parsons and Curates of his diocese ; containing two heads :
namely, that they should with aU dUigence apply them
selves to accomplish the King's commandments and injunc
tions, being so complete, so perfect, and so good, that no
thing could weU be added to them, as he wrote. And that
every Priest in his Mass should say a special coUect for the
King and the Prince. Which instructions are recorded at
length in the Appendix. '^'°- ^^^•
But Bishop Sarapson would stir no further than needs He is
must, being one that bore a very good ¦wUl to the old super- ^^^ „, ^
stitions, however satisfied he were in the King's supreraacy English.
against the Pope. This begat sorae jealousies of him in
the King and Crumwel. There was one WeUs, Incurabent
of the parish of Rye in Sussex, of this Bishop's diocese ;
some grave and leading man in those parts ; perhaps the
Benedictin of that name. Prior soraetiraes of Gloucester col
lege, Oxon. This WeUs had some conferences ¦with the
Bishop, and letters passed between them for his direction
about the affairs ofthe Clergy, loath to change their old reh
gion any more than they were forced and driven. He wrote
to the Bishop, that he sung no service openly in the Enghsh
tongue; which, it seems, some desired he should, and, I sup
pose, Cranmer the Archbishop might advise it : and namely,
that the Pater Noster, the Ave Maria, and some hymns
should be repeated in the time of service in Engh^ for
the better understanding and edification of the people. This
K k 2

500 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, doing of Mr. Wells, the Bishop signified to bun his appro-
^^^^' bation of; bidding hira in his letter, " for the coraraon qui-
Anno 1538." etrjess to forbear any such novelties, tUl it should please
Cleopatra, a jj^g King's Majesty to declare his pleasure." And then
the Bishop proceeds to give his reasons against using the
English; " because the Ministers of the Church in all
" places, both ¦with the Latins and Greeks, sung or said
" their offices or prayers in the Latin or Greek graramatical
" tongues, and not in the vulgar. That the people prayed
" apart in such tongues as they would. But this [used in
" public] was a coraraon prayer of the Ministers and people
" together ; as he promised he would raore shew him at
" their next conference : and ¦wished that all the Ministers
" were so well learned, that they understood their offices,
" service or prayers, which they said in the Latin tongue."
His message In this great town of Rye, it seeras, there were people of
disseMions" different rainds ; and raany were for the Gospel : so that
there. there had been some uproars and disturbances. The Bishop,
for the better quieting and directing matters in the Church,
had promised to corae thither hiraself: which Wells urged him
to do, reraerabering him of his proraise. But his business at
London had been, as he wrote, a let to hira ; and he heard
also that there was quietness now in that place for a good
space, tiU now of late : which gave the Bishop occasion to
use these words : " But I perceive that our ghostly enemy
" travaileth, as he hath been at all times wont to do, with his
" seed of dissension. Wherefore we have so much the more
" need to be vigilant, to pray for grace, that we may with-
" stand him." At Rye the Bishop had been once before ; and
then had required this WeUs to advertise hira of things
that raight be causes of dissension. Accordingly he had in
forraed the Diocesan of somebody there, that preached Po
pish doctrines, I suppose, and had the King'S' licerice ; with
325 "whom nevertheless the people were grieved ; ahd the rather
because he was an outlandish raan, however a denizen. But
the Bishop wrote bis judgraent herein, in these words : " I
" assure you, I regard nothing bis country, so that he teach
" the word of God soberly, charitably, and purely, without

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 501
" any innovation of any such things as are not necessary, CHAP.
" tiU that the Prince's pleasure be known in thera." Wells ^"^•

also desu-ed to have a concord qf religion (as he called it) Anno isss.
at the Bishop's hands. To the which he answered ; " Surely
" it is ray raost bound duty to apply all ray diligence to
^' that godly act, and wUl do. Wherefore I require you,
" in the name of God, to signify unto rae the raost special
" points that now are causes of any discord with you there;
" and I trust, with God's help, to quiet that raatter, what-
*' soever it be. One thing ye raust know, that the King's
" Highness is yet content, that the book a lately put ouf The Bi-
" (by his Grace's favour and licence) by tbe Prelates, should called The,'
" be obeyed, and raay be taught, till that his Majesty shaU '"**'*"*'.""
" otherwise order sorae things with a raore raature and de-ten Man.
" liberate counsel. In the mean time, no person ought to
" reprove that book. For in things concerning the religion,
" I suppose, the doctrine is true. In other ceremonies, when
" it shall please the King's Majesty to order them other-
" wise, the people shall be taught accordingly. Lastly, he
" told Wells, he would shortly send thera an honest raan to
-" have the cure there ; who should both preach tbe word
" of God purely, and also use himself with such good dis-
" cretion, that he should be a means of rauch quietness."
This letter was dated August the 21st.
CrUmwel understanding well the Clergy, by the secret Crumwel
inteUigence that he had, liked not this Bishop of Chi- ^^jj !,;„,_
Chester, and took occasion openly to speak against hira ; as
that he played false with tbe King. And he took it the
worse from hira, because he had received divers favours
from Crumwel, and, as it seemed, was beholden to him for
being instruraental in procuring him the bishopric. And to
be particular, Crumwel was inforraed of certain things in a
sermon by the Bishop, preached at Chichester ; and he had
notice of other preachers in his diocese, that preached not
according to the injunctions aforesaid ; and of the Bishop's
non-residence, and that he was a secret favourer of the Bi
shop of Rome, and held certain unsound doctrines. As to
these matters, he laboured to carry hiraself towards Crura-
Kk3

502 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, wel in a very hurable complying way: "acknowledging
 " some things, and professing his profound obedience to

Anno 1538." the King's ¦will. But he owned that he was no friend to
His vindi- ii novelties, except raanifest necessity required it. That as
himself- " concerning a sermon he preached at Chichester, on the
" day of our Lady's conception, if Crumwel himself had
" been present, be would have been well contented with it.
" That if any other preached amiss in his diocese, if he
" knew it, he would reform hira, or correct hira for the ex-
" ample of others. As to his remissness in resorting no
" oftener to his diocese, he would reforra it. That whatso-
" ever should be set forth by the King, he trusted that nei-
" ther the King nor he should have any travail for his
" diocese, be would settle that people in such a sure sort of
" quietness and obedience. That he would send down such
" a preacher to Rye, and the parts about it, that a reform-
" ation should foUow, concerning worshipping iraages, set-
" ting up candles before thera, kneeling to thera, and the
320 " like. That whereas sorae complaints had corae to Crum-
" wel against hira frora Rye and Lewes, he desired to know
" the specialities, and he should know his answers. That
" there was not any in England or Gerraany, but that he
" dared to adventure his life, he was no raore Papist than
" he : and that it was well known to his Lordship, that
" none was in raore obloquy araong the Bishop of Rome's
" friends beyond the seas than he was, [because of the book
" he had writ against hira.J And therefore he prayed him
" to suspend the persuasions of his mind concerning him,
" tUl he should hear bis answers to the accusations made
" against him, as though he had dealt rigorously with some
" people. That he had used temperance and moderation
" in all his doings. That where there was a fault, he would
" grant it and araend it. And finally prayed him, that as
" he had been his good Lord, so he would continue to be
" in his just defence, from his accustoraed goodness." But
N°. XCII. behold him speaking in his own words, in his letter.
This Bp. in But notwithstanding all this, he could not clear hiraself
ower. fj.jjjj^ some matters laid to his charge ; as his good- will to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 503
the old superstitions, and particularly relieving some Pa- CHAP.
pists, impugners of the King's authority, that were prisoners  '__
for it; but was sent to the Tower in the year 1539, and ^nno isss.
there I find hira in 1540. At an examination in which year, sion'°" '*"
to get himself the raore favour by being open, he confessed
a corabination between the Bishops of Durhara, Winchester,
London, hiraself, and some others, to do all their utmost
endeavours to preserve the old religion, and the usages and
traditions thereof. It was then, when that which was called
The Bishops'' Book was fraraing at Larabeth by the Bishops
coraraissionated thereunto by the King. The Bishop of Concerning
Durhara used to carry an old Greek book with hira, where- of Durham;
in were divers things favouring the traditions of the Church.
Having this Bishop Sampson in his barge with him, passing
over to Lambeth, he did often produce to hira several places
in that book, wherein matters that were here in controversy
were ordained by the Greek Church. And in this book, or
another, he likewise shewed hira a Mass written, either of
Basil's or Chrysostora's. And the Bishop of London, Stokesley,
Stokesley, brought certain other Greek books : which both Lo'ndon'-
he and Durhara conferred together, searching to find out
the old canons in thera. And Durhara taking occasion frora
these books, exhorted Sarapson to stand for the old custoras
of the Church. And so he did hkewise, when they were
busied with the Gerraan Divines, in 1538. Stokesley of
London took hira aside in the gallery at Lambeth, at their
departure frora the Archbishop, (who stood against thera,)
and was very earnest with hira for the usages of the Church,
when, it seeras, Cranraer had well nigh persuaded him on
the other side : both he and Durham being fuUy bent to
maintain as many of these old customs and traditions as
they could ; urging how necessary it was so to do, because
they found them in the Greek Church. The Bishop ofAndofthe
Winchester, he confessed, more lately urged hira, " to help Winchester.
" things forward, because the King was well disposed to
" thera. He bade him be dihgent in the ceremonies, and
" omit none. He told him, that old traditions were not to
" be broken without great cause ; and some of them in no
K k 4

504 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « y,\^ to be broken. And that he and the Bishop of Ro-
- " Chester (who, it seeras, was raore raoderate, yet) agreed in

Anno i53B.„ gjfgpj. in t^is point, for the necessity of retaining some old
^^* " traditions." AU this the Bishop of Chichester confessed to the Lord
Crurawel, being in great trouble, and extraordinary dejec
tion of raind, even to the danger of his life, upon the fear
of the King's displeasure and Crurawel's. But this Lord
coraforted hira with the assurance, tbat the King was his
gracious Lord. But when Crumwel had charged the Bi
shop of Durham with these raatters, confessed by Chichester,
be denied thera. Whereat the said Lord sent his servants.
Dr. Peter and Bellows, to hira in the Tower, signifying as
much : which raade hira send a letter to Crurawel in vin
dication of the truth of what he had said. The tenor of
N». XCIII. which raay be found in the Appendix. Upon these con
fessions and subraissions he was delivered out of the Tower,
but how soon after I cannot tell.
The King THus raatters now were with the Bishop of Chichester.
church of Another Bishop, viz. Rugg, ahas Reps, Bishop of Norwich,
Norwich saw his church this year transforraed from the ori^al
and Canons. Constitution of it, by Prior and Monks, into a secular Dean
and Canons. For King WUHam Rufus, in the tenth year
of his reign, gave certain lands to Herbert, then Bishop of
Norwich, to erect a monastery with Prior and Monks in
Norwich. And thereupon the said Herbert erected the said
raonastery, and endowed it with lands : which continued so
until the second day of May, anno Reg. Henry VIII. xxx".
when he translated the Monks frora Prior and Covent, into
a Dean and Chapter : the letters patents are as follow :
His patents " Heurlcus Octavus Dei gratia, Angliae et Franciae Rex,
E Mss!"""^' " Fidei Defensor, Dorainus Hiberniae, et in terra supremum
CecUian. " Caput Ecclesiae Anghcanae, oranibus, &c. Cura apud Nof-
" wicura, a terapore cujus contrariura raeraoria hominum
" non existit, una sedes episcopalis in ecclesia cathedraU
" Sanctse Trinitatis Norwici ibidem fundata, ordinata et lo-
" cata extiterit, ac etiam in ea ecclesia, ac prope eandem,
" unura vetus coenobiura sive monasteriura aut prioratus, a

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 505
" terapore praedicto siraUiter fundatum, ordinatum et loca- CHAP.
" tura extitent : in quo quidem ccenobio monachi ordinis .

" Sti Benedicti ab eodem terapore usque nunc sub uno Anno isss.
" Priore ibidem monachis, regulis, observantiis et servitiis
" divinis ministraturi et servaturi degebant, negotiaque
" ejusdem coenobii per Priorem praedict. pro tempore ex-
" isten. seu per eundem Priorem cum consensu convent.;
" ejusdem coenobii sub nomine Prioris, aut sub nomine Pri-
" oris et Conventus ecclesias cathedraHs Stae Trinitatis Nor-
" wici, continue tractabantur et fiebant : de quo quidem
" ccenobio quidam, Willielmus Castelton (non iramerito)
" Prior existit : Nos diversis causis et considerationib. et
" praesertim ad laudera, gloriam et honorem Stae et Indivi-
" duae Trinitatis, Ulud coenobiura de Priore et Conventu ec-
" clesiae cathedrahs Stae Trinitatis Norwici constitutum,
" in Decanum et Capitulum ecclesiae cathedrahs Stae Tri-
" ni tatis Norwici, transponere et mutare proposuiraus.
" Quamobrem, ut dicta nostra intentio absque temporis
" dUatione in ea parte perimpleatur, Sciatis quod nos auc-
" thoritate nostra regia, et aucthoritate nostra in terra su-
" preml Capitis Ecclesiae Anglicanae qua fungimur, de gra-
" tia nra. speciali, ac ex certa scientia et raero motu nris. 328
" dictum coenobiura de Priore et Conventu ecclesiae cathe-
" dralis Stae Trinitatis Norwici, sic ut praefertur constitut.
" et fundat. in Decanum et Capitulum ecclesiae cathedrahs
" Stae Trinitatis Norwici, transponimus et rautamus per
" praesentes, et pro sic translate et mutato deinceps repu-
" tari et haberi volumus in perpetuum per prassentes. Et
" praeterea de scientiis, virtutibus et caeteris gratiarum donis
" praefato WilHelmo Castelton a Deo coUatis pluriraura con-
" fidentes, cui tam de habitu suo quam de regula le^tirae
" dispensatum est, ipsum WiUielmum Decanum ecclesiae
" cathedrahs praedictae, praeficimus, ordinamus et constitu-
" imus : ac quosdem Walterum Grym. W. H. E. N. &c.
" commonachos dicti nuper coenobii, quibus etiam tam de
" habitu suo quam de regula simihter dispensatum est,
" Praebendarios in eadep ecclesia cathedrali : ac quosdam
" Robertum Thwaytes/T. R. R. F. &c. sunUiter commona-

506 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " chos dicti nuper coenobu, quibus etiam tam de habitu
. " quam de regula simihter dispensatum est, Canonicos sae-

Anno i538.«« culares in ecclesia cathedrali prasdict. siraUiter tenore
" praesentiura, acceptaraus, ordinaraus, et constituimus. Ip.
" sosque Decanum, Prebendarios, et Canonicos in ecclesia
" praedict. realiter poniraus et constituiraus per praesentes."
The patent But because the Bishop, who was the founder of the said
void, for , . . -. i . , . 1 . ,
want of the pnory m succession, did not give ms consent to the said
Bishop's translation; these letters patents were long after, under
Queen Elizabeth, doubted not to be good in law. And it
was urged, that all the grants raade to this foundation as
Dean and Chapter were void, because they continued Prior
and Monk till their death. Until which tirae, as the case
was enforced, the King had nothing in the said priory and
lands. But afterwards, the last of the Monks being dead,
which happened about the x'viith of Queen EHzabeth's
reign, the sarae priory and lands were said to come to her
Highness by an act of Parliament raade in the xxxth year
of King Henry VIII. for the dissolution of monasteries,
since which time tbe Queen granted them to the Lord
Wentworth's assigns. And this cost a long suit in law be
tween thera and the Church, one Gardiner being then Dean.
Which case was referred at last to the Lord Treasurer.

CHAP. XLIIL
Treaty with the German Princes, confederates. Melanc
thon's letters to fhe King. The writings qf ihe Bishops
concerning divers abuses in religion. The King excom
municated by the Pope.
to'the* ^^°' i. HE King this year shewed sorae apprehension of dangers
German frOm abroad. For he rode to Dover, caused the haven to
princes. y^^ fortified, sent coramissions throughout the realra, to have
the people raustered. Whereat raany feared the Pope
would have brought foreign princes suddenly to invade the
realm. And these apprehensions raight be the reason the
329 treaty between the German confederates and the King

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 507
(obstructed now for about two years) began again. Forthe chap.
Protestant princes being the latter end of the year 1537. at. ¦''^'""'•

Brunswick, Christopher Mount (a German by birth, but Anno isss.
raade rauch use of in messages by the King) was now sent
to raeet them there. Who told them in the King's name,
" of his Christian zeal and propension of mind towards the Cleop. E. 6.
" word of God ; and that he desired to plant the sound •"" ^^^'
" doctrine of Christian reHgion iri his kingdoras, and to
" gain all his subjects to Christ our Saviour, and wholly to
" take away and aboHsh the irapious cereraonies of the Bi-
" shop of Rorae." This year 1538. the Gerraan princes,
the Duke of Saxony, and the Landgrave, sent their arabas
sadors to the King, " declaring their joy at this, and mak-
" ing no doubt, that God by his goodness would be present
" with the King in this matter, and would graciously go-
" vern and prosper him, to the praise of his name."
Mount had a further business also with the Gerraans, The Ger-
namely, to see who the confederates were, and whether ™^sadors
their league was for a general defence, or for matters of re- "P* to the
ligion only. And whereas the princes had desired the
King to come into the confederacy with them, and own the
Augsburgh Confession, he was desirous to hear those points
discoursed between some of his divines and theirs. This
caused another despatch from the Germans, who sent Fran
cis Burgart, Vice-Chancellor, to the Elector of SaXe, George
a Boyneburgh, and Frederick Myconius, the Divine, into
England. With the first, for his better credit and accep
tation with the King, Melancthon (of whom the King had Meianc-
a great opinion) sent a letter, written with his own hand, ter.
dated in May 1538, wherein he gave his Majesty a great
character of that Ambassador, viz. Burgart : " what inti-
" mate friends they were, that Burgart could testify his
" perpetual observance of the King, and how weU affected
" he stood to iUustrate the godly doctrine. But that pri-
" vate men greatly needed prosperous kings and states to
" further the good work. That his Majesty did mightUy
" raise the hearts and hopes of all good raen, that he would
" be assistant in forwarding the desires of pious "*men,

508 MEMOTIIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "earnestly caUing for the reformation of the Churches;
^^m- fi ^bereas the Bishop of Rome's faction aimed at nothing

Anno 1538. « but to extinguish the truth divinely revealed, and to
" exercise unheard of cruelties towards many princes and
" nations, and to constitute an unbounded and more than
" barbarous tyranny in the Church, to defend and main-
" tain his irapious abuses. And that therefore, when the
" universal Church was in such irarainent danger, he would
" not cease to exhort and beseech hira, to cast his eyes
" upon the true Church, throwing herself as it were at his
" feet, that he would be the author of setthng some firm
" and lasting consent in this behalf, and of mo^ving the
" minds of other princes from joining with papal coun-
" sels. That this was a thing so great, that nothing could
'' be greater ; and so was worthy of a King, exceUing others
" so much in learning and wisdom." This exceUent letter
N». XCIV. is in the Appendix.
Conference These orators being arrived in England, the King ap-
amhassa- pointed certain Bishops and Doctors (three of the former
dors and gprt, whereof Tonstal was one, and four of the latter, as
divines. Melcblor Adam writes) to enter into conference and debate
Vit. Mycon. y^^^y^ them, of each of the heads of Christian doctrine con-
330 ...
tained in the Augustine Confession, and of divers abuses
brought into the Church. It seeraed to be raanaged by
writing; the King's questions and doubts first being of
fered to the orators, and they then returning in their an
swers thereunto; and afterwards disputing it with the
English Divines. This held for divers raonths. And in
fine, they carae to an agreeraent (at least seemingly) in the
main and chief doctrines and articles. Thence they de
scended to dissert the single life of Priests, and some other
corruptions crept into religion. But the year wasting, and
ships waiting for thera, the orators were wiUing now to de
part horae. Myconius, either through too great painfulness
and study, or the disagreeraent of this soU with his consti
tution, feU very dangerously sick, insorauch that be de
spaired of his life, if he returned not horae speedily to his
Myconius Q^jj country. So he, in the name of the rest, by a letter to
to Lord J ' 'J
Crumwel.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 509
the Lord Crumwel, Lord Privy Seal, earnestly desired him CHAP.
to procure them the King's gracious dismission. Myco- ^'^"''•

nius's letter is reposited in the Appendix. Departing, they Anno 1538.
left a large discourse, by way of letter to the King, dated ^°- ^'-'^•
August 5th at London; de utraque specie, de privata
missa, ef de conjugio sacerdotum : upon which three points
they reckoned the foundation of papal tyranny to rest. For,
it seems, they perceived after much despatch the English
Bishops and Doctors would not let go their communion in
one kind, their private mass, and celibacy of Priests. This
original letter is in the Cotton library. Which being very
long, the King bade the Bishop of Durham to draw up the
heads of it ; and that in order to a distinct answer. It was
drawn up in Latin ; the English whereof epitoraized, raay
be read in the Appendix. But the whole letter is tran- n°. xcvi.
scribed by the care of the Bishop of Sarura, and printed ^j^^ collect
in his history ; as also the answer the King procured to be vol. i.
drawn up to this letter. Wherein the King, making use of
the Bishop of Durham, shewed his mind to retain those
points. There was great endeavour used by Cranraer, Archbi- TheBishops
shop of Canterbury, to persuade the rest of the Bishops to j^eat of
enter into conference with the Gerraans about these abuses, abuses.
before their departure, and to set down their judgraents
hereupon in writing, as they had done in other points. But
they utterly refused so to do, raaking this excuse; that
they knew the King had taken it upon hiraself, to answer
the orators in that behalf ; and that thereof a book was al
ready devised by his Majesty ; and therefore, they said,
they would not meddle ¦with it, lest they should write
therein contrary to him. And so they required the Arch
bishop to proceed, to treat of the sacraments of matriraony,
orders, confirmation, and extrerae unction; though they
also knew, that the Germans would not agree with thera,
except in matriraony only. Hereupon the Archbishop
wrote to the Lord Crurawel, August 23, teUing him,
" How the Bishops declined to discourse of abuses, seeing
" raanifestly, as he said, they could not defend them, and

510 MEMORIALS ECGLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " yet would in no wise yield to the Germans concerning
XLIII. cs them. And that their main end was, to break the con-

Anno 1S38." cord. And therefore desired the Lord Crurawel to move
" the King to issue out sorae special coraraandraent unto
" them." But however, I think there was no entrance
raade into any conference of these abuses. I find indeed
the writings of divers Bishops and Divines, containing their
33 1 judgraents upon sorae other abuses ; which I do suppose
they drew up by the King's order at this raeeting : as, a
¦writing concerning pilgrimages. To which is the sub
scription of four Bishops, viz. oi Bath and Wells, of Lon
don, of Lincoln, and of Durham, and one Abbot, namely,
of St. Benedict. Also a ¦writing of auricular confession by
tbe Archbishop of York, and Bishops of Winchester and
Durham. And a writing concerning purgatory, by Hugh,
Bishop of Worcester, with King Henry's annotations in
the raargin. In the sarae place is also two writings under
the King's own hand : the forraer of purgatory ; wherein
he endeavoured to confute the Bishop of Worcester's dis
course : the latter contains sorae notes concerning the mar-
xrvir I'i^gfi of Priests. All these writings I have laid in the Ap-
xcvill. pendix, as very valuable pieces.
; ¦ The Gerraan agents being now ready to depart, waited
parts with upon the King ; who, though he, overpersuaded by his
the orators, gigbops, could not be brought yet to let go these abuses,
yet took a very sraooth and gentle fareweU of them ; thank
ing them for taking so much pains, and suffering so much
labour by land and sea, enduring so long absence from
their o^wn country, to come and discourse ¦with his Divines.
And he invited them, after they had fulfiUed their Prince's
orders, and settled their own private affairs, to come again
and see hira ; whose access would be very welcome unto
hira. The next year accordingly, sorae of thera came
again. And how they prosecuted their disputations upon
other points of reHgion, we shaU see in due place.
Meianc- When Burgart carae horae, he related to Melancthon
couns^ei to ^''^ kindly the King spake of hira, and what a good opin-
theKing. ion he had of his learning. Which caused Melancthon to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 511
write another letter to the King, dated March 26, 1539, chap.
"acknowledging his favour, and stirring hira up in the ^^^"-
"cause of religion; and wishing for a consent of pious Anno isss.
" doctrine araong these Churches, which had conderaned
" the Pope's tyranny. And that as the King had begun
" to take away wicked superstitions, he would take upon
" hun the emendation of the abuses that remained. That
" whatsoever attempts the adversary made, they should
" never suppress the doctrine professed ; and that God
" would be the keeper of their states and princes. That
" they were rather for peace ; but if the eneray would take
" arras, the princes would not be wanting to their duty.
" He reraerabered the inscription upon a piece of coin of
" one of our Edwards, And Jesus passed through the midst
" ofthem. Of which he made this interpretation, that that
" wise King, who gave this motto, did mean thereby, that
" good governors are divinely protected, when they defend
" causes that are just. That it is especially an heroical part,
" to bear arms for the Church against tyrants." But I wiU
not detain the reader frora the perusal of the letter itself,
which I have laid in the Appendix. N». CI.
This year was a General Council proclaimed by the Pope, The King
to be holden at Vincenza, a city in the dorainion of the Ve- P™*''**^
. •' . . against the
netians. Concerning which the King reraained of the sarae Council at
raind as he was concerning that indicted to be held at Man- ""^^°^''-
tua in the year 1536. For being requested by the Eraperor
to corae or send to this Council, he raade his protestation
against it, by way of letter to the said Eraperor ; beginning
thus : " King Henry VIII. by the grace of God, of Eng-
" land, France, and Ireland, King, &c. saluteth the Em-
" peror. Christian Princes, and all true Christian men, 332
" desiring peace and concord among them," Sec Which
protestation being very large, I orait it here : and who wUl,
may see it in Fox's Acts and Monuments. P. 1034.
In the month of December, the Pope thundered out his The Pope
bull of excomraunication against the King, and caused it to ^^^^"™j"jj'g
be fixed up in divers places of Flanders, as Bruges and King.
Dunkirk, and BuUoign and Diep in France ; and St. An-

512 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, drews in Scotiand. Hereby the Pope "absolved all the
XLIII. ii King's subjects frora their oaths of allegiance and obe-

Annois38." dience; coraraanded the nobUity, gentry, and others of
" his realras, to expel and depose hira frora his dorainions ;
" declared all his leagues with other princes to be nuU ;
" and they enjoined to renounce aU araity ¦with him, or
" else to lie under interdiction ; exhorted and coramanded
" all princes to invade, spoil, and fight against him ; gave
" them a right and property to his ships, goods, and what-
" soever pertaineth to hira ; ¦wiUed all ecclesiastics publicly
" to declare him and all his adherents excoraraunicate by
" beU, book, and candle." Which excoraraunication was
so sharp and unraannerly towards so great a Monarch, that
the sober sort of Papists liked not of it. Father Paul, the
exceUent writer of the Council of Trent, said, " It was such
" as never was used by his predecessors, nor iraitated by his
" successors." This buU the Pope had decreed in the year
1535, but kept it by hira tiU now, that he could no longer
forbear to shoot his thunderbolt, and to declare how dis
pleased he was with the King, who had lately demohshed
the shrine of his saint, Thoraas a Becket.

CHAP. XLIV.
Books set forth againsf fhe Pope's supremacy In England.
The Bishop qf Durham preaches againsf fhe Pope he-
fore ihe King.
A book JL HE Pope, no question, was not a Httle offended with the
the^ope King, for sorae state books which shewed theraselves abroad
to have no this year. One was a treatise, printed by Thoraas Barthe-
power here ,-,,. .-. •'
by our laws, let, entitled, A treatise proving iy fhe Kinges laws, ihat
the Bishops qf Rome had never right to any supremacy
within this reahn. Who the author of this book was, I
cannot tell. In tbe preface, he proved the Bishop of Rome
had no title over kings by the laws of God : and then in
in the book he proceeded to raention the statutes of Eng-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 513
lish Parliaraents, that ever rejected the Papal power: and, CHAP.
" that notwithstanding the Bishops of Rome in many .

realms, and especially in those in which the law civil is^""° '^ss.
" used, having of long time had possession of their said
" usurped power, yet the same never could take full and
" perfect effect in this realm ; but the King and his noble
" progenitors, always justly resisting and repugning the
" sarae, have been continuaUy supreme judges here undef
" God. So that all laws, powers, and jurisdictions pre-
" tended by the Bishop of Rome and the Clergy within
" this realm, have been under the correction and orders of
" the King, and their laws :" as is made appear in that
book, by divers reasons, laws, statutes, and customs of this 333
realra. Whereby men may also weU perceive, and perfectly
know, that the King's Majesty being recognised to be su
preme Head, under God, of the Church of England, hath
thereby no new power given unto hira, but the self-same
power and supreraacy bath always before been in his raost
noble progenitors. Kings of this realra, and united and knit
to the imperial crown of the sarae ; though they did not
use to write the sarae in their style. This book, put forth
no doubt by public order, may be worthy to have sorae
particular notice taken of it. And therefore I wUl give a
taste of it, by rehearsing the beginning verbatim.
" That the Bishops of Rorae had never rightful power
" or authority of supreraacy in any country ; nor their
" writings, certificates, or processes were at any tirae obeyed
" here, by the laws of this realra.
The first Chapter.
" The Bishops of Rome, soraetirae called Popes, never
" had jurisdiction, power, or supremacy rightfully over
" kings, by the law of God, as appeareth by the texts of
" Scripture before rehearsed, and diverse other; nor yet
" over other Bishops, as appeareth by the Council of Ni-
" cene ; where the Bishop of Alexandria is first spoken of
" before the Bishop of Rorae : which should not have been
" so, if he had had any supreraacy over them at that time.
VOL. I. L 1

514 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " And also in tiraes past tbe Bishop of Constantinople
¦ " tooke himself highest of all Bishops, and caUed hiraself

Anno \538. a Prince qf Bishops. But tbe said pretenced power and
" supreraacy, airaed by tbe Bishops of Rorae, began first,
" as it seemeth by colour, that Phocas the Emperor or-
" dained, that the Church of Rome should be head of all
" churches, Boniface tbe Third then being Bishop there.
" Whereupon it might happily foUow, that the said Boni-
" face took on hira to be head of all Bishops and Priests,
" but not of the universal Church. Howbeit by occasion
" thereof, the said Bishop and his successors have sythen
" that tyrae fayned and pretended, not only to be the head
" of all Bishops and Priests, but also of Kings, and all other
" Christen people, and to be God's -vicars on earth, and to
" lose and hynd above all other. Which pretenced power
" the laws of this realm have always rejected and con-
" deraned, and never took fuU peace ; as shall appear as
" well by the comraon laws of this realra, as by divers sta-
" tutes raade in the parliaraents of the sarae, as hereafter
" ensueth," &c.
Another Another book also, upon the subject of the Pope's
book a- , - 1 ,, - - 1 1
gainst the Usurped supreraacy, was printed about this tirae by the
Papal su- same Thomas Barthelet. The author, Thomas Starky, a
periority. . . ' . •'
man of great learning, a Chaplain of the King's, brought
into the Court by Crumwel, and the same who, as befbre
was related, wrote several letters to Cardinal Pole. This
book was entitled. An exhorfafion fo the people, instruct
ing them to unify and obedience. Herein addressing to the
people, he told them, " that few other causes he saw of
" greater efficacy, than this usurped long and raany years
" superiority of tbe Pope: which, for the raaintaining of
" his authority under the cloke of rehgion, had brought in
" araong Christen nations rauch false superstition; and,
" for tbe raaintenance of his high pride and cloked ty-
334" ranny, bad araong Christen princes many tiraes, to the
" great ruin and comraon quietness, set great di^vision. For
" who is he, that of story hath any consideration, which
" plainly do not see how few Christen princes there be,

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 515
" which, for the setting up of his arrogancy, hath not once, CHAP.
" one against another, drawn their swords, to the great ef- ^^^^-
"fusion of Christen blood, and ruin of all good civility ; Anno isss.
" yea, and which is worst of aU, they have been persuaded
" thereby to set up Christ's honour and religion. O Lord,
" what a blindness was this, reigning in princes' hearts ! And
" what a superstition, one Christen raan to kill another,
" under the profession of Christ's religion ! And as for
" the abuses of that authority, as well in pardons and dis-
" pensations, as in interdites and excoraraunications ; I
" think there is no raan so blind, no, nor yet nation so far
" frora judgment, nor so far frora the coraraon sense and
" true consideration, the which that doth not see and
" observe. For araong Christen men, no nation there is,
" which, being obedient to that authority, hath not felt, by
" piUing and polling and tyrannical exaction, ever covered
" with the pretext of rehgion, of these abuses the plain and
" manifest experience. This thing I have observed, dere
" friends, long and many a, day, not without great sorrow
" and dolour of raind," &c.
And again, " To affyrme that Christ establyshed araong
" his disciples any such superiority, raaking thereby Peter
" chief head, and also consequently the Bishop of Rorae,
" that he thereby upon all Christendora should be a chief
" judge ; and upon all princes and laws to have authority
" and interdites and dispensation, thera to teraper and rule
" at pleasure ; yea, and upon the word of God alone to
" have power of interpretation : this to ray judgraent, when
" I weigh the thing with my self, appeareth to me raore
" than raadness and extrerae foUy. For thys passeth all
" pryde and arrogancy ; this is above all tyranny. Christen
" nations were never so raad, by open decree or consent in
" council general, ever to give to any one man such au-
" thority. But undoubtedly by the simplicity of Christen
" people, and by the patience of good princes, yea, and by
" the arrogancy and pryde of those, the which have used
" and occupied the see of Rorae, it is grown by little and
" little into this intolerable tyranny. The which after this
l12

516 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " sort, as it is used, to affyrme to be of the law of God,
XLI'V . .
" and of necessity, is plain contrary to the law of God, and

Anno 1538. a much to the obscuring of his glory.''
Then he proceeded to consider the pretences for the Pa
pal superiority both from Scripture and history. " Of the
" grounds of Scripture, saith he, and of Christ's Gospel, no
" raan can take sure arguraent ofthe Pope's prerogative, Sec.
" Frora the tyrae of Peter, untyl tbe tyrae of Silvester, Bi-
" shop of Rome, in the reign of Constantine, about the space
" of ccc yeres, of^ this bead, with such superiority, was
" no mention at all. For this by certain story is known,
" tbat all the time the Bishops, in every place, chief
" and principal, as Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria,
" were both chosen and institute of the whole congregation,
" or else by the priests, to whora was given of the multi-
" tude such aucthority- And no raention is had in aU that
" space, that they ran to the Bishop of Rorae, as their
" coramon head and superior ; which at tbe same tyme
.335" was rather, as by probable conjecture we raay gather,
" long and many a day, inferior unto the Church of Jeru-
" salera and Alexandria."
And again, " All the antient and good interpreters of
" Christ's Gospel among the Greeks, whom I judge to
" have raore light in the holy Scripture, as they had in all
" other letters and learning, than any other nation that
" ever yet received the truth of Christ's religion, (the which
" without proof here of me, is open by their works to aU
" men, that with diligence them wiU read ;) aU these, I say,
" with one consent, keep silence of this aucthority to be
" given to the Bishop of Rome of such necessity. In their
" works, thereof ye shall never find raention. The which
" is not like they would have done, if they had judged it
" to be so necessary a thing ; and a Gospel- truth of Christ
" institute and stabled. Besides this, if this ground were
" true, then should aU the Indians, aU those thousand
" yeres, have run headlong to damnation, which never
" took the Bishop of Rome to be head of Christ's Church,
" and his Vicar on earth, nor of hira take any tradition.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 517
" And yet they have, yea, and yet are now in our days, chap.
" under Prester John, their King and Head, of Christ's.

" doctrine devout and true professors, and with us in all Anno isss.
" the grounds of Scripture utterly agree. In ceremonies
" and rites ecclesiastical, there is much diversity ; as it is
" necessary according to the nature of the country and
" people. The same thing might be said of them in Ar-
" meny, which never should be obedient to the Bishop of
" Rorae ; but had araong thera their head, whora they
" called their Catholyke, as he that was a true professor
" and raaintainer of the Catholike faith. The same also
" might be said of the Greek nation ; which would never
" confess the obedience to the Church of Rome to be neces-
" sary to the salvation of raan. Wherefore, chiefly by the
" Bishops of Rorae, they were raost unjustly noted, not to
" be as raerabers of Christ's universal and catholike body.
" But now all these nations, Indians, Arraenians, and
" Greeks, utterly to conderan and separate thera from the
" benefyte of Christ's passion, wherein they have ever had
" their chief corafort and trust, only for because tbey would
" not nor were not to this head, as to the Vicar of Christ, obe-
" dient ; all these, I say, to conderan and cast thera into the
" depe pyt of hell, seeraeth playne raadness, and most
" blynd arrogancy. And I pray God, that they which so
" blyndly judge, be not for their own judgraent rather to
" be conderaned. For this judgraent hath no ground, ney-
" ther of Scripture, nor yet of reason, but is a playn, blynd
" superstition. " Wherefore, dere friends, seing that neither Scripture,
" story, nor good reason, driveth us to confess this superi-
" ority to be necessary to our salvation, and to be of Christ
" institute, let us not, blynded with foolish superstition, by
" process of tyrae cropen into our hearts, hynd our own con-
" science with scrupulous necessity of such a thing : which
" undoubtedly grew in araong us, only as a thing of conve-
" niency, and as a thing of great help and succour, to the
" raaintenance of a certain unity in Christ's Church, and
" not as a thing of necessity." l13

518 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. But the inconvenience of raaintaining unity by this
^^^^- raeans he tben proceeded to shew ; concluding, " There-
Anno 1538. " fore, dere friends, briefly to conclude, as it is in the poli-
33o « tike life and civil, nothing convenient to have one Em-
" peror, by whose judgraent all other causes worldly and
" politike in aU nations should be defined ; (forasrauch as
" thereby all princely authority should be derogate, and be
" in subjection ;) so it is in the spiritual policy of Christ's
" Church, one head to be ¦with such authority, as of many
" years hath been used, a thing raost inconvenient, and to
" all Christen nations plain injury ; yea, and playnly to
" say, to the doctrine of Christ nothing agreeable. Where-
" fore, dere friends, seeing that this superiority geven to the
" Bishop of Rome is neither by God's word in his Scrip-
" ture graunted, nor by the practyse thereof by his Apostles
" inspired ¦with his Spirit, confyrmed and founded, as a
" thing to the salvation of raan requisite and necessary; I
" see no cause, why we should so stiffly maintain the same,
" and so stubbornly repugne to such good and common po-
" licy ; whereby is plucked away from our nation such a
" cloked tyranny, which, under the pretext of religion,
" hath stabled among us rauch superstition, to the great
" ruine and decay of the sincere, siraple, and pure doctrine
" of Christ."
Bishop of Tj^jg yga,r also did Tonstal, Bishop of Durhara, preach a
sermon notable serraou before the King upon Palra Sunday, in be-
Pop "'* * ^ half of the King's supreraacy, and in declairaing against the
usurpations of the Bishop of Rorae. When he thus de
livered himself: " What shall we say of those whom God
" hath created to be subjects ; comraanding thera by his
" word to obey their princes and governors ; who do not
" only refuse to obey God's coraraandraent, but, contrary
" to his word, will be above their governors in refusing to
" obey thera ; and furtherraore also wiU have their princes
" prostrate upon the ground, to whora they owe subjection,
" to adore them by godly honour upon the earth, and to
" kiss their feet, as if they were gods, where they be but
" wretched raen .-' And yet they look that their princes

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 519
" should do it to them, and also aU other Christen men, CHAP.
" owing thera no subjection, should of duty do the sarae. ^^'^'

" Do not these, as ye think, follow the pryde of Lucifer, Anno isas
" their father, who raake theraselves feUows to God, con-
" trary to his word ? But who, I pray you, be these, that
" raen raay know thera ? Surely the Bishops of Rorae be
" those whom I do mean ; who do exalt theyr seat above
" the stars of God, and do ascend above the clouds, and
" wiU be like to Almighty God," &c.
Again, "The Bishop of Rome offereth his feet to be
" kyssed, shod with the shoes on. For I saw myself, being
" then present thirty-three year ago, when JuHus, then Bi-
" shop of Rome, stood on his feet, and one of his chamber-
" laynes held up his skirt; because it stood not,, as he
" thought, with his dignity, that he should do it himself,
" that his shoe raight appere, whiles a nobleraan of great
" age did prostrate himself upon the ground, and kissed
" his shoe ; which he stately suffered to be done, as of
" duty. Where methought I saw Cornelius the Centurion,
" captain of the Italian band, spoken of in the, tenth chapter
" of the Acts, submitting himself to Peter, and much ho-
" nouring hira. But I saw not Peter there to take hira up,
" and byd him ryse, saying, / am man, as tfiou art, as St.
" Peter did say to Cornelius. So that the Bishops of Rmne
" admytting such adoration due unto God, do clime up 337
" above the heavenly clouds, that is to say, above the
" Apostles, sent into the world by ,Christ, to water the
" earthly and carnal hearts of men by their heavenly doc-
" trine of the word of God.
" Unto the high powers all men must obey ; Apostles,
" Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, and all of the
" Clergy ; and all nobleraen of what degree soever they
'^ be, being within their governaunce, with all the people
" also. And therefore the Bishop of Rorae oweth likewise
" to his sovereign and superior like subjection by the word
*' of God, taught unto us by Peter and Paul, as other Bi-
*' shops owe tp their Princes, under whom they be. And
" therefore Agatho, the Bishop of Rome, in whose tirae
l14

520 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " was the sixth synod and council general, after his elec-
XLIV. ii (.^Qn^ sent to the Emperor, then being at Constantinople,
Anno 1 538. " to have his election allowed, before he would be conse-
" crate, after the old custora at that tirae used."
Then he proceeded to confute the interpretation of those
texts of Scripture that are wont to be brought in favour of
the Pope's power : as, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
shall build my Church : that is, said he, as Chrysostom in
his 26th serraon of the feast of Pentecost expounds it. Not
upon fhe person qf Peter, buf upon fhe faith. And that text,
/ will give thee fhe keys qf fhe kingdom qf heaven : and
whatsoever fhou shalt bind, &c. And tbat, Feed my sheep:
Next, he notes the Pope's late excoraraunication of the
King: " That because he can no longer in this realm
" wrongfully use his usurped power in all things, as he was
" wont to do, and suck out of this realra, by avarice insa-
" tiable, innuraerable sums of raoney yearly, to the great
" exhausting of the sarae ; he therefore raoved, and, replete
" with furious ire and pestUent malice, goeth about to stir
" all Christen nations,- that will give ear to his devihsli en-
" chauntments, to raove war against this realra of England,
" giving it in prey to all those that by his instigation will
" invade it. Which few words, fo give irt prey, how great
" raischief they contain, I shall open to thee, thou true
" Englishraan. First, To raake this realm a prey to aU
" venturers, aU spoilers, all snaphaunces, all forlorn hopes,
" all cormorants, all ravenors of the world, that will invade
" this realm. That is to say. Thou possessioner of any
" lands of this realm, of what degree soever thou be, from
" the highest to the lowest, shalt be slain and destroyed,
" and thy lands taken frora thee by those that wiU have aU
" for theraselves. And thou mayest be sure to be slain.
" For tbey ¦will not suffer thee nor none of thy progeny to
" live, to make any claira afterwards, or to be revenged ;
" for that were their unsurety. Thy ¦wife shaU be abused
" before thy face ; thy daughter Hkewise deflowered before
" thee ; thy children slain before thine eyes ; thy house
" spoiled ; thy cattel driven away and sold before thy vi-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 521
" sage; thy plate, thy money, by force taken from thee; CHAP.
" all thy goods, (wherein thou hast any delight, or hast ga- ^^I^-

"thered for thy chUdren,) ravened, broken, and cUstri-Annoissa.
" buted in thy presence, that every ravenour may have his
" shayre, &c. To take the whole realm in prey, is to kill
" the whole people, and to take the place for themselves, as
" they wUl do, if they can."
Next, he reproacheth the Pope for his infecting Pole 33 8
¦with rebeUious principles and practices. " To set forth his ^"'^ '""
T 1 1 1 1 11 1- fected by
" pestUent malice the raore, he hath aUured to his purpose the Pope
" a subject of this realra, Reginald Pole, coraen of a noble ^jj^j ""j"*"
" blood, and thereby the raore errant traitor, to go about "pies.
" frora prinee to prince, and from countrey to countrey, to
" stir them to war agaynst this realm, and to destroy the
" same, being his native countrey. Whose pestUent purpose
" the princes, that he breaketh it unto, have in rauch abo-
" mination ; both because the Bishop of Rorae (who, being
" a Bishop, should procure peace) is a stirrer of war ; and
" because this most errant and unkind traytor is his min-
" ister to so devUish a purpose, to destroy the countrey he
" was born in ; which any heathen raan would abhor to do.
" But for all that, without sharae, he stiU goeth on, exhort-
" ing thereunto all princes that -wUl hear hira, who do ab-
" hor to see such unnaturalness in any raan, as he sharae-
" less doth set forwards. Whose pernicious treasons late
" secretly wrought against this realm, have been, by the
" work of Alraighty God so marvelously detected, and by
" his o^wn brother ^, without looking therefore, so disclosed, " sir Geo-
" and condigne punishraent ensued; that hereafter, God wUl- "¦' " ^'
" ing, they shall not take any raore such root, to the noysance
/' of this realra, &c. And beside his pestUent treason, his
" unkindness agaynst the King's Majesty, who brought
" him up of a very child, and the which proraoted both
"hira, and like-wise restored his blood being attainted, to
" be of the Peres of this realm, and gave him raony yearly
" out of his coffers, to find him honourably at study, raak-
" eth his treason much more detestable to all the world,

522 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " and him to be reputed raore wUd and cruel than any
XLIV. ^£ tygre." This serraon was printed by Tho. Berthelet.

Anno 1538. And thus the state at this tirae stood affected, or rather
disaffected, to the Pope ; and so sensible were the learned
Bishops and Clergy of his usurpations ; however afterwards
this Bishop, Tonstal, and others, calraly took his yoke upon
their o^wn necks, and laid it again upon the neck of the
nation.

CHAP. XLV.
Affairs between fhe King and the German Protestant
Princes. Another letter qf Melancthon fo the King; and
fo Crumwel. The Kln^s agents with those Princes.
Their reports.
Anno 1539. J. HE German princes and states had been the latter end
The con- q£ jjjg former year treating with the Eraperor at Frank-
federates -"^ ^ ° ^ '^ ^ ^
send am- ford about a pacification. Which put the King into some
intoEng- doubt of thera, whether they would stand to their former
land. principles; fearing lest they raight coraply with the Em
peror upon sorae terras, for the sake of peace and quietness.
And it added to the King's jealousy, that after the return
of their arabassadors frora England, they did not presently
write to hira. The King also was minded to have some of
339 their learned men to be sent over for a further disputation ;
because the King was wilhng, if possible, to bring the Ger
raan Protestants over frora sorae articles of theirs in the
Augustine Confession ; which nevertheless they would not
do. To thera therefore the King sent two agents, Christo
pher Mount and Thoraas Paynel. Who, resorting to the
princes, told thera the King took it in evU part, that they
went about such a raatter, as treaty with the Emperor,
without hira; desiring to know the conditions they pro
ceeded upon. Burgart therefore, and another agent, who
spake sundry languages, and had been in divers other em
bassies, with four raore, were soon despatched by the Duke

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 523
and Landgrave into England; who carae hither in cora- CHAP.
pany with Mount and Paynel, frora Frankford, April 23. ^^'^•

Where the assembly was not yet dissolved, nor any full Anno 1539.
conclusion made: but it was thought it would end in a
truce on both sides for eighteen months.
The said Mount and Paynel his coUeague repairing to Their mes-
the King, brought him word frora the Elector and Land-**^°'
grave, that they continued in their loving and friendly ob
servation of his Majesty, and would be very glad of the
King's allowance of them. And theu- own orators brought
the same intelUgence and raessage : and frora their raasters
required concord in doctrine, and rautual defence. A late
proclaraation of the King, that disallowed of the raarriage of
priests, and concerning the vows of religious persons, gave
them disgust. And Melancthon, in a letter to Crumwel,
shewed himself to observe this, and some other true doc
trines disproved by the King : but that considering how in
that proclamation the King proraised to abohsh abuses, he
hoped he would raore exactly consider that point. They
earnestly doubt with Mount, while he was in Gerraany,
upon this point. Who answered them, " that although
" he knew not the King's considerations in this behalf,
" yet he might affirm, the King would not be so scru-
" pulous in the matter of vows. And that sundry nuns
" and reU^ous women were discharged out of their houses
" with pensions during their lives, and were not forbid to
" marry. But as for priests, he thought the cause of the
" prohibition was, because they might preach the word of
" God, and to prevent the common people's imagination
" of concupiscence in them, if they should take wives ; and
" so confute and condemn their o^wn preaching and the
" word of God. But what the King would do afterwards,
" when the people should wax stronger in knowledge, he
'^ could not teU ; yet doubted not but he would dp nothing
" without good reason and great consideration." And with
this discourse the Landgrave and the rest shewed them
selves to be well satisfied.

52i MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
C H AP. Burgart, as he brought a letter frora Melancthon to the
^^^' .King tbe last year, so he brings another frora him this.

Anno 1539. Wherein he gave the King assurance of the extraordinary
The King pj-aises Burgart upon all occasions gave hira : bestowing a
receives ^ . . . - . .
another good character likewise upon the said orator ; and exciting
Meianc-*"" ^^^ King to further so good a cause as he and his coUeagues
thon. carae about ; naraely, to negociate of raatters pertaining to
the coraraon safety of the Church, and the preservation of
godly doctrine ; a cause, than which there could be none
in the world raore honourable, and raore worthy of royal
protection. But the reader raay peruse the letter itself, if
N". CII. he pleaseth, in the Appendix.
340 But I ¦wUl step a little back to our own orators. Mount
The report and Paynel ; who being now ready to return horae to their
King's raaster King Henry, the Elector of Saxony and Landgrave
agents to ^ ¦ jj^^ their bands an obliging answer to his erabassy by
Crumwel. J^ o o -^ . -^
N°. CIII. thera : which raay be read at full length in the Appendix,
as I translated it into English frora the Latin original. But
in short, the raessage they brought back frora the Princes,
as they related it to the Lord Crurawel, was, " That the
" league evangelic was stedfast, and tbat they would die
" rather than give it up. They looked shortly, that either
" one part or tbe other would have the upper hand: for
" they thought that Antichrist and the DevU would not
" sleep, but practise to overcorae the evangehes. That
" things were so far gone, that either the evangehes must
" destroy them, or they the evangehes. That the Emperor
" above aU things desired of the confederate princes, that
" they would receive no others into their league than were
" already. And tbat caused a great stickhng at the diet.
" And that to quiet them, the Eraperor's fleet was returned
" to Zealand, and that all the ships should be dismissed,
" and his artiUery discharged out of thera, and brought
" ashore." This was what the King's agents told Crumwel.
And Crurawel told the King raoreover, " that he was as-
" sured, that the coraing of those orators frora the Germans
" would be forraidable to the Bishop of Rorae, and other

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 525
" his adherents ; not doubting, but if his Majesty would CHAP.
" join with thera, the Papists, in his judgment, would be ,

" half in despair." Anno 1539.
The match between the King and Anne of Cleves was Anne of
now in raotion. And by this agency also it was told, that
the Duke of Saxony had exhorted the Duke of Cleves to
go through without any difficulty.
A letter carae now frora Melancthon to the Lord Crum- Meianc-
wel. The sum of which he coraraunicated to the King. \g°1^ * '
Which was, " that the Bishops in England did as raany in Crumwel.
" other countries used to do ; naraely, by interpretations
" craftily devised, to excuse and colour over abuses ; there-
" by to establish thera by art. As was lately done in a
" book put forth at Colen, caUed Enchyridion. Which so-
" phistry he saw, as he said, pernicious to the Church.
" And that care was to be taken, that the truth were not
" overwhelraed with these cheats. And that siraple truth
" was raore profitable to a lasting tranquillity." This and a
great deal raore of matters relating to Germany, Crurawel
wrote to the King, being sick of an ague at London ; and
so could not corae to tell the King by word of raouth. This
letter is placed in the Appendix. N°. civ.
While Mount and Paynel were at Frankford, they raet Sarcerius,
at Melancthon's apartraent with Erasraus Sarcerius; who „f ^jjj,"^"",
was Chaplain to Prince WiUiam of Nassau, and carae Chaplain.
thither upon his coraraand. They asked him, if he were
that Sarcerius that had -writ A Method upon the chief
places qf Scripture. He answered, he was. They told
him, that by the King's command his book had been
put into English ; and that if he pleased, they would carry
a letter from him to the King. And upon this motion, he
writing one, they carried it. Which may be read in the
Appendix. In this letter he promised to send the King n». CV.
his Common Places, methodically digested, more enlarged,
and his Postils upon the Epistles and Gospels. The King
looked for address; and was well pleased when he had it 341
from such as had a repute for leai-ning. Mount and Pay
nel knew this well ; and therefore excited those Gerraans
that were learned to write to the Kmg, and pay him a de-

526

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XLV.
Anno 1539
How far
the Ger
mans did
go in ac
cord with
the Roman
faith. Cleop. E. 5
p. 328.

A policy in
the Church,

A Bishop
of Rome.

Ceremo
nies.

ference, as they did Sarcerius ; hoping hereby to bring the
King to read their books, and to affect their reli^on.
But the Gerraan orators being now here, feU upon their
business in adjusting the points of religion with the King's
Divines. And whether it were to recoraraend theraselves
the raore to the Popish Bishops, or to shew their disposi
tion to peace ¦with aU Christians, and even ¦with those of
Rome, they drew up at this tirae a copy of such things as
Martin Luther, Philip Melancthon, with certain cities and
princes of Gerraany, their adherents, had adraitted. Which
were these that follow : the reader must excuse tbe UI Eng-
glish, which I -write as I find in the MS.
" First, We confess, tbat there ought to be a policy in
" the Church, and a regime. In the which there must be
" Bishops, who shall have the power of the examine, and
" ordinance of the rainistration of the sarae, for to exercise
" tbe jurisdiction of the sarae. Who shall diligently see,
" that the Churches coraraitted unto thera raay be truly in-
" structed with pure and sincere doctrine.
" We admit, that it is good and convenient, that in the
" Church there be a Bishop of Rome, that raay be above
" other Bishops; who raay gather thera together, to see
" the exaraination of the doctrine, and the concord of such,
" as do teach discrepancies in the Church. But we admit
" not the porap, riches, and pride of the Bishop of Rome ;
" who would make realras subject unto hira. The which
" things do neither help nor promote the Gospel ; because
" the Kings that have right thereto may and owe to rule
" the sarae.
" We confess, that as concerning choise of raeats, holy
" days and ceremonies, there raight an agreeraent be raade
" easily, if there could be a concord in the doctrine of the
" Church, and not such discrepance as there is. For if
" there were a concord of doctrine in the Church, we
" should not think reasonable to divide us from the
" Church, seen that it is not possible that the world
" might stand without cereraonies and raan's constitutions :
" seen that all innovations -without necessity ought to be ex-
" eluded ; and that there is no peril, to us I mean, in the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 527
"observation of the said ceremonies and raen's constitu- CHAP.
" tions ; for that the doctrine be purely bandied. ¦^^^•

¦ We judge to be profitaible, that confession and rehears- Anno 1539.
" al of sins be raade in the Church. For taking the sarae *^'"'*^'**'''"-
" away, the doctrine of remission of sins, and of the power
" of the keys, should be offuscate and taken away ; seen
" that in the Confession, araong other things, the people
" ought to be taught, whence coraeth the remission of sins.
" Provided, that there be honest fashion to instruct the
" persons that be shriven, and that the consciences be not
" overlayd with rigorous and exact rehearsal of all sins.
" We believe that justification is raade by faith. Because Justifica-
" there be no works whereby we raay satisfy, or obtain re- ' '
" mission of sins. Yet nevertheless the sarae faith that jus-
" fies us ought not to be idle, but adorned with good and
" godly deeds.
" We confess thatj'r^e will holpen with the Holy Ghost 342
" may do somewhat, whensoever we wiU withdraw from sin. F^e will.
" We confess, that after the reraission of sins the Holy Departure
" Ghost is given to tbe raan ; from the which he departeth Ghost ^"''^
" again, as soon as he coraraitteth any deadly sin.
" We use the fashion accustoraed in the office of theUsatof the
" Mass. For what should avail a change of ca-emonies with- ^^'
" out necessity.'' Bat we admit not the privie raasses,
" because they have occasion of sundry abuses. Because
" there is an open fair or raarket raade of celebration of
" masses. " We believe thus concerning the Supper of the Lord. The real
" That like as Christ in his last Supper did give unto his P™*'"'^®"
" disciples his true body to be eaten, and his blood to be
" drunken ; and so he gives dayly to us his disciples, and
" loyal raen, as often as we keep the Supper, according to
" the forra coraraanded, Aecipite et comedite, &c. the true
" body and blood to be eaten alid drunk. This is the raind
" of the three Evangelists and St. Paul. And so their words
" do sound clearly. Wherefore away with all such errone-
" ous interpretations as are made upon the said words.
" We be taught that Christ did give to his discijdes his Both kinds.

Invocationof saints.

528 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " body and blood under both species and kinds ; and that
^^^- " therefore we owe to observe the sarae ; as we do indeed.
Anno 1539. " But because one of the species hath by men's constitu-
" tions been forbidden by the Bishop of Rome, there might
" be a remedy found without peril or danger ; so that he
" that would, raight have both species; and that there
" should be a prohibition raade, that the one should not
" insult against the other.
" Seen that it appeareth by the holy Doctors, that the
" holy days and feasts of saints have been accustomed to
" be observed ; and as we see as yet some holy canons of
" that raatter, but it appeareth not that there is raade in
" the sarae a raention of their invocation ; but it appeareth
" only by tbe sarae, that they be proposed unto us for an
" exaraple, to learn to follow their lives and conversations ;
" yet nevertheless, seen that by some custora the interces-
" sion of saints ought to be adraitted, then there should be
" prayers made unto God, that it might like him to hear
" them by the intercession of some saints : we affirm for a
" certainty, that the saints do continuaUy intercede for the
" Church : albeit the Christen raen owe to be taught, that
" they shaU not convert the sarae hope to the saints, which
" they ought to have unto God.
" We do not reject the images oi Christ and of saints,
" but the adoration raade to thera ; whereof idolatry is
" sprung.
Monkery. « Also we darapne not the monastery, or life of such as
" be closed in the cloisters ; but only the trust that some
" raen have put in the regular observation. Also we reject
" the vows which have been raade upon such things as men
" cannot observe. Yet nevertheless we will not the mo-
" nasteries be put down for the sarae, but that they may
" be turned to schools ; in which good doctrine should be
" taught. And that the Pope raay dispense -with vows ;
" so that it were free for every raan to keep or not keep
" thera. And so the sarae should be to the quiet and tran-
" quihty of raind ; and the vows should not be the snares
" of malice.

Images.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 529
" Then the raarriage of the Priests should be in the CHAP.
. . XLV
Pope's hands, who raight adrait the sarae ; and the con-  '_

" cubinate of many should be forbidden. For we see few Anno 1539.
" chaste. But if the law to contract should not have place,*' ."^
'^ Priest s
" then, for to avoid slander, there should be none advanced marriage.
" to the dignities ecclesiastical [but] grave persons, and of
" full age.
" We think it best to dispute of purgatory and pardons purgatory.
" in the schools, rather than in the pulpit to dispute of the
" same publicly without any profit : so that tbe markets
" and bargains thereof should be avoided- For we do re-
" ject in those things and others, wherein we do not agree,
" the abuse rather than the thing [it] self- The which ne-
" vertheless raay be discussed and eraended by councils
" lawfully asserabled.
" The Zwinglians and Oecolarapadians have not yet re- Zwinglians.
" ceived those articles, but the siraple people shaU be easily
" reduced ; and we trust they shall shortly do conformable
" thereto. " Luther hath revoked all the books wherein there be Luther.
" many things contrary to those articles, and hath retracted
" thera with his own hands, and knowledged his faults. In
" March 3, 1529."
But these steps to a good concord between the King and This Ger-
the Gerraans carae to nothing ; the King taking sorae rais- "assy^s'uc-
conceit against the Duke of Saxony, because it was said, he needed not :
rather inchned to have his sister-in-law, the Lady Anne of
Cleves, raarried into Gerraany than to him. This Win
chester made use of as an handle to ahenate the King's
mind from the Duke. He also put the King in fear, if he
should join with the Protestants, of drawing against him
the Emperor, the French King, the Scot, the Pope, and
other foreign power ; and especially ci^vil tumults and insur
rections at horae.

VOL. I.

630 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. XLVL
Injunctions concerning iooks and sects. Monasteries dis
solved. New iishoprics erected ouf qffhem.
Anno 1539. j/^BQijrp jjjis tirae Crurawel's interest was not so abso-
iunctU)ns' ^^^^i but Winchester sometimes got tbe ascendant of him
from the with the King ; as he had now, or soraewhat before, when
there carae forth a book of Injunctions against good books.
Bishop of and in favour of sorae superstitious cereraonies. The said
ter's insil Bishop of Winchester had coraplained to the King of the
nuations. creeping in of tbe heresies of the Sacraraentaries and Ana
baptists, and of raany books in English iraported and sold
by thera; and so, under the cloak of heresy, prevailed
with the King to exterrainate all good books, and with them
tbe holy Scripture, and to take opportunity to persecute
raany honest professors of the Gospel. And these Injunc
tions being resolved upon, several other Injunctions were
also added. I mention them, because I do not find our
latter Church historians taking notice of them. They were
entitled. Certain Injunctions set forth iy fhe authority qf
344 the King againsf English iooks, sects, or sacramentaries
also, with puffing down fhe day qf Thomas Becket. Which
last seeras to have been a stroke of Crurawel's pen, to make
sorae allay for the rest. They are in nuraber ten, and ex
tant in Fox, whither I refer the reader. Only take here the
sura of thera.
Tbe first was, " That none, without special Hcence of the
" King, transport any English books, nor sell or vend
" tbem, upon pain to forfeit all their goods and chattels,
" and iraprisonraent during the King's pleasure.
" Secondly, None to print or bring over any English
" books, with annotations or prologues, unless the books be
" exarained by the King's Privy Council, or others ap-
" pointed by his Highness. Nor to print any translated
" book without raentioning the name of the translator.
" Else the printer to be reckoned the translator, and to suf-
" fer the fine and imprisonment thereof.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 531
" Thirdly, None to print or utter any EngUsh book of CHAP.
" Scripture, unless it be first viewed and exarained by the.

" King's Highness, or one of the Privy CouncU, or one Anno isss.
" Bishop within the realra, whose name shall be expressed
" therein ; upon pain of his high displeasure, and loss of
" goods and chattels, and iraprisonraent.
" Fourthly, That Sacraraentaries, Anabaptists, or any
" other that sell books, having such opinions in them, the
" books and persons shall be detected imraediately unto the
" King's Majesty, or unto one of the Privy CouncU ; to
" thintent the person so detected, to be punished without
" favour, and with all extreraity of law.
" Fifthly, None to reason or dispute upon the Sacraraent None to
" of the Altar, upon pain of losing their lives, goods, and „po^ the
" chattels ; only the learned in divinity to have their li- Sacrament.
" berty in the schools.
" Sixthly, The holy bread and holy water, procession,
" kneding and creeping to the cross on Good Friday and
" Easter-day, setting up lights before corpus Christi, bear-
" ing of candles on Candlemas-day, &c. to be observed, till
" it please the King to change and abrogate them.
" Seventhly, That raarried Priests, known to have wives,
*' or that hereafter do raarry, be deprived of all spiritual
" proraotion, and frora doing any duty of a Priest, and
" have no coraraodity pertaining to the Clergy. But shall
" frora henceforth be reputed as lay persons. And those,
" that after this proclaraation shall raarry, shall run into
" his Grace's indignation, and suffer iraprisonraent.
" Eighthly, A charge to all Archbishops, Bishops,
" Archdeacons, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, &c. within their
" cures, diligently to preach and set forth the glory of
" God, and truth of his word : and, considering the su-
" perstitions crept into the hearts and stora^chs of raany, to
" preach the word of God sincerely and purely ; declaring
" the difference between things comraanded by God, and
" the rites and cereraonies used in the Church.
" Ninthly, That considering Thoraas Becket stubbornly
" withstood tbe wholesorae laws established against the
M ra 2

532 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " enorraities of the Clergy, and fled into France, and to the
XLVI. ic Bishop of Rorae, to procure abrogation of those laws; and

Anno 1539. " that his death, untruly called martyrdom, happened upon
" a rescue raade, and tbat he gave opprobrious words to
345 " the gentleraen, which counsilled hira to leave his stub-
"x bornness, and called one of thera iawd, and took another
" (viz. Tracy) by the bosora, and violently shook hira, and
" had Hke to have thrown him upon the pavement : in which
" fray one of the company struck hira, and so in the throng
" he was slain : and considering tbat his canonization was
" raade by the Bishop of Rorae, because he had been a
" champion to maintain his usurped authority : therefore
" the King, by the advice of his CouncU, declared, that
" there appeared nothing in his life and conversation
" whereby he should be caUed a saint, but rather be es-
Thomas " teeraed a rebel and a traitor. And therefore the King re-
to be called " quired and coraraanded, that henceforth Becket shaU not
Saint. « be called a saint, but Bishop Becket ; and that his images
" and pictures, throughout the whole realra, shall be plucked
" down out of churches and chapels ; and his days, used
" to be festival, shall not be observed ; and aU services and
" offices, antiphons, &c. shall be razed out of all books;
" and tbat his holydays shall not be soleranized. To the
" intent, that his Grace's subjects shall be no longer blindly
" led and abused to corarait idolatry, as they have done in
" times past.
" Tenthly, Charge and comraand is given, that the King's
" subjects do keep and observe all the injunctions made by
" his Majesty upon the pain therein contained."
Monasteries This year the greater raonasteries were suppressed and
dissolved. The comraon people well Hked thera, and ge
nerally were very fond of thera ; because of the hospitahty
and good housekeeping there used. The inhabitants of
these cloisters relieved the poor, raised no rents, took no
excessive fines upon renewing of leases : and their noble and
brave . built structures adorned the places and countries
where they stood. The rich also bad education here for
their chUdren. Therefore, to raake way araong the people

UNDER KING HENRY VIII.
for the taking them away, and to raake them the wiUinger CHAP.
to see them destroyed, it was given out and pretended by ^

the great instruments employed herein, " that the King's Anno 15S9.
" Exchequer should be for ever enriched ; tbe kingdom and p°7 before
" nobUity strengthened and increased : the comraon sub- Stowe's
"jects acquitted and freed from all former services and*^''™"'
" taxes : and that the abbots, monks, friars, and nuns being
" suppressed, in their places should be created forty earls,
" sixty barons, and three thousand knights, and forty thou-
" sand soldiers with skilful captains, and competent main-
" tenance for thera all for ever, out of the ancient Church
" revenues. So as in so doing, the King and his successors
" should never want treasure of their own, nor have cause
" to be beholden to the comraon subject : neither should the
" people be any raore charged with loans, subsidies, and fif-
" teens. Since which tirae (if you will believe ray author)
" there have been raore statutes, laws, subsidies, and fif-
" teens, than in five hundred years before."
And to please those of the new learning, it was given out, The good
that by these revenues of the monasteries, better provision thereby not
should be made for the poor, and preachers should have ''one.
salaries to go about and preach the knowledge of Christ.
But nothing of this came to pass. For neither was there
provision raade for the poor, nor yet order set for preaching 346
the Gospel. And in fine, " a great part of it was turned to Bale in his
" the upholding of diqe-playing, raasking, and banqueting ; (,™th
" yea, I would I could not by just occasion speak it," saith Churches.
one that lived in those days, " bribing, whoring, and swear-
" ing : the town's people and households raiserably decay-
" ed." But vast were the treasures that carae in to the
King by this dissolution.
But good raen, that desired the reforraation of religion, iwonks and
were well enough pleased to see this end of the monasteries ; ^^j ;„
because hereby the religious sects of raonks and friars were England.
come to an end and abolished in England : swarras, not only
of useless raen, but the great pillars of superstition and
popery. Archbishop Cranraer, in his horaily of Good Works,
(for I suppose him the compiler of it,) thanked God that
M m 3

534 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, had made King Henry the instruraent of so good a work.
" Honour be to God, who did put light into the heart of

Anno 1 539. «' his faithful and true Minister of raost faraous raeraory,
of'cood " ^™§ Henry VIII. and gave hira the knowledge of his
Works. " word, and an earnest affection to seek bis glory, and to
" put away such superstitious and pharisaical sects, by
" Antichrist invented and set up, against the true word of
" God, and the glory of his raost blessed narae." The evU
of these Religious you raay take a prospect of in the foresaid
horaily, which the Archbishop set forth in these words :
" Meek and faigned religions were neither the fortieth
" part so raany araong the Jews, nor raore superstitiously
" and ungodlUy abused, than of late days they have been
" araong us. Which sects and religions had so raany hy-
" pocritical and feigned works in their state of religion, as
" they arrogantly named it, that their laraps, as they said,
" ran all over, able to satisfy, not only for tbeir own sins,
" but also for all others, their benefactors, brothers and
" sisters of religion, as raost ungodlUy and craftily they had
" persuaded the raultitude of ignorant people; keeping in
" divers places, as it were, raarts or markets of merits; be-
" ing full of tbeir holy relics, images, shrines, and works
" of overflowing abundance, ready to be sold. And all
" things which they had were called holy ; holy cowles,
" holy girdles, holy pardons, holy beads, holy shoes, holy
" rules, and all full of holiness. And what thing can be
" more foolish, more superstitious, or ungodly, than that
" men, women, and children should wear a friar's coat, to
" deliver thera from agues or pestilence ; or when they die,
" or when they be buried, cause it to be cast upon them, in
" hope thereby to be saved ? Which superstition, although,
" thanks be to God, it hath been little used in this realm,
" yet in divers other realras it hath been and yet is used
" among many, both learned and unlearned. But to pass
" over the innumerable superstitiousness that hath been in
" strange apparel, in silence, in dormitory, in cloister, in
" chapter, in choice of raeats and drinks, and in such like
" things, let us consider what enorraities and abuses have

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 535
" been in the three chief principal points, which they called CHAP.
" fhe three essentials, or fhe three foundations of religion :

" that is to say, obedience, chastity, and wilful poverty. Anno iS39.
" First, Under pretence or colour of oiedience to their ¦';'"*^'"'"^
^ ^ ^ chief vows
" father in religion, (which obedience they made themselves,) of religion.
" they were raade free by their rules and canons frora the
" obedience of their natural father and raother, and frora 347
" the obedience of eraperor and king, and all teraporal
" power, whora of very duty by God's laws tbey were
" bound to obey. And so the profession of their obedience
" not due, was a forsaking of their due obedience.
" And how their profession of chastity was kept, it is '^•
" raore honesty to pass over in silence, and let the world
" judge of that which is well known, than with unchaste
" words, by expressing of tbeir unchaste life, to offend chaste
" and godly ears.
" And as for their wilful poverty, it is such, that when m-
" in possessions, jewels, plate, and riches, they were equal or
" above merchants, gentlemen, barons, earls, and dukes, yet
" by this subtle sophistical term, proprium in commune,
" that is to say, proper In common, tbey mocked tbe world;
" persuading, that not^withstanding all their possessions and
" riches, yet they kept their vow, and were in wUful po-
" verty. But, for all their riches, they raight never help fa-
" ther or raother or others, that were indeed very needy
" and poor, without the licence of their fathers, abbots,
" priors, or wardens. And yet they raight take of every
" man, but they might not give ought to any man ; no, not
" to thera whora the laws of God bound thera to help. And
" so through their traditions and rules, the laws of God
" could bear no rule ¦with thera."
The unchaste behaviour of these religious raen, and their The monks'
abominable dissolute courses ¦with the wives and daughters \{anr
of the laity; and withal, their imperious carriage towards
the gentry, begot thera hatred, and hastened their fall. And
here allow rae to set down a story to illustrate this raatter,
happening between the monks of Sawtry in Huntington-
shire, and one Mr. Edmond Loud, a gentleman of good
M ra 4

536 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, quality, living near their raonastery, being set down and
^^^^- attested by one Loud, living in these tiraes, and, as it seems.
Anno 1539. of the same family. Whicb Edmond was murdered by
tbe said monks and priests of Sawtry abbey, about tbe 13th
of Henry VIII. anno 1522.
Mr. Loud Edmond, tbe son and heir of Mr. Thoraas Loud, of
monks 'of Hunuiughara Castle, Cretinghara and Sawtry, a raile from
Sawtry. Sawtre abbey ; descended of noble parentage : (for his
mother, Anne Loud, was tbe daughter and heir of Sir Ed-
raond Molso : his grandraother, Katharine Dudley, married
to Lionel Loud : bis great grandraother was Mary of Hen
ault, married to Roger Loud, and cousin to Lionel, Earl of
Ulster, and Duke of Clarence.) The said Edmond was an
eneray to the wanton monks of the abbey, and to two lewd
parsons of Sawtre : for they haunted raost shamefuUy the
wives of Mr. Thoraas Loud's tenants in the town. Whereat
both Mr. Loud tbe father, and the said Edmond his son,
especially, found fault with this misrule of the monks and
priests. And soraetiraes when the houses by them were
watched, and the raonks with their tenants' wives, the monks
would beat down the walls of the house, and slip away to the
abbey. And sometimes there were hot sldrraishes among
thera. At one tirae they caused the peace to be taken of
tbe said Edmond ; and for breaking of it, got him in Cam
bridge castle. Unto him there resorted one Richard Wine,
an abbey lubber of Rarasey and Sawtre; he was an attor
ney : who said to Mr. Loud, then the King's prisoner; 0!
Mr. Loud, bad it not been better for you to have lived
348 quietly at Sawtrey, and to have bunted and hawked at your
pleasure, than here to remain a prisoner against your wiU ?
No, said Mr. Loud, I am here but for striking a lecherous
knave ; and I count it better to be here for so smaU a cause,
than to be set in the stocks, as thou wert, for stealing sUver
spoons at Ramsey abbey; and with that reached Wine a
blow with his fist, and dashed out all bis fore-teeth. By
which blow he lisped as long as be hved.
This blow was declared to the chaste Clergymen in the
country, and by them to the raighty Clergy at the Court :

UNDER KING HENRY VIII- 537
and by thera in the raost grievous raanner aggravated to the CHAP.
King : thinking this had been enough to rid hira out of their .

way at Sawtre. But tbe King laughed heartily at the petty ^nno is39.
lawyer's deforraity, and thought it a condign reward for
such a saucy fellow; saying, " Do you think it was well
" done of hira, to upbraid a prisoner, being iraprisoned by
" his raeans ? He was served well enough : I perceive Loud
" is a tall gentieraan : we do pardon him of his fault and
" imprisonment." So Edmond Loud carae horae again,
after he had been there a while, raaking raerry continuaUy
with Mr. Bennet Molso, and divers other gentleraen, stu
dents in the University ; who being of kin to hira, carae
daily to raake raerry with hira.
In short time the monks and priests of Sawtrey, like One kisses
swine, turning again to tbeir dhty puddles and forraer stink- ter.
ing life ; and Edmond bearing himself bold -with the King's >
late saying, and of his friends in the Court, by reason of his
blood, warned, and threatened them beating, if they would
not forbear to resort to his father's tenants and his. And
see the chance : one of these persons, the parson of St. An
drew's, had been at Walsinghara ; he was a notable wliore-
raaster ; and coming home, kissed raany wives, and araong
thera Katharine Loud, daughter to tbe said Edraond, openly
in the churchyard of Allhallows. For then it was thought
an holiness for raaids and woraen to be kissed by persons
coraing from thence. And the lecherous Catholic had
opinion that Mr. Edmund Loud would not be offended at
his doings. But it came no sooner to Mr. Loud's ears, but
he, after his wont, took his molespade in his hand, and by
chance quickly met with the priest. The good parson lik
ing not his looks, down be feU upon his knees, off went his
cap, praying him not to beat hira, for he was ¦within holy
Orders. O ! thou bawdy knave, said Mr. Loud, darest thou
kiss ray daughter ? Wilt thou not leave this woraen's com
pany ? And seeing his new broad-shaven crown, he took up
the cow's dung with his spade, and clapped it upon his
crown ; adding these words. You, said he, all the sort of

538 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, you, will, ere it be long, be glad to hide your shaven pates,
rather than they should be seen.
Anno 1539. Besides this, the said Edraond conceived such an hate
against that religion and that holy priest, that he came
once into the church, and plucked the fellow from the altar,
as he was about to make his god.
A fray be- Shortly after, the clean-fingered Clergy, having encou-
an"s"ome" ragemeut enough both above in the Court and in the coun-
empioyedbytry, contrived how he should be raade away. He used to
walk a quarter of a raile to a great pasture he had, caUed
Woodfield Close, containing six hundred acres ¦vrithin an
hedge, assigned him for his wife's jointure, who was Edith,
the daughter of John Stukley, lord of Stukley, nigh Hun-
349 tingdon ; and he bad with hira in his arras John Loud, his
youngest son, of the age of three years and more. Sud
denly rushed out behind the hedges and bushes the two
Skeltons, father and son, tenants to the abbey, and four
raore, well weaponed. Mr. Loud knew they carae to des
patch hira, and they said no less. Yet, said he, do no harm
to ray little boy. ,With that they fearlessly laid at hira, and
he at thera. At last coraeth the good Catholic priest with
holy water, in his surplice. And the constable heard of
this tragical murder prepensed, and thought to shew him
self not too slack in doing his duty, and carae to the find
ing Mr. Loud nothing hurt. But he had basted the Ca
tholic raen so, that they prayed peace of hira : and he, to
take breath, was contented to hold bis hand. The constable
coraraanded the peace in the King's narae to be kept. They
all agreed to obey, so that Mr. Loud would deliver his fo-
rest-bUl to the constable, which he was loath to do, but for
the constable's fair proraises. They gave place to Mr.
¦Who barba- Loud to go afore thera, and the constable next. But when
rous y I jj^ ^^ upon the stile to go over, Skelton the father caught
bim by tbe arms, and Skelton the son struck hira on the
head ; and so he fell off tbe stUe- Tbe club was gotten in
Monk's wood, half a raUe frora Sawtrey. So the priest came
too soon with his holy water : for Mr. Loud was alive at his

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 539
coming, yet he was carried horae, and was speechless. For C H A P.
the filra caUed pia mater was perished with the blow. He .

charges re-
ious men

lived about seven days after, and raaking all things strait in Anno is39
the world, forgave aU his eneraies. His wife sued an ap
peal of murder ; but many delays were made, and nothing
done. Her husband was taken for an heretic, and the clergy
was mighty. But see the vengeance of God. Skelton with
his son ran away: and the father was afterwards hanged,
and the son was drowned : and the priests could never get
their pardon of the King. And now, after this digression,
let us return.
The monks and friars, after they were thus discharged She dis
their reh^ous houses, bore a favour still to their old super- ^g
stitions : and being scattered about the nation, did what *''^'"' ^"'-
1 11 -J?- 1- -TP ployment.
they could to infuse into the coraraons their prejudices for
the old religion, and against the new learning. And though
sorae of thera seeraed to coraply ¦with the King's supreraacy,
and other his injunctions, yet they secretiy dishked thera,
and hindered the people's obedience to them as much as
they could. For " though their cowles, coats, and rockets im. of both
" were off," as one writes in those days, " yet had they still c'™"*"**-
" the same popish hearts, and the sarae superstitious fro-
" wardness, that they were wont to have." One Mr. Wharton
was eraployed, as it seeras, by Crurawel, as his ¦visitor about
Suffolk and those parts, who took divers of these cashiered
friars to be his assistants : but about Bungay they played
their false tricks. Which Bale styles, their calking fbr
Crumwel; raeaning, I suppose, their endeavouring to re
plant Popery among the people, who in those parts were
good Gospellers.
But the King did some real good for religion and leam- New cathe-
ing with all this treasure, that flowed in upon him from the ^'^^ found-
reHgious houses, which is stUl remaining: and all of it that these
was otherwise employed is utterly lost and gone. For he
erected six new bishoprics, Westminster, Oxford, Peter-
burgh, Bristol, Chester, Glocester. And instead of monks 3 50
in divers of the old cathedral churches, abolishing thera, he
placed Canons in their rooras : the revenue, bestowed upon

540 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, all these by the King, araounting to 8000 Z. per annura, ac-
^^^^" cording to tbe Lord Herbert. The benefit that accrued to
Anno i5S9.the Church hereby was very great. For tbe Church having
Henf .'^'"^ raore Bishops, the flock of Christ raight be the better re-
p. 508. garded. And the Canons in each cathedral, being a society
of learned raen, well seen and grounded in religion, were to
assist the respective Bishops, the beads of the diocese, in all
good and wholesorae consultations, and to preach the Gos
pel, and convince errors and heresies, and to keep hospitahty.
For the founding therefore of these, the King got great re
nown. And this, Edraond, Bishop of one of these new foun
dations, viz. that of Peterburgh, told Queen Elizabeth long
Gi^Hicke ''™^ ^^^^^ ™ ^ letter : " for this his Majesty's raost faraous
Eq. aur. " work, of erecting cathedral churches, instead of raonkish
" and superstitious houses, was and is tbe beauty of his re-
" forraation and reHgion, and the greatest benefit, next to
" the doctrine of the Gospel itself, that the Church of God
" in his realra received at his raost royal hands; far exceed -
" ing all other acts tbat were done by any of his progenitors
" before hira, and surraounting all tbat is like to be done in
" any tirae to corae."
The King's But before this was effected, it is worth shewing the con-
care about . , , ^r¦ - 1 • 1 -
contriving tnvauce. Study, and care the King was exercised in, to bring
ricTa^'mi'"'' ^^ ''° P*^^" ^°^ ^^'^ ^^^""^ ^^^^ drawn up, for the King's
deaneries. Consideration, two tables, with several colurans, in which to
eop- •¦*• insert what he thought good. One of them contained the
naraes of towns and places thought fit to give nomination
to the new intended sees ; which were about twenty in num
ber : and in another column is specified in what counties
those towns were. As for exaraple ; Walthara to be made
a bishopric, standing in the county of Essex ; St. Alban's, in
Hertfordshire, &c. as though those counties were intended
to be the extent of the jurisdictions of those bishoprics.
At the top of which table is this writing of the King's own
hand, (shewing his good design upon his dissolution of the
monasteries,) Bishoprics to ie made. And all the whole
table that follows is written by the King. In the same
table, the titie of a third column is thus, of the King's writ-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 541
ing also: Placys fo ie alferyd according to our devyse, CHAP.
which have sees in fhem: The other table, drawn up also..

for the King's use and perusal, contains the names of divers^""" i^^^-
deaneries and colleges to be founded, out of sorae rich bi
shoprics and colleges : in one column whereof are set down
the revenues of each ; and in another, what portion thereof
was allotted for the respective Bishops. And the first co
lumn was left blank for the King to nominate the persons
for those new deaneries : the names of them are set down
there by his own pen. These two curious tables I esteem Number
worthy to be preserved and read, for the better knowledge
of those great transactions. But alas ! these many new bi
shoprics and deaneries, at first so weU intended, dwindled
away at last to six bishoprics only, as was shewn above.
And accordingly an act of Parliaraent was raade for the The King's
erecting those new bishoprics. The prearable to which was a^ibie^o
of King Henry's own handwriting : the copy of the rest of f'e act for
the act was only interlined with his hand in divers places, bishoprics.
as it remains still in tbe Cotton library. Tbat part of the 351
act that is of the King's writing is this that follows : " For-
" asmuch as it is not unknown, the slowghfuU and ungodly
" lyff whicb have bene usid araong all those sects that have
" born the narae of religious folk : and to thentent that
" henceforth raany of thera rayght be tornyd to better use,
" as hereafter shall follow; whereby God's word rayght bet-
" ter be set forth, chUdren brought up in learnyng. Clerks
" noryshed in the Universities ; old servaunts decay, to
" have lyvyinges ; alrays howses for poor folk to be ayd ;
" reders of Greke, Ebrew, and Latyne, to have good sti-
" pend ; dayly almes to be raynystrate ; raendyng of high
" wayes ; exhibition for Mynysters of the Chyrch : It is
" thought therefore unto the Kyng's Highness expedient
" and necessary, that rao byshoprickes, coUegial and cathe-
" dral chyrches, shaU be establyshed, instead of those fore-
" sayd religious howses : within the foundation whereof
" these other tytyls afore rehearsed shaU be stablished."
This that foUows is another hand, being a copy of the act.

542 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, but interlined throughout with the King's pen: " Bee it
^^^^- « therefore enacted by authority of this present Parharaent,
Anno 1539- " that bis Highness shall have full power and authority
" frora tyrae to tyrae, to declare and norainate by his let-
" ters patents, or other writings to be raade under the Great
" Seal, such nuraber of Bishops, such number of cities, sees
" for Bishops, cathedral churches and dioceses, by metes
" and bounds, for tbe exercise and rainistration of their
" episcopal offices, &c." as it ran in the printed act, anno 31.
Henry VIIL

tion.

CHAP. XL VIL
The Act qf Six Articles : sadly resented. Shaxton and
Latymer leave their bishoprics. Many iurnt upon this
act. A iook qf ceremonies framed in Convocation. The
English Bible allowed. The German agents depart.
Six ques- J. HE King about these tiraes was very wavering in mat-
p'ounded in ters of religion : and soraetiraes favoured a reforraation of it,
Convoca- ^nd sometlraes again was against raaking any alterations :
thinking it unsafe for his cro^wn so to do. And of this the
Bishop of Winchester did raost studiously endeavour to
possess the King's raind : a Convocation therefore was now
called ; wherein these six questions were propounded.
I. Whether the substance of bread and wine remained
in the Sacraraent of tbe Altar after the consecration.
II. Whether it were necessary by God's law, that all men
should coraraunicate in both kinds.
III. Whether Priests, that is to say, men dedicate to God
by priesthood, raay by the law of God raarry afterwards.
IV. Whether the vow of chastity or widowhood be by
the law of God to be observed.
352 V. Whether private raasses stand with the law of God,
and be to be used and continued in the Church of England,
as things whereby good Christians raay receive godly con
solation and wholesorae benefits.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 648
VI. Whether Auricular Confession is necessary to be re- CHAP.
tained, continued, and used in the Church. ^ '

All these articles were resolved by the Convocation the Anno isss.
Enacted in
Parliament;

old popish way, and by the Parharaent, that began in^n»<=**'' '"

April 28, raade an act ; which was entitled. An Act for abo
lishing qf Diversity qf Opinions : and, because ofthe rigor
ous penalties, and the blood that was shed thereupon, was
called, The bloody Act qfSix Articles.
But great striving and struggling there was in the House But with
about the passing these articles. Besides the Archbishop of '^'®™'*y"
Canterbury, other divines and lawyers argued well against
thera, appearing to be not only against tbe truth, but against
the coraraon judgraent : insorauch, that they would not have
passed, had not the King corae hiraself in person into the
Parliaraent House, and that the Parliaraent perceived his
pereraptory resolution to have thera raade an act: as ap
pears by what Archbishop Cranmer wrote in his answer to
the second deraand of the rebels of Devon in King Ed
ward's reign.
But very sad and araazing were the resentraents of the Sadly re-
sober and religious side, while this was transacting, and
hardly yet corapleted : Siraon Heynes, D. D. a learned
raan, and that had been employed abroad by the King,
and who was the first Prebendary put into Westrainster
church, when the King founded it for a bishopric, anno
1540. this raan being now at Eaton, had heard a Priest
make a mighty clamorous triumph, tbat transubstantiation
was now determined to be believed by all as an article of
faith, and two other articles. For, it seems, at first three
articles were only spoken of ; to which three others were
added, when their hands were in. This raade this grave
man write a letter to sorae certain raan of the Court, as it
seems, of great authority: " admiring, how the King could
" pretend authority of Scripture for those articles, there
" being not any express word of God written for them :
" unless raen use Scripture, said he, for proving these, as
" the Bishop of Rorae quoteth the Scripture to prove his
" authority. That the deterraining these articles to be of

544 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " faith, without plain authority of Scripture, will, instead of
' " making quietness, (for that was the pretence, as appears

Anno 1539. " in the prearable of the act,) create disquietness. That
" this would reflect upon the King's honour, who had be-
" fore set forth the Gospel -within tbe realm. That if these
" raatters should be declared to be jure divino, the Em-
" peror and French King had the sarae authority in their
" dorainions, as our King in his ; and so raight determine
" other things [probably raeaning the Pope's authority over
" princes] to be jure dlvlno, by Scripture raisunderstood ;
" and so raight the Pope too." But I wiU not forestal Dr.
N». CVIII. Heynes's letter, which who will raay read in the Appendix. '
Bishop Shaxton, Bishopof Sarura, and Latiraer, Bishopof Wor-
and Bishop cester, upon this act were iraprisoned, and resigned their
Latimer bishopries, and returned to a private life. But Shaxton,
bishoprics, not long before the King's death, notwithstanding all his
353 zeal for religion before, returned to the old religion, and
preached at the burning of Anne Ascue. I find nothing of
liira in King Edward's tirae ; but in Queen Mary's I find
hira a busy raan against the Protestants, and Thirlby the
ul'v ''i 558 ^i®^*'? o^ ^ly's Suffragan in the year 1555. And in 1557.
he was -with Dr. Christopherson, Dean of Norwich, and
John FuUers, the Bishop of Ely's Chancellor, an examiner
of heretics. And these sitting upon Pygot and Wolsey,
raartyrs, he used these words : " He bade tbem remember
" theraselves, and becorae new raen ; for I rayself, said he,
" was in this fond opinion tbat you are now in, but I am
" now becorae a new raan." He was now old, and, I sup
pose, lived not long after. Latiraer continued firra to the
last gasp, and came to the glorious end of a raartyr. Soon
after the laying down his bishopric, as near as I can con
jecture, a Bishop, probably Winchester, sent for bun, and
marvelled that he would not consent to such traditions as
were then set out. He answered hira boldly and bravely,
Latimer's " that he would be ruled by God's book, and rather than
morbefore " ^^ -would dissent one jot frora it, be would be tom with
the King, a wild horses." He chanced in this comraunication to name
the Lord's Supper : Tush! said tbe Bishop, Avhat do ye call

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 545
the Lord's Supper? What new terra is that.' There stood CHAP.
• \ T VII
by hira one Dr. Dubber, and said, this term was seldom  '_

read in the Doctors. Latiraer raade answer, that he would Anno 1539.
rather follow Paul in using his terra, than thera, though
they liad all the Doctors on their side. Why, said the Bi
shop, can we not without the Scriptures order the people ?
How did they before tbe Scriptures were written and co
pied out.' God knows, full ill yet, would they have or
dered thera, said Latiraer again.
The Lord Crurawel did his endeavour to protect the Many burnt
Gospellers frora burning, the punishment appointed in this g^t.
act, but could not : yet the penalty of these articles did not
so much take place during his Hfe, who died about a year
after: but after his death a cruel time passed. Corarais
sioners were appointed in every shire, to search out and ex
araine such as were refractory. And few durst protect those
that refused to subscribe to tbe articles ; so that they suf
fered daily, as we shall see under the next year. But it
was the Lord Herbert's observation, " their puni.shraent Life of King
" did but advance their religion ; and it was thought they p_ 530'
" had sorae assistance frora above, it being irapossible other-
" wise that they should so rejoice in the raidst of their tor-
" ments, and triumph over the most cruel death."
The severity of these tiraes, as it light upon several, so, to Others fly
prevent the danger thereof, raany betook theraselves into ^^"° ***'
other countries, and turned exiles for religion. Of these
were Hooper and Rogers, who went into Gerraany and Hel
vetia, where the true religion was professed. Insorauch
that now, and after, these places were replenished with
English. Many also carae to sojourn in these parts that
were young gentleraen, and others that were students, to
furnish theraselves ¦with good learning and knowledge in
reHgion. Where they raight freely read and study divinity,
as they raight not with safety do in the countries under the
papal tyranny. Araong these noble young raen and scho
lars, there came one John Butler, of a noble family, who
Hved abroad in great state and plenty : having travelled
about Germany, and thence into France, and afterwards 35 4
VOL. 1. N n

546 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, into Italy, he seated himself at last in Zurick. There,
¦/ ^/^^^- about the latter end of King Henry, and beginning of King

ceremonies.

Ann!) 1539. Edward, lie beearae greatly acquainted with John Wolphius,
John Butler jjie learned printer; who seemed to have been the director
at Zurlcli. „ - . -. 1 1 T^ 1
OI his studies, and to whom Butler was m compensation
very munificent. To whom Wolphius, in tbe year 1552,
dedicated the second edition of P. Martyr's tract of the
Sacrament, consisting of sorae of bis readings at Oxon, as a
present at his return frora the Baths, where he had lately
been.
A book of In fi Convocation this year, as near as I can guess, was a
book of cereraonies hararaered out and presented. The
main drift whereof was, to make as fair a representation as
raight be of all the old corruptions and superstitions crept
into the Church. The Bishop of Winchester and his party
had the great hand in this business, hoping in this juncture,
when Popery seeraed so rauch to prevail, to get them re
ceived : but they were not. This, if I raistake not, was
the book of eighty-eight articles, which Fox tells us Arch
bishop Cranmer gave a full answer to ; and, I suppose, got
thera quashed by the King. I have set this long book in
N°. Cix. the Appendix, tbat he who is rainded raay peruse it.
Letters Notwithstanding tbe oppositions that were thus made
the^EngiiTh against tbe Gospel, yet the English Bible had the King's
?'.'^''^-„ , countenance. For in Noveraber the Lord Crurawel ob-
Hist. Ref. • J /. 1 -rr- 1 - 1
p. i. Coll. tamed from the King his letters patents : wherein he ac
knowledged, " that by tbe knowledge of God's word the
" people would the better honour God, and observe and
" keep bis comraandraents, and do their duty to their Prince.
" And therefore granted thera the free use of tbe Scrip-
" tures in their natural tongue. But for the diversity of
" translations, he appointed the Lord Crurawel to take spe-
" cial care, that no raanner of person should attempt to
" print any Bible in the English tongue of any volume,
" during the space of five years, but only such as should
" be deputed by the said Lord Crurawel." This was ob
tained in favour of Grafton, who was now printing the large
Bible.

15. b.iii.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 547
But the people, as they greedUy bought up and read the CHA P.
holy Scriptures, so sorae of thera provoked the King rauch, .

by taking upon them to expound and teach them, and by'^""" '^^•''•
quarrelling and calling one another papist and heretic; andtion™or
by reading the Bible in the church, during the tirae of ser- "ading it.
vice, with a loud voice, to the disturbance of the Priest and
others, and disputing of it in alehouses and taverns. These
were coraplaints before the act of the Six Articles came out.
Therefore the King being offended, set out a proclamation,
entitled, For an Uniformity In Religion. And because I
do not find any thing of this in our histories of the Re
formation, I shall set it down in the Appendix, frora a N". ex.
draught of the Cotton library, with the King's emendations
by bis own hand. This proclamation had the force of a
law, being, as it seems, the first proclamation the King is
sued out iraraediately after the Parliaraent now sitting had,
by an act, enjoined his proclaraations, raade with the advice
of his CouncU, to be obeyed and kept, as though they were
raade by act of Parliaraent. For in this very proclaraation
it is raentioned, how in the beginning of that Parliaraent
then sitting, by authority thereof, this was granted to his 355
Highness and his successors.
In this proclaraation, which carae out about the begin- The con
ning of May, being now equal with the law, the King com- ^^ '
manded, " that none should call one another papist or he-
" retic, unless they could prove the same, upon a great
" penalty. That none should teach or preach the Bible,
" but Curates or Graduates, or such as were licensed by the
" King, or the Lord Vicegerent, or the Bishop of the diocese.
" That none should read the Scripture openly in the church
" or elsewhere, to disturb divine service or mass. But how-
" ever, th.e King allowed all that would pr could, to read
" both the Old and New Testg,ment secretiy by theraselves,
" for their own edification. And that if they should doubt
" of any thing they read, they were not to raake their own
" expositions, but to resort for instruction to such as were
" learned in the holy Scriptures. And finaUy, he gave
" thera to understand, tiiat he was not bound by any law
N n 2

548 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " of God, to set forth the Scripture in English, but that it
¦ . " was his own pure liberality and goodness, to bring his

Anno 1539. " people frora their old ignorance to virtuous living.''
This proclaraation carae forth a little before the Six Ar
ticle act. For herein was an intiraation of that act, naraely,
" that tbe King was proceeding to a full order and reso-
" lution, to extinguish all diversities of opinion by terrible
" laws to be raade." Tbat word was used in the first
draught, raost truly to express those bloody laws ; though
the King thought fit by his own pen to change tbat word
into good and just, as raay be observed in the said procla
raation.
The King's T'he Counsellors of the Prince Elector, that is, the agents
at parting before spokeu of, having seen the raarriage with the Lady
with the Anne of Cleves consuraraated, which was January 6, re-
German . .
Ambassa- tumed borae, and told tbe Prince the happy news of it.
""¦ They also told thera what faraUiar coraraunication the King
held -with thera concerning other raatters : viz. " that he
" was wUling to enter into a league in honest causes with
" tbe Elector and Landgrave of Hesse, as he had made a
" league ¦with the Duke of Juliers ; and afterward he would
" treat with thera about entering into a league of rehgion.
" That as to tbat severe law of the Six Articles, they report-
" ed how the King did raoderate it, and that it was more
¦" sparingly put in execution ; that he protested how eam-
" estly he desired the Churches raight flourish in true doc-
" trine. That as to sorae articles wherein tbe King agreed
" not with thera, he desired that they would prove them
" upon good grounds, and send thera to hira, that he might
" the better consider thera, and consult with the learnedest
" of his Bishops and Divines about thera. And the truth
" being known, he would execute his office, and prefer hea-
" venly doctrine before the traditions of raen."
The Prince's The Prince soon after signified by letter unto the King,
the King. " that he with others tbe confederates thought weU of him,
" but were astonished at the Six Articles. That having
" extinguished the power and authority of the Bishop of
" Rome, tbey thought be would not have suffered others

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 549
"to have established errors brought into the Church by CHAP. XLVII
" the covetousness and arabition of those Bishops. But_

they understood it was done by tbe conspiracy and craft Anno issg.
" of certain of his Bishops. That in corapHance with the
" King, they had eraployed certain of their learned raen to 356
" gather authorities out of tbe Fathers for confirraation of
" four articles, viz. concerning the Mass; oi tbe use oi the
" whole Sacrament ; of the marriage oi Priests ; and of
" vows : and that with their letters they bad sent what
" their Divines had writ upon these subjects. They offered
" also to send their Divines to meet the English to confer
" together, to Geldria, or Haraburgh, or Brerae, or any
" other place the King should appoint. Or if he had ra-
" ther discourse with sorae of their learned raen face to
" face, they would send good raen and learned to him.
" They rejoiced, they said, at their affinity with him by
the marriage of the Queen, wished hira aU happiness by
it. They certified hira, tbat the Bishop of Rorae, and
" some others of his party, did atterapt certain things against
" hira. And so the Landgrave had signified to hira once
" before. For the preventing whereof, and for the more
" prudent watching himself, they told hira, the Gerraans
" raight be profitable to hira."
This letter was sent frora the Prince, being assembled
with the orators of other princes and states of the erapire,
confederates with hira for the reforraing of religion ; to
which the Eraperor had given thera sorae encourageraent.
This they thought convenient to acquaint the King with ;
that no false ruraours concerning it raight be spread, to oc
casion any jealousy in the King concerning their present
meeting. But I refer the reader to the perusal of the letter
itself, as I have reposited it in the Appendix. N». cxi.

cc

N n 5

550 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. XL VIII-
A commission to certain Bishops and Divines, to examine
the doctrines and ceremonies retained in the Church.
Errors spring up. The King- dissatisfied about his
marriage w'lth fhe Lady Anne of Cleves.
Anno 1540. J^j^ the 3'ear 1540. the King granted a coraraission (and
gerenfs ' go^ it coufirraed by act of Parhament) to several Bishops
speech be- and Other Di-rines, to examine the doctrines and ceremonies
Lords, con- then retained in the Church. Some of thera were to draw
cerning a ^p ^^ exposition of such things as were necessary for the
commis- . . . - .
sion- institution of a Christian raan. And others to examine
what ceremonies should be retained, and what was the use
of thera. The reasons of this coraraission the Lord Vice
gerent, April 12, when tbe Parharaent opened, did specify
in a speech to the House : namely, " the King's desire of
" an union ; and the rashness and Heentiousness of some,
" and the superstition and stiffness of others ; and some
" called Papists, and some heretics ; and that though the
" Scripture were now in the people's hand, yet they were
" grossly perverted by both sides. That the King leaned
" to neither side ; but set the pure and sincere doctrine of
" Christ before his eyes. And therefore was resolved to
" have it set forth to his subjects ¦without any corrupt
357 " raixtures, and to have dissent not continued, and abuses
" cut off, and the true use of cereraonies taught."
Their ap- The Lords approved of this, and of the persons named ;
pro a ion. .^^i^^^g names raay be seen in the History of the Reform
ation : and they ordered their days of sitting ; which were
three whole days in the week, and three half davs. And
in July a bill was brought in and agreed to, that whatso
ever these Bishops and Divines, coraraissionated by the
King, or others by hira appointed, should deterraine con
cerning tbe Christian faith, or the cereraonies, should be
beHeved and obeyed by all the King's subjects.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 551
The Divines the Kirig appointed in this coraraission, the CHAP.
statute calls, " the best learned, bonestest, and raost virtu-  '_

" ous sort of Doctors of Divinity, raen of discretion, judg- Anno 1540.
" raent, and good disposition." And concerning the King's gf^^i^j^'^J,"^'
intention by this coraraission, the sarae statute saith, " that mission, and
" according to the very Gospel and law of God, without ness.
" any partial respect of affection to the papistical sort, or
" any other sect or sects whatsoever, (these Commissioners)
" should declare by writing, and publish, as well the prin-
" cipal articles and points of faith, with the declaration,
" true understanding, and observation of such other points,
" as by them, with his Grace's advice and counsel, should
" be thought needful and expedient ; as also the lawful
" rites, ceremonies, and observation of God's service."
Much of what was done by the Bishops and Divines hath What was
been declared, partly in the History of the Reformation by^^^^g"^*^
Bishop Burnet, and partly in the Meraorials of Archbishop
Cranmer. There such as consult thera raay see the judg
ments of divers of these Coraraissioners under seventeen
questions, relating to the sacraraents ; and in several points
of faith. And divers other discourses fraraed by the said
Coraraissioners I have seen. The good way they took was
by Crurawel's and Cranraer's direction. Who foresaw, that
in these conferences between raen of such differing judg
raents, there would happen nothing but verbose janglings
and endless disceptations, and little would be concluded :
therefore tbey ordered, that each person, having certain
proper questions given hira in ¦writing, concerning the points
to be debated, should in writing also give in his answers
plainly and succinctly thereunto. The raatters oi faith Matters of
some whereof I shall set before the reader, were drawn up '*'' "
as a forra of doctrine, which should be esteeraed as the pub
hc judgraent and the professed doctrine of the Church of
England : as is plain from the phrases used in those writ
ings, viz. Docemus; Credimus. We teach; We believe. Some
of these I meet with in the Cotton library. Which I have cieop. E. 4.
digested into six articles : I. Of the Church. II. Of Insti-
N n 4

552 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, tution. III. Of the Eucharist. IV. Of Baptism. V. Of
^^^"'- Penance. VI. Of the use of tbe Sacraments. Which raay
Anno 1540. all be Seen at length in the Appendix, under this tide
N". cxii. yf]^[(.\^ I bave prefixed to thera, Quidam Doctrina Chris
tiana Articuli pro Ecclesia Anglicana.
The King Jt ig tg be noted, that in the article qffhe Church, which
make re- is the first, there be added some corrections under the King's
views. Q^^ hand ; but so bave none of the rest. The reason
whereof, I suppose, was this : it was tbe King's practice to
review all draughts of writings intended for the public,
358 whether they were proclamations, or acts of Parliament, or
state books ; and so he did in like matters relating to reli
gion, being hiraself a raan of learning. And then his cus
tom was to alter, correct, and add, according to his own
judgment, as be was rainded they should pass into the public.
And this article of tbe Church tbe King had already run
over, according to that his custora, with his own eye and
pen : and so possibly intended to do by the rest, as his lei
sure served.
Errors now Notwithstanding the care of the King about religion, and
sprung up. , ¦ (. p , • ¦ J
the severity ot sorae or his acts against sorae supposed
errors, yet divers greater and real errors and anabaptlsflcal
opinions crept in about these days into the realm : but the
King, being resolved to leave such as held them unto his
laws, excluded them bis general pardon at the conclusion
of this Parliaraent in July this year. The errors were these:
Statute " Tbat infants ought not to be baptized : and if they were
H'en'''vni. " baptized, that they ought to be rebaptized when they come
cap. 49. " to lawful age. That it is not lawful for a Christian raan to
" bear office or rule in the coraraonwealth. That no raan's
" laws ought to be obeyed. That it is not lawful for a
" Christian raan to take any oath before a Judge. That
" Christ took no bodily substance of our blessed Lady.
" That sinners after baptisra cannot be restored by repent-
" ance. That every raanner of death, with the tirae and
" hour thereof, is so certainly prescribed, appointed, and
" deterrained to every man by God, tbat neither any prince

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 653
" by his word can alter it, nor any raan by his own wilful- CHAP.
" ness prevent or change it. That all things be coraraon, ^^^^"'
" and nothing several." Anno 1540.
This year, April the 14th, the Convocation began their Convoca-
sitting. And Polydore Virgil, Archdeacon of Wells, pre
sented Richard Gwent, Dr. Decretorum, Archdeacon of
London, for Prolocutor. And May the 5tli was presented
at the synod the Lord Crurawel, Earl of Essex, Vicegerent ;
who expounded thera certain articles. And a subsidy was
granted by the Prelates. Prorogued till May 11. The day
following, the King's Vicegerent sat ¦with the Archbishops
and other Bishops. Before whora tbe Prolocutor spoke con
cerning the payraent of this subsidy, viz. being is. in the
pound ; besides the tenths yearly payable to his Majesty.
And that for their parts they had appointed six persons of
their own body, to transact and conclude with the Lords.
These were, the Prolocutor, Thurlby, Archdeacon of Ely,
Incent, one of the Clerks for Winton, Draycot for Lincoln,
Brerewood, a Canon of Exon, and David Pool, Chancellor
of Litchfield and Archdeacon of Salop.
Session 13. there carae upon the stage the King's great The busi-
and weighty business about the Lady Anne of Cleves. ^'^^^'of
The Clergy of both provinces being called together, the cieves he-
King sent thera a letter raissive : which being received and synod.
read in fuU Convocation, July tbe 5th, the Bishop of Win- ^^"^ °^
Chester expounded and declared the specialities or parts of
the causes of the invalidity or nuUity of the raatriraony pre
tended, publicly there and then to the whole corapany,
luculenta oratione. And consequently, for raore corapen-
dious and coraraodious expedition and search into the rae
rits and circurastances of the said business, with the coraraon
consent of the synod, it was decreed, that the whole busi
ness should be referred to the two Archbishops, the Bishops 3 59
of London, Durhara, Winchester, and Wigom. Who, to
gether with the Prolocutor, Thurlby, Incent, Dean of St.
Paul's, Richard Layton, Dean of York, Thoraas Magnus,
Archdeacon of the East Riding, Edward Legh, Thoraas
Robertson, and William Rivetj should receive, in the name

554 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, of theraselves and whole congregation and sacred synod,
"^^'''¦.all and singular the kinds of proofs whicb were in fact;

Anno 1540. and should with care and study exaraine, discuss, and with
an equal balance weigh thera : and thera so exarained and
weighed, publicly to declare and lay open to the said
synod. What the issue of this finally was, our historians
declare at length.
A Convoca- -While the Parliaraent was sitting, the King's marriage
Anne of ^wltb his present Queen, tbat was brought to hira frora Ger-
maiT^aee ™^ny about six raonth s ago, was declared to be nuU and
void; so that both the King and she were at Hberty to
raarry again. This the learned Bishops and Clergy of both
Houses defined July 9, at the said Convocation held at
Westminster, upon account of a precontract with the Duke
of Lorain's son, and because the King had never given his
full consent to this marriage, nor consummated the same by
knowing her carnally. This is one of the meraorable lines
of King Henry's life, and for which be is wont to be
charged. The particulars are at large set down by Bishop
Burnet in his History. But having under ray hand the
Inter MSS. whole process of this business in an authentic MS. in parch-
Eq.^Aun "^snt, I will here relate chiefly how . this was managed in
the Convocation House, wherein the foresaid historian is
but brief, and some other matters by him oraitted.
The King The Lady Anne of Cleves came to Rochester on New-
dissatisned , "^
about the year s-cve last past, at night. On New-year's-day, being
Lady Anne. Tijm-g^a^y^ the King privately visited her there: but he
spake not twenty words to ber. For she answered not the
character of beauty that was reported of her to the King.
At which be was rauch troubled, and signified as rauch to
those about hira: yet be acknowledged she was well and
seemly. On Friday the King returned by water ; havrag
first sent a present of sables to her by the Master of his
Horse. On Saturday she raade ber entrance into Green
wich, where tbe Court was, and the King waited upon her
to her charaber. And tbat day the King's CounseUors, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Dukes of Norfolk and Suf
folk, the Lord Admiral, the Lord Crumwel, and the Bishop

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 555
oi Durham, raet with the agents of Cleves, and treated with CHAP.
XLVIII
thera about their coraraission, and the perforraance of the  '__

covenants which the King had sent before to Dr. Wotton, Anno 1540.
his Arabassador at that Court, to have been concluded
there ; as also how the raatter stood for the covenants of
marriage between the Duke of Lorain's son and tbe Lady
Anne. Concerning both which, the said agents ha-ving no
satisfactory answer to raake, were rauch astonished and
abashed, and desired tirae to raake answer tUl the next raorn
ing. On Sunday raorning the counseUors and the agents
met accordingly, and they then could give no good answer
to either ; but only as to the contract, there had been a re
vocation raade ; and that they were but spousals. When
Crumwel had told tbe King the issue of this conference,
he said, he was not well handled, and that were it not that
she were come so far in his realra, and the great prepara^
tions that his estates and people had raade for ber, and fear- 360
ing a ruffle in the world, he would never raarry her. But,
considering these extremities, the King ad-vised, that the
lady should, before his CouncU and certain notaries, pro
test that she was free from all contracts- And this was
done accordingly by her. And on Monday (according to But yet
Crurawel's letter to the King) or Tuesday, (according to""*™^^ "'
the Duke of Suffolk's deposition,) the King was wedded to
her, she being conducted to the church by the Earl of
Essex, (Bourchier,) and another Earl that carae with her.
But as the King was going, being 3'et in his Charaber of
Presence, he told the Lord Crumwel, " that were it not to
" satisfy the world and his realm, he would not do that he
" must do that day, for none earthly thing."
On Monday (or rather Tuesday) night he bedded her. Complains
And on Tuesday (or rather Wednesday) raorning he de- ^^J!;^" '^''
clared to Crurawel his further dishke of her. For he had,
he said, felt her beUy and her breasts, and, as he should
judge, she should be no maid ; and added, he left her as
good a maid as he found her. And afterward he told
Crumwel, and she herself, by certain expressions to sorae
ladies about her, signified, that he never knew her cai-nally.

556 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. And the King, both in Lent, and at Easter, and at Whit-
^^^"^- suntide, laraented his fate to the Lord Crurawel, that he
Anno 1540. should never raore have any children for the corafort of the
realm, if he should so continue in marriage with this lady ;
and assured hira before God, tbat he thought she never
was bis lawful wife. Crurawel then said to the King, that
he would do his utraost to corafort and deliver his Grace of
his affliction. And since Whitsuntide the King told Crum
wel, tbat be had done as rauch to raove the consent of his
heart and raind as ever did raan, and tbat he took God to
witness the obstacle would never out of his mind.
The case fjjg Pariiament seeing it so near to touch the succession,
committed . -iiii-
to the Con- and observing withal bow this raarriage was in raany re
vocation, spects doubtful, by their desire and the King's allowance,
and the Queen's consent too, tbe raatter was brought before
tbe Convocation. To whora the King gave out a corarais
sion, to raeet and exaraine this business, charging them to
judge according to the best of their understandings, with
out any inclination to one part or other, and according to
justice and equity; and, "that ha-ving God only before
" their eyes, they should by authentic writing declare to
" hira what in this raatter was just, honest, and holy ; re-
" quiring this one thing of thera, that as faithful and good
" raerabers of the Church, they would in this great cause
" do according to justice and truth." This coraraission of
N°.CXIII. the King was dated July 6, and raay be found in the Ap
pendix.
The Convo- Accordingly on Wednesday July 7, in the chapter
house of St. Peter's, Westrainster, asserabled the most re
verend Fathers in Christ, Thoraas Archbishop of Canter
bury, and Edward Archbishop of York, and the reverend
Fathers of both provinces ;
Edraund, Bishop of London.
Cuthbert, Bishop of Durham.
Stephen, Bishop of Winchester.
John, Bishop of Lincoln.
Robert, Bishop of Carlisle.
Wilham, Bishop of St. David's.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 557
Robert, Bishop of Landaff. CHAP.
John, Bishop of Hereford.

John, Bishop of Wigorn. A"°° '=^''-
Robert, Bishop of St. Asaph.
Nicolas, Bishop of Rochester.
John, Bishop of Bangor.
There raet also the venerable and erainent raen, Richard 36l
Gwent, Archdeacon of London, Official of the Court of
Canterbury, and Prolocutor of the Lower House of the
Convocation of the Province of Canterbury, and the reve
rend Father Thoraas Thirieby, Doctor of Laws, Arch
deacon of Ely, designed Bishop of Westrainster; accom
panied with
John Incent, Dean of St. Paul's, London.
Peter Vanne, Dean of Sarum.
John Taylor, Dean of Lincoln.
Henry WUliaras, Dean of Litchfield.
Siraon Heynes, Dean of Exeter.
Rich. Layton, Dean of York.
And these Archdeacons ;
Edraund Cranraer, Archdeacon of Canterbury.
Richard Rawson, Archdeacon of Essex.
Richard Coren, Archdeacon of Colch. and Oxon.
Thoraas Baghe, Archdeacon of Surrey.
Edward Leighton, Archdeacon of Sarura.
Maurice Gruffith, Archdeacon of Rochester.
John Worthial, Archdeacon of Cicester.
Polydore Virgil, Archdeacon of Wells.
Richard Strete, Archdeacon of Darby.
David Pole, Archdeacon of Salop.
Thoraas Winter, Archdeacon of Cornwal.
George Hennege, Archdeacon of Taunton.
Griffin Leyson, Archdeacon of Caermerden.
Thoraas Runcorn, Archdeacon of Bangor.
Thoraas Westby, Archdeacon of York.
Thoraas Magnus, Archdeacon of East Riding.
John Langriche, Archdeacon of Cleveland.

558 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Robert Davel, Archdeacon of Northuraberland.
XLVIII. Wilham HolgUl, Archdeacon of Carlisle.

Anno 1540. Together with tbe Clergy of both provinces in great mul
titude. And first, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared
the cause of tbeir raeeting or council. Tben did Richard
Gwent, Archdeacon of London, present to the Archbishops
and Bishops, and tbe rest of tbe Clergy, the King's commis-
sional letters. Whicb were read by Anthony Hussey, No
tary Public, in tbe presence also of Thoraas Argal, Notary
Public.
Bishop Gar- And then Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, raanaged the
^¦'"^'^toft^e business on the King's part ; and in an oration expounded
House. and declared to tbe whole corapany the particular causes of
the invalidity or nullity of the pretended raarriage. Next, for
The case a raore compendious and coraraodious despatch and search
"couunit- ^°^o ''^^ raerits and circurastances of tbe said raatter, by the
tee- common consent of tbe synod, it was decreed, that tbe two
Archbishops, Edmund Bishop of London, Cuthbert of
Durhara, Stephen of Winchester, and John of Wigorn,
and the venerable raen, Richard Gwent, Thomas Thirieby,
John Incent, Edward Leighton, Thomas Robertson, and
Willara Rivet, Doctors of Divinity and Law, and Thomas
Magnus, should, instead and in tbe names of all the rest,
take all and singular the proofs of fact touching or concern
ing the raerits of tbe said raatter ; and should examine,
discuss, and in an equal balance weigh and consider them ;
and so to report and declare thera, as the nature and
quality of the business, and the necessity and use of the
thing required : and thera so norainated, ordained, and ap
pointed, to do and despatch all and singular things in that
behalf necessary, or anv ways seasonable.
Their pro- Which being done, the Clergy of tbe Lower House de-
cee ings. parted frora the chapter house, the Prolocutor, the Elect
of Westrainster, the Dean of York, the Dean of St. Paul's,
Richard [Edward] Leighton, Thomas Robertson, and
362 Thoraas Magnus, reraaining. And the said Archbishops
and Bishops and venerable men consulting together, upon

UNDER KING HENRY VlII. 559
the raanner and forra for the quieter despatch of tiiis affair, CHAP.
at length unaniraously agreed, that the Bishops of Durham ^^^ "'
and Winchester, and the Prolocutor, the Elect of West- Anno iS40-.
minster, and the Dean of York, in the stead and names of
them and the whole synod, should call what witnesses tbey
would, and give them their oaths, and take their evidence,
and certify the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of tbe depo
sitions. Then the synod was adjourned by the Bishop of
Canterbury until and between the hours of six and" eight in
the morning the next day. And the said Bishops and
Clergy were warned to be present that day, to proceed fur
ther in this business. This being done, the Bishops of
Durhara and Winton, the Prolocutor, the Elect of West
minster, and the Dean of York, in the presence of John
Rhese, Register to the King's Majesty for ecclesiastical
causes, and Richard Watkins, by the King's authority^
Prothonotary, and Anthony Hussey, Principal Register to
the Archbishop of Canterbury, between the hours of one
and six in tbe afternoon, repaired to the King's palace
near Westrainster ; and there took the depositions of the
Lord Awdely of Waiden, Lord Chancellor ; Thoraas Duke
of Norfolk ; Charles Duke of Suffolk ; WUHara Earl of
Southarapton, Keeper of the Privy Seal ; John Lord Rus-
rel. Great Admiral of England ; Anthony Brown, Master
of the Horse ; Knights of the Garter, the Lord George
Cobhara, Sir Thoraas Heneage, Sir Thomas Wriothesley,
the King's Secretary ; Anthony Denny, Esq. and Williara
Butts, Doctor of Physic ; and John Charabers, the King's
Physician, his deposition was taken at his house in Chanon
Row ; and the next day Mr. PhiUip Hoby was deposed be
fore tbe Elect of Westrainster. Which depositions raay be
found in the Appendix. N». cxiV.
The said day, being Thursday, the said Commissioners The decree.
and Clergy of both provinces, according to the foresaid ap
pointment, met again in the presence of all the Notaries
Public in the chapter house. And then and there, that
the business might be the more diligently and maturely
finished, they joined to tbe foresaid eight, John Tregon-

560 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, wel, John Oliver, WiUiara Peter, and John Hughes, Doc-
^^^"^- tors of Law. Now were brought in tbe depositions by the
Anno 1540. Bishop of Winchester, and sorae other public instruments
having reference to the aforesaid cause. Tben tbe Arch
bishops, Bishops, and the rest, who were specially deputed
to exaraine and discuss the raerits and raore secret raatters
of that cause, corapared tbe proofs and raerits thereof.
Then, after sorae space of tirae, all tbe Prelates and Clergy
being together, asserabled in tbe said chapter-house, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, with the consent of the rest,
adjourned the said synod until three of the clock of the
afternoon of the sarae day. At which tirae all asserabling,
after tbey had raaturely handled and digested araong them
selves the merits of the said cause, they did publicly and
unanimously, not one disagreeing, assert and affirm, that
tbey found by the proofs and arguraents concerning the
premises, that the King's Majesty neutiquam matrimonio
pratenso cum dicfa Dom. Anna, ut pramlffifur, confracfo
ef solemnlzafo alligatum esse, sed ad aliunde mafrimmilum
cum quavls alia persona idonea, divino jure haud prohi
bifa, llberum esse, &c. I. e. " was not bound by the pre-
" tended marriage contracted and soleranized with the said
363 " Lady Anne, but was free to raarry elsewhere with any
" other fit person, not forbid by God's law ; and that the
" raost serene Lady Anne in like raanner was not at all
" bound by the said pretended raatriraony, not to contract
" raarriage elsewhere with whatsoever fit raan she would,
" not prohibited by God's law, notwithstanding the pre-
" tended raatriraony contracted and solemnized de facto be-
" tween her and the King-"
The letters And then further decreed, that letters testimonial or cer-
the King, tificatory should be drawn up and sent to the King con
cerning tbe sarae, shewing their decision and the causes
thereof And tbat these letters raight be the better and
raore plainly composed, tbe care thereof was left to the said
six Archbishops and Bishops, and the twelve other persons
above raentioned. And then tbe Archbishop adjourned the
synod till eight of the clock the next day, being Friday.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 561
And that day they meeting, the Archbishop again ad- CHAP.
joumed thera till three in the afternoon. At which time.

the letters testimonial or certificatory, containing the judg-^""" '^*'°-
ment of the whole synod upon the invalidity of the mar
riage, being drawn in parchraent, in form of a public in
struraent, were subscribed by thera, as well by theraselves
as by the proctors of sorae of the Prelates and Clergy that
were absent ; and were sealed with the two Archbishops'
seals, in the presence of Tregon wel, Oliver, Peter, and
Hughs, being witnesses. I shall give no further account of Vol. i.
this letter, it being exeraphfied in Bishop Burnet's History. __ jg^^ '

CHAP. XLIX.

The Lord CrumweVs end. His merits. Persecution upon
the Six Articles.
-L HE affairs of the religion received this year a very fatal Crumwel'sdeath and
blow by the taking off the Lord Crumwel, Earl of Essex, character.
and Lord Vicegerent : brought about by the means of the
Bishop of Winchester and the popish faction. His high Sir w. Cec.
honours and offices were these among others, as I collect n^i.
thera frora a MS. journal of CecU's. He was created Lord
Crurawel, April 18, 1539. The Lord Herbert notes it to
be July 9. that year. The next year he was created Earl
of Essex; and was Lord Vicegerent, Lord Privy Seal,
Lord High Charaberlain, Chancellor of the Chequer, Jus
tice of the Forests. He was a raan whose raerits raised
hira from a very low degree. And as he was a sincere fa
vourer of the Gospel, so he was very zealous and very ho
nest in doing the King his master's work, and sometimes
his drudgery ; as in the dissolution of religious houses, and
the severe execution of such as complied not with the
King's divorce and bis raarriage, and the rejection of the
Papal supremacy ; which begat him raany eneraies, by whora
he was overwhelraed at last. He retained many persons of
^eat quickness and abihties, and preferred thera to the 364
VOL. 1. o o

562 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. King, who employed them in his frequent messages and
^^^^- despatches abroad into other kingdoms.
Anno 1540. Among other reraarks of the Lord Crurawel, this may
Worthy ^jg one, that he preferred raore raen of worth and integrity,
frrr"ed"by whether Lay or Clergy, in his time, than any other in great
his means, pjace and favour at Court had done. Of which Latymer,
Bishop of Worcester, upon some such favour shewn by him
to two gentlemen, takes notice in a letter to the said Crum
wel, in the year 1538, to this tenor :
Bishop La- " Right Honourable, salufem in Salvafore. Sir, I have
CrumweL *' to thank your good Lordship for many things; and now
*' a late, for your singular goodness shewed, as I understand,
" to Mr. Lucy, a right good gentleraan ; and also towards
" Mr. Acton, another of the sarae sort. But of this my
" duty more at raore leisure. And yet thus rauch now I
" ,will say, and not say it alone, but with raany, that your
" Lordship (one raan) haye proraoted raany raore honest
" raen, since God proraoted you, than have raany raen done
" before your tirae, though in like authority with you.
•" Tanquam non tibi natus soli, sed mulforum commodo.
" Efficiat, qui omnia facif ut in eandem fidem diufissimh
" vivat dominafio fua, uf sic infer nobiles nobllissimus
-" evadas. ¦Quod quidem nihil esse possif noblllus, quam bo-
** nos vvros evehere, malos autem reprimere. Id quod flbi
" hactenus usu venif, plus omnibus facere."''
Thomas Araong the rest, I will mention one who is scarcely taken
Crumwel's notice of by our historians. It was Thomas Barnabie, a
servant. merchant. He first became known to Crumwel by solicit
ing his own case at the Court, about two of his ships that
had been taken by some French pirates; notwithstanding
he bad the King's safe conduct of trading into aU parts
and in all coraraodities, hiraself, bis servants, and attorneys.
Crurawel observing hira a raan of parts, and fit for despatch
of business, and particularly weU acquainted with France,
and tbe ports and havens thereof, raade use of hira at first,
to send over thither with raessages to the arabassadors, to
be despatched by thera back again ; and recommended him
to the King. And in these services of the Prince, to and

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 563
from the Courts of France, Spain, and Italy, he raade CHAP.
eight and twenty voyages. In the year 1524. he raarried a.

wife in France; and was alive in 1552. By this long ac-Anno 1S40.
quaintance with France, he knew every port, haven, and
bay, between BuUoign and Bourdeaux. Once in discourse
with the said Lord Crumwel about France, he raentioned a
way to hira to distress that realra ; namely, by getting New New Haven.
Haven from thera, (now called Havre de Grace,) a town,
in which, as he said, in his reraerabrance there were but
three houses ; two of thera to lay cables and anchors in,
and the other a victualling house. But the French King
knew what a place of iraport it was, being the gulf, gul
let, and ihouth of the sea; whicb raade him labour all
he could to people and fortify it. So that it soon became
exceedingly populous, and lived much upon piracy. Which
the French King winked at, and called them Ms mariners
and his thieves. It lay so, the channel laying on that side
of his land, between Polhed and that haven, that no mer
chandises, of what realra soever it carae, but raust corae
that way, and nothing could come out of those parts of
France, the comraodities of Roan, the ¦wines of Paris, Or
leans and Bayon, to go to any other parts, but raust pass 365
that way. And that no array that the French King could
send to Scotland, or to victual his arraies for the sea, but
all was set forth there. There was one of the wittiest heads
in all Christendom of a merchant shewed Barnabie, once
standing there together, that the English needed no other
rod to scourge Normandy and France, but only that. All
this Barnabie discoursed to Crumwel. Who thereupon
sent him thither upon the King's cost, and he drew a plat
form of it, and brought it to hira. The French King was
there at the same time, and the Admiral Biron, and the
Constable, for nine days, to view it, and to cast its ditches.
And moreover they raade a proclaraation, that whosoever
would corae and build there at New Haven should have
his foundation, and cost hira nothing. After his coraing
horae, Crumwel conferred the matter ¦with him, and the
Lord Fitz WUliaras, then Lord Adrairal, better than three
oo2

564 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, or four hours, viewing the platforra ; and said, that if he
^'^'^- lived, and that wars should happen, that should surely
Anno 1 540. be reraerabered- And so preferred hira to the King and
his business. Which he perforraed faithfully, or else had
never been eraployed so often as he was.
¦Well ac- He was eraployed all the while the Bishop of Winchester
^^i','"'^ and Sir John Wallop were Arabassadors in France ; and
France. likewise afterward, when the Bishop of London and the
Lord Paget were Arabassadors. Few raen were so well ac
quainted with the French Court, being despatched thither
by the English Arabassadors for any by-raatters, when the
King's privy affairs obliged not the Arabassadors to wait
upon the Court theraselves. Hereby he carae to know weU
the Chancellor, the Cardinal of Lorain, the Cardinal of
Paris, the Adrairal, the Constable.
Hated by JJe stuck close to Crumwel, who sent hira divers times
AVinchcstcr ' '
for Crum- to the Bishop of Winchester, and WaUop, Arabassadors in
well's sake, j-pance, (as was said afore,) but they could not endure
hira, knowing hira to be Crurawel's creature ; and once
they told the Constable of France, that he was Crumwel's
spy. This Constable was a notable favourite in the French
Court in those tiraes : one of the doublest and raost dissem
bling gentleraen in the world ; and no raore assurance to be
taken of his words than to hold an eel by the tail. He
would speak fair and proraise fair, and work tbe contrary.
And because he was very popish, Winchester and WaUop
loved hira well. This Barnabie often brought raatters to
Winchester, while Arabassador, concerning the King's pro
ceedings in religion ; which he could not well away ¦withal,
nor bis Secretary Jerman Gardiner. When Crurawel died,
be had raany a heavy look of Wallop ; who said to him
that his great god was gone, and that there were none be
longing to hira but spies and heretics.
Lamenu This Barnabie was alive in the days of King Edward ;
the nefflect -, . , •/ o
of shipping and in the year 1552, in a letter to Secretary Cecyl, (whence
inEngiaud. J j^ave extracted raost of the forraer relation,) did very
earnestly laraent the neglect of shipping in England, and
that we were so much outdone by France- Whereby all our

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 565
ports becarae neglected ; and did propound very ingenious CHAP.
ways for the furthering of trade, e^s we shall read, when we_

corae to the annals of that year. Anno 1540.
August the 10th, (the next raonth after Crurawel's 366
death,) the thirty-second of the King, that is, in this year J^^^ "^^"^^^
1540, an order was set down for the nuraber of Counsellors, of the Privy
and in what precedency they were to sit; I have it out of 1^°^
a journal of Sir Will. Cecil's own keeping : viz. the Arch
bishop of Canterbury; Lord Awdly, Lord Chancellor;
the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Treasurer ; the Duke of Suf
folk, Great Master and President of the Council ; the Earl
of Southarapton, Lord Privy Seal ; the Earl of Sussex,
Great Charaberlain ; Edward, Earl of Hertford ; Lord
Russel, Lord Adrairal ; the Bishop of Duresra ; the Bi
shop of Winton; Lord Sandes, Lord Charaberlain; Sir
Tho. Cheney, Treasurer; Sir WUHara Kingston, Corap-
troUer ; Sir Anthony Brown, Master of the Horse ;
Sir Anthony Wyngfield, Vice-charaberlain ; Sir Thoraas
Wrythsley, Secretary ; Sir Ralph Sadleyr, Secretary ; Sir
Rich. Rych, ChanceUor of the Exchequer ; Sir John Baker,
Chancellor of the Augraentation.
Upon the Six Articles, coraraissions were granted out by Prosecution
the King to the Bishops, and tbeir Chancellors and Offi- s-^jj^rticies.
cials, and to all Justices of Peace, Mayors, and Sheriffs in
every shire, and otbers naraed in the sarae comraissions ;
to inquire diligently upon all heretical books, and to burn
them, and upon all persons suspected of such felonies,
contempts, or transgressions against the act of the Six Ar
ticles. To London, and the diocese thereof, was a particular commis-
coraraission sent for this purpose. The Coraraissioners J'"""* '""^
tr r London.
were the Bishop of London, Roche the Maycw, Allen,
Warren, Richard Gresbara, Knights and Alderraen, Roger
Cholraley, Knight, Sergeant at Law, John Gresham, Mi
chael Dormer, the Archdeacon of London, the Bishop's
Coraraissary, Chidley, Crayford, Edward HaU, Brook,.
Morgan. And that these raight be sure to do their office, a
letter was procured frora the King to Boner the Bishop, or
oo3

566 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, his Coraraissary, to give aU these tbeir oaths for the execu-
XLIX. |.JQQ of the gaid act. The forra of which oath was pre-
Anno 1 540. scribed in that act. The Bishop accordingly, at GuUd-
haU, adrainistered the said oath to thera. And then the
jury were sworn; when the Bishop adraonished thera to
spare none. So in all parishes throughout London almost,
some were suraraoned and accused, and brought into trou
ble, to the nuraber of near two hundred. Several also of
Calais, and of divers other quarters, were brought into
trouble. So tbat aU the prisons in London were too little
to hold thera. Insorauch that they were fain to bestow
thera in tbe halls of London. But by the raeans of the
'"'"'» Lord Awdley, Lord ChanceUor, they were bound for one
another to appear in the Star-chamber the next day after ;
being by this means rescued frora the hands of the Bishop
and Coraraissioners. And then none appearing against
them, they were all discharged. This must be recorded for
one of the good deeds of that Chancellor.
Prisoners Of these prisoners were Grafton and Whitchurch, the
act. printers of the Bible, and divers Parsons and Curates ; one
nameless, a Scotch friar, driven out of his country. Curate
of St. Catharine Colraan : the Parson and Curate of St.
Antholin's: Thoraas Cappes, Priest of the church of St.
Mary Magdalen, Old Fish-street, for saying, that fhe Sa
crament qf fhe Alfar was a memory qf fJie Lords death :
Hardiraan, Priest, Parson of St. Martin's, Ironmonger-
SG"!^ lane, for preaching, that confession was confusion and de
formation, and that fhe iutcherly ceremonies qf fhe Church
were to be abhorred; that In making fhe sacraments qf
such virtue, they take fhe glory qf God from him; and,
that faith in Christ is sufficient without any ofher sa
craments, fo justify : Richard Bostock of Algate, for say
ing, auricular confession had killed more souls than all
the bills, clubs, and halters had done, since King Henry
was Klng_ qf England ; and fhaf water In fhe Thames had
as much virtue as the water fhe Priest did hallow: Tho
raas Lancaster of St. Katharine's, Priest, for compUing and
bringing over books prohibited: Ward, a friar, for mar-

UNDER KING HENRY VIII, 567
rying a wife: Wilcox, a Scotch friar, for preaching CHAP.
against confessions, holy water, praying to saints, purga^.

tory, &c. John Taylor, D- D. of St. Peter's in Cornhill ; An^o i.54o.
Wilham Tolwin, Parson of St. Anthony's ; Robert Wis
dora, parish Priest of St. Katharine's in Lothbury ; Tho
mas Becon, George Parker, Parson of St. Pancrase ; John
Birch, Parson of St. Buttolph's-lane ; Alexander Seton, a
Scotchman, and famous preacher; he was the Duke of
Suffolk's Chaplain, and preached soraetirae at St. An
thony's. To these I add Dr. Crorae of Alderraary, and
South, parish Priest of AUhallow's, Lurabard-street ; and
Some, a Priest.
By the severity of this act of the Six Articles, rauch ri
gor was used towards such as espoused principles raore
agreeable to the Gospel. The Germans had a great com
passion for them. As appeareth by what followeth. Mar
tin Bucer, a learned Divine of the first rank in Germany,
and Professor of Divinity in Strasburgh, being entreated by
his friends in England, did earnestly deal with the Elector
of Saxony and Landgrave of Hesse, tbat Melancthon might
go into England, (whose presence the King had so earn
estly before desired,) in hopes that the King might be pre
vaUed upon by his raeans to abrogate or raitigate that
sanguinary law. But the Elector in the raonth of October
answered, " That he was certain in his conscience, that for Endeavours
" four or five years he oraitted nothing that might help ^'^ny to^'
" the cause of religion in England ; that he raaintained at mitigate
" Wittenburgh the Bishop of Hereford [i. e. Fox} at his guinary
" great charge. And that he [that Bishop] was sufficiently ^™-
" instructed in the heads of the faith; and that he carried per Seck-
" all to his King ; but yet there carae no answer. That in '"^
" the year 1538. he sent Burcard and Boynberg; and
" again, 1539, hira and Baarabach ; but obtained nothing.
" That the King continually delayed ; and after so many
" delays, privately had a synod with his Bishops ; and
" raade a defect from his purpose of reforraation with great
" precipitancy, they, the Protestants, not being privy to it."
o o 4

568 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. And he thought it to no purpose now to send Melancthon,
^^^^- things being corae to that extreraity.

Anno 1 540. Jn this year, July 30, without any trial, or sentence of
Dr. Barnes conderanation, or calling hira to answer, and two others with
hira, was Dr. Barnes burnt at Sraithfield, once Prior of the
Augustine's in Carabridge ; a learned raan, well known to
the King, and rauch eraployed by him and tbe Lord Crum
wel in embassies abroad, especially to Gerraany. He was
the great restorer of good learning in Carabridge, about the
year 1525 and 26, putting those students of his bouse
upon reading good classic authors, instead of the schoolmen -
Bilney converted Barnes wholly unto Christ. Mr. Stafford,
368 a pious learned raan, and public Reader of Divinity, an
swered Barnes for his forra to be raade Bachelor in Di-
Lcarning vinity. By the raeans of this raan, and some few others in
brought that University, many became godly learned ; who shewed
iTm *^k"" themselves, and flocked together in open streets, in the
his means. Schools, and at serraons in St. Mary's, and at St. Austin's,
and at other disputations. Tbey were chiefly of Perabroke
hall, St. John's college, Peter house. Queen's college. King's
coUege, GonweU hall, and Bennet college. The names of
sorae of thera (for their naraes deserve to stand in record)
were these, besides Barnes and Stafford and Bilney afore
said : Dr. Thixtel, or Thissel ; Thoraas Allen, of Perabroke ;
Dr. Farraan, of Queen's ; Mr. Took, Mr. Loude, of Ben
net; Mr. Carabridge, Field, Colraan, Coverdale, Bache
lors of Divinity; Parnel, of St. Austin's, under Bames;
Thoraas Arthur, Dr. Warner, Segar Nicolson, uncertain of
what college ; Rodolph Bradford, of King's ; Dr. Smith, of
Trinity hall. To which we raust add Latyraer of Christ's
coUege.
"^e^iers mMt 1'hese and a great raany raore raet often at a house caUed
together, the White Horse, to confer together with others, in raockery
called Gerraans ; because tbey conversed much in the books
of the Divines of Germany brought thence. This house was
chose, because those of King's college. Queen's college, and
St. John's, might corae in at the back-side, and so be the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 569
more private and undiscovered. Warner before mentioned CHAP.
YT TV"
was an acquaintance of Bilney's at Cambridge, and being .

Parson of Winterton, was present with hira at bis burning Anno 1540.
at Norwich ; whora he chose to be with hira then, to com
fort hira.
And that I raay here take in (though it be a digression) Gospellers
what progress the other University of Oxford raade about ["Jes^^t
the sarae tirae also in religion; Thoraas Garret, Curate of Oxon.
Honey-lane, London, and who was burnt in the same fire ''*"^*-
with Dr. Barnes, was the great instrument thereof there.
Who brought thither sundry books in Latin, treating of
the Scripture, with the first part of Unio Dlssldentium,
and Tyndal's first translation of the New Testament;
which was about the year 1525. or 1526; which books he
sold at Oxon, and dispersed them among the students.
Cardinal Wolsey and the Bishop of London had intelli
gence of this man, and that he had a number of these here
tical books, as they caUed them, and that he was gone to
Oxford to vend them ; and a privy search was intended to
be raade for hira in that University. But one Cole, of
Magdalen college, afterwards Cross-bearer unto the Cardi
nal, gave secret warning of this to a friend or two of Gar
ret's, and advised thera to persuade hira to be gone. And
now a great many in Oxon became suspected in religion ;
as they might well be ; for they fell very hard upon read
ing these books, and gathered much light in religion frora
thera ; namely, Delaber, of Alban hall ; Clark, Sumner,
Bets, Taverner, Radley, Frith, Cox, Drura, and others, of
St. Frideswyde's college, or the Cardinal's college, now
Christ's Church; Udal and Diet, and others, of Corpus
Christi; Eeden of Magdalen college; others of Glocester
college ; two Monks of St. Austin's, of Canterbury, named
Lungport ; and John Salisbury, of St. Edmond's Bury ;
two White Monks of Bernard coUege ; two Canons of St.
Mary's coUege, one whereof was Robert Farrar, afterwards
a Bishop and a raartyr ; and divers raore.
Insorauch that a coraraission was sent down hither to3gg
make diligent search for books, and for such as read them.

570 Memorials ecclesiastical
CHAP. °^ favoured the Gospel. The chief of these inquisitors
XLiX. were Dr. Cotisford, Master of Lincoln college. Commissary

Anno 1540. then of the University; Dr. London, Warden of New Col
lege; and Dr. Higdon, Dean of St. Frideswide. In fine.
Fox, such as were taken were raade go in procession, and to
''¦ ¦ raake tbeir recantation; and as they passed by Carfax,
were raade to cast a book into a fire there kindled, in token
of their repentance.
Barnes viiv^ But to retum to Barnes : it was not enough to take away
dicated by . ,.« t- n i» i - -
Coverdal*. his Hfe, but one Standish, a Fellow of Whittington coUege,
) ¦wrote a scurrilous book against him, refuting what he had
said iraraediately before bis burning. Which his friend and
old acquaintance, Coverdale, answered, and justified the
deceased raartyr.
Rob. ¦Wis- Araong divers of the Clergy of London taken up this
*""' year, Robert Wisdora was one, as afore was said. This
raan was a very painful setter forth of true religion; of
whora we have spoken soraewhat in tbe Meraorials of Arch
bishop Cranraer ; to which in this place we will add some
what raore. He wrote an exposition upon the Ten Com
raandments. For divers passages in which book he was put
into Lollard's tower by the Council. And being convented
before thera, they laid to his charge certain texts of Scrip-
His doc- ture in that book. One was, " Babes, keep yourselves from
" images. Hence tbey said, he was guUty of heresy, be-
" cause by that text he shewed he was for destroying all
" iraages. Another thing they laid against hira was, that he
" said. That at fhe day qf judgment Christ would reward
" only qf mercy and not qf merit. That all traditions
" qf men should be plucked up iy the roots. That man
" hafh no free will fo do good. He spake against invo-
" cation and praying to saints, and against censing in the
" church, and other cereraonies : against trental raasses, and
" that tbey profited not souls departed. That he advised
" his parishioners to take the Scripture into their hands,
" when they raet together on Sundays and holydays in the
" alehouse, to talk and comraune of it. That he said, he
" trusted to see the day, when maids should sing the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 571
" Scriptures at their wheels, and ploughmen at their ploughs. CHAP.
" That he said, we had a living Christ, and not a Christ of _ ^^^^•

" clouts. That souls departed do not come again, and walk. Anno 1540.
" and play at bo-peep with us. Item, That every one of us
" ought to bear one another's burdens, as in the body the
" bones strengthen and maintain the flesh. And that there
" was no difference of meats."
These were the articles, in number thirteen, laid against
hira. Which frora LoUard's tower he declared his sense and
raeaning of in a letter. I refer the readers to the Appendix, n°. cxv.
where they shall find it at large. Which being so very weU
penned a discourse, and shewing the good learning and abi
lities of this reverend raan, I was willing to preserve it.
Out of it I shaU observe at present only one or two things.
One was, that he foretold of the Reformation under King Foretells
Edward. Where speaking of the abolishing of the Roman t*"* ^*.'
Bishop, and the dissolution of raonasteries, and the forbid
ding all pardons frora Rorae, he added, " that the residue
" of all the Roraan irapostures raust needs fall, though all
" the Papists should set to their shoulders, and lift and un-
" derprop, tiU they burst. And this I say in the word of the 370
" Lord, that the day wUl corae, when the very root of all
" Popery, even your masses, shall be plucked up." And in
the margin he wrote. Note this, for if will come to pass,
and that shortly. Another matter I observe in his letter is,
the reason why he advised people, when they were at the
alehouse, to take the Scripture and talk of it. Which one
Leswel, sent down into Essex to hear hira preach on Easter
Thursday, informed against him, that he then so taught.
To which the Bishop, rebuking hira for so saying, told
him, that people, when they are drunk, will handle the
Scripture unreverently ; and that rauch mischief may corae
of it. He answered, " That therefore he exhorted to have
" the Scripture then especially read and heard, that they
" raight, for the fear of that, abstain frora excess and drunk-
" enness." Two years before this, he was again in trouble before Troubled
the Bishop of London ; and several things are entered in

572 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the Bishop's register concerning hira : that was the time, I
. suppose, when he bare a fagot.

Anno 1540. And now two years after, they extracted out of the same
register raatter against hira ; though the Bishop then swore
by his baptisra, tbat Wisdora slwuld never hear of it more.
He lived to better tiraes ; for be was Archdeacon of Ely,
and one of tbe faraous synod in 1562, and died 1568.
Hunting- About this time one John Huntingdon, a zealous priest
and' poet, and poet, compUed a poera, entitled, 7%c Genealogy qf
Heretics ; raentioning only the naraes of such godly men
as bad been no friends to the Pope ; and no other heretics
were once touched at, as if there were no heretics but such
as opposed the Pope. By this Huntingdon, and two more
Priests, was one Seton, a Scotch friar, and an exceUent
preacher in London, detected and informed against. But
Huntingdon was afterwards converted to the same doctrine
hiraself, notwithstanding these his present oppositions.
There were raany other poets of this strain, that appeared
sorae years before, who vented aU their ¦wit against such as
professed and loved the Gospel, and were eneraies to the
Popish Pope: v'lz. Thoraas Sraith, Richard DaUison, WUliam
poets. . ,
Im. of both Sta-wne, Stephen Prowet, Friar Adrian, Quarry the par-
Churches. ^Quej. . whom WUHam Bale calls. Popish poets and dirty
metrisfs.
Annois4i. In the thirty-third year of the King, which faUs in with
TheKing's tbe year of our Lord 1541, the supremacy was gone
owned in through with in the kingdom of Ireland. For then the
Ireland. Q jsjg^ls, O RcHes, O Bu'us, O Carols, and other old Irish
famihes, and tbe English farailies of tbe Desraonds, Barries,
Roches, Bourks, (whose posterities do stUl continue zealous
Roraanists,) did raake their subraissions by indenture to Sir
Anthony SeUenger, then chief governor of that kingdom ;
wherein they acknowledged King Henry to be their sove
reign Lord, and confessed the King's supreraacy in all
causes, and utterly renounced the jurisdiction of tiie Pope;
Justvindic.as Brarahal, the learned Archbishop of Armagh, extracted
' "'"' ¦ out of the councU book of Ireland.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 573

CHAP. L. 371
A new Convocation. Bible in folio printed. The Bishop
qf Winton's interposition in a controversy risen in Cam
bridge, about pronouncing fhe Greek. The Convocation
meets again. Persecution af Oxford. The Necessary
Erudition.
January the 20th, 1541, began a new Convocation. Anno 1541.
When the Archbishop landed at Paul's Wharf, and went A Convoca-
thence on foot, the cross being carried before hira to the business to
church of St. Paul's. Bishop Boner said high raass : Dr. cpnsuit
^ . ° . about.
Cox, Archdeacon of Ely, preached a Latin serraon. His
text, Vos estis sal terra: Gwent, Archdeacon of London,
chosen again Prolocutor, was presented by Nic. Wotton,
Dean of Canterbury. The Archbishop confirraed the choice.
And then signified unto all, that it was the King's inten
tion that the Fathers, the Prelates and Clergy there assera
bled, should consult de rebus religionis lapsis ef ruenfibus; Extr. of
and to deliberate araong theraselves of providing fit rerae- S? '^"^ p'
dies : and what they should think fit to be reforraed and Episc. Roff.
corrected, to correct and reform the same araong thera
selves. Declaring to thera further, that raany things in the
Old and New Testaraent, translated into the English lan
guage, wanted reforraation. And further the said Archbi
shop would, that the Prolocutor with the Clergy should
betake theraselves to the Lower House, and discourse
araong themselves concerning examination of the said books.
And that sorae skilful persons should be appointed to turn
over the canons and other laws for the shunning and re
straining of siraony.
In this synod also the good Archbishop treated about Matters
making of homilies ; and likewise of translating the several the Archbi-
books of the Bible. And the books were particularly deli- ^''"p '" *''^
. iiT 1 synod.
vered to certain Bishops to be translated. In another ses
sion, he spake also concerning the same ; and concerning
persons to be nominated to translate their parts. And in
the session the next day, (viz. sess. 6.) he moved the trans-

574 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, lating into English the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed,
^- and the Ten Coraraandments. And raany words inserted.
Anno 1541. to be exarained bow they raight aptly be translated into the
vulgar tongue. In this synod the Archbishop also signi
fied his pleasure of raaking sorae statutes or laws against
adulterers, perjured persons, and blaspheraers of the name
of God. And tbat he would exhibit his conceptions thereof
in writing. Discourse also was entered into of some other
things to be reforraed : as, concerning the Lord's Prayer,
the Angel's Salutation, the Creed, tbe Ten Coraraandments :
namely, of teaching them the people, and ordinary sort.
And here at another session, the Bishop of Winton read
what Latin words were contained in the sacred volumes,
which he would have understood according to their true and
native sense and raeaning, and the majesty of the things
expressed, as far as might be, to be kept, or in sua natura,
i. e. in their own nature ; or, as rauch as it coiUd be done,
raost accoraraodately unto the English speech of the word,
or in English expression. All these good things, and di-
372 vers raore, were now in hand in this Convocation, by the
pious zeal of Archbishop Cranraer. But the success an
swered not in the house.
TheEngiish Yet UOW came forth the English Bible in folio, with the
ed. King's allowance. In the title-page was the picture of King
Henry VIII. with Crurawel and Cranraer. And bore this
title ; The Bible in English, qffhe largest and greatest vo
lume ; used and appointed, iy fhe commandment qfour most
redouifed and sovereign Prince, King Henry VIII. su
preme Head qf fhe Church and Realm qf England : fo be
frequented and used in every church within this his said
realm; according fo fhe tenor qfhis former injunctions
given in fhaf behalf Overseen and perused af fhe com
mandment qffhe King's Highness, iy fhe reverend Fathers
In God, Cufhiert Bishop qf Durham, and Nicolas Bishop
qf Rochester. Printed iy Ri Grafton, cum privilegio ad
imprimendum solum. 1541. Nor was this the first time the
whole Bible in EngHsh was allowed by that King to be
printed ; having been set forth in the year 1539- And this

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 575
sentence at the end of the book, A Dno. factum est istud ; CHAP.
but the mai'ginal notes in an edition before that, giving of

fence, were now left out. Anno 1541.
In May this year the Bishop of Winton shewed his au- Cheke at
thority in the University of Cambridge, of which he was r^rml t^
ChanceUor. For Mr. Cheke, being Greek Lecturer, had P™'"'"°'=-
. . ing of
endeavoured some tirae before to make a reformation in Greek.
the pronouncing of Latin, but especially Greek. For as
Greek books were not long before brought into study and
reading, not without great opposition in the Universities, so
thc way of sounding thc vowels and diphtiiongs and some
consonants, was very odd and untoward. They made no
distinction of thc sounds of «i and 6, oi and si, frora tiie vowel
iaJra : and tj, i, and o wore sounded ahke. The consonant ir,
when it stood after v, they pronounced as a soft i. And r
after /* was pronounced as our d. Now Cheke laboured to
refine this ill pronunciation. He would have each vowel to
have its proper sound, and diphtiiongs, consisting of two
vowels, to have the sound of two. This took exceedingly
araong tbe raore ingenious raen of the University, and great
iraprovenionts were raade in the knowledge of tiie Greek
language daily, and Plato and Aristotie began to be rauch
read. But sorae of the old Dons made at length a great
stir at this now-found way of speaking Greek: and the
comphunt tiiereof was carried to tbe Chancellor. Who op-TheChan-
posod it to that degree, as to make a public decree against " "^'^ "'•'"
it, upon pain of expulsion out of the senate, if one of that Cheke,
house ; of being stopped of his degree, if a candidate ; or „ decree
private correction, if an inferior scliolar. Which decree *''°"' ''•
may bo found in the Appendix. N». cxvi.
Upon this, Cheke wrote an elegant letter to tiie Bishop, cheke ar-
Thcreiu be said, " tiiat the true sounds of the letters were^j""^,^''
" cliang-ed in the last barbarous ages : and that it was tiiere-oeiior.
" fore better to mend that bai-baiity than to foUow it. And
" for this he appealwl to Erasmus (who had writ a book
" qf tlw right pronunciation qf Latin, and Greek) and
" learned men." The Bisliop replied, " that every chang-e
" was not to be disallowed. And that tiie sound of letters

576 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " was more like to be changed by the learned, [than the
" unlearned :] the learned being wont to have so much re-

Anno 1541." gard to the euphony, and the gracefulness of the sound
373 " of words." Cheke shewed how by pronouncing the diph
thong 01 as an UoTa, (as was then ordinarily done,) there would
be no distinction between Aoi/xof and Xipff. But the Chan
cellor was for no changes- Ufere, saith he to Cheke, mori-
ius antiquis, veri'is vero prasentibus, et multo magis sonis:
1. e. Use ancient customs, buf present words, and much more
sounds. And again, Oro fe, Cheke, S^-c. Pray Mr. Cheke,
do not you encourage fhe youth to frame another sound to
the Latin or Greek iy their own guesses, than what ihey
have received from tlieir ancestors, or than what learned
men do af this present retain. And again. Be not too stoical
in examining sounds. And remember, ihat as words, so
also sounds, take tlieir auf Jiorify from use, not from reason.
Again, he told the said Lecturer, That it was a vain per
suasion in him, fo think that every thing that was writ
was fo be sounded ouf ; and that he brought an absurd aiid
odd sound fo the ears qf that present age, which by falla
cious conjectures he imagined the ancients were pleased
with. He challenged Cheke to shew hira a difference be
tween the sounding of ») and e- And if he could not do
that, he would not have hira boast, that he could leam ihat
from tlie mute letters, which he could not express by mute
letters.
¦Why Cheke Cheke's pretence in reforraing the sound of the Greek
^an-'e. '' language was to vindicate truth. But this raoved not the
ChanceUor, if tbat were aU the benefit of it, as he repUed :
and brake out into this expression, Sed quid non mortalia
pectora cog'if Veri quarendi fames? That is. But what does
not fhe itch qf seeking out Truth compel men to do? As
though that were so great a crirae. This popish Bishop
cared not indeed to bave truth too narrowly searched after,
for fear the old errors of Popery should be found out. But
to proceed ; the ChanceUor bade hira not to be fhe author
qf removing ouf qf its place an evil well placed : especially
when that you call evil, s^d he, being removed, you have

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 577
nothing that is good fo put in fhe room tiiereof. However, chap.
he allowed him in his lectures to instruct his auditors, as 

concerning old words, so concerning the old sounds, [if that Ann" i54i.
would serve,] to know them, but not to use thera, that they
hecame not ridiculous. He complained, that by that pro
gress that Cheke had made in mending the sounds of words,
the young raen insulted over tbe old, who spake not as
they did, and gloried in an exotic way of pronouncing, and
took a kind of delight that they were not understood by
their seniors. And indeed at the celebration of Divine ser
vice in tbe colleges, Latin and Greek began now to be read
differently, after a new way. But this was looked upon as
very odd by the older sort that heard it.
And whereas the Chancellor had called Cheke rash, bold, Cheke vin-
and arrogant, for atterapting this alteration, Cheke in an- j^u from
other letter told him, " that he would not be convicted of '^*^''"««5 '"
rashness, in that he had acquiesced in the judgment of
the most learned and ancient raen ; nor of childish bold
ness, in that he approved of the consent of almost all ages;
' nor of arrogancy, in being able to diminish by the author-
' ity of wise and knowing men, things unjustly and unpro-
' bably crept in : for he had, he said, the authority of
' the ancients, and the perpetual consent of the old grara-
' raarians. That this pronunciation was profitable for
' learning, sweet for speech, and clear in utterance." He 374
added, " that when he began this way, it took greatly
' araong the scholars ; and now after sorae years the old
' way of reading Greek was nauseous and unpleasant to
' hear. And the advantage was, that such as now learned
' Greek profited raore in the knowledge of that language
' in a year, than they did before in two ; and carae rauch
' sooner to a facility in speaking and writing it, which took
' up a very long time before. And this the experience of
' many years shewed. That it was by the variety of sounds
and modulation of numbers, that there was so rauch de
light and sweetpess in Horaer's or Sophocles's verses, that
no singing of Hiusicians, no striking of the harp, could be
' more various and delightsorae." He hinted that it was
VOL. I. p p

578 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, affectation of ignorance, and an unwUhngness in sorae that
^' .the learned languages should be known, which was the

Anno 1541. cause of tbe discourageraents be raet with. " When the
" Latin language," said he, " began to be studied and called
" into the world again, it was not without rauch opposition
" and indignation. The Greek language was hateful to
" raany, and still is so ; and there be sorae who studiously
" restrain youth frora the knowledge of it. Many reprove
" the study of Hebrew, and it is as rauch as one's credit and
" reputation is worth, to atterapt the knowledge of it ;" as
he freely writ to the ChanceUor.
Dr. Sraith, (afterward Sir Thoraas Sraith, and Secre
tary of State,) being about the year 1542. Vice-ChanceUor,
waited upon the Chancellor, as it seeras, concerning this
great contest of letters ; who, though he were for Cheke's
way, yet seeing how resolved the ChanceUor was to hinder
it, told hira, " that for his part he could pronounce both
" ways, the new and the old, tbat he might offend nobody
" by his pronouncing. For he knew it was matter of praise
" even to stararaer, if so be he that did so could speak flu-
" ently, when there was need so to do ; according to that,
" / am debtor both fo fhe fools and fo fhe wise.''''
But though this authority put sorae stop for the present
to Mr. Cheke's coraraendable purpose, and the reformation
of the reading of Greek; yet afterward it prevaUed, as
truth is said to do, and doth take place to this day.
The letters There passed seven learned letters between the Bishop
Bishop and ^"'^ ^^- Cheke upon this arguraent : which the said Cheke
Cheke carrying ¦with hira, when after King Edward's death he
passed through Basil into Italy, left in the hands of CaeKus
Secundus Curio, (a learned raan of that city, and father-in-
law to Zanchy,) who printed thera in the year 1555, and
dedicated thera to the learned Sir Anthony Cook : the book
bearing this title, Joannis Chekl, Angli, de Pronundatione
Graca potisslmum Lingua, Disputationes cum Sfephano
Winfoniensi Episcopo, septem confrarlis EpistoUs com-
prehensa.
The Vice- Notwithstanding the severe decree of the Chancellor, the

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 679
new and true way of pronouncing and reading Greek was chap.
not laid aside in the University. Insorauch, that the next

year, viz. 1542, Dr. Edraunds being Vice-Chancellor, the Anno 1*41.
Chancellor sent his letter to hira, urging hira to see punish- "'"? ^u"
ment executed against such as so pronounced : telling hira, new way of
" that he would not be deluded nor conteraned : and that gfjek.^
" he intended to use his authority, both towards hira and
" the Proctors, if they were negligent herein : but he trust-
" ed they would not enforce him so to do. And that for 375
" the order he raade, he did it seriously, and would main-
" tain it. That to be Chancellor of the University was
" only honour, which by conterapt was taken away : and he
" would beware to give any raan cause to conteran hira."
In tbe sarae letter he signified to his Vice-Chancellor an ^"'^^ »° *•>«
information he had, that divers of the Regents of that Uni- eat flesh in
versity had eaten flesh last Lent. Which he shewed hira-^'"'" ,
self rauch displeased at, and required hira to punish : direct
ing him to send privately for them, and induce them to con
fess their fault and pay a fine, to be laid upon thera by his
discretion. But if they would not subrait to this punish
ment, he was resolved, he said, to proceed to raore open in
quisition. For punished they should be. And, as an ex
ample hereof, he I'eminded his Vice-Chancellor of what had
been lately done at the Court, which he was sure he had
heard of ; namely, how earnestly some there had been pro
secuted for this fault, by the King's own coraraand, by the
advice of his Council. He added, in the conclusion of hiis
letter, that the King, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost,
(as he termed it^) had compounded aU raatters of reh^on.
Which uniformity he required his Vice-Chancellor to take
care of. But the letter of the ChanceUor may deserve to
be perused. N». cxvii.
After an adjournment, the Convocation raet in March. Anno 1542.
And April B, 1542. Here the Most Reverend treated of ^'J^'^^/J^
the Homilies, &c. and continued till two afternoon. Then tion. What
Dr. Cox suspended aU the Prelates not appearing, or not
licensed to be absent frora the celebration of divine things,
and frora entrance into the church. And so by several
p p 2

580 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, prorogations till February following : then the Most Reve
rend treated of gi^ving the King a subsidy. And they

Anno 1542. yielded 4*. in tbe pound in three years. And the Homilies
were presented by the Prolocutor, coraposed by sorae of the
Prelates, concerning divers raatters. And then he put up a
supplication, concerning raaking ecclesiastical laws, accord
ing to the statute in tbat behalf raade. And also of paying
tithes, as well greater, or personal, by the laity, more li
berally and more justly. At another session, the Most Re
verend said, that the -King would bave some ecclesiastical
books to be examined and corrected. And delivered these
books accordingly to certain Bishops for that purpose.
And there he also decreed, that each raorning and evening,
one chapter of the New Testaraent should be read in each
parish.
Church Those books before raentioned, whicb the Archbishop sig-
books to be lui -j
examined, nified It was the King s pleasure they should be examined,
were all raass books, anfiphoners, porfuises in the Church
of England : tbat they should be corrected, reformed, and
castigated frora all raanner of raention of the Bishop of
Rorae's narae : and frora all apocryphas, feigned legends,
superstitious oraisons, collects, versicles, and responses.
And that the naraes and memories of all saints, which be
not mentioned in tbe Scriptures, or other authentic doctors,
be put away. And this for the eschewing of inconveniences,
which daUy chance to tbe King's subjects of tbe Clergy,
for their negligence, in not abolishing such things or names
as by his Majesty's injunctions and proclamations had been
coraraanded- to be stricken out, cancelled, and abolished.
Hereupon it was ordered, that the examination and cor-
37() rection of tbe said books of ser^rice should be committed to
tbe Bishops of Sarura and Ely, taking to each of them three
of the Lower House ; such as should be appointed for that
purpose. But that the Lower House released. [A gentle
refusal to have any thing to do therein.]
It was ordered also, that every Sunday and holyday
thspughout the year, the Curate of every parish church,
^ter the Te Deum and Magnificat, should openly read

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 581
unto the people one chapter of the New Testaraent in Eng- CHAP.
Hsh, without exposition. And when the New Testaraent ^'
was read over, then to begin the Old. Anno 1542.
This done, a book of subsidies, of 6s. in the pound, was Petitions
brought up by the Prolocutor. And tben the Clergy de-cier''gV
sired the Lords to raove to the King's Majesty these peti
tions. I. For the ecclesiastical laws of this realra, to be
raade according to the statute made in the fifth year of bis
gracious reign. II. For remedy to be provided by his
Highness against tbe ungodly and unlawful solemnization
of marriages frequently used, or abused, in the chapel or
hospital of Bethlera without Bishopsgate. III. For an act
of Parliaraent to be raade this session, for the union and
corporation of sraall and exile benefices through this realra ;
which for sraallness of fruits be not able to find a Priest ;
and so rest untaken by Parson, Vicar, or Curate. IV. For
some good order and provision to be made by his Majesty,
and established by Parliaraent, for due and true payment
of tithes, both predial and personal, throughout this realra ;
for quietness of all persons, and discharge of the consciences
of the layraen.
The next year, viz. 1543, died in the Fleet, under ranch Anno 1543.
disgrace, John London, LL.D. a great dignitary, and a great
champion for the Pope : whereby for a long tirae be con
tinued a fierce prosecutor of the professors of the Gospel,
both in Oxon and Windsor, where he had preferraent ; and
was the great instruraent with the Bishop of Winton, in
carrying on a plot for tbe destruction of Archbishop Cran
raer, as raay be seen in the Meraorials of that Archbishop.
Being Warden of New College, Oxon, be created rauch
trouble to divers raen in Cardinal Wolsey's college, newly
founded, by sharp iraprisonraent, when John Frith, araong
other virtuous young raen there, was apprehended ; which
fell in the year 1527. or 1528. Many others were then Foxii MSS.
detected in that University, and especially in Dr. London's
college ; naraely, Mr. Quinby, John Man, Talbot, all of
New College ; and Bartholoraew Traheron, afterwards li
brary-keeper to King Edward. But John Man recanted,
pp S

Dr. London
dies.

582 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, whom therefrare Traheron called the stony ground, on
. whom the good seed of God's word took no root. Talbot

Anno 1543. also Started back, and served afterward the Lord Wri-
otbesly, teaching his children : but nevertheless he was ex-
Quinby of peUed by the Warden. But as for Quinby, he was im-
pe^eeute^d°P"soned very straitly in the steeple of the coUege, and half
to death, starved with cold and lack of food, and at length died. He
desired his friends that came to see him, that he raight re
ceive the Lord's Supper in both kinds, but it would not be
granted. He was asked of his friend, what he would eat.
Who said his storaach was gone frora aU raeat, except it
were a warden pie. Ye shall have it, quoth they. I
would have, said he again, but two wardens baked ; I mean,
our Warden of Oxford and our Warden of Winchester,
377 London and More. For such a warden pie might do me
and Christ's Church good, whereas other wardens of the
tree can do me no good at all. Thus jesting at their ty
ranny, through the cheerfulness of a safe conscience, he
turned his face to the waU in the belfry, where he lay, and
""¦^J^"*^"" after his prayers, slept sweetly in the Lord. This Dr.
nance. London, for his incontinency, afterwards did open penance
in Oxford, having two smocks on his shoulders for Mrs.
Thykked and Mrs. Jennyrigs, the raother and the daughter :
with one of whom he was taken by Henry Plankney in his
gallery, being his sister's son. This was known to a num
ber in Oxford and elsewhere, many years after li'ving, as
weU as to Loud, the relater of it in a letter to Mr. Fox.
After this, for perjury, he was adjudged to another public
disgrace, set down in the Martyrology ; and soon after ended
his naughty Hfe in prison.
Counsellors Tbe Same year three notable learned raen were preferred :
Cecil's that is to say, October 3, Dr. Heth, Bishop of Rochester,
Journal. ^^^g adraitted to be one of the King's Privy CouncU. WUliam
Petre, Doctor of CivU Law, was made a Master of Re
quests, and one of the Privy CouncU. And Wilham Paget
was made Clerk of the CouncU. And six days after, viz.
October 9, Sir John Gage was made ComptroUer in the
place of Sir WUHara Kingston, deceased.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 583
Another session of a forraer Convocation began April 20, CHAP.
1543. Now they were concerned, as it seeras, in a diligent. ^'

review of a forraer good book, called. The Insflfuflon qf a A"no is4.3.
Christen Man. For it appears by certain extracts of the '"!'' *-'"'""-
. * , . cation met
register, tbat m several sessions, after the correction of the again.
translation of the Pater Noster, the Ave Mary, and tbe J},7inrti"tu-
Ten Coramandraents in the English tongue, and the sa-t'""-
craraents of Baptisra and the Eucharist : the English in
terpretation whereof being exarained and corrected by the
most reverend the Archbishop, and the Bishops of Winton,
Roffe, and Westminster ; they were delivered to the Prolo
cutor, Dr. Gwent. And the next day the like was done
touching the five first Comraandraents, and the exposition
of them by the said four Bishops. And on another day
were expounded, exarained, and revised, by the raost reve
rend the Archbishop, and the Bishops of Westminster,
Roffe, Sarura, and Hereford, the other five latter Coraraand
ments, and the sacraraents of Baptisra and the Eucharist.
And the same delivered to the Prolocutor. And then by
adjournment, on tbe raorrow the like was done in the sa
craraents of Matrimony, Penance, Orders, Confirmation, and
Extrerae Unction, by the same. And they again the sarae
delivered, by the consent of the said Archbishop and Bi
shops, to the Prolocutor, to exaraine the sarae by their and
the other Prelates' judgraents: and then shew their judg
ments on such a day appointed.
April 27. tbe Most Reverend, together with the Bishops
of Winton, Roffe, and Westminster, examined the exposi
tion of this word, faith, in the vulgar language, and the
twelve articles of the faith. Which all and singular the
Bishops approved. And in the afternoon a tract was read,
De Justificatione, and of Works, and of Prayer fbr fhe
Dead. All which were delivered to the Prolocutor to be
examined, and returned on a day appointed. On another
day, viz. April ult. the Most Reverend expounded the ar
ticle of Free WiU, &c. And to the Prolocutor the same
was delivered, with intent that he should read over the 378
uaine tract before the Prelates of the Lower House. Which
p p 4

584 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, being read, and approved by thera, that, with the residue,
^' • was returned to tbe Upper House, ¦with this approbation :
Anno 1543. tbat tbey accepted thera, pro cafholicis et religiosls: and
gave great thanks to the Fathers, tbat tbey underwent such
great labours, pains, and vigilances for tbe cause of religion
and the coraraonwealth, and for tbe sake of unity. And so
tbe House adjourned tUl May 4, and then prorogued.
This produced a second edition enlarged of tbe Institution,
and was called, A necessary Doctrine and Erudition qf a
Christian Man.
And this year it carae forth in print, with many altera
tions and additions, by a special coraraission frora tbe King
to Archbishop Cranraer, and divers other learned Bishops,
and other Divines. And had the foresaid narae given it, viz:
The neces- ^ necessary Doctrine and Erudition Jbr any Christen Man.
tion ofa Set forth by the King's Majesty, Sfc. Psal. xx. Lord, pre-
christen gcrvc the king ; and hear us when we call upon fhee. Psal.
xxi. Lord, in thy strength fhe king shall rejoice; and be
marvellous glad through fhy salvation. And this all set
in the titie-page. On tbe next page, on the other side, are
set down the contents of this book. Which are these: I. The
declaration of faith. II. The articles of our faith, called, ihe
Creed. III. The seven Sacraraents. IV. Tbe Ten Com
raandraents. V. The Lord's Prayer, caUed the Pafer Noster.
VI. The Salutation of the Angel, called, the Ave Maria.
VII. An article of Free WUl. VIII. An article of Justi
fication. IX. An article of Good Works. X- Of Prayer
for Souls departed- AVhere it is to be observed, the article
of Purgatory is left out, as not now approved ; whidi was
in the book called The Insflfuflon, &c. It was printed by
Thoraas Berthelet, tbe King's printer, the 29th day of May,
Life of 1543- This book was received in the Pailiaraent that sat
p 559. " this year, as the Lord Herbert shews.
Set forth It was set forth by tbe King's own authority in a general
by the preface, applied to all his subjects : wherein he gave an ac-
thority. couut fully and largely of the following book ; and author
ized his subjects to raake use of it, for tbe better informing
themselves of the true and right doctrine of religion. Which

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 585
royal declaration is weU worthy our reading, and to be pre- CHAP.
served in our history. And the book being so rare and

scarce to be raet ¦with, I shall here present it, (as I tran- Anno 1543.
scribed it,) as the Introduction to the said book.
" Henry the Eighth, by the grace of God, King of Eng-
" land, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith ; and in
" earth of the Church of England, and also of Ireland, su-
" prerae Head ; unto all his faithful and loving subjects
" sendeth greeting. Like as in the tirae of darkness and The King's
" ignorance, finding our people seduced, and drawn frora t^e book.
" the truth, by hypocrisy and superstition ; we, bj' tbe help
" of God and his word, have travailed to purge and cleanse
" our realm frora the apparent enorraities of tbe same :
" wherein, by opening of Goddis truth, with setting forth
" and publishing of the Scriptures, our labours (thanks be
" to God) have not been void and frustrate : so now per-
" ceiving, tbat in the times of knowledge, tbe Devil, who
" ceaseth not in all times to vex tbe world, bath attempted
" to return again (as the parable in the Gospel sheweth) into
" bis house purged and cleansed, accompanied with seven 379
" worse spirits ; and hypocrisy and superstition being ex-
" eluded and put away ; we find entered into some of our
" people's hearts, in an inchnation to sinister understanding
" Scripture, presumption, arrogance, carnal liberty and con-
" tention used ; be therefore constrained, for the remedy of
" thera in tirae ; and for avoiding such diversity in opinion,
" as by tbe said evil spirits raight be ingendered, to set
" forth, with the advice of our Clergy, such a doctrine and
" declai-ation of the true knowledge of God and his word,
" with the principal articles of our religion, eis wherebj' all
" raen raay uniforraly be led and taught the true uiider-
" standing of tbat which is necessary for every Christen
" raan to kno^«', for the ordering hiraself in this hfe, agree-
" able to the wUl and pleasure of Almighty God. Which
" doctrine also the Lords both spiritual and teraporal, with
" the nether House of our Parliament, have both seen and
" hke very well.

586

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. L.
Anno 1548
Faith.

The Sacra
ments.

The Ten
Command ments.

" And for knowledge of the order of the raatter in this
book contained, forasrauch as we know not perfectiy God,
but hy faith, tbe declaration of faith occupieth, in this
treatise, the first place. Whereunto is next adjoining.
The Creed, a the Declaration of the articles of our Creed, concerning
" what we should believe. And incontinently after them
followeth the ExpHcation of the seven Sacraraents : where
in God ordinarily worketh, and whereby he participateth
unto us his spiritual gifts and graces in this life. Which
raatter is so digested and set forth with siraplicity and
plainness, as the capacities and understandings of the
multitude of the people raay easUy conceive and compre
hend the sarae. Then followeth conveniently the De
claration of the Ten Comraandraents, being by God or
dained the high way wherein each raan should walk in
this life : to finish fruitly his journey here, and after to
rest eternally in joy with hira. Which, because we can
not do of ourselves, but have need always of the grace of
God ; as ¦without whom we can neither continue in this
life, ne without his special grace do any thing to his plea
sure, whereby to attain the life to corae ; we have, after
the Declaration of the Ten Coraraandraents, expounded
the seven petitions of our Pater Nosfer : wherein be con
tained requests and suits for all things necessary to a
Christian raan in this present life ; with Declaration of
the Ave Maria: as a prayer containing a joyful rehearsal
and raagnifying God in the work of the incarnation of
Christ ; which is the ground of our salvation : wherein
the blessed Virgin our Lady, for the abundance of grace
wherewith God endued her, is also with this reraerabrance
honoured and worshipped.
" And forasrauch as tbe heads and senses of our people
have been imbusied, and in these days travaUed with the
understanding of free will, jusfificafion, good works,
and praying fbr souls departed ; we have, by the ad^rice
of our Clergy, for tbe purgation of erroneous doctrine,
declared and set forth openly, plainly, and without am-

The Pater
Noster.

The Ave
Maria.

Free Will,
Justifica tion, Good
Works,Praying for
Souls de
parted.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 587
" biguity of speech, the mere and certain truth in them : so CHAP.
«' as we verily trust, that to know God, and how to live after

" bis pleasure, to the attaining of everlasting life in the end ; Anno iS43.
"this book containeth a perfect and sufficient doctrine, ^°^
" grounded and established in holy Scriptures.
" Wherefore we heartily exhort our people, of all de-
" grees, wUlingly and earnestly both to read, and print in
" their hearts, the doctrine of this book ; considering that
" God, who (as St. Paul saith) distributeth and divideth
" to his Church his graces distinctly, hath ordered sorae
" sort of men to teach others, and some to be taught ; and
" all things should be done seemly, and in order; and hath
" beautified and set forth, by distinction of Ministers and
" officers, the sarae Church : and considering also, that for
" the one part which should teach others, is necessary, not
" only knowledge, but also learning and cunning in the
" sarae knowledge ; whereby they raay be able conveniently
" to dispense and distribute to their audience tbe truth of
" God, according to their cunning, for the edification of
" others, and by true exposition of the Scriptures, accord-
" ing to the apostolical doctrine received and raaintained
" from the beginning ; and by conferring and declaration of
" them, to convince, refell, and reprove all errors and un-
*' truths set forth to the contrary : and finally be also hable
" to give an account, as St. Paul saith, of that they profess;
" it raust be agreed then, that for the instruction of this
" part of the Church, whose oflRce is to teach otbers,
" the having, reading, and studying of holy Scriptures,
" both of the Old and New Testaraent, is not only con-
" venient, but also necessary. But for the other part of
" the Church, ordained to be taught, it ought to be deeraed
" certainly, that the reading of the Old and New Testa-
" raent is not so necessary for all those folks, that of duty
" they ought and be bound to read it, but as the Prince
" and the policy of the realm shall think convenient, so to
" be tolerated or taken from it.
" Consonant whereunto, the politic law of our realm The Scrip-
" hath now restrained it from a great raayny : esteeraing it *"'^*'

588 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. « sufficient for those so restrained, to hear and truly bear
" away the doctrine of Scripture taught by the Preachers,

Anno 1543. " and to imprint the lessons of the sarae, that tbey observe
" and keep them inwardly in tbeir hearts ; and as occasion
" serveth, express tbem in their deeds outwardly, whereby
" they raay be partakers of that blysse, which the Giver of
" blessedness, our Saviour Christ, spake of, and promised
Luke xi. " to such ; sayiug, Beafi qui audlunt verbum Del, ef cusfo-
" dlunf illud ; Blessed be they that hear the true doctrine
" of God, and keep it.
" Wherefore we exhort and desire all our loving sub-
" jects, that they praying to God for tbe spirit of huraUity,
" do conforra theraselves as good scholars and learners
" ought to bear and bear away as afore, and ¦willing to ob-
" serve such order as is by us and our laws prescribed ;
" and to read and bear weU away tbe true doctrine lately
" by us and our Clergy set forth for tbeir erudition.
" Whereby presuraption and arrogancy shall be ¦with-
" standed, and contention expelled, and carnal liberty re-
" strained and terapered, and disdain clearly reraoved and
" taken away. So as endeavouring our selves to live quietiy
" and charitably together, each one in his vocation, we shaU
" be so replenished with raanifold graces and gifts of God,
" that after this life we shall reign in joy everlasting with
381 " the only Head ofthe universal Catholic Church, our Sa-
" ¦viour and Redeeraer Jesus Christ. Amen.''''
I must observe that this book, the Erudition, was so
changed and altered and enlarged, and thereby becoming
so different from the Institution ofa Christen Man, that it
may seera to be another book, rather than a new edition of
the forraer; as will appear by and by. Tbe Institution is
Hist. Re- reprinted in the Addenda to the first volume of the History
**?"i Ad- '^^ ^^^ Reformation. Which was transcribed frora a Cotton
dend. volurae, being a fair book in parchraent ; writ by the hand
P- " of Morice, Archbishop Cranraer's Secretary, (for I know
bis hand,) and was tbe original, subscribed by the hands of
that Convocation, that had agreed to, and drawn it up.
And so high a value did Sir Robert Cotton set upon it,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 589
that, at the bottom of the first page, be writ his own name, CHAP.
Robertus Coffon Bruceus. But by coraparing this book.

with ihe Erudition, that was a review thereof by the King's^"""* *¦'
coraraission, and was published about six years after, one
may see what a good step the reformation of religion had
raade : for whereas in tbe forraer book, devotion to iraages,
honouring of saints, and praying to them, masses for the
dead, and various popish rites and ceremonies, were cora
raended and confirmed ; in this book they spoke more du
biously and warily of, or rejected thera. And as for pur
gatory, which raade one great article in the forraer book at
the end of it, it is in this quite left out. And this that fol
lows is the good conclusion of it ; viz.
" Finally, it is rauch necessary, that all such abuses as
" heretofore have been coraplices concerning this raatter, be
" clearly put away. And that we therefore abstain from
" the name oi purgatory; and no raore dispute or reason
" thereof: under colour of which have been advanced
" raany fond and great abuses ; to raake raen believe, tbat
" through the Bishop of Rorae's pardons, souls raight
" clearly be delivered out of it, and released out of the
" bondage of sin, and that raasses said at scala ccell, and
" other prescribed places, fantasied by raen, did then in
" those places raore profit the souls than in another, &c.
" And also, that a prescribed nuraber of prayers, sooner
" than others, (though as devoutly said,) should further
" their petitions sooner; yea especially, if they were said
" before one image raore than another, which they fanta-
" sled. All these and such like abuses be necessary ut-
" terly to be abolished and extinguished."
This Erudition also began with an excellent description
oi faith, shewed at large, as an introductory to a right be
hef of the articles of the Creed tbat next follows. This de
scription the forraer book hath not. These are sorae of the
differences between the two books. But yet one thing I
raust add concerning this last and best book ; that the read
ing of the holy Scriptures is not perraitted to the coraraon
people ; and in that respect, the other party had the advan-

5'm MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, tage of those tbat favoured the Gospel. But however, soon
^' after, even this year 1543, the large English Bible was

Anno 1 543. printed with the King's allowance. Note, this was that
Cran. Mem. called The K'vn^s Book; wherein the Archbishop had a
^' ^'' considerable hand ; spoken of in the Memorials of him.
382 And now, after so raany years' struggles of the Gospel
mss'of re- P^'tyj headed by Archbishop Cranraer, and the Lord
ligion re- Crumwel, whUe alive, religion reforraed had made a con
siderable progress under this King ; and who hereby had
obtained an high esteem and love among the best of his
subjects. A large description and particular account where
of, let a learned and knowing man, living in these very
tiraes, relate, in a book written by hira, under the name of
Theodore Basil, and, as near as I can guess, this very year.
Whicbj to give a prospect of these affairs, I think worthy
the repeating.
The right " I think there is no realra throughout Christendom
untolpray- " that hath SO many urgent and necessary causes to give
er. By a Q-od thanks, as we English raen have at this present. And
Theo.Basil.,, , . '. , ° . , , .. f
" to whora IS It unknown, ¦with how miserable capti^vity we
" have been detained and suppressed these raany hundred
" years, under the usurped power and grievous tyranny of
" the Bishop of Rorae.? Who knoweth not how greatly
" the consciences of Christen men were snarled, yea, and
" almost slain, through tbe decrees of tbat Bishop.'' How
" greatly was the Christen liberty inclosed and stopt up;
" so that no raan could enjoy the use of those things which
" the word of God deterrained free, without his Hcence and
" dispensation ? How were the singular raerits of Christ's
" death, and the inestimable price of his most precious
" blood, annihilated and set at nought ; and the Bishop of
" Rorae's pardons trusted unto, and perfect affiance reposed
" in them, for remission of sins and eternal salvation ?
" What a sort of hypocritical and superstitious works crept
" in throughout Christendom only ; which only were be-
" heved to be the alone good works. And the true good
" works, which are coraraanded of God in the holy Scrip-
" ture, utterly neglected, disraissed, and set at nought.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 591
" Who thought it not a raore meritorious act to gild an CHAP.
" image than to clothe a poor naked raan ? Who thought '

" it not a better deed to run gadding a pilgriraage into di-Anno 1543.
" vers countries, for to seek dead iraages, than to tarry at
" home, and to visit the poor members of Christ ; which
" laid bedrid, sick, lame, feeble, and impotent ?
" Again, what an infinite number of monstures, (monks
" I would have said,) and other religious persons, and God
" will, as they desire to be called, did there arise in this
" kingdom .'' Who thought it not a better deed to put his
" child into an abbey, and there to live idle, swinishly, and
" irreligiously, pampered up with all dehcious fare, that
" would provoke unto lewdness, than to let him live abroad
" in the world ; there to practise sorae honest art and occu-
" pation, that raight turn to the coraraodity and raainte-
" nance of the coraraonweal ? — Did we not think it ra-
" ther our duty to obey the proud Bishop of Rorae than
" our own native King ? Did we not esteem his fantastical
" decrees above the edicts, laws, and acts of our own King.?
" — Into what perils would we not cast ourselves, to do the
" Romish Bishop's pleasure ? &c.
" Furthermore, what ignorance and blindness was in this
" realm concerning the true and Christen knowledge ?
" How many savoured Christ aright ? How many walked
" in the strait pathway of God's ordinances ? How many
" believed Christ to be alone Saviour ? How raany trusted
" to be saved only by the raerits of Christ's death, and the 383
" effusion of his most precious blood ? How raany ran to
" God alone, either in their prosperity or adversity ? How
" raany araplexed Christ for their sufficient Mediator and
" Advocate unto God the Father ? How many felt the
" efficacy and power of the true and Christen faith ; where-
" by a Christen man is freely justified ? How many did
" know what they professed at baptism ? How many had
" knowledge what their Pafer Nosfer raeant; and where-
" fore they prayed ? How many did perfectly understand
" the articles of the Christen faith ? How raany did know
" what the ceremonies of the Church raeant.? as, holy

592 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " bread and holy water, and such other ? How raany heard
^" " the evangelical doctrine ever preached purely and sin-

Anno 1543. " cerely," &c. Meaning, how few there were of these.
" But now are these enorraities, yea, and deformities of
" this realm of England utterly exiled and banished. All
" false religion is extirped, and plucked up by tbe roots.
" Tbe raiserable captivity, wherewith we were oppressed in
" the Pope's kingdora, is turned into delectable liberty.
" Our consciences are restored to their old freedom. Christ's
" death is believed to be a sufficient sacrifice for them that
" are sanctified. All superstitious fantasies, invented of idle
" brains, are full godly put down. The faraous images,
" wherewith the siraple people coraraitted fornication, I
" mean idolatry, are justly plucked down, and conveyed
" out of the way. AU the monastical sects have put off
" tbeir cowls and raonstrous garraents. Our raost Christen
" King is now, according to the verity of God's word, and
" bis just and right title, recognised to be suprerae Head
" of tbe Church of England, next under Christ, imme-
" diately here in earth. Moreover, ignorance and blindness
" is exUed and banished ; God's laws are manifestly de-
" clared unto us : so that we raay, if we will, keep his most
" godly coraraandraents. The raost sacred Bible is freely
" perraitted to be read of every raan in the EngHsh tongue.
" Many savour Christ aright; and daily the number in-
" creaseth, thanks be to God. Christ is believed to be the
" alone Saviour, &c. Christ is believed to be our suffi-
" cient Mediator and Advocate. The true and Christ-
" en faith, which worketh by charity, and is plenteous
" in good works, is now received to justify, &c. The
" twelve articles of the Christen faith, the Lord's Prayer,
" caUed the Pafer Noster, and the Ten Coraraandments,
" are now rehearsed in the English tongue, both of young
" and old ; so tbat now all understand thera. Many of the
" ecclesiastical ceremonies are now right well taught and
" known. To conclude, all old things are past, and new
" things entered into the sarae place instead of them."
And then tbe King is extolled for all these privileges.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 593
" All these things God hath brought to pass by his dearly CHAP.
" beloved servant, Henry our King." Adding, (as suggest

ing StUl more to be done towards a complete reforma- Anno 1543.
tion,) " If his Grace go forth as he bath begun, he shall
" raake such a flourishing realra, both in spiritual and cor-
" poral goods, both for the glory of God and for the raain-
" tenance of his Grace's pubhc weal, as none may be able
" to compare with this realm of England throughout
" Christendom. And as his most exceUent Majesty shall
" easUy overcome and excel in the exercise of true godli-
" ness all his predecessors, and leave a memorable act unto 384
" his successors, most worthy to be followed ; so likewise
" may his Grace be sure, that there is reposed and laid up
" in store for him in God's treasure house the imraarcessible
" crown of glory, &c. for his faithful walking in the divine
" precepts, and setting forth of God's glory." All this be
foresaid declaration had respect unto the late excellent
book that carae out by tbe King's authority, viz. The Doc
trine and Erudition qfa Christian Man.
Religion by this tirae was so far advanced, as to the re- Processions
formation of it, that the custoni of having public prayers j^, ^jj^^ '
said in the Latin tongue was regulated; and processions English
and prayers upon public occasions were commanded by the
King's special order to be used in English hereafter,
whereby the people, understanding what was said or sung,
whether exhortation or prayers, raight join therein, and
raight be edified and better instructed. Such an order the
King issued forth to the Archbishop ; by him to be sent to
all the Bishops of his province, with the processions occa
sioned by the wars and commotions then in tbe world. The
copy of which, as it reraains in the register of the Bishop
of Bath and Wells, was as follows, contracted : " Being re- Regist. Ep.
" solved to have continually frora henceforth general pro- \yeiist"
" cessions in aU cities, towns, churches, and parishes of
" this our realm, said and sung, with such devotion and
" reverence as appertaineth : forasrauch as heretofore the
" people, partly for lack of good instruction and calling on;
" partly for that they understood no piece of such prayers
VOL. 1. « q

594 :MEM0RIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " or suffrages as were used to be sung and said; bave
." used to corae very slackly to tbe processions when tbe

Anno 1S43.C4 garae have been coraraanded heretofore: We have set
" forth certain godly prayers or suffrages in our native
" tongue. Which we send you bere^with ; signifying unto
" you, that for the special trust and confidence we have of
" your godly raind, and earnest desire to the setting for-
" ward the glory of God, and tbe true worshipping of his
" raost holy narae, ¦within tbat province coraraitted by us
" unto you," &c. This is but a contraction of the King's
mandate to the Archbishop. The whole raay be found
araong the Collection of Records in the History of the Re-
Voi.i. b.iii. forraation by Bishop Burnet. Therein signifying, "how
XXVIII. " the King had sent these suffrages, not to be for a month
" or two observed, &c. but to the intent, that as weU the
" sarae as other his injunctions raight be earnestiy set forth
" by preaching, good exhortations, and other^wise, to the
" people ; in such sort as they, feeling the godly taste there-
" of, raay godly and joyously, with thanks, receive, em-
" brace, and frequent tbe sarae." This was a further step
in the reformation and regulation of abuses in religion, in
keeping God's service in an unknown tongue.
As what the King had now done in favour of religion
gave a great satisfaction and joy to the professors of the
Gospel ; so it reconcUed a raighty love and honour to him
self, in the hearts and tongues of his subjects.

385 CHAR LL
Leland s new-year'' s-g'f I fo fhe King. John Loud, William
Morice, eminent men. Some account qf them. Persecuted.
Persecution at Court. Mrs. Anne Ascue, martyr.
Anno 1545. In the year 1545, John Leyland, or Leland, presented the
Leland's Kluff, for a uew-year's-ffift, an account of that raemorable
new-year's- ° . , , i i i - - i - ^r-i t
gift to the coraraission he had granted hira in the thirty-fifth year ol
*''"^; his reign, which was in the year of our Lord 1543, viz. to

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 595
peruse and search all the libraries of the monasteries and CHAP.
colleges throughout the whole realra that were then dis

solved and broken up; that, as rauch as raight be, all an- Anno 1545.
cient raonuraents of the histories of this land, and the places
and erainent persons of it, together with tbe writings and
books of learned men, might be preserved : a raatter much
redounding to that King's honour and renown ; that he
had such a regard to antiquity, and such a care of res
cuing reraarkable English events and occurrences from
oblivion. But great pity it was, and a most irreparable loss,
tbat, notwithstanding this provision, most of the ancient
MS. histories and writings of learned British and Saxon
authors were lost. Libraries were sold by mercenary raen
for any thing they could get, in that confusion and devasta
tion of religious houses. Bale, the antiquary, raakes raen- in his edit.
tion of a raerchant that bought two noble libraries about "^^^^|*"^'*
these tiraes for forty shillings: the books whereof served Journey.
bim for no other use but for waste paper ; and that he had
been ten years consuming thera, and yet there reraained
still store enough for as raany years raore. Vast quantities
and numbers of these books, banished with the monks and
friars from tbeir monasteries, were conveyed away, and car
ried beyond seas to booksellers there, by whole ship lad
ings ; and a great many more were used in shops and kit
chens. But that the reader raay have sorae further account
of Leland's coraraission, and what public fruit thereof was
by hira intended, I have transcribed his new-year's-gift,
and placed it in the Appendix. cxviii.
I will here subjoin the raention of another learned raan, John Loud,
and rescue his raeraory, in effect lost in oblivion ; who was ^nd^p^us
of eminent note in these latter days of the King. His narae ">»¦?•.
was John Loud, bred up in Wickhara's coUege, near Win
chester, a raan of polite learning, and a conteraporary and
companion of John Philpot the martyr, and others of the
godly learned in those times. He was a member of Bene't
college, and after reraoved thence to the Inns of Court.
And in both places had the care and inspection over Mr.
aq2

596 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Southwel, afterwards Sir Richard Southwel, a Privy Coun-
. sellor, if I raistake not, to King Henry, King Edward, and

Anno 1545. Queen Mary. Under which last he proved a bitter perse-
Southwe7 cutor of tbe GospeUers. But while be was under Loud's
his pupil, tuition, he stood very well affected to religion. This Loud,
his tutor, he entertained with great respect in his house, in
386 tbe Charter-house, Loridon; where he was also tutor to
his son, and taught hira Latin, and the laws, civil and mu
nicipal- Sir Richard would say of hira, He will make my
boy Uke himself, too good a Latinisf, and too great an he
retic. He was at the burning of Mrs. Anne Ascue ; where,
upon occasion of a sweet dew falling frora heaven just be
fore fire was set to her, accorapanied with a gentle crack,
heard, as though it had been such a thunder as is spoken
of in the Gospel, tbat seeraed to the people to be tbe voice
of God, or the voice of an angel : this raan strangely as it
were inspired thereat, went presently to divers Lords of the
Council sitting by to see the execution, and with a loud
voice said to them, / ask vengeance qfyou all fhaf do thus
burn a member qf Christ. Whereat one struck at hira ¦with
all his raight ; but he escaped, and went home to the Char
ter-house.
¦William At this time was detained prisoner here with Sir Richard
Ongar, a Southwel, a person of good quality, named WiUiam Mo-
prisonerfor j-Jcg^ comraitted thither by the Council for suspicion of he-
rclicion  
resy. This raan lived at Chipping Ongar in Essex, and
bad tbe lordship thereof. He was first Gentleman Usher
to the learned Mr. Pace, the King's Secretary and Ambas
sador abroad to Rorae and Venice, and afterwards was pre
ferred to be Gentleraan Usher to King Henry hiraself The
Lord Rich and others would the rather have brought about
his burning, out of the desire they had of enjoying his fair
raanor. But God delivered hira, and brought hira to ho
nour in King Edward's days. He was father to Archbishop
Cranraer's Secretary, Ralph Morice. To this gentieman
thus lying in prison would Loud frequently resort pri
vately, and lay vrith hira anights, leaving his own silk and

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 597
soft bed, to converse with hira about religion, and to hear CHAP.
what answers he intended to make to the Council concern- "

ing his persuasions in religion. ^°"'' '^''*-
Loud, while he lived with Sir Richard Southwel, was a Loud nar-
member of Lincoln's Inn ; and orders having been sent, as escapes im-
it seems, to the Inns of Court, to search for such of their i'"*"!""^"*^
. for his re-
raerabers as favoured religion, and imprison them, he was ligion.
vehemently suspected. And tbat, because Mr. AUington
(one, I suppose, taken for the same cause) had confessed
that he had discoursed with him about the raeaning of Hoc
est corpus meum. Whereupon Mr. Foster, Mr. Roper,
and Mr. Griffin, Benchers of that house, repaired to Sir
Richard Southwel's, to lay up Loud upon suspicion ; but
before they did it, asking his leave, because he was of his
faraily. Southwel (though then a friend to his tutor, rather
than to the religion) told thera, that he knew no such thing
by hira, but that he was a quiet raan in his house, and had
well served his turn ; yet bade thera do what they would.
But by these raeans he then escaped.
This raan was first brought into a dishke of the Roraan
religion, while he was a scholar at Winchester, by reading
Frith's book of Purgatory ; which Thoraas Harding (who
was afterwards chaplain to Grey, Marquess of Dorset) de
livered him to peruse for two days only. But liking it so
well, he begged his leave to keep it for three and twenty.
This raan was alive in the year 1579, when he wrote a let
ter to Mr. Foy, his old acquaintance, encouraging hira to
go qn with further enlargeraents of his books of the Acts
and Monuments ; and at the same time supplied hira with
divers weU-attested stories, to be added to his book, in case 387
he should think fit to publish another edition.
The persecution, by raeans of Bishop Gardiner, with Persecution
whom sided the old Duke of Norfolk, Wriothesley Lord
Chancellor, and Sir Richard Rich, and some more, in this
and in the year 1546, being the last year of the King, grew
exceeding hot ; and that in the very Court itself. For there
being many botii raen and women there that stood well
afl'ected to reHgion, it was thought expedient, for a terror to
«q3

598 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, the rest, to begin with thera. Of the woraen was no less
than the Queen herself, Katharine Par, of whose great

Anno 1 545. danger for her religion Fox hath raade a relation: to
whora I add the Duchess of Suffolk, the relict of Brandon,
Duke of Suffolk ; the Countess of Sussex ; the Countess of
Hertford ; the Lady Denny ; the Lady Fitz WiUiams ;
and araong the rest, Mrs. Anne Ascue or Ascough, sister
to Sir Francis Ascough, and to Mrs. Disney of Norton Dis
ney in Lincolnshire. Whicb Anne Ascue was taken up
and put to death. Of the gentleraen of the Court were
taken up divers, and particularly Mr. Morice before men
tioned, Sir George Blag, Mr. Lascels, and otbers; the last
of which suffered with Mrs. Ascue. Of ber and Lascels
I shall say somewhat; and the rather, because not men
tioned by Fox.
A few notes This good gentlewoman, being a person of great quick-
Ascue. ness and learning, as well as religion, soraewhat before ber
iraprisonraent lodged at an house over against the Temple.
Foxii MSS. " A great papist of Wickhara college, called Wadloe, a
" Cursitor of the Chancery, hot in his reHgion, and think-
" ing not well of her life, got hiraself lodged hard by her
" at tbe next bouse. For what purpose," saith ray author,
" I need not open to the wise reader. But the conclusion
" was, that when he carae to speak evil of her, he gave her
" the praise to Sir Lionel Thrograorton, for the devoutest
" and godliest woraan tbat ever he knew. For, said he, at
" raidnight she beginneth to pray, and ceaseth not in many
" hours after, when I and others appyed our sleep, or to
" work.
Her first ex- " My Lord Mayor, Sir Mart. Bowes, sitting with the
" Council, as most raeet for his wisdora, and seeing her
" standing upon life and death, I pray you, quoth he, my
" Lords, give rae leave to talk with this woraan. Leave
" was granted. Lord Mayor. Thou foohsh woraan, sayest
" thou, that the priests cannot raake the body of Christ ?
" A. Ascough. I say so, ray Lord : for I have read, that
'¦' God raade raan; but that man can raake God, I never
" yet read, nor, I suppose, ever shall read it. Lord Mayor.

UNDER KING HENHY VIIL 599
" No, thou foolish woraan.? After the words' of consecra- CHAP.
.LI
"tion, is it not the Lord's body? A. Ascough. No, it ______
"is but consecrated bread, or sacraraental bread. Z,ord*"°° '^¦*5-
" Mayor. What if a raouse eat it after the consecration ?
" What shall becorae of the raouse? What sayest thou,
" thou foolish woraan ? A. Ascough. What shall becorae
" of her, say you, ray Lord ? Lord Mayor. I say, that
" that raouse is damned. A. Ascough. Alack poor mouse !
" By this tirae, ray Lords heard enough of ray Lord
" Mayor's divinity ; and perceiving that some could not
" keep in their laughing, proceeded to the butchery and
" slaughter that they intended afore they carae thither.
" I being alive," continues ray author, John Loud, men- 388
tioned above, " must needs confess of her now departed totimonyof
" the Lord, that the day afore her execution, and the same ''^'^ *"''
" day also, she had an angel's countenance and a smiling
" face. For I was ¦with Lassels, Sir George Blagge, and the
" other, [viz. Belenian, a Priest, then burnt,] and with rae
" three of the Throkraortons, Sir Nicolas being one, and
" Mr. Kellura the other. By the sarae token, tbat one un-
" known to rae said. Ye are all raarked tbat corae to them.
" Take heed to your lives. Mr. Lascels, a gentleraan of a
" right worshipful bouse of Gatford in Nottingharashire,
" nigh Worsop, raounted up unto the window of the little
" parlour by Newgate, and there sat, and by hira, Sir
" George. Mr. Lascells was raerry and cheerful in the
" Lord, coraing frora hearing of sentence of his condemna-
" tion, and said these words : My Lord Bishop would have
" rae confess the Roman Church to be the Catholic Church ;
" but that I cannot, for it is not true. When the hour of
" darkness came, and their execution, Mrs. Anne Ascue
" was so racked, that she could not stand, but was holden
" up between two sergeants, sitting there in a chair. And
" after the sermon was ended, they put fire to the reeds ;
" the Council looking on, and leaning in a window by the
" Spittle, and araong thera Sir Richard Southwel, [the
" master of the writer hereof] And afore God, at the first
" putting to of the fire, there fell a little dew, or a few
aq 4

600 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " pleasant drops, upon us that stood by, and a pleasant
. " cracking frora heaven, God knows whether I may truly

Anno 1545. « term it a thunder-crack, as the people did in the Gospel,
27_ *"¦ " or an aUgel, or rather God's own voice. But to leave
" every man to his own judgment, methought it seemed
" rather, that the angels in heaven rejoiced to receive their
" souls into bliss, whose bodies then Popish torraentors cast
" into the fire, as not worthy to live any longer araong such
" hell-hounds."

CHAP. LII.
The death qf King Henry. Beloved iy his people. His
character. And flie temper qfhis people.
Anno i546.XhINGS went on in this rate in the Church andUniver-
ry prevent^ ^ity uuto the latter end of King Henry's reign ; and the
ed in some Popish Bishops and Clergy carried the great stroke ; the
goodde- _.*^ . , , . , . ,1,1 rr' ¦ ^ i i
signs by King either thmking that he had suinciently purged the
death. Church already, or upon pohtical ends judging it now not
convenient, or, for his wars, not being at leisure, to proceed
any further, in taking away the rest of the corruptions that
remained, tUl the very last year of his life, when he made
sorae new atterapts, in confederacy ¦with the French King,
389 but was prevented by death, after he had entered six days
into the month of January; when he gave up his dying
breath.
Which was p^j, gome httle Ulustration of this, it raay not be unwor-
the refor- ^ ' -*
mation of thy knowing, that when the Lady Mary, soon after the
religion. jj;ing^g death, had writ to the Duke of Soraerset, the Pro
tector, blaraing his proceedings in the reforming of rehgion,
as being against her late father's ¦wUl ; and that there was a
godly order and quietness left by him in the realm at the
Faustina, time of bis death : the Duke in his answer told her, " what
scribed into " trouble the King had with the Papists or Romanists, what
the Hist, ii outrages they were guUty of against his noble person,
CoU.p. us. " only for God's cause; and how some of them, as well
" within the realra as without, conspired oftentimes his

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 601
" death, which, he said, was raanifestly proved, to the con- *^ J'j*^'-
" fusion of sorae their privy assisters. That his Grace  '. —
" died before he had fully finished such orders as he was^""" '**®-
" rainded to have established, if death had not prevented
" hira. That no kind of religion was perfected at his
" death, but that he left all uncertain. That he [the Duke]
" and others could witness, what regret and sorrow tbe
"King had, when he saw he must depart, for tbat he knew
" reHgion was not established as he purposed to have
" done ; and that a great raany knew and could testify
" what he would further have done in it, had he lived."
He that would see more of this pious design of the King Acts and
may consult Mr. Fox's Monuraents. Monum.
This King, notwithstanding his rigorous government, and P- ' '^4-
his round dealing with many, to the taking away of tiieir j,;°p^^,g^
lives, lived and died highly beloved of his subjects ; what
ever were the reasons of it. Whether it were some of those
princely qualities and excellent accomplishments, that he
was endued with, or the suppressing die ecclesiastical
power, which was so oppressive of the people. For an
instance of the affections of his subjects to hira : when
about the year 1544. he warred with France, and sent
into the counties for suppHes of soldiers ; it was obeyed
with aJl the cheerfulness imaginable. One who wrote about
this time, a Divine in- Kent, give^ this account of the beha
viour of the men of that county. " When the King's let- Becon in,
" ters were delivered unto certain gentleraen there, for the i,js poUcy
" preparing of certain people apt for the wars, how expe- of War.
" ditely was his Grace's pleasure accomplished in every con-
" dition ! The gentiemen, aU other businesses laid aside,
" ianmediately provided their before appointed number of
" raen ; arraying thera with decent martial arraour. So
" that notiiing wanted, but all things set at such a stay,
" that they, receiving preraonition of very little tirae,
" were ready at all hours to bring forth their raen apt
" and ready for the wars. The raen which were pressed
" to go unto the wars, it was alraost incredible to see
" and perceive what alacrity and quickness of spirit was

602 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "in them. They seemed to be so desirous to defend their
• " country, tbat tbey in a raanner neglected their domestical

Anno 1S46. " travaUs, their private business ; not much esteemed their
" dear wives and sweet children ; no, nor yet their own
" lives, so that they might in any point do good to the pub-
" he weal of England."
A beneyo- 'pjjg game year, 1544, a benevolence was given to tiie
lence given . . . .
to theKing. King, for the carrying on of this expensive war; a MS.
whereof I bave seen, shewing what each county gave. And
390 1 find that Kent gave more than any one county in Eng
land, except the large county of Soraerset, which exceeded
Kent in three or four hundred pounds. The sura that county
gave was six thousand pounds and alraost five hundred,
(besides the city of Canterbury, which gave near two thou
sand pounds raore.) Which county, I suppose, was so ex
traordinary liberal, shewing so rauch love and good affec
tion to their King, being swayed by the influence and coun
sel of their good Archbishop of Canterbury. The whole
benevolence araounted unto seventy thousand seven hun
dred twenty-three pounds and upwards ; the city of Lon
don, the counties of York, Northumberland, Westmore
land, Durhara, not mentioned. What each county gave, if
N». CXIX. any be rainded to know, let hira consult the Appendix-
A character The aforeraentioned author gives this great character of
°^" the King, relating to his care of the nation. " For all things
" that conserve and keep this realra of England safe, and
" free frora the invasion and danger of our enemies, what
" kingdora in the world is to be corapared to this English
" erapire ? How bath our most puissant and redoubted
" King fortressed bis most flourishing raonarchy, empire,
" and kingdom, with all things that any raan can invent,
" for the prosperous conservation of a coraraon weal. Never
" was there Prince, that took like pains for the safeguard
" of his coraraunalty. Never was there father, that so
" greatly watched for the health of his son as he doth for
" ours. Too ranch ingrate, unthankful, and ungentle is he,
" that doth not agnize and knowledge the unmeasurable
" kindness of this most excellent Prince. If this title. Pater

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 603
"patria, raight lawfully at any tirae be ascribed unto any CHAP.
" teraporal ruler, certes, to our most victorious Prince it is '

" most of all due and convenient: for he is a very right Anno is46.
" and true father of this our country of England ; as his
" raost godly actions and virtuous enterprises do raanifestly
" shew every day raore and raore." And quoting that pas
sage of Augustus the Eraperor, Romam laferlfiam ac-
cepi, marmoream relinquo, he addeth, " How rauch raore
" justly may our raost bounteous King say, l took Eng-
" land, made qf files, iuf I leave if qfmarile f
Another about this tirae, a learned raan, and Prebendary a further
of Windsor, thus spake of this King : " King Henry VIIL ^'^^^^^^^
" besides his felicity and lucky fortune in all his raost royal in Pref. to
" enterprises, as well by raartial chivalry, as also in politic
" governance ; besides his raanifold conquests and victories
" in France, Scotland, Ireland, and elsewhere ; besides his
" inestiraable high triuraphs, voyages, and acts done both
" at horae and beyond the seas ; besides his exceeding
" great and manifold buildings, palaces, honours, manors,
" castles, fortresses, holds, block-houses, havens, as well for
" the strength and safeguard of his realras and dorainions,
" as for the coraraodity of friends arriving^ and the annoy-
" ance of the eneraies ; beside the defence and raaintenance
" of all his ports and narrow seas with carikes, barks,
" hulks, ships' galleys, and raany other high and sumptu-
" ous devices of shipwright ; beside the abundant furnish-
" ing of all and singular the preraises ¦with aU kind of ord-
" nance, artillery, and other requisite provisions ; beside his
" founding, edifying, and erecting of an incredible number
"of bishops' sees, cathedrals, colleges, lectures, schools, 391
" and other colleges for students in both Universities, and
" so sumptuous endowing every of them with lands, pos-
" sessions, jewels, ornaraents, and all requisite furniture,
" so much and so large, as every one of the premises par-
" ticularly might be judged an act sufiicient in a King's
" tirae to be done; besides his raost vigilant and careful
" study about the enacting of a great volurae of right
" wholesorae statutes and laws for the coraraodity and be-

604 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " hoof of tbe public weal of England and bis other dorai-
^^^- " nions ; and araong these his uncessant endeavours about
Annoi546." a reforraation in religion; and therein as a thing raost
" necessary for all coraraon weals, tending to Christ's glory,
" tbe extirping and abolishing of the detestable usurpa-
" tions of the Papacy of Rorae, the rooting up all sects of
" cloisterers, of all counterfeit religion, and of idolatry, to-
" gether with the setting forth of the Scripture in the vul-
" gar English tongue : beside all these preraises, and his
" other acts, &c. King Henry was a Prince of singular
" prudence, of passing stout courage, of raagnanimity in-
" comparable, of invincible fortitude, of notable activity, of
" dexterity wonderful. He was a continual welling fountain
of eloquence, a very rare spectacle of humanity. Of ci
vility, or good nourture, an absolute precedent ; a special
' pattern of cleraency and raoderation ; a worthy example
of regal justice ; a bottoraless spring of largess and be-
" nignity. He was in all the arts and faculties profoundly
" seen ; in all liberal disciplines equal with the chiefest ; in
" no kind of literature unexpert. He was to the world an
" ornaraent, to his country a treasure, to his friends a com-
" fort, to his eneraies a terror ; to his faithful and loving
" subjects a tender father, to innocents a sure protector, to
" ¦wilful raalefactors a sharp scourge, to his coraraon weal
"¦ and good people a quiet haven and anchor of safe-
" guard, &c. A raan he was, in all gifts of nature, of for-
" tune, and of grace, peerless ; and shortly to break off in a
" matter of itself infinite, a man above all praises." This
quahty I observe in the favourers of the Reforraation in
those days, that though this King were very hard upon
them, and would not be brought to countenance them in
raany things, yet they were wont to give high encomiums
of him upon all occasions. Which is a token tbat it was
not all flattery which they spake, but truth in a great mea
sure.
Hated mor- To ,aU that hath been said of hira, I add, that it raust
Itaw'" ^^^^ redound unto the honour of his raeraory, that bold
and venturesome act of his, in so bravely casting oft" the

« ,

" ,

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 605
long usurped power of the Pope in these realras. Which so CHAP.
enraged that Bishop, that he excomraunicated him, and Set ^''"

all the princes of Christendora upon hira. And how raor- Anno i546.
tally the King was hated in Italy, and raUed at in all so
cieties in those parts, \ye have the testiraony of Mr. Pole,
(afterwards Cardinal,) as he told the King plainly in a letter
he wrote to hira, about 1537, from those parts, viz. " that
" though he were often in corapany with all sorts of people,
" he never heard one (and he swore qfbre God to the truth
" of it) either praised his actions or allowed them- And
" that further, when he would take the King's part, and
" speak in favour of what he did, he was in jeopardy of his
" life, incited, as he plainly told the King, by the injustice 392
" they judged of his doings."
As we have given some character of the King, so here The condi-
shaU foUow another of the people. Of whom take this ac-Jj?° °^*''*
count, as it seeras they were about the latter end of the
King's reign. Both the gentry and the clergy grew ex
trerae covetous. As for the lay-sort, they feU to raising
their old rents, turned their arable into pasture, for grazing
sheep, and enclosed coraraons, to the great oppression of
the poor. This raay be best understood by reading what
one writes who lived in those days. " How do the rich The rich
" men, and especiaUy such as be sheepraongers, oppress the b^J^oq';^'
" King's liege people, by devouring their coraraon pastures i"s Jewel
" with their sheep. So that the poor people are not able
" to keep a cow for the comfort of thera and of then- poor
" famUies, but are Hke to starve and perish for hunger, if
" there be not provisions raade shortly. What sheep-
" ground scapeth these caterpillars of the common weal .?
" How swarm they with abundance of flocks of sheep ; and
" yet when was wool ever so dear, or mutton of so great
" price? If these sheepraongers go forth as they begin, the
" people- shall both raiserably die for cold, and wretchedly
" perish for hunger. For these greedy wolves and curaber-
" ous corraorants will either sell their wool and their sheep
" at their own price, or else they will sell none. O what a
" diversity is this in the sale of wools ! A stone of wool

606 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " sometime to be sold at eight groats, and now for eight
^"' " shillings ; and so likewise of the sheep. God have raercy

Anno 1546." on US." And a little after: " Rich raen were never so
" much estranged frora all pity and compassion towards the
" poor people as tbey be at this present time. Tbey de-
" vour the people as it were a morsel of bread. If any
" piece of ground delight their eye, they raust needs have
" it, other by hook or by crook. If the poor raan ynW not
" satisfy tbeir covetous desires, be is sure to be molested,
" troubled, and disquieted on such sort, that, whether he will
" or not, (though both he, the careful wife, and raisernble
" children, with tbe whole faraily, perish for hunger,) he
" shall forego it, or else it were as good for him to live
" among tbe furies of hell, as to dweU by those rich carles
" and covetous churles."
Depopulate There was another evil these rich raen were guilty of;
naraely, of depopulating towns, by letting houses and cottages
fall down to the ground, or pulling thera down. They got
raany houses and teneraents into their hands, yea, whole
townships soraetiraes ; and then they would suffer them to
go to utter decay and ruin. By which raeans whole towns
becarae desolate, and like to a wUderness, no raan dweUing
there, except it were a shepherd and his dog. Insomuch
that the before-mentioned author said, " that he himself
" knew raany towns and villages sore decayed : so that
" whereas in times past there were in some towns an hun-
" dred households, now there remained not thirty ; in some
" fifty, there were not then ten ; yea, which was raore to be
" laraented, some towns so wholly decayed, that there was
" neither stick nor stone standing, as they use to say. Where
" raany raen had good livings, and maintained hospitality ;
" able at all times to help the King in his wars, and to sus-
" tain other charges ; able also to help their poor neigh-
393 " hours, and virtuously to bring up their children in godly
" letters and good sciences, now sheep and conies devour
" altogether, no raan inhabiting tbe foresaid places. So
" that, he addeth, those beasts which were bred of God for
" the nourishment of man, do now devour raan. And since

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 607
" gentieraen began to be sheep-masters and feeders of cat- CHAP.
" tie, the poor had neither victual nor cloth at any reason

able price. For these forestallers of the raarket had gotten Anno is46.
" all things so into their hands, that the poor raen raust
" either buy it at their price, or else raiserably starve for
" hunger and die for cold. They abhorred the naraes
" of raonks, friars, canons, nuns, &c. but their goods they
" greedily griped. And yet where the cloisters kept hos-
" pitality, let out their farms at a reasonable price, nou-
" rished schools, brought up youth in good letters, they
" did none of all these things. They Hghtly esteeraed, and
" in a raanner conteraned the priests, parsons, vicars, pre-
" bendaries, &c. yet their possessions they gladly embraced
" and niggardly retained. So that now tbey were becorae
" in effect, saith he, though not in narae, very raonks, friars,
" canons, priests, parsons, vicars, prebendaries, and at the
" last, what not ? And yet how vainly those goods be spent,
" who seeth not ?"
As for the spiritual raen, they affected raightily courtly The condi-
living, and taking their pleasure. Little residence upon clergy.
their benefices, and less hospitality. " God coraraandeth,"
saith the sarae author, " tithes to be paid. But for what
" cause? That the Ministers should spend thera in the
" Court, or at the University, or about whoring, or in keep-
" ing of hawks or dogs, or in raaintaining a sort of idle, va-
" liant lubbers, and do nothing but consurae tbe good fruits
" of the earth ? Nay, verily, but that there should be meat
" in bis house." For the parsonage, or vicarage, is God's
house. The vast nuraber of priests raade thera conterapt-
ible. For there were Mass-priests, Dirige-priests, Chantry-
priests, Sacrificing-priests, as the author of the Defence of defence of
Priests'' Marriage reckons thera up, and tells us, that Pig- p. 24.
bins, in his book of Controversies, coraplaining of the con
terapt of Priests, attributes the sarae to the great swarra and
raultitude of thera, over many. The great neglect of their
parishes added also to their disrepute. For they raade
them only serve as means to accuraulate wealth to thera
selves, without any conscience to discharge their duties

608 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, there. For they for the most part followed divers trades
and occupations secular: some were surveyors of lands.

Anno 1546. some receivers, sorae stewards, some clerks of the kitchen,
FoUow se- Qjany gardeners, and orchard-makers. And coraraonly this
cular busi- j o ?
ness. was the trade ; the better benefice, and the cure the more,
the seldomer was the Parson or Vicar resident at horae. If
they wanted now and tben serraons to be preached in their
churches, they got fiiars to do it for thera. Or, as the au-
Page 29. thor above raentioned expresses it, " if any of thera thought
" for raanner's sake to have sorae serraons in their cures,
" they had friars at their hand ready to supply such parts
" at their pleasure."

394 CHAP. LIII.
A notaile iook came forth, called, A Supphcation of the
poor Coraraons to the King ; shew'ing ihe late state qf
fhe kingEom. The King's care for flie education qfhis
children in learning. Praises of fhe King. Leagues,
conventions, Sfc. in this Kings reign.
A Suppiica- JL HIS year carae forth a littie book, called, A Supplication
tion of the qC ^^g poor Commons ; addressed to the King : whereunto
poor Com- *^ J. o
mons. was added another book, called. The Supplication qf Beg
gars, printed anno 1524 : which book is preserved in
Fox's Acts and Monuraents. This Supplication is a nota
ble piece : shewing the state of the kingdora in those latter
years of King Henry's reign ; and representing the condi
tion of the various ranks of the subjects, tbe usurpations of
Priests, the hardships of the poor, oppressions of the richer
sort, their covetousness, the stop made to the progress of
reHgion ; which occasioned the complaints of the commons
to the King for redress of these things. And it gives such
a light into the affairs of those days, that a better history
can scarce be given thereof, being ¦writ in those very tiraes :
and since it is a piece hardly to be raet withal, I shaU give
here sorae periods of it.

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 609
It was prefaced, " To the raost victorious Prince Henry CHAP.
" VIII. by the grace of God, King of England, France, . ^"'"

" and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Suprerae Head Anno i546.
" of the Church of England and Ireland, iraraediately next
" unto God : his humble and most faithful subjects of the
" realm of England wish life everlasting."
Beginning, " Piteously coraplaining the poor coraraons Their po-
" of this your Majesty's realm ; greatly lamenting their ^'^^'
" own raiserable poverty : and yet rauch raore the most la-
" mentable and more than wretched estate of their children
" and posterity, &c. Not many years tofore your Highness'
" poor subjects, the lame and irapotent creatures of this
" realra, presented your Highness with a pitiful and la-
" raentable coraplaint ; iraputing the head and chief cause
" of their penury and lack of relief unto the great and in-
" finite nuraber of valiant and sturdy beggars, which had, sturdy beg-
" by their subtile and crafty deraeanour and begging, gotff"'"'*^
" into their hands raore than the third part of the yearly
" revenues and possessions of this your Highness' realm.
" Whereupon, as it seemed, your Highness, seeking a re-
" dress and reforraation of these great and intolerable enor-
" mities, as a merciful father of your natural country, raoved
" with pity towards the raiserable and pitiful number of
" blind, lame, lazars and others, the impotent creatures of
" this your realm, hath, with most earnest diligence, sup-
" planted, and, as it were, weeded out a great number of
" valiant and sturdy monks, friers, chanons, heremits, and
" nuns ; disguised hypocrites, who under the name of the
" conterapt of this world, wallowed in the sea of this world's
" wealth. And to the intent your loving and obedient
" subjects might the better be able to relieve the needy and
" impotent creatures, you took from them the great num-395
" ber of gilted [guilded] beggars, [iraages of saints.] Holi-
" ness was so fast rooted in the hearts of us, your poor
" commons, through the false delusion of the foresaid
" sturdy and valiant beggars, that we would not stick to go
" an hundred miles of our bare feet to seek one of them.
" That we might not only bestow our alras upon thera,
VOL. 1. R r

610 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " but also do thera reverence and honour, none otherwise
 '__ " than if they had been very gods.
Anno 1546. " Yea, when your Highness had ordained, that all these
" foresaid beggars should be utterly abolished, never to
" deceive us of our alras any raore ; we, like raen always
" brought up in foolish superstition of these false Phari-
" sees and flattering hypocrites, knew not the obedience
" that we owe to you, our natural and rightful Prince:
" but incontinent fell in an uproar; crying [up] our holy-
" days, abbeys, and pUgriraages : none otherwise than the
" Ephesians did against the elect vessel of God, St. Paul,
" when be said, They are not gods which ie made with
" hands : and as the Jews did against holy Stephen, when
" he said, That God dwelleth nof in a house made with
" hands. Yea, had not God ¦wrought on your part, in ap-
" peasing that sturdy throng, this realra had even then
" been like to bave been utterly decayed. For even those,
" whom your Highness had called together to assist you in
" that dangerous tirae, were for the raost part so bent to
" the opinicMi of tbe other, that raany would not stick to
" say. When we shall come to fhe iatfle, we know what we
" have to do.
" They, the coraraons, then proraised hira for certain,
" that they, walking in the fear of the Lord, would not
" frora henceforth, so long as the knowledge of God's word
" reigned, atterapt any such so devUish enterprise, as to.re-
" bel against bis Highness, their most natural Sovereign
" and liege Lord; either for their fathers' popish traditions,
" or other their own fantastical dreams, &c.
" The remnant of the sturdy beggars not yet weeded out
" did daily in their writings, counsels, and preaching, stir us
Sermons of « thereunto, [viz. rebelhon.! For what raean they in theu-
Priests. -
" serraons, when they laraent the great discords and mise-
" rable state of this our time ; wishing, that aU things were
" now as it was twenty years since ; but that they would
" bave a Pope, pardons, lighting of candles to images,
" knocking and kneeling to them, with running hither and
" thither on pilgrimage ? •

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 611
" They tell us, that vice, uncharitableness, lack of mercy, CHAP.
" diversity of opinions, and other like enormities, liavc_

"reigned ever since men had the Scripture in English. Anno i64b.
" And what is this other, than to cause men's consciences to ^Jj"",'^'!"
" abhor the same, as the only cause and original of all this? disliked.
" They say, it sufficeth a layman to believe as they teach ;
" and not to raeddle with the interpretation of tlu- Scrip-
" ture. And what raeanctii that, but that they would have
" us so blind again as we wcre, when we would have fought
" against our natural Prince, for tbe maintenance of their
" jiopish traditions and purgatory patrimony ? They can-
" not abide this narae, the zoord qf God ; but they
" would have Scriptures called, the commandments qfGod.
" They have procured a law, that none shall be so hardy
" to have the Scripture in his house, unless he may spend
" 1 0/. by year- And what mcaneth this, but that they would 396
" famish the souls of the residue, withholding their food
" frora them? We appeal to your Highness's judgment in
" this behalf, whether this would be indifferent, or no ; if
" none should be allowed meat in your Highness's house,
" but such as were clothed in velvet, with chains of gold
" about their necks ? What servants would your Majesty
" have shortly ? What starvlings would your servants be
" of all other ? For no man within your realra may refuse
" to do you service. Hath God put immortal souls in none
" other, but such as be possessioners of this world ? Did
" not Christ send word to John the Baptist, that thc poor
" received fhe Gospel? — Why do these men disable them
" from reading of the Scriptures, tiiat are not endued with
" tho possessions of this world? Undoubtedly, most gra-
" cious Sovoroign, because they are the very same that shut
" up tiie kingdora of hiavon before men. They enter not
" iu tiiorasclves; nor surt'cr thoy them to enter tlmt would.
" They ure like to a cur dog lying in a cock of hay : for he
" will eat none of the hay himself, nor suffer any other
" beast that conies to oat thoroof
" But some will probably say, they were not all sturdy
"' beggars, tiiat were in thc ParlianuMit, wluii this law was

612 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " established. For raany of thera, and the raost part,
" were secular men ; and not of such ability, tbat this law

Anno 1546." would permit thera to have the Scripture in their houses.
" Wherefore this law is indifferent, and taketh not the
" word of God frora us. But we, with our fuU consent,
'^' have coraraitted it to thera in that said law limited.
" Whereunto we answer, that if we have given it over from
" us to the possessioners of this world, we may weU be
" likened to the Gedarites, Mark v. which desired Christ to
" depart from their country ; and the lurking night-birds,
" which cannot abide the brightness of the sun. — If we
" have rejected this raerciful proffer of our raost raerciful
" Father, (to have the Scriptures, the declaration of God's
" wUl,) when he used your Highness as his instrument to
" publish and set forth his raost lively word ; let us fall
" down prostrate with repentance of this conterapt of his
" raerciful gift: raost hurably beseeching hira to behold
" the dolours of our hearts, and to forget our obstinacy
" therein ; giving your Highness such desire of our salva-
" tion; and that you will as favourably restore unto us
" the Scripture in our English tongue, as you did at the
" first translation thereof set it abroad. Let not the adver-
" sary take occasion to say, the Bible was of a traitor's set-
" ting forth, and not of your Highness' own doing. For
Tho. Crum- a gg tbey report, tbat Thoraas Crurawel, late Earl of Es-
" sex, was the chief doer, and not your Highness, but as
" led by him.
A Bible to " When your Highness gave coraraandraent, that they
parUi"^'^'^ " (fhe Bishops and Clergy) should see, that there were in
church. " every parish church one Bible at the least, set at liberty;
" so that every raan raight freely corae to it, and read
" therein such things as should be for his consolation ; many
" of this wicked generation, as well Priests as others their
" faithful adherents, would pluck it, other into the quire,
" other else into sorae pew, where poor raen durst not pre-
" surae to come ; yea, there is no sraall number of churches
" tbat hath no Bible at all. And yet not sufficed with ,the
397 " withholding it from the poor of their own parishes, they

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 613
" never rested till they had a coraraandraent frora your CHAP.
" Highness, that no raan, of what degree soever he were.

a

" should read the Bible in the tirae of God's service, as they Anno iS46.
call it. As though the hearing of their Latin lies, and
conjuring of water and salt, were rather the service of
" God, than the study of his most holy word. This was
" their diligence in setting forth the Bible at your High-
" ness' coramandraent. But when your Highness had de-
" vised a proclamation for the burning of certain transla-
" tions of the New Testament, they were so bold to burn Some trans-
" the whole Bible, because they were of those raen's [Tyn- be burnt.
" dal, Coverdale, &c.] translation ; [and not the New Tes-
" taraen t only. J
" We heard say, that they proffered your Highness, that Some offer
" if you woufd please to caU in the Bible again, forasrauch tbe Bible
" as it was not faithfully translated in all parts, they would »?»•" ^i*''-
T . , . .... in seven
" oversee it ; and within seven years set it lorth again. — years.
" Your Bishops, raost victorious Prince, if they raight have
" gotten in the Bible for seven years, they would have
" trusted, that, by that tirae, either your Highness shpuld
" have been dead, or the Bible forgotten : or else they
" themselves out of your Highness' reach ; so tbat you
" should not have had Hke power over thera, as you have
" now. "When your Majesty appointed two of thera [Hethe Two Bi-
" and Tunstal] to overlook the translation of the Bible, ^'^"P*^*^^,^^
" they said, tbey had done your Highness' coraraandraent translation.
" therein ; yea they set their naraes thereunto. But when
they saw the world soraewhat like to wring on the other
" side, they denied it ; and said, they never raeddled there
with : causing the printer to take out their naraes, which
were erst set before tbe Bible, to certify aU raen that they
" had dihgentiy perused it, according as your Highness
" had coraraanded.
" One other point of their diligence your Highness raay The King's
" note, in the setting forth and using of your Highness's ,^J^'^^^'^ ^^
" Primer, both in English and Latin : and in the diligent there.
" reading unto the people the exhortation to prayer :
Rr 3

ii

ii

614 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " which you ordained and coraraanded to be read always
. " before tbe procession in EngHsh. We think, that no

Anno 1546. " man can blaraeless say, that ever he heard one of them
" read it twice over.' Yea, when your Highness was re-
" tumed frora your victory, done at Bolein, they did what
" they could to have it caUed in again. Insorauch as
" they caused all such parishes as they raight command, to
" use their old Kyrie Eleyson again. And yet to this day
f^n^^'^r^ " '^^y ^^^ ''^ soleran feasts to follow their old Ordinary,
old Ordi- " uot^withstaudlng your Highness's coraraandraent.
Th^p ¦ " ^^^ when they catch any thing tbat soundeth to the
raunt in " contrary, it shall not escape so, we warrant you. It shaU
\\xs ' " ^^ swinged in every pulpit, with, This is fhe K'ln^s gra-
" clous will : and yet these heretics ¦will be stUl doing in
" the Scriptures. A shoeraaker, a cobler, a taUor, a boy
" not yet twenty years of age, shall not stick to reprove
" that a learned man of forty years study shall affirra in
" the declaration of God's word. Oh! how godly were
" the people disposed, when they knew nothing of the
" Scripture, but as they were taught by profound Clerks
" and weU-learned raen ? Then were there hospitals buUded
398 " for the poor ; then were there coUeges builded for the
" raaintenance of learning. Yea, if they durst, they would
" say, tben were abbeys and chauntries founded, for the re-
" hef of the poor souls in the bitter pains oi purgatory; then
" were our purses filled ¦with the offerings of the devout
" people, that used to seek the blessed iraages and relics of
" our Saviour Christ, and his blessed raother Mary, with
" the residue of tbe saints.
^u*"* "b ° " '^'^^"' f*"" ^^^ abuse of obtaining and holding henefices:
neiices. " let them be appointed livings worthy their muiistration.
" What reason is it, that a surveyor of buildings or lands,
" an cdchyraist, or a goldsraitb, shall be rewarded with be-
" nefice upon benefice ? whicb of very reason ought to be
" coraraitted to none other, but such as who by godly
" learning and conversation were able, and would apply
" theraselves to walk amidst their flocks in all godly ex-
" araple and purity of life. How great a nuraber is there of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 615
' them, that in tbe name of your Chaplains, raay dispend CHAP.
yearly by benefices, sorae one C. sorae CC. sorae CCC. .

" sorae CCCC. sorae CCCCC. yea, sorae a M. raarks and Anno i546.
,, T. - . TT' 1 1 The King's
" raore. it is a coramon saying among us, your Highness chaplains.
" poor coraraons, that one of your Highness's Chaplains,
" not raany years since, used, when he lusted to ride abroad
" for his repast, to carry with hira a scroll ; wherein were
" written the naraes of his parishes whereof he was Parson.
" And it fortuned in his journey he espied a church stand- A story of
" ing upon a fair hiU, pleasant beset with groves and plain tbem.
" fields, the goodly green raeadows lying beneath, by the
" banks of a crystalline river, garnished with willows, pop-
" lars, palra trees, and alders, raost beautiful to behold. This
" vigilant Pastor, taken with the sight of this terrestrial
" paradise, said unto a servant of his, (tbe clerk of his sig-
" net, no doubt, it was ; for he used to carry his raaster's
" ring in his raouth,) Robin, saith he, yonder benefice stand-
" eth very pleasantly ; I would it were raine. The servant
" answered. Why, Sir, quoth he, it is your own benefice ;
" and naraed his parish. Is it so, quoth your Chaplain ?
" And with that he pulled out his scroU, for to see for cer-
" tainty whether it were so or not. See, raost dread Sove-
" reign, what care they took for the flock. When they see
" their parish churches, they know thera not by their situ-
" ation. If your Highness had so raany swine in your
" realra as you have raen, would you corarait thera to tbe
" keeping and feeding of such swineherds, as did not know
" their swine's coats when they saw thera ?
" Instead of these sturdy beggars, there is crept in a Complaint
" sturdy sort of extortioners. These men cease not to op- tioners and
" press us, your Highness' poor coraraons, in such sort, raisers of
" tbat raany thousands of us, which here before lived ho- gnes.
" nestly upon our sore labour snd travail, bringing up our
" chUdren in the exercise of honest labour, are now con-
" strained, sorae to beg, sorae to borrow, and sorae to rob
?' and steal, to get food for us and our poor wives and
" chUdren. And, that is raost like to grow to inconveni-
" ence, we are constrained to' suffer our children to spend
R r 4

616 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " the flower of their youth in idleness; bringing thera up,
¦ " other to bear wallets, other else, if they be sturdy, to stuff

Anno 1546. " prisons, and garnish gallow trees. For such of us as have
" no possessions left to us by our predecessors and elders,
399 " departed this life, can iiow get no ferm, tenement, or cot-
" tage at these raen's hands, without we pay unto them
" raore than we are able to raake. Yea, this was tolerable,
" so long as after this extrerae exaction we were not, for the
" residue of our years, oppressed with much greater rents
" than hath of ancient tiraes been paid for the sarae grounds.
" For then a man raight, within a few years, be able to re-
" cover the fine, and after"wards live honestly by his travail.
" But now these extortioners have so improved tbeir lands,
" that they take of 40*. fine 40^. and of 5 nobles rent 51. yet
" not sufficed with this oppression within their o^wn inherit-
" ance, they buy at your Highness' hand such abbey lands,
" as you appoint to be sold. And when they stand once
" full seized therein, they make us, your poor comraonS,
" so in doubt of their threatenings, that we, dare do none
" other, but bring into their courts our copies taken of the
" convents, and of the late dissolved raonasteries, and con-
" firraed by your High Court of Parliament. They make
" us believe, that by virtue of your Highness all our former
" writings are void, artd of no effect : and that if we ¦wiU
" not take new leases of them, we raust then forthwith
" avoid the grounds, as having therein no interest. More-
" over, when they can espy no coraraodious thing to be
" bought at your Highness' hand, they labour for and ob-
" tain leases for twenty-one years, in and upon such abbey
" lands as lie coraraodious for thera. Then do they dash us
" out of countenance with your Highness' authority ; mak-
" ihg us believe, that by the virtue of your Highness' lease
" our copies are void. So that they corapel us to surrender
" our forraer writings, whereby we ought to hold, some for
" two, and some for three lives : and to take by indenture
" for twenty-one years, overing both fines and rents, be-
" yond all reason and conscience.
" This thing causeth, that such possessioners as hereto-

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 617
" fore were able and used to maintain their own children, CHAP, r I f I
" and some of ours, to learning, and such other qualities.

" as are necessary to be had in this your Highness* realra, ^""'* >*''®*
" are now of necessity corapeUed to set their own children
" to labour. And all is little enough to pay the lord's rent,
" and to take the house anew at the end of the year. So'
" that we, your poor commons, which have no grounds,
" nor are able to take any of these extortioners lands, can
" find no way to set our children on work now, though wO
" proffer thera for meat and drink, and poor clothes to
" cover their bodies. Help, raerciful Prince, in this ex-
" treraity. Suffer not the hope of so noble a realra ut-
" terly to perish through t^e unsatiable desire of the pos-
" sessioners. " Remember, that you shall not leave this kingdom to a Prince
" stranger, but to the child of great towardness, our most "^"^ '
" natural Prince Edward. Employ your study to leav^
" him a coramon weial to govern ; and not an island of brute
" beasts, among whom the strongest devour the weaker.
" If you suffer Christ's" poor raembers to be thus op- They put
" pressed, look for none other than the rightful judgraent of ^'i"j"f
" God, for your negligence in your office and rainistry. '''* •'""'^
" For the blood of aU them that through your negligence
" shall perish, shaU be required at your hand. Be raerciful
" therefore to yourself and us, your most obeisant subjects. 400
" Endanger not your soul by the suffering of us, your
" poor coraraons, to be brought aU to the names oi ieggars,
" and most miserable wretches. Let us be unto your High-
" ness, as the inferior raerabers of the body unto their head.
" Remember, that your hoar hairs are a token, that nature
" maketh haste to absolve the course of your life. Prevent
" the subtile imaginations of them that gaily look after the
" crown of this realra, after your days. For what greater
" hope can they have, as concerning that detestable and
" devilish imagination, than that they raight win the hearts
" of us, your Highness' coraraons, by delivering us from
" the captivity and misery that we are in.

618 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. " Defer not, raost dread sovereign Lord, the reformation
" of these so great enormities : for the wound is even unto
Anno 1546." death. — By this we mean tbe great and raighty abomina-
Vice and a t^Qu pf yjce, that UOW reigneth within this your High-
wickedness ' ^ o ^ ./ o
reigned. " ness' realra this day. For whoredom is raore esteeraed than
" wedlock ; although not universally, yet araong the great-
" est nuraber of licentious persons. Simony hath lost his
" narae : and usury is lawful gains, &c. What example of
" life is in us this day, to declare that we rather be the
" people of God, than the Jews or Mahometans ? Certes,
" most renowned Prince, none, but that we confess him to
" be God. And that were sufficient, if our deeds did not
" deny hira.
Popish a But these durab dogs have learned to fawn upon them
Priests. " that use to bring thera bread ; and to be wonderful
" hasty, when they be raaintained and cherished. But if
" they be once bid couch, they know their Sire Pope, so
" well, that they draw the tail between tbe legs, and get
" theraselves straight to the kennel. And then come whoso
" will, and do what they will, these dogs will stir no more,
" than they hear their master say. Hey cut, and Long tail.
" So fraid tiiey are of stripes, and lest they should be tied
" up so short, that they might not range abroad, and worry
" now and tben a simple larab or two.
Complaint a "pi^g jast year they obtained by their iraportunity a
for tithes " grant, which, if it be not revoked, will in continuance of
" time be the greatest irapoverlshment of us, your poor
" coraraons, and chiefly in tbe city of London, that ever
" chanced since the first beginning thereof. They have ob-
" tained, and it is enacted, tbat every raan within the said
" city shall yearly pay unto thera 6d. ob. oi every 10.9.
" [rent.] So that if the lord of the grounds please to double
" and trible the rents, as tbey do indeed, then must the
" poor tenant pay also double and trible tenths, as due in-
" crease of tbeir riches, &c. Have corapassion upon us,
" raost gracious Sovereign; suffer not these unsatiable dogs
" to eat us out of all that we have. Consider, that it is

in London.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 619
"against all reason and conscience, that we, your poor cHAP.
" coraraons, should be thus oppressed : that where the land- ^"^•

" lord demandeth of us double and triple rent, that then Anno 1546.
" we shall pay also to the parson double and triple tenths.
" But, raost dear Sovereign, how craftily have they wrought
" this feat ! They require not the tenths of tbe landlords
" that have the increase, but of the tenants ; which of ne-
" cessity are constrained to pay to the lords their asking ;
" either else to be without dweUing-places. They know
" right weU, that if they should have raatched theraselves 40 1
" with the landlords, they happUy would have been too
" weak for thera at the length. But they were in good
" hopes, that we, your poor coraraons, should never be able
" to stand in their hands.  If we have not where^with to
" pay them, they may, by virtue of the act, distress such
" implements as they shaU find in our houses, &c.
" Doubtless, most renowned Prince, if the oppression
" were not too much, beyond all reason and conscience, we
" would never have troubled your Highness -with it. Y'ea,
" if there were any hope, that they would be satisfied by
" this, we would rather fast three days every week, than we
" would seem to be slack in doing all such things as the law
" bindeth us to do. But we see daily such great increase
" of their unsatiable desire, that we fear least in process of
" time they wiU make us aU beg, and bring to thera all
" that we can get.
" It is no rare thing to see poor irapotent creatures beg The poor
" at Easter, to pay for the Sacraraent, when they receive it. „ey to pay"
"¦And it is no less coraraon to see raen beg for such dead forthe Sa-
" corpses, as have nothing to pay the Priest's duty. Yea, Easter.
" it is not long since there was in your Highness's city of
" London a dead corpse brought to the church to be bu-
" ried, being so poor, that it was naked, without any cloth
" to cover it. But these charitable men, which teach us
" that it is one of the works of raercy to bury the dead,
" would not take the pains to bury the dead corpse, unless
" they had their duty, as they call it. In fine, they caused

620 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. LHI.

Anno 1 546.

Priests* petty bribe
ries.

King Henry
once led by
Priests into
supersti
tion. 402

the dead corpse to be carried into the street again, and
there to reraain, till the poor people, which dwelled in
the place where the poor creature died, begged so rauch
as the Priests call their due.
" Judge then, raost victorious Prince, what an unrea
sonable sura the whole and gross sura of these enhanced
tenths, with other their petty briberies draweth to. They
receive of every hundred pound, 13/. 15*. and of the
thousand, 137Z. 10*. Then raay your Highness soon be
certified, what they receive of the whole rents of the City.
No doubt, gracious Prince, they receive of us yearly
raore than your Highness did at any tirae, when you were
beset on every side with mortal enemies. And yet their
consciences wUl serve thera well enoiigh to take three
tiraes as rauch as they do, if your Highness would suffer
thera. As they use to say, that forasrauch as it is esta
bhshed by a law, they raay ¦with gobd conscience take it, if
it were raore. Yea, if your Highness would suffer them,
their conscience would suffer them to lie with our wives,
every tenth : and the other lords, to have every tenth
wife in the parish at their pleasure. But our trust is,
that your Highness will tie them shorter. And, to say
the truth, it is tirae. For if you suffer thera a while,
they will atterapt to raake your Highness pay the tenths
unto thera, as long as they have paid them to you. For
they have already sought our warehouses, storehouses,
stables, wharfs, and fairs : causing us to pay, not only the
tenths, (for that we have paid before,) but also the se
venth penny of the whole rents, raised throughout the
whole city.
" Reraeraber, Oh! how they led your Highness, when
you sent forth your letters under your Broad Seal, com
raanding every and singular your Highness's subjects,
under pain of your Highness's displeasure, to aid, sup
port, and further all and singular proctors and pardoners.
Reraeraber in what case they had brought your High
ness, when you thought it godliness to visit in your own

UNDER KING HENRY VIIL 621
"person the graves, images, and relics of superstition CHAP.
" and dead saints : doing to them divine honour and reve- ^^"-
" rence, &C. Anno 1546.
" Your Highness comraanded, that none should receive who to re-
" the Sacrament at Easter but such as could and did use J^Jj., §„?-
" the Lord's Prayer, with the Articles of the Faith, in theP^iit
" English tongue. But they bid us use that which is most
" ready to us.
" They baptize our children in the Latin tongue: bid- !*»?*'»" •'V
¦ Priests
" ding us say Volo, and Credo ; when we know not what it
" is they demand of us. By this means it is brought to
" pass, that we know not what we promise in our baptisra,
" but superstitiously we think, that the holiness of the
" words, which sound so strangely in our ears, and of the
" water that is so oft crossed, is the doing of aU the raatter.
" Yea, we think that if our chUdren be weU plunged in the
" font, they shall be healthful in aU their lirabs ever after.
" But if they suffer by any raisad venture, or have any hurt
" in any of their raerabers, incontinently we lay the fault ;
" saying, that raeraber was not well christened." These are
some of the chief parts of this notable Supplication qf the
Commons.
I have still further to add under this reign, and to enter The King
upon record, as a most coraraendable quality of this King, jaugbters
bis care for the education of his chUdren, not only his son, to learning.
but his daughters too, in good learning, and in the know
ledge of the learned tongues, as weU as in other accomplish
ments. Which exaraple of the King raany nobleraen fol
lowing, bred up their daughters under the best learned
men, whom they fetched frora the Universities. And raany
young woraen now arrived to very considerable attainraents
iri tbe tongues and philosophy. Sir Anthony Cook's daugh
ters were all excellently learned in Latin and Greek ; and
so were Sir Thoraas More's. Queen Katharine Par was
well learned, and the Lady Jane Grey, the Duke of Suf
folk's unfortunate daughter ; and so were the Lady Mary
and the Lady Elizabeth. Erasmus, in one of his letters
wrote in the year 1529, makes mention of the forraer : " That Ep- xxx;.
•^ ' lib. 19.

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, "as Katharine the Queen, her mother, was egregib docta, so
'^'' " her daughter Mary scrlbif ien^ Latinas epistolas ; that

Anno 1546. " is, writ letters in good Latin. And Sir Thomas More's
" house was nothing else but musarum domicilium ; a ha-
" bitation of the muses." In the sarae letter he speaks
how the Eraperor's aunt Mary delighted in Latin books
To whora therefore he wrote a treatise; entitled. Vidua
Christiana, The Christian Widow. And lastly, the same
Erasmus hence makes this observation : ^ " It is pretty that
" this sex should now at last betake itself to the ancient
" exaraples  The scene of huraan things is changed ;
" the raonks famed in tiraes past for learning are become
" ignorant, and woraen love books."
403 As to the Lady Mary's learning, I ¦will set down a Latin
Portu"ar letter, which in Noveraber this year, by the opportunity of
daughter sorae arabassador, was sent to her frora her naraesake, an-
ti'e Lady Other King's learned daughter, and related to her ; wherein
Mary in ghe raakes the farae of our Lady Mary's learning, and her
notable endowments, which rendered her famous abroad, as
well as consanguinity, the reason of her writing to ber, and
why she desired her correspondence. By which well-penned
letter we raay observe the care that in that age was taken
for the bringing up of ladies in good literature in other
parts as well as in England. But behold the letter.
Maria Emanuelis Porfugallla Regis filia, Maria Prln-
cipi, Henrici Anglia Regis filla.
MSS. G. Si nulla infer nos esset necessifudo, qua peeullarl qua-
Armie '^^"^ ratlonc ad amandum et scrlbendum alllceref, famen
slngularis fua vel virtus vel eruditio, qua ad nos usque
non obscura fama defer fur, efficeref prqfecto, serenlsslma
Princeps, ut ef fe amarem, ef llferarlam consuetudinem,
quando alia non dafur inter nos esse, cuperem. Nunc
quum ad exlmlas anlml fui dotes, qua fe orbe toto reddunf
amabllem, jus etiam consangulnlfafis mihi tecum interce-

0 Bellum est, eum sexum ad prisca exempla sese postliminio recipere 
S'cena rerum humanarum invertitur ; monachi literas nesciunt, et foemin2e li-
bris indulgent. Uln sujira.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 623
dat, non video cur alias scribendi ad te causas disquiram; CHAP.
... LHI
quum mcyores nec quari debeant, nec inveniri possint.

Quas ob res tenebar egojampridem incredibili quodam de-Anno 1546.
siderlo te Uteris appellandi meis. Nam ex quo de candidis-
simls tuis moribus, de singulari prudentia, de ionarum li
terarum studio, ac denique de omni virtutum genere, qui
bus nobilitaris, accepi ; dici non potest quantum te de his
omnibus amer, quanti tefaciam; uf omlffam Interim san
guinis vinculum, quo quum venit in mentem, non mediocri-
ter soleo delecfarl.
Ergo quum fam opporfuna quam volebam nuncii occasio
nunc essef oblata, sfafui hoc ad te literarum dare ; quibus
animum erga fe meum, i. e. tui amantissimum, slgniji-
carem, et literas item tuas elicerem. Quas jure meo vldeor
jam sperare deiere, quod fe prior suiinvifarem. Fades
ergo fuum, quum rescriies, officium. Fades aufem cumu-
latius, si de salute, deque voluntate erga me fua pluribus
ad me veriis diligenfer scripseris. Ego enim, si fe Uteris
meis delectari perspexero, non infermittam, quin quotles
tabellarii potestas erif, meum tiii hoc in genere praesfem
officium. A fe autem peto primum, uf me ames ; quod quo
niam mihi jam deiere videris, spero fe non gravafe facfu-
ram: deinde, ut siquid ego facere possum, quidpiamve
apud nos esf quod tibi sif usui, auf volupfafi futurum, ea
imperes fiducia, quam vel benevolentia in fe mea poUicefur,
vel tam arcta necessifudo deposcif. Non enim commlttam,
uf aut fidem meam auf spem tuam fefelUsse passim videri.
Vale. Datis apud Santarenam, nonis Novemiris, anno
millesimo, quingenfesimo quadrageslmo sexto.
But to take yet a further review of this great King before Some fur-
we conclude. Beside what hath been related of him by^o^ntof
others already mentioned, let me add the judgraents of two King Hen-
persons of eminence, hving in that King's tirae, and after ;
both of thera Statesmen, and well acquainted with the trans- 404
actions of that Monarch ; men also of integrity as well as
learning. One of them, viz. Sir Richard Morison, commends the ^y ^^ i^'<=h.
Morison ;

624 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP, endowments of his mind, as well as the beauty of his out-
'""*¦ ward proportion, aspect, and demean, in these words : Quis

Anno 1546. tam bwrdits, famve iariarus esf, uf in illo Principis sere
in Apomax.^i^^^^Q ^^^^ clementissimi Regis signa non videaf ? Quis
potuit unquam frontem illam, vulfum ilium vel procul vi-
disse, ef non agnovisse dementia sedem ? Quis augustam
illam totius corporis majestatem potuit, vel ^ longinquo,
speciasse, ef non diademate, sceptro, ialfeo,fiiulis,fimbrlis,
regno denique nafum, dicere? At pafior, corporis dotes,
quas Rex omni virtutum genere ornafissimus, nunquam in
suis laudiius locum habere voluit, nihil ad rem affinere,
nisi cum natura providentia Dei O. M. ienignitafem cer-
fasse comperias, animumque multo pulchriorem is dederit,
quam ilia corpus par are potuit. That is, " Who is there
" so dull, or so barbarous, as not to see, in that raost serene
" countenance, the signs of a King? Who ever could see
" even at a distance that forehead, that face, and not ac-
" knowledge it the seat of cleraency ? Who could behold
" afar off that august raajesty of his whole person, and
" not say, he was born to a diadera, a scepter, a belt, &c.
" in a word, to a kingdora ? But the King, who was adorned
" with all kind of virtues, admitted not these his corporal
" endowments to bave any place in his praises.; but that, by
',' the providence of Almighty God, kindness and goodness
" strove with nature, and gave hira a raind rauch fairer
" than they could frame his body." This in general.
Aifd Sir But for a more particular account of this King, and of
loner. " ^^^ qualities, abilities, and influence in the affairs of the
world, wherein he was concerned, I subjoin what Sir Tho
raas Chaloner raore largely shews in his poem, entitled.
In laud. In laudem Henrici Ocfavi Regis Anglia prastantissimi.
Hen. carm. /-,
paneg. Carmen panegyricum.
And first, in excuse for the King's vices, be hath these
words :
Quo minus id mirum esf, slfortunatior et Rex
Indulsif genlo, admlffens quandoque proferva,
' Af lion immani veniam superantla facto.

UNDER KING HENRY VIII, 625
He was learned, pleasant, and eloquent, frora his younger CHAP.
years, as he describes hira : ^*^^-
Quem Musafovere slnu, Charifasque lepore *'""' '^*®'
Dotarunt, grata multa gravitate loquela.
When he had occasion to speak to his subjects, or to some
ambassador, or to any that carae to him about business, he
spake well and readily ; and that in divers languages. He
moved them with his eloquence. And so he did also by his
behaviour and countenance. For,
Gestus, vulfusque etiam sat amablle splrans.
As for his make and person, it was beyond all others :
insomuch that when he designed to conceal himself, he
was known. For he would sometiraes go disguised through
the city, to know the better the minds and raanners of his 405
people. He walked stately, and was higher by the shoulders
than others.
Specie atque ipso gressu sublimior esse,
Quam mentirefur vulgo appareret, et alta
Ingrediens cervlce fenus turia superessef
Attonita, humano ceu quiddam augusfius ore,
Cerneret obtufufixo.
His aspect was beyond all others, and his countenance
bespake raajesty.
Vicerat ille omnes tunc pulchros pulchrior unus :
Tanta fuit sacrce majesfas regia forma.
His raind equal to the beauty of his body.
Sed acer ef aptus prcesfltit.
He exceeded others in shooting in the long bow, and in
wrestling, and in riding, and raana^ng the great horse. He
becarae his arraour, which he soraetimes put on : and exer
cised himself in hunting.
He held the balance between the two great kings of
Europe, and set bounds to their conquests.
VOL. I. s s

626 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
CHAP. Trufina adversos dum pensitat aqua.
Af potuit prohibere alfrum, ne vinceref alter.

Anno 1546. Afquc ifa sl alfcrufer prasfarct, sortefavenfe,
Jamque insfans,jugulum victrlcia tela pararet
Figere in alferius, quojunctls vlrlbus aucfus.
Tunc vacuo solus possif dominarier orbl.
He was a due executor of justice upon malefactors. And
for his rigour in having justice done upon breach of his
laws, he was apt to be censured. But he saw it was neces
sary to be done ; who before in his younger tirae was too
mild, and inclined to spare offenders.
Junior hie efenim, dum for san mite benigni
Principis ingenium precibus miser afiofiecf it,
Non uni Indulsif, non uno crimine turpi
Af cum ignoscendo tandem perceperaf, unus
Quanta nocens fofl dimissus damna maniplo
Inferaf, audaci ingeminans sua crimina facto ;
Nolult ulferlus jam clemens dicier, uni
Parcere, sed multis duxlf mansuefius esse
Parcere, quam soil, qui nollef parcere multis.
Ergo mefum duxlf vlnclum prasfantlus esse.
Quo populus femere mores mufafus in horas.
Stare loco possit, cruda formidine poena,
Quam si indulgenfem vltlls viflosior hora, &c.
406 The King was assistant to tbe poor against their proud,
rich, oppressing neighbours : for if any such happened to
live near a rich raan, on whora they had any dependance,
unless they did whatsoever he pleased, and were absolutely
at his nod, he seized upon all that the poor raan had.
Actum eraf Istlus de re, de bobus ef agro.
And he would say, " Go, seek sorae new habitation : I
" will not suffer it unrevenged ; but you shall know, who I
" ara, and who you are. "
Hac olim Henricus damnans malesuefa potentum

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 627
Imperia, injusto miseros forquentiafastu, CHAP.
Ulferlus vetuit.  '__

And appointed judges, at stated months in the year, to
go do^wn and decide suits and contentions in the middle of
the kingdom, after the ancient custom ; to do justice to the
poor and obscure, as well as the rich, without respect of
persons. Pauperne obscurus, an aurum
An genus et proavos jactet, discrimine nullo.
This King, notwithstanding some unjustifiable deeds of This King
his, and shedding some innocent blood, was in the latter ^^"^^•
end of his reign rauch applauded and extolled ; and that
chiefly for two or three brave acts; viz. first, the rejecting
the Bishop of Rorae, extirpating his pretended supreraacy
in these kingdoras ; and not aUo^wing any papal jurisdiction
over his subjects. The second, in dissolving the raonasteries,
and putting an end to idle raonks, friars, and nuns. And
the third, in causing the holy Scripture in the English
tongue to be freely read and used in his kingdora by tbe
laity. Observe the praises given him by one in an epistle
to his last Queen, Katharine. " His most excellent Majesty udai's Pref.
" being a man after the heart of the Lord, and being a!?*'''*'™-
. , , , ,. Paraphr. on
" nght David, chosen to destroy Goliah, the huge and cura- St. Luke
" brous eneray of Israel, without any arraour, and without *'^*"^'*t*'''
" any other weapon but the stone of God's word, cast out
" of the sling of the divine Spirit, working in hira, and his
" laws raade here in England ; and being the elected in-
" struraent of God to pluck down the idol of the Roraish
" Antichrist. Who, following the steps of his father, Luci-
" fer, hath not only usurped a kind of supreraacy and ty-
" ranny over aU princes on earth, as well Christen as hea-
" then, but also hath ensurged against heaven ; and hath
" lift up and exalted hiraself above all things that is called
" God ; making void the plain coraraandment, for the ad-
" vancing of his own more than pharisaical traditions;
" perverting tbe true sense of the holy Scriptures, and

628

MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. LHL

Anno 1546.

407

wresting thera to the maintenance of his abominations,
being both afore God and raan detestable. His High
ness being our Ezechias, by the providence of God, de
puted and sent to be the destroyer, not only of aU coun
terfeits in religion, who swarraed araong us like disguised
raaskers, and not rauraraers, but rauralets ; who, under
the cloak of hohness, seduced the people, and devoured
tbe houses of rich widows ; and were raaintainers of all
superstition, idolatry, and rebelhon ; but also to root up
all idolatry done to dead iraages of stone and tiraber, as
unto God, &c.
" His raost exceUent Majesty, frora the first day tbat he
wore the imperial crown of this realm, foresaw, that to the
executing of the premises it was necessary that the people
should be reduced to the sincerity of Christ's religion, by
knowing of God's word ; he considered, that requisite it
was, his subjects were nouzzled in Christ, by reading the
Scriptures: whose knowledge would easUy induce them
to the clear espying of the sHghts of the Roraish jugghng.
And therefore, as soon as raight be, bis Highness, by raost
wholsorae and godly laws, provided, that it raight be
leeful for all his faithful loving subjects to read the word
of God, and the rules of Christ's disciphne, which they
professed. He provided, that the holy Bible should be
set forth in our own vulgar language : to the end, that
England raight the better attain to the sincerity of
Christ's doctrine : which they raight draw out of the clear
fountain and spring of the gospel, &c. By this his Ma
jesty's most godly provision it hath corae to pass, that the
people, which long tirae had been bred in error and bhnd
ness by blind guides, raonks, friars, chanons, and papisti
cal preachers, do now so plainly see the clear Hght, that
they do wiUingly abhor idolatry and superstition: they
do now know their duty to God and their Prince : they
do now erabrace the verity for verity sake, &c. Finally,
tbat their David, the King Henry VIII. had so sub
stantially cast the foundation, and raised the building of

UNDER KING HENRY VIII. 629
" the teraple, that he trusted it should be no burden to chap.
" their young Solomon [Prince Edward] to consumraate

" and finish the sarae, when his tirae should come." Anno 1 546.
As this King was contemporary with the greatest mo
narchs of Europe, viz. the Eraperor, the Kings of Spain K^ing Hen-
, 1 . 1 - T ry's leagues.
and France, so he was engaged in many wars and in divers ,
leagues and pacifications with thera or either of thera, for
the better consulting the peace of raankind. Which, what
they were with each prince, and in what years raade,
throughout the whole course of his reign, I have retrieved
the titles thereof, and transcribed thera from a curious MS.
in the Cotton library ; consisting of leagues, treaties, con
ventions, coramissions, instruraents, confirraations of trea
ties, oaths, obhgations, articles, &c. This transcript is re
posited in the Appendix, and concludes it. N°. cxx.

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