Search York

Wherfore albeit al things, concerning and appertaining

unto this sacrament, be not expresly had in Scripture, yet

ought we reverently and obediently to accept and receive

the same : forasmuch as the Church, that is to say, the

whole multitude of Christen people, hath so allowed and

received them hitherto.

The promises made unto the receivers of this sacrament.
Apostoli imponebant manus super baptizatos, et accepe-

runt Sp. Sanctum^ Actorum 8. Which thing they never

would have attempted, but only by revelation and precept

of the H. Ghost. And so that sure hope, which they used

in the ministring of this sacrament, doth openly shew and

argue, that the H. Ghost had promised unto them, that he

would be ready to give his grace unto them which should

245 be confirmed : upon whom, for the same cause, they should

lay their hand. And so it appeareth that the H. Ghost,

which taught and also commanded the Apostles to use this

outward sign, did in like maner make a promise to the

worthy receivers of the same.

The inward graces.
Rabanus. Sp. Sancti gratia ad robur. In unctione Sp.

Sanctus descendit ad habitationem Deo consecrandam. In

conjirmatione verbo ejusdem septiformis gratia cum omni

plenitudine sanctitatis et virtutis venit in homincm. Also

Urban saith, that al faitliful Christians, by the imposition

of the Bishops hands after baptism, ought to receive the H.

Ghost, that they may be found Jul Christen men : that is to

say, to have al those things which be profitable unto our

health, and perfection of virtue.
Yet we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that when Sa-

maria was converted unto the faith of Christ, Peter and

John came thither, and layd their hands upon them that be-

fore were baptized of Philip, and prayed for them, that

they might receive the H. Ghost : and likewise Paul layd

his hands upon them that were baptized at Ephesus, and

they received the H. Ghost, in such wise, that the people

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 363

did speak divers languages, and prophesied. Wherby the
consciences [the Bishops] did use to lay their hands
upon them that before were baptized by the Priests, and

prayed for them, that they might have the H. Ghost. And

that after it was ordained, that al Christian people should

after their baptism be presented to their Bishops; to the

intent that they laying their hands upon them, and con-

signing them with holy chrism, should pray for them, that

they might be confirmed in the H. Ghost ; that is to say,

that they might receive such gifts of the H. Ghost, &c.

Number LXXXIX.

Humphrey Monmouth, citizen of London, committed to the

Tower for suspicion of heresy, for some hooks found

in his house : his petition to the King's Council.

Unto the most honor aUe Lord Legate, and Chancellor of

England, and to the honorable Councel unto your Svf-

fcrain Lord, King Henry VI IL the xixth day of May, and

in the xxth yere of his raigne ; beseching your Grace,

and al my lords and masters, to have pitie on me, poor

prisoner in the Tozare of London, at your plesure.
THE xiiiith day of May, and in the yere abovesaid. Sir Foxii iviss.

Thomas IVIoore, Knight, and Sir William Kingeston, Knight,

and of the Kinges noble Counsaill, sent for me unto Sir

John Dauncies, and of the same Counsaill ; and there they

examyned me what letters and what books I receved lately 246

from beyond the seas, and I said. None, nor never had of

trewthe. And what exhibition I did give to any bodie be-

yond the sea. I said^ None in three yeres past: and ex-

amyned me, whether I was acquaynted with many persons.^

Of the which I was acquainted with none of them to my

knowledge and remembrance. I told them in iiii yeres past

I did give unto a Prieste called Sir William Tyndal, other-

wyse called Hotchens. And then Sir Thomas INIoore and

Sir William Kcnv'ston had me home to my house, and

364 APPENDIX OF

serched it, and saw al the letters and books in my howse to

my knowledg, by my faith : and there they found no lettres

tliat they regarded, nor Ynglisli books but five or six print-

ed, the which they regarded not ; and they left tlieni with

me as they found them. And from thence I went again to

Sir John Dauncys, my special good master, and he brought

me the same day to the Towre of London, and delivered

me unto Sir Edmonde Walsyngham, Kt. and Lyftenant of

the Towre.
Upon iiii yeres and a half past, and more, I herde the

foresaid Sir William preach ii or iii sermons at St. Don-

stones in the west, in London ; and after that I chaunced

to meet with him, and with communication I examyned

Avhat lyving he had. He said he had none at all, but he

trusted to be with my Lord of London in his service. And

therfore I had the better fantasy to him. And afterward

he went to my Lord and spake to him, as he told me, and

my L. of London answered him, that lie had Chaplaines

inough, and he said to him, that he would have no more at

that tyme. And so the Priest came to me againe, and be-

sought me to help him, and so I took him into my house

half a yere : and there he lived like a good Priest, as me-

thought. He studied most part of the day and of the

night, at his book ; and he would eat but sodden meat by

his good wil, nor drink but small single beer. I never saw

him weare linnin about him in the space he was with me.

I did promys him xZ. sterling, to praie for my father and

mother there sowles, and al Christen sowles. I did paie it

him, when he made his exchange to Hamborow. After-

wards he got of some other men \l. sterling more, the which

he left with me. And within a yere after he sent for his

ten pounds to me from Hamborow: and thither I sent it

him by one Hans CoUenbeke, as I remember is his name, a

merchant of the Stilyard. And since I never sent him the

value of one peny, nor never wil. I have given more exhi-

bitions to skollers in my dayes, than to that Priest. Mr.

Doctor Royston, Chaplen to my Lord of London, hath cost

me more than xl or l pounds sterling. And also Mr.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 365

Doctor Woodcral, Provinciall of Fi-lav Austynes, hath cost

me as niucli, or more. Mr. Doctor Watson, Chaplain to

the Kings good Grace, liath cost me somewhat, and some-

wliat I liave given to skollers at his request, and to divers

priests and fryei's : andyf any of those other should chaunce

to turn, as that Priest hath done, as God forbid, were I to

blame for giving them exhibition ?
The foresaid Sir William left me an English book, called

Enchiridion. The which book the Abbes of Dennye de-

syred yt of me, and I sent yt to her. And that howse hath

cost me more than l pounds sterling. I could rehcrsc

many more. I do not say this because I wold be praised,

as God knoweth, but bicause your Gr. and my Lords of the

Counsell should know that I have spent more for the love 24/

of God, after the counsil of good Doctors, than of that one

Priest.
Another book I had of the same copie : a Frier of Gren-

wich desired yt of me, and I gave yt him. I think my

Lord of Rochester hath it. I had two books in English

wrytten ; the one was called the Pater Noster, an old book.

How yt came to my howse, on my faith I cannot tel ; and

the other book is called De Libertate Christiana. I re-

ceved him of one Arnold, a yong man that is gone into

Spain to a gentleman whose name is Mr. Woodall, that

went with Sir John Wingfeld, Kt. Embassador into Spaine.

I delivered those two books to the Father Confessor of Sion.

And also I delivered him a book of the N. Testament, the

which book my L. of London had. Also, I had a litle

treatise, that the Priest sent me, when he sent for his mony.

And all those books, save the books of the N. Testament,

laye openly in my house for the space of two yeres or more,

that every man might rede on them that would, at their

pleasure. I never harde priest, nor fryer, nor lay man

find any great fault in them. And so I trust in our Lord

God, that your good Grace, nor none of my lords and masters

of the Kings noble Councel, wil find any great faults in any

of them, when it shal please your Gr. or any of the Councel

to read them or hear them. And so I trust in our Lord

366 APPENDIX OF

God I shal be gyltless for any evil books, or any other thing

that liath been surmysed wrongfully on me. And yf mine

accusers be wel examined, peradventure they should be

found more fawlty than I shal be, when the trewth shal be

known.
I have shewed the book called The Enchiridion to Mr.

Doctor Watson, and to Mr. Doctor Stochouse, Parson of

Laname, [Lavenham,] in Suffolk, and to many other, that

never found fault in him to my knowledg ; and to the Fa-

ther Confessor of Syon, and to Mr. Martyn, Priest and

Parson of Totingebeke. And also the other two books,

called the Pater Noster and De Libertate Christiana^ I

think they looked them most part over, and they found no

fault at them. But in one of them, De Libertate Christiana,

they said, there was in him things somewhat hard, except

the reader were wyse. And by my faith there was al the

fault that ever I herde of them. If I had thought they

had not been good, or put any mistrvist in any of them, I

would not have shewed them openly to so many men as I

did. But mine accusers unto your noble Gr. I think did

never read them over ; and yf they did, they were to blame,

that they had not the order of charity with them. And yf

they had shewed me, that they had been nought or evil

books, yf they had been lerned, I would have given cre-

dence to them, and done them immediately away. And yf

I had then kept them, and they had complayned, then I

had bene worthy to have bene puny shed. I pray God for-

give them, as I would be forgeven my self.
When I harde my Lord of London preach at Pawles

Cross, that Sir William Tyndal had translated the N. Tes-

tament in English, and was noughtilie translated, that was

the first time that ever I suspected or knew any evil by him.

And shortely after, al the lettres and treatyes that he sent

me, with dyvers copies of books that my servant did write,

and the sermons that the Priest did make at St. Dunstones,

I did burne them in my howse. He that did write them

248 did se it. I did burne them for fear of the translator, more

than for any yll that I knew by them.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 3G7

If it like your Grace, for this imprisonment I liave ut-

terly lost my name, and also my litle credence, which I

had, for ever. The which is the greatest loss, and the more

sorrow and shanie, that ever I had in my liffe. I occupy

with divers clothe-men in Suffolk, and in other places. The

which have wekely some of them, as they send up their

clothes, most have theii* mony. And yf they fail of their

monye, they say, they cannot set the poore folks aworke.

There is divers clothe-men, the which I buy al their clothes

that they make. And yf they should go offer them to sel

to other men now at this time, they wold bid them go and

sel where they were wont to sel, wlien the sale was good :

and so the poor men should have great loss. I was wont

to sel for most part every yere iiii or v hundred clothes to

strangers, which was worth to the Kinges Gr. in his cus-

tomes, more than though I had shipped over my self five

times so many. I was wont betwixt Chrystmas and Whyt-

sontide to sel most part of them. And of trewthe as yet

since Chrystmas, I have sold but xxii clothes, nor I send

over none, nor no man axeth for none : I praye God amend

it, whan yt shal please him. And yf I leye here in prison

long, I cannot help my self more, nor none other man, but

shal be utterly undon for ever : and if your Gr. be not

good and merciful unto me. God is merciful, and wil for-

give them that be penitent, and axeth forgivenes. 1 trust

in the Lord I have not offended your Gr. nor none of my

lords nor masters of the Kinges noble Counsail, willingly,

nor to my knowledg. And yf I have, I beseche your good

Gr. and al my lords and masters, to forgive me, as you

would that God should forgive you.

Yf I had broken most part of the Ten Commandments

of God, being penitent, and confessed, [I should be forgiven,]

by reason of certen pardons that I have, the which my

company and I had graunted whan we were at Rome, go-

ing to Jerusalem, of the holly Father the Pope, a poena and

a culpa, for certain times in the yere. And that I trust in

God I rcceved at Easter last past; furthermore I receved,

when your Gr. was last at Pawles, I trust in God, your

368 APPENDIX OF

pardon of a pcena and a culpa ; the wliich I beleve verily,

yf I had don( never so^^reat offences, being penitent and

confessed, and axing forgiveness, that I should have for-

givenes. Beseching your Gr. and al my lords and masters to

pardon me and to forgive me, as I shal be your poor bead-

man during my liffe: that the bl. Trinitie, and our bl. lady

Saint Marie, and al the holly company of heaven, may help

you al at your most neede in vertue and grace. Amen. I

beseche your Gr. and al my lords and masters, to pardon

me of my rude wrytinge and tcrmes. I am unlerned ; my

witt is no better.

By your poor bedman and prysoner at your Gr.'s plesure,

Humfrye Munmouthe, Draper of London.

In presentia reverendi patris in Christo Cidhberti Lon-

don Episcopi, Humfridns Morimoiith I'ecognovit se

fscripsisse istas cartas.

249 Number XC.

The testament and last wil of Mayster Humphray Mon-

mouth, late citezin and alderman of London.

Foxii MSS. IN the name of God, Amen. The xvi. day of the

monethe of Novembre, the yere of our Lord God

MDXXXVII. and the xxix. yere of the reigne of our Sove-

raigne Lord King Henry the Eyght, I, Humphray Mon-

mouth, citezin and alderman of the citie of London, being

of whole mynd, and in good and perfect remembraunce,

laude and prayse be unto Almyghtye God, make and or-

deyne this my present testament, conteyning herein my last

wil, in maner and fourme following ; that is to say :
Fyrste and principally I commende my soul vuito Christ

Jesu, my Maker and Redemer, in whom, and by the me-

rytts of whose blessed passion, is al my whole trust of clene

remission and forgy venes of my synnes : and my body to be

buryed in the churchyard of the parish church of Alhal-

lowes in Barkynge of London, in such place there wheie

mine executors shal think convenient. Item, I wil that my

funeral expenses shal be done as hereafter I have specified

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 369

and declared, (and none other nor otherwys^e,) that is to

say, I wil that my body shal be brought to my burial in

the morning after my deceass, or shortly after, with four or

syxe staff-torches brennynge onely, without any braunches,

torches, or herse, and without any d'lrige to be songe or

said than ; and immediately after my body buryed, I wyl

have to pi'each a scrmond eyther Doctor Crome, Doctour

Barnes, or els Mayster Tayllour, Parson of Saynt Peters in

Cornhyll, to the laude and prayse of my Lord and Saviour

Jesus Christ, to the settyng forth of his blessed and holy

word, and to the declaration and tcstymony of my fayth

towardes the same. And I Avyl that my Lord Byshop of

Worcester, Doctor Barnes, Doctor Crome, and Mayster

Tayllour shal preach in my parysh-church aforesayd, every

week two sermonds, tyl they have preached among them

XXX. sermonds : and I wyl gyve them for every sermonde

xiii*. m\d. And yf any of these foresayde persons cannot

be there to preach these sermonds, than I wyl that the

other supplie his place, that shal be absent ; so that after

they have begonne to preach, (which I wold have them do

immediatly after my buryal,) they shal contynue wekely

every vveke, tyl the said xxx. sermonds be al preached, ex-

cept there be an urgent cause, allowed by myn executours

and supervisour, to the contrary. And that this thing may

be perfourmed the better, I bequethe to eyther of myn

especial and syngler good Lords, Syr Thomas Audeley,

Knyght, Lord Chauncellour, and Syr Thomas Crumwel,

Knyght, Lord Crumwel, a standyng cup of sylver and

gylte, of the value of x. pounds, that they may be good

Lords to these foresayd preachers, to helpe them and

maynteyne them, that they be suffered to preach the for-

sayd sermonds quietly, to the laud and prayse of Al-

myghty God, to the settyng forth of my Prynces godly

and hevenly purposes, to the utter abolyshyng and extinct-

ing of the usurped and false fayned power of the Byshop

of Rome. And yf it shal chaunce that these foresayd 250

preachers, or any of them, may not be suffered to preach

in my parish-church aforsayde, than I wyl that they

VOL. I. I'AKT II. B b

370 APPENDIX OF

preach these forsayd sermonds in any other church In

London, where they shal thynk it best, or most convenyent

for them. And I wyl, that at the end of every sermond

the quere shal begynne Te Deum, to laud and prayse my

Lord Jesus Christ, to gyve hym harty thanks for his he-

venly and godly word, and to beseche hym for his tender

mercy, and his swete blouds-sake, that he wyl contynue

and encrease it dayly more and more in the hertes of his

people : and also that it may please his inestimable godly

goodnes to maynteyn our sayd Soveraygne Lord the King

to further his godly and gracious purposes, Amen.
And to every Preest and Gierke belonging to the same

church, that wyl help to synge it, to have for his labour

ii^. or els nothyng. Item, I wyl have no mo Preestes and

Clerks at my funeral mass, than do serve dayly in our pa-

rysh church. And I wyl that every of the sayd Preests

and Clerks have his acciistomable duty with the mooste.

Itemj I wyl have no bells ronge for me, but onely a peale

to the sermond. Nevertheless I wyl that the Clerk and al

other poor men have their duty, as moche as though they

had ronge. Item, At my moneth-mynd, I wyl have nothing

done, except it be a sermond. Item, I wyl have no moi-e

mourners but myn executors, and my mother in law, and

myn aunt, Agnes Hurry, &c.
Item, I wyl, that al such dettes and dutyes as I owe of

ryght or of conscience, to any person or persons, be wel

and truly contented and payd by myn executors hereafter

named, or els ordeyned for so to be payd without any de-

lay or contradiction. And after my dettes payd, and my

funeral expences performed, I wyl that al my goods,

catalls, and dettes, shal be divided into theyr [three] egal

parts. Wherof I wyl, that Margery my wyfe shal have

one egal part to her own propre use, in name of her pur-

part, and reasonable part to her of al my sayd goods, cat-

tails, and dettes, after the laudable custom of the cite of

London belonging. And the second egal part of al my

sayd goods, cattals, and dettes, I bequethe to Grace and

Elizabeth my doughters, and the child now being in the

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 371

womb of my sayd wyfe, egally to be devided amongst them,

and to be delivered unto them, whan they shal accomjjlysh

and come to thcyr lawful ages of xxi. yeres, or els be ma-

ryed, &c. And if it fortune any of my sayd children to

deceass before they accomplysh theyr said ages, and before

that tyme be not maryed, that than I bequethe her part, or

his part of them so deceasyng, to the other of them than

survyving, to be delyvered unto them whan they shal ac-

complyshe theyr sayd ages, or else be maried. And if it

fortune al my sayd children to deceass, as God it defend,

before they accomplysli theyr sayd ages, and before that

tyme be not maryed, that than I bequethe as wel al and

singler the sayd part and porcion of my sayd children, of

my sayd goods, cattals, and dettes, as also my legacy to

them hereafter bequethed, to and amongst the children
lawfully begotten of the body of Acton, now wyfe of
Acton, and daughter of my brother Rychard Monmouth,

late of Tynbei-y, in the comity of Worcetor, deceased, to be

payd and delyvered to them at lyke ages, and in lyke

iTianer as is appoynted to myn own chyldren, and every

chyld lykewyse to be others heire therof. And yf it shal
fortune al the chyldren of the said Acton, of her 25 1
body lawfully begotten, to decease, which God defend, be-

fore they come to theyr sayd lawful ages, and before that

tyme be not maryed, than I wyl that al theyr sayd parts

and porcions of my sayd goods, catalls, and dettes, shal

wholly be employed and bestowed in amending and repayr-

ing of hygh noyous wayes, nyghe about the citie of Lon-

don, and to the maryage of poor maydens, by the discre-

tion of myn executours and overseer, yf they be than lyv-

yng, or els by the discretions of the L. Maior and his bre-

therne of the citie of London.

And the thirde egal part of al my sayd goods, catalls,

and dettes, I i*eserve unto my self and to myn executours,

therwith to perform my legacies and bequestes herafter

specifyed, that is to wyt. Fyrst, I bequeth unto my mo-

ther in lawe, Maistres Elizabeth Denham, a jewel of the

valew of x. pounde. Item, I bequethe xxx. pound to be

ub i2

372 APPENDIX OF

distributed shortly after my decease within the sayd parysh

of Alliallowes, and in my ward of the Toiire of London,

by the discretion of my executours and overseer. Item, I

bequethe to the sayd Mayster Robert Barnes x. pound and

a gowne. Itevi, I bequethe to Christopher Elyot, my ser-

vaunt, X. pound, to thintent that he shal instruct myn exe-

cutours faythfully and truly in al my reckenynges and bu-