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" holy Communion ; by reason whereof the holy Commu-

" nion was many times omitted upon the Sunday ; these let-

" ters willed and commanded him, the Bishop, to convent

334 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " such obstinate persons before him; and them to admo-

' " nish to keep the order prescribed : and that if any re-

Anno 1549. " fused, to punish them by suspension, excommunication,

" or other censures of the Church. And not to fail thus

" to do, as he would avoid his [the King's] displeasure.

" Yeven under our signet at our palace of Westminster,

" the third year of our reign."" It was signed by Thomas

Archbishop of Canterbury, R. Rich Lord Chancellor, and

four others.

These letters I have shortened, because I find there is a

copy of them taken out of another register, and entered into

Hist.Ref. the History of the Reformation.
p^^i 91 ^^^' Here again the Bishop of Westminster, to whom these

letters were given, accordingly duly executed them by his

The Bi- letter to his archdeacon of Middlesex, Richard Eden. And
derl'here- f'-^^'ther commanded all his Clergy to meet him or his chan-
upon. cellor at the cathedral church of St. Peter, to receive his

commandment in that behalf. Dated the 28th of Decemb.

1549.
Bishopric of The couclusioii of the registry of this Bishop is, " Notan-
sTer'dis-"' " ^^'^ ^'^^' ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^y ^^ ^P"l' 1^^^- ^"^ ^^^ ^^"^^^ ^f
solved. " the King, the episcopal see of Westminster was dissolved;

" and restored, and united to the see of London.""

214 CHAP. XXVI.

Order for sermons. Joan of Kent promotes Arianism.

The English Comjnunion Book reformed.

Anno 1550. XN the mouth of April 1550. it was ordered, that whoso-
Serinonsap-gver should have ecclesiastical benefices granted them by the
Court. King, should preach before him in or out of Lent : and
that every Sunday, there should be a sermon made at Court.
Arianism now shewed itself so openly, and was in such
danger of spreading farther, that it was thought necessary
to suppress it by using more rugged methods than seemed
agreeable to the merciful principles of the professors of the
Kent's con- ^^spel. One Joan Bocher or Knel, commonly called Joan
denuifition ;

Kjr IVli'NVT ShU \\ ±^SXU VI. ^OO

of Kent, being condemned for this heresy the latter end of CHAP,

the last year, a warrant, dated April 27, was issued by order ^^'

of Council to the Lord Chancellor, to make out a writ to Anno 1550.

the Sheriff of London for her execution, [to be burned,] for Council-

certain detestable opinions of heresy. These are the words

of the Council-Book. The Archbishop of Canterbury was

not then present at the Council-board, the Bishop of Ely

was. After her condemnation she was kept a great while,

in hope to reclaim her. April 30. the Bishops of London

and Ely were with her to persuade her, but she withstood

them. And even at her execution, which was May 2. she And execu-

reviled him that then preached, (who was Dr. Scory,) as the

King writes in his journal.

If any be minded to hear more of this woman, he may be Some ac-

informed by Parsons, that she was at first a great disperser tijig^oj^j^n^

of Tindal's New Testaments, translated by him into English,

and printed at Colen, and was a great reader of Scripture

herself. Which books she also dispersed in the Court, and Ward Word

so became known to certain women of quality, and was

more particularly acquainted with Mrs. Anne Ascue. She

used for the more secrecy to tie the books in strings under

her apparel, and so pass with them into the Court. The

said author writes, that she was openly reported to have

been dishonest of her body with base fellows. Which I

charitably suppose might be but a calumny, too common

with Parsons.
When she was condemned to die for her denial of Christ's Her words

taking flesh of the blessed Virgin, she said to the Judges, ju^i^g^

'' It is a goodly matter to consider your ignorance. It was

" not long ago since you burned Anne Ascue for a piece of

" bread, and yet came yourselves vSoon after to believe and

" profess the same doctrine for which you burned her.

" And now forsooth you will needs burn me for a piece of

'^ flesh, and in the end you will come to believe this also,

" when you have read the Scriptures, and understand them."

When she came to die in Smithfield, and Dr. Scory endea-

voured to convert her, she scoffed at him, and said, he lied

like a rogue ; and \mde him. Go, read the Scripiures.

336 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK The day after this woman''s condemnation, was one Putto,

___[____ a tanner of Colchester, brought before the King's com-

Anno 1650. missioners. He was either of her opinion, or an Anabaptist.

Putto does Pqj. these commissioners were appointed to sit upon inquiry
_ after these sectaries chiefly. But Putto recanted ; and bare
a fagot at Paul's Cross, and after that at Colchester.
Alterations Pqj. gome remembrance of the book of public and Common
made in the i • i i i • • i ^'^'
English Prayer, which about this time underwent a diligent mspec-

^^*^^' tion and reformation by some of the Bishops, take these

short hints of it. In the calendar for the lessons were no

proper lessons for Sundays and holydays, but only proper

Psalms for the four great festivals, viz. Christmas, Easter,

Ascension, and Whit-Sunday. The book began with the

Lord's Prayer, ushered in with this rubric, " The priest be-

" ing in the quire, shall begin with a loud voice the Lord's

" Prayer, or the Pater noster^ The Confession and Ab-

solution were first added in the revised edition; as the

German Protestant churches had their Confession and Ab-

solution. At the end of the former book were inserted se-

veral rules with this title, " Certain notes for the more plain

" explication and decent ministration of things contained in

" this book." One of these rules and notes is this : " If there

" be a sermon, or for other great cause, the Curate by his

" discretion may leave out the Litany, Glo?'ia in excelsis^

" the Creed, the Homily, and the Exhortation to the Com-

" munion." Another rule is, " That whensoever the Bishop

" shall celebrate the holy Communion in the Church, or

" execute any other public ministration, he shall have upon

" him, beside his rochet, a surplice or alb, and a cope or

" vestment, and also his pastoral staff in his hand, or else

" borne or holden by his chaplain." Another rule was, " As

" touching kneeling, crossing, holding up of hands, knock-

" ing upon the breast, and other gestures, they may be left

" or used, as every man's devotion seemeth, without blame."

The last note is this : " And although it be read in ancient

" writers, that the people many years past received at the

" Priest's hands the sacrament of the body of Christ in their

" own hands, and no commandment of Christ to the con-

" trary; yet forasmuch as they many times conveyed the CHAP

" same secretly away, kept it with tliem, and diversly abused ^^^^'

*' it to superstition and wickedness; lest any such thing Anno 155

*' hereafter should be attempted, and that an uniformity

" might be used throughout the whole realm ; it is thought

" convenient the people commonly receive the Sacrament

" of Christy's body in their mouths at the priest's hand.*"

But this last and other things were thought fit to be altered

afterwards.

The Papists imagined they had a mighty advantage over For whid

the Protestants, for this reviewing, purging, and correcting j,pbratd'tl

the English book; upbraiding them with that which the i''^*^^^^^^^

good reformers took so much satisfaction in having done ;

that is, laying aside some needless ceremonies that escaped

them before, and retrenching the book of such things as

looked too like superstition, and which the times would not

bear to be wholly taken away at once, or which perhaps at

first were not so well perceived. And our reformers looked

upon themselves as fallible men. Though even the first

communion service and the first book of public prayers

struck off abundance of superstitions, and reduced the ser-

vice of God to the primitive pattern, and the rule of God's

word; yet they never looked upon it so perfect, but that it

might admit of amendment and improvement. But in this

the Papists vainly triumphed, as though hereby they were

inconsistent to themselves, and contradicted what they ap-2l6

proved before. Thus Dorman, in his book, wrote towards Proof, fo.

the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, fondly bespeaks

Bishop Jewel : " Call to your remembrance the changing

'' and turning in and out of your Communion Book: how the

" first was pressed for uniformity, to be agreeable to Christ's

" institution, and the usage of the primitive Church. And

" yet in how short a space, that being taken .away, you

" brought in a new, to the first in the principal points clean

" contrary : to Christ's institution, and the order neverthe-

" less of the primitive Church, as agreeable just as was the

" first. And yet that, whether it be in all points as ye mind

" to have it squared and trimmed, yourselves and your com-
VOL. II. z

30 OK " panions perhaps can tell. Wise men, that know the na-

_____ " ture of heresy, and have observed the practice and order of
ano 1550. u ^q^j, proceedings, think verily, no."'
)mmunion This book, by such great wisdom and learning devised and
ed with improved, and so intelligible and edifying, in comparison
e super- ^yith the former Latin mass, vet could not as yet down

tion of ,11 • . PI

e mass, every where. For even the old superstitions of the sacra-

ment were much used in the administration of it. And even

in St. PauPs, London, the communion was used as the mass.

Whereof information and complaint was made to the Council.

And one impediment, why this godly office took not place

more universally, was, because the old office books still re-

mained. There were still the missals, manuals, pies, por-

tuisses, primers, processionals, couchers, journals, and I can-

not tell what other names of the old Popish services, remain-

ing. And where the Priest stood affected that way, the

books and offices being so near at hand, he would make use

of them, and understanding perhaps better to mumble over

that Latin, than to read the English book. Of which so

much notice was taken, and so much offence given, that in

the third and fourth of King Edward's reign, an act of

Parliament commanded them all to be abolished and extin-

guished for ever : and accordingly were called in, as was

shewed before.

CHAP. XXVIL

Ridley made Bishop of Lo7idon. His exchange of lands

zmth the King. Insurrectio7is. A dearth. Prices set

upon victuals.
f'l^y xllDLEY, Bishop of Rochester, was in the month of April

London, this year translated to the see of London, by the King''s let-

jgistr. |.gj,g patents ; mentioning an act of Parliament, taking away

the conge d'^elire, and empowering the King to nominate any

bishop by his letters patents to any see. In this letter is

mentioned at large the dissolution of the bisliopric of West-

minster.

OF KING EUWAKD VI.

Saturday, April the 12th, the said Bishop was installed CHAP.

and enthronized by proxy. His proxy was Richard Wilkes, ^XVII.

clerk: before William May, Dean of St. PauPs ; John Anno 155

Cardmaker, alias Taylor, present, now Vicar of St. Brigit's, installed.

Fleet-street; one of the commissaries for the expedition of ^'

the business of the installation. After the installation was

sung the Te Deum in English, with organs playing, and

the choir singing. Then Dean May sung some versicles,

and then said this prayer in English : " O Lord, Al-

" mighty God, we beseech thee, grant to thy servant Ni-

" colas, our Bishop, that by preaching and doing those

" things which be godly, he may both instruct the minds of

" his diocesans with true faith, and example of good works :

" and, finally, receive of the most merciful Pastor the re-

" ward of eternal life : who liveth with thee and the Holy

" Ghost, world without end. Amen."

In this fourth year of the King, Ridley, Bishop of Lon- An ex-

don, April 12, (that is, but nine days after he had taken his [^'^Jf ^_,g''_^

oath for the bishopric,) was fain to alienate to the King di- tween the

vers lands and manors, belonging to his see, in exchange the Bishoji

for others of the like value, which the King made over to ^^ London

him and his successors, by letters patents bearing date the

same day and year. The lands which the said Bishop con-

veyed to the King were, the manors of Branktree and

Southminster, and the advowson and right of patronage of

the vicarage of Coggeshal, in the county of Essex ; and the

manors of Stebunheath and Hackney, and the marsh of

Stebunheath, in the county of Middlesex. The lands which

the King passed away to the Bishop in lieu hereof, were

the manors of Greenford, Hanwel, and Drayton, in the

county of Middlesex, lately parcels of the possessions of

the bishopric of Westminster dissolved ; and all the lands,

tenements, and hereditaments in Uxbridge in the said coun-

ty, parcels of the said bishopric : and all and singular the

messuages, houses, edifices, tenements, gardens, shops, and

hereditaments in the parishes of St. Leonard, Foster-lane,

St. Michael in the Querne, and St. Dunstan's in the East,

late parcels of the aforesaid possessions : and the manors^ of

340 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK Ashwei, Stevenage, Holwel, Todwel, and Dacheworth, and

the rectory and church of Ashwei, in the county of Hert-

Anno 1550. ford; all parcels of the foresaid bishopric: and the manors

of Faring, Kelvedon, and Fawnton ; and the rectories and

churches of Fering and Kelvedon, in the county of Essex,

late parcels of the said bishopric : the manor of Knowl in

the county of Warwick, parcel of the said bishopric : the

manor, rectory, and church of Rickmansworth, in the

county of Hertford, lately belonging to the monastery of

St. Albany's: the manor of Paddington, in the county of

' Middlesex, lately belonging to the monastery of Westmin-

ster: the house commonly called the convict prison of

Westminster ; the advowsons, donations, and presentations

of Hanwel, and the chapel of Brainford, and the vicarage

of the church of St. Martin's near Charing Cross ; and of

divers other churches. Churches and lands being in Mid-

dlesex, London, Hertford, Essex, Warwick, Lincoln, Rut-

land, Oxon, Northampton, Huntingdon, Surrey, Glo-

cester, Berks, and Wigorn. All which extended to the

clear yearly value of 59.Q. 19. ^q.

But the King made this exchange, not for himself, but to

gratify certain of his courtiers. For April 16, that is, four

days after the Bishop had granted his lands to the King, he

again granted by his patents,

218 To Sir Thomas Darcy, Vice-chamberlain

of his household, the manor of South-

minster, of the value of - - 194 12 2

To Richard, Lord Rich, Lord Chancel-

lor of England, the manor of Brank-

tree, and the advowson of Coggeshal,

of the value of - - - - 39 13 4

To Thomas, Lord Wentworth, Lord

Chamberlain of the household, the

manors of Stebunheath and Hackney,

of the value of - - - - 245 18 Sobq.
480 3 ^obq.

And in the first year of Queen Elizabeth, the aforesaid

XVXi^VJI A^±-f ** XXAV-1-/ » X.

assurance, made by the Bishop to the King, was confirmed CHAF

by act of Parhament; and also those lands by the said

act were assured to the Lord Wentworth, the Lord Rich, Anno 15

and Sir Thomas Darcy, and their heirs. In this act it is ^onfirmj

ion of

expressed, " that the King being seized of the foresaid ma- them by
act of Pa

liament.

" nors, lands, and tenements, in consideration of the said ^^

" gift, and for a full recompence, did give by his letters

" patents unto the Bishop of London and his successors

" for ever, other manors, lands, and tenements, to the

" yearly value thereof, and more."*"* And indeed the King's

lands made over to the Bishop exceeded the lands made

over by the Bishop to the King in forty-six pounds odd

money. This may serve to stop their mouths that are apt

to blame Bishop Ridley for parting with such fair manors

as Stepney and Hackney from the see. And Stow, or some

of his enlargers after him, to aggravate this gift, and make

all people that read it the more ready to blame him, do set

down all the particular streets, lanes, townships, and places

within these manors, to make his gift seem the greater, and

the wrong done to the bishopric the more heinous. Where-

as neither the King nor the Bishop were to be blamed for

this, the advantage of the exchange being considerably on

the Bishop's side. And therefore to make an equivalent,

certain rents, to the value of an hundred pounds, were re-

served to the King.

In the further parts of Essex were many earnest gospel-

lers. And for their better edification they procured preachers

sometimes to preach to them on the week days. The report Weekly

whereof came to the Court; and that, as it appears, by the^J"^ ^°

information of the Lord Rich, Lord Chancellor, not so well

affected to the religion then settled, however politicly he

complied with the time; whose seats were at Lees and

Rochford, and his estate lying thereabouts. These weekly

meetings to hear sermons, the Council, (upon some sugges-

tions, it is likely, of his, of the inconvenience thereof, as

being an liinderance of the common people's necessary la-

bours,) did forbid. And in order to that, a letter was ad-

dressed to the Bi&hop of London, to cause the same prac-
z3

BOOK tices to cease, and tliat the people should content them-

_______ selves with hearing sermons on Sundays and holydays only.
nno 1550. The letter was as follows :
y the " To our vcry good Lord, the Bishop of London. After
tier to " o^*' right hearty commendations unto your Lordship. Be-

leBjshoi).

" preachers within your diocese, in the county of Essex,

" do preach, as well the worky days as the holy days ;

" whereof some inconveniences may grow ; thinking it not

219" convenient that the preachers should have liberty so to

" do : because at this present it may increase the people's

" idleness, who of themselves are so much disposed to it,

" as all the ways that may be devised are little enough to

" draw them to work : we therefore pray you to take or-

" der, that they preach the holy days only, as they have

" been accustomed to do. And the work days to use those

" prayers that are prescribed unto them. Thus we bid

'' your good Lordship most heartily farewell. From Green-

" wich, the J^3d of June, 1550.
" Your loving friends,

" E. Somerset. W. Northampton. E. Clynton.

" G. Cobham. W. Paget. W. Harbart. W. Petre.''
Accordingly, the Bishop sent his executory letters to the

Archdeacon of Colchester ; to will him with convenient ex-

pedition, not only to give warning to all curates within his

archdeaconry, that they suffer not preaching on work days

in their churches, but also to send for all and singular

preachers, authorized within the said archdeaconry, and ad-

monish them of the same : charging them in the King's

Highnesses name, that from henceforth they do not preach,

but only upon Sundays and holy days, and none other days,

except it be at any burial or marriage. And thus fare you

heartily well. From London, the 25th of June, 1550.
" Your loving friend,
" Nic. Lond."
A perpetual peace made with France was declared by

KJr IVli>IVT J2j XJ \\ JrXJ^Vi^ VX.

proclamation, May 28th. In which peace was the Emperor CHA

and the Queen of Scots comprehended.

XXV

As the last year a formidable rebellion happened in the Anno 15

western parts, so in April this year an insurrection was set- (^j^^^ed

ting on foot in Kent, by a priest of that county. Which in- Kent.

surrection was to have begun on May day. For the Popish ,,,ard'sJ(

priests, in zeal to their old superstitions, were generally the "'^i-

movers of sedition and tumults in King Henry's and King

Edward's reigns. So that the commotions last year in De-

vonshire, Norfolk, and Yorkshire, were not so well allayed,

but they had hke to have broke out this year in Kent. But

the matter was discovered timely, and several of the sedi-

tious were taken, and the priest fled into Essex ; but was

there laid for. Nor did this design of rising yet cease with

the taking oiF some of the parties. For the next month,

viz. in that of May, upon pretence of a wedding, the

people were to assemble, and take that opportunity of ap-

pearing in arms. But the gentlemen of Kent took the party

that was the inventor of this; and afterwards he suffered

punishment.

Were it not for the great watchfulness that was now in insurrec

the magistrates every where, a rising would have about this ^'P^^\s

time appeared in Essex also. For in June certain were

taken about Rumford, who intended an insurrection : and

so it was stopped there.
Others also of the said county of Essex gave at this very Sermons

time a jealousy to the Council for their too unseasonable J^°j^j^ ^'^^

meetings in numbers on week days for hearing of sermons. Essex.

What dangers might lie, and what evil be hatched under 220

colour of these assemblies of the people, was somewhat sus-

pected. Which made the Council send a letter to the Bi-

shop of London to suppress them ; as was shewn before.