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" said, No. We have none of these. Neither Daniels nor " Elizeus's, to deny gifts. But we have plenty of Gehazi's " in all places to receive ; God defend them from their lepro- " sies I dare not write for offending ; but this dare I " write, that if divers officers within this realm should " shew their accounts from year to year, how they have " gotten their goods, as merchants may do, it should be
common.
228 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
^' " jesty lacked money, and the poor commons complain." Anno 1548. Hereby may plainly be seen the great vice of this age, I'^^an immeasurable affectation of wealth in the superior sort of men, which led them to divers ill practices, to the im- poverishing of the commons, and, I may add, of the King too.
Crowley's I will mention yet another book that came abroad this of'Slfxfon''^ year; and this was in the behalf of rehgion, set forth by Articles. Crowley aforesaid. It was a confutation of the thirteen ar- ticles, whereunto Nic. Shaxton, late Bishop of Salisbury, subscribed, and caused to be set forth in print in the year 1546, when he recanted in Smithfield, at the burning of Mrs. Anne Ascue. Printed by Day and Seres. In this book were contained these several pieces. I. Certain mat^- ters sent by Mr. Shaxton to his wife : they were counsels to her for chastity, now he was to be divorced from her. II. A letter sent him by the inhabitants of Hadley, where he had been Minister : whence he had been sent for up. At what time he told his people upon his parting, his resolution to per- sist in the acknowledgment of the truth, whatever became of him. His parishioners in this letter severely charge him for his inconstancy. III. His submission to King Henry, when he recanted. IV. His opinion in the Sacrament before his recantation, which was right and orthodox. Writ by him- self to the popish Bishops. V. His thirteen articles, con- taining the sum of the popish doctrine, by him confessed, subscribed, and put in print ; together with the confutation of them by Crowley : which makes the bulk of the book. And before all these is the said Crowley's epistle to Shax- ton.
Bale de vi-. The first edition of John Bale's most elaborate and bus!""*^"' l^ig^^y valuable book of the writers of Britain came forth this year in quarto. Printed at Ipswich, by John Overton, pridie col, Augusti. The author dedicated his book to King Edward : who in the title-page is represented sitting on his throne, and Bale upon his knees offering him his book, his tutor Cheke standing by at a curtain.
OF KING EDWARD VI. 229 To this I add another book in quarto of a foreigner; CHAP, dedicated this year also to the King, in a long epistle dated from Hamburgh. The author was Johannes JEpinus. ^""<^ i^^s. The subjects of his book were, De 'purgator'io^ ''^'^^^V^^" Purgatorio tionibus^ remissione culparum et poencB, &c. This ^pinus &c- was chief Minister of the Church of Hamburgh, and was sent twelve years before as envoy from Hamburgh into England to King Henry upon matters of religion.
de Religionis Christi restitutione. Et ejusdem Respo7isio ad duas Stepliani Vintoniensis Episcopi ejnstolas, 4to. Which answer of Bucer to Winchester was also this year put into English : and Bradford mentioneth it in a letter to Traves, 1548. The Lady Ehzabeth's translation of a meditation of the Lady Eliza- soul concerning love towards God and his Christ, must not here be forgotten : compiled in French by the late Mar- garet Queen of Navar. Printed in 8vo. and afterwards re- printed by H. Denham.
that bloody Bishop, but of better principles, set forth a treatise this year of the right worshipping of Christ in the sacrament of bread and wine, when it is ministered with thanksgiving in the holy Supper. Printed for Gualter Lyn, 8vo. CHAP. XVIII. 147 Pi'oclamations for regulation of sundry abuses in the realm : as, about gold aiid silver coins. The King's bands of soldiers not filled. Neios, disparaging the King's af Jairs. The teston. Enclosures, ^c. The Lord Protector loses himself ivith the nohility. The Lady Mary required to use the Common Prayer, established by law. Dr. Hop- ton her Chaplain.
kingdom, occasioned, it may be, by the wars in Bulloyn ; ^^"^ *^^ -J ' .> J ^ gold coin ; (i 3 230 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK and especially the old coins of rials, (as they were called,) ______ angels, half angels, crowns of the rose, and others of that Anno 1548. or like standard; and also sovereigns, half sovereigns, and other of the King's new coin of gold. The King's gold was carried away in such quantities, that it was sensibly felt, to the great disfurnishing of the realm. Which obliged the King to send forth a proclamation, bearing date April 3, forbidding that any man should convey it away, whole or broken, upon pain of imprisonment, and other pains and forfeitures, as were by the law appointed. By virtue of this proclamation other abuses, concerning the King's gold and other coins, were provided against. As, a charge was given that none should buy or sell the abovesaid gold for other price, than according as they were valued and appointed by
the proclamation, viz. I s.
d. The angel of gold at
8 The half angel — 4 10
The old rial —
6 The new sovereign — 1 The half sovereign — 10 The crown —
And if any should buy or sell the said pieces at above that price, he should forfeit the said coins so bought or sold, and besides ten times the value thereof, and suffer im- prisonment. ither And a practice of goldsmiths and merchants was also by this proclamation forbid. Which was to buy and sell the King's coin at higher prices than it was by the King's pro- clamation rated and valued at. And so to cull and try out the finest and heaviest, and melt them down, or otherwise make gain upon them ; leaving the lightest and less fine only to be current ; to the impairing the King's money, de- frauding the subjects, and disfurnishing and slandering the mints. For the prevention of this, it was the King's will and pleasure^ that the old law, statutes, and customs of the realm in this case should be put in ure and execution.
sea had of late attempted to counterfeit testons, shillings, OF KING EDWARD VI. 231 groats, and other the King's coin of silver, and in great CHAP. multitudes brought them into the realm. Such counter- feiters were to forfeit their lives and lands, goods and Anno 1549. chattels.
litary officers and soldiers, which he kept in constant pay, J,„y .'"^ ' the numbers of the bands not being filled, though the King's full pay was allowed. And this abuse was especially in the counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and West- morland, and other places of the borders. The captains of By the cap- the light horsemen were chiefly guilty of this fraud ; who had not so much before their eyes their duty towards their sovereign Lord and country, nor yet their own surety, as a vile mind and filthy respect of their own gain. For they not only polled their soldiers without shame or dread, but diminished their numbers appointed to serve under them ; saving that for a colour at the muster-day, they procured some to supply the void places. And by pattishment with unmeet and unserviceable men for less wages than the King allowed, they did in such sort disguise their numbers, as in a manner the third part of the numbers, which the King ap- pointed and paid for, was not ready, able, or sufficiently fur- nished to do that service that was looked for ; to the deceit of his Majesty, and the no less danger of the King's true subjects and soldiers, as upon the confidence of the aid of such light horsemen, to join with them at any encounter with the enemy, should find themselves deceived and aban- doned. And as the captains did thus, so the soldiers, tak-Bythe ing example and boldness from them, provided not them- selves of horse or harness meet to serve withal ; and when they were commanded to set forth towards any place of service, repaired not thither together, but sometimes more than the half part remained behind. And if they went, stuck not to return home by small companies, without leave, with several preys and booties, more by them sought, than doing service. And which was worse, at any approach or afFronture of the enemy, without order or respect of abiding by the standard, they used commonly upon every 0. 4 sol-
MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL
' their fellows ; who through such their flying lost oftentimes A.nno 1549. that assured advantage of victory, which with their tarrying they might have been partakers of. And if so be they tarried, they did it not so much for discharge of their pro- fession of service, as only for desire of spoil and pillage. And this pillage they sought not so much upon their ene- mies, as rather upon the King"*s own subjects or friends, namely, the assured Scotchmen : whose goods and cattle di- vers of those light horsemen of Northumberland and others of the borders had lately spoiled and robbed ; as by sundry complaints of such assured men was well known. This gross want of good discipline was in the King's militia. Redress For the remedying of which, the King, April 6, issued
tion. henceforth not to fail to have in readiness their whole and entire number without diminishment in any part, and with- out defalcation of any part of the wages so allowed to every light horse ; and that they failed not to have their bands complete always, as in an hour's warning to be given them 1 49 by the commissaries : and that none of the captains, or any light horsemen of the bands, at any road or other invasion of the enemies' grounds, or defence of the borders, should dare to depart from the standard, or otherwise forsake or scatter from the rest of the army or company ; nor to for- sake or depart from any fortress, to the guard whereof they should be appointed, unless they should have express com- mandment. And finally, to forbear henceforth to commit any spoils or pillages upon any of the assured Scotchmen, their goods, lands, or cattle, which had been received into his Majesty's protection. And likewise, that they forbore from the embezzling or pilfering of horses, geldings, hai- ness, weapons, or any other thing, pertaining to any other soldier serving his Majesty in the wars, whereby the service of the party robbed might be hindered. And that no cap- tain or soldier sell, give, or exchange, or by any fraud iind means to set out on purpose, any horses to be taken and come into the possession of any Scotchman, or other stranger. OF KING EDWARD VI. being his Majesty's enemy. And if any soldier placed in CHAP. garrison with any of his Majesty's pieces, shall, before dis- ^^'^^^• charge of the captain, leave his watch or ward to the danger Anno 1549. of the loss of the piece, his Majesty doth and will order, that the offender shall incur the danger and pain of death.
malicious reports of great overthrows and losses, to the dis- tofd'onhe paragement of the King, his fortresses, captains and sol- ?!"^'^/^"
gers relating to his Majesty's other affairs : whereby they gave occasion to strangers to write into distant countries such tales for news, to the great dishonour of the King ; being most false and untrue. This caused the King to set forth a proclamation, bearing date April 29, to all Justices, and other officers, to give all diligence to seize all such sowers and tellers abroad of vain and forged tales and lies. And every such author or maker of false tales or news, to be committed into the galleys, there to row in chains, as a slave or forsary, during the King's pleasure.
under King Henry VIII. and in these times of King Ed-"^^"^^* ward. It was a sort of coarse money, or under standard, coined at first by the said King Henry, with his face and stamp, and went for twelve pence. Vast quantities of them were coined abroad, and brought into England; and they more than other pieces for the greatness and facility of counterfeiting them. The counterfeiters were for the most part strangers, dwelling in foreign parts, who found means to convey hither privily, and disperse the said coun- terfeit pieces abroad in the King's dominions. But all tes- tons were by a proclamation the last year put down, so that none should be taken after the last of December, in the second year of the King, but as bullion. But by another proclamation in January they were prolonged for some time, by reason of the great numbers of these testons dis- persed in so many hands ; besides, many in policy, hard upon the day, made whole payments in the said coin ; and especially for that those that had plenty of other money
234 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK took unreasonable allowance of the poorer sort (which were ' most to be relieved) for the exchange of their testons. So Anno 1549. that much detriment might ensue to the possessors of them, unless a remedy, by prolonging of the term then ap- 150 pointed for their calling in, were provided. Upon which considerations the King thought good to prolong the term to the first of May : and so the teston to continue till then for current money. They are On May 22. another proclamation came forth for the
longed the term of allowing them for current money, as was shewed before, upon trust, that in that space every man helping in their way, all manner of the said testons of the stamp of the late King should have beeii brought into the mint and exchanged. But that many had kept them still in their hands, abusing his Majesty's clemency, and fewer sithence that time, till of late, had been brought into the mint. Which testons, if they should remain only mere bullion, would be great loss and hinderance to the subject ; and if they should still remain, would be greatest loss and hinder- ance to the realm. Therefore they were now to be cried down, and never hereafter taken for current money. Yet the King of his princely clemency and liberality was con- tent, that such sums of money as should be due to him, as well for relief granted in the last session of Parliament, as for all other rents and debts, might be paid in good and lawful testons before the first of June next, and so received of his treasurers after the rate and value of twelve pence : and after that for the space and time of two months, that is, until the last of July, the King was content to receive these testons at the mint for bullion, after the rate of twelve pence the piece. And moreover, it should be lawful for any person to buy testons, with intent to bring them to the mint, so that he buy them for no less price than eleven pence halfpenny the piece. Upon pain that whosoever should buy any such pieces for his own greedy lucre, under that value, to the damage of the poor men, who should sell the same, should forfeit those testons, and ten times the
OF KING EDWARD VI. 235 value. And for that price the mints were ordered to re- CHAP, ceive them. ^^^^^- About the month of May, the King, to prevent the dis- "^n"" 1.549. gusts that might arise amongst his commons, and to stop ^^^^^f 'IJ^"^*^* insurrections now foreseen, issued out his proclamation cf houses against decay of houses, (for husbandmen, ploughmen, and such like,) of commons, and lawful enclosures, contrary to good and wholesome laws heretofore made. The King did therefore command such offences to be amended, and to redress all faults committed against those acts, and against the benefit of the commonwealth. And for the better per- formance of the same, that all his offices to whom it did ap- pertain to see the same redressed, should receive inform- ations, make inquiry, and earnestly endeavour to see redress and punishment of all such offenders.
run into great disorder, or pretended to take occasion so to ^Slt en- do. For they riotously with routs and companies, with closures, sword and violence, of their own heads and authority, as- sembled themselves in many places, plucked down men's hedges, disparked their parks; and being led by furious and light guides of uproars, taking upon them the direction of things, the King's royal power and sword not regarded, committed such enormities and offences, as they justly me- rited the loss of life, lands, and goods. But at length they were brought humbly to submit themselves, and beg pardon. Whereupon the King by a proclamation, dated June the 12th, pardoned them: looking upon this outrage (as the 151 said proclamation set forth) as done rather of folly, and^^'^^"^^- mistaking of his former proclamation, and at the instigation and motion of certain lewd and seditious persons, than of any malice or ill-will that they bare to the King or quiet of the realm : excepting such persons as were apprehended and already in prison, as heads of the said outrage and routs. But this rage of the commons had gotten too great a head to be allayed by this clemency of the Prince, as it proved not long afterwards in many parts of England, as may be read at large in our historians.
236 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL BOOK All provisions this summer grew very dear, and the prices of victuals so enhanced above the accustomed value, and Anno 1 549. this witliout ground or reasonable cause, as thereby great deartlfof ^^^^ ^^^ danger, without speedy remedy, must" happen to provision, the subject. Therefore the King resolved to take some remedy herein ; and especially being backed with the au- thority of former good statutes, and particularly two made in 25 of Henry VIII. The eiFect of the latter whereof was, that the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Chancellor, and divers others of the King's great officers there mentioned, should have power and authority, from time to time, to set and tax reasonable prices on all kind of victuals, how they should be sold in gross or by retail, for relief of the King's subjects. And that after such prices be set, proclamation should be made under the great seal of the said prices. And that all farmers and other victuallers should sell all kind of victuals according as they should be taxed by the said proclamation, upon certain pains and penalties. In pursuance of this and other acts, the Lord Treasurer, and Lord Chancellor, and others, set and taxed reasonable prices upon all kinds of victuals ; and the King confirmed the same with his proclamation dated July % Which taxation was after this manner : F7'om Midsummer to Hallowmas. Every ox being primed and well stricken of the largest bone 38^. Of a meaner sort - - - - - - 28,s. An ox fat and of the largest bone - - - - 45^. Of the meaner sort, being fat _ - - . 38 ,y. Steers or runts being primed or well stricken and large of bone -------- 9,0s. Of a meaner sort - - - - - -16^. Being fat of the largest bone - - - - 25*. Being fat of a meaner sort - - - - - 21 *. Heifers and kine being primed and well stricken and large of bone ------- 16*. Of a meaner sort - - - - - \Qs. 4i(l. OF KING EDWARD VI. 237 Being fat and large of bone 22 5. CHAP. Being fat and of a meaner sort - - - - 18^. ^^^^^' From Hallowmas to Christmas. Anno 1549. Every ox being fat and large of bone - - 46^. 8c?. Being fat of a meaner sort _ _ _ - 39^- ^d. Steers and runts being fat and large of bone - ^Qs. Sd. Being fat of a meaner sort > - _ _ 22^. 8c/. Heifers and kine being fat and large of bone - - 23,?. 152 Of a meaner sort ------- 19,?. From Christmas to Shrovetide. Every ox being fat and large of bone - - 4?8,?. 4cZ. Of a meaner sort - - - - - - 41,9. 4 ci^.
Of a meaner sort ------ 24^. ^d. From shearing time to Michaelmas. Every wether being a shear-sheep, lean and large of bone -- - - - - - --3,?. Of a meaner sort - - - - - - 2,?. 4(i. Being fat and large of bone - - - - - 4,y. Being fat of a meaner sort - - - - - 3,9. Ewes being lean and large of bone - - - - 2,9. Being lean of a meaner sort - - - - 9>0d. Being fat and large of bone - - - - - 2*. From Michaelmas to Shrovetide. Every wether being a shear-sheep, lean and large of bone --------- 3,9. Being lean of a meaner sort - - - - 2,9. 4 c?. Being fat and large of bone . - - - 4,9. 4cZ. Being fat of meaner sort - - '- - - 3,9. 4cZ. Yüklə 12,09 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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